Blogs from Japan, Asia - page 7

My next destination after Vietnam was Japan, I landed in Tokyo at an odd hour and just crashed the first night. While end March is spring time in Japan, this year the winter has lasted longer and the cold, rain and the winds have lingered. The next day, I went out in search of Cherry Blossoms to Ueno Park, but due to the cold weather, only a few trees had bloomed. At Ueno Park, I was fortunate to see a Torii Gate without people though. Torii Gates are found at the entrance of Shinto Shrines as a mark of transition from the mundane to the sacred. As I explored more, scattered cherry blossoms trees appeared and I saw both the Yoshino cherry blossoms and the weeping cherry blossoms. Next day, I headed to Sumida Park in ... read more

I love Tokyo. If I had to eat only in one city for the rest of my life, Tokyo would be it. Most chefs I know would agree with me. Anthony Bourdain. We’ve all seen photos of Tokyo, but until you are there you cannot imagine the enormity of this city. Dave refers to this as his “Grand Canyon Theory.” You can tell people how big it is, show them pictures of how big it is, but until you actually put your eyes on it, you do not realize just how big it really is. To start with, Japan is roughly the size of California and has a population of 125 million. Thirty-eight million of those people live in the greater Tokyo area. It’s the largest metropolitan area in the world. Need more perspective? The next ... read more

After the great experiences of South Korea and Taiwan, it was time to head for our main destination when we first started planning our voyage…..Japan. There are so many considerations when you have the luxury of some three and a half weeks in a single nation, so where do you begin? A country with some 150 million inhabitants crammed on an island where roughly three-quarters of the terrain is mountainous, this is one populous country. With a little research, we ended up on the island of Okinawa, the southernmost and westernmost part of Japan. Part of the strategy was that it was technically still winter and perhaps we would find more forgiving climes here….and we were right. We are always happy when we get off the plane and see palm trees. We flew on Peach Airlines ... read more

Tour Day 136, Cruise Day 34 – “Ishigaki Half Day” Shore Excursion – Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, Japan – Discover Banna Park, a sprawling nature reserve located just a couple of miles north of Ishigaki City. Positioned around a hill, Banna is divided into four zones and includes a skyline area. All are linked by paths and roads. Kabira Bay is one of the finest sightseeing spots in Japan, given a high rating in the Michelin Green Guide for its beautiful emerald-colored water and white-sand beach. You will visit, weather permitting. The black pearls of Kabira Bay are quite famous. A souvenir shop here offers a limited number of Japanese-made black pearl products, difficult to find in other places. Ishigaki Island's retail hotspot is the Euglena Mall, with more than 100 shops. Souvenir shops, snacks, Ishigawa specialties ... read more

I could have taken the “Panoramic Osaka” Shore Excursion the next day but wanted to see Osaka at night. Tour Day 132, Cruise Day 30 – “Panoramic Osaka” Shore Excursion – Osaka is the largest merchant city in western Japan. The town is divided into two areas -- Kita and Minami, literally translating as North and South. These areas have very different characteristics, which you will discover on a panoramic drive through lively Osaka. Head to Osaka North, whose downtown area is called Kita or Umeda. This is a business and shopping district surrounding Osaka station. You will see the Umeda Sky building -- an arch-shaped architecture which consists of two towers with a sky garden and atrium on the top. The garden is actually an observatory and, when the building was constructed, it was lifted ... read more