Rainy and overcast weather plagued most of our stopovers along the coast of Japan. Here are Tertius and Henry listening raptly to a presentation about a volcano we cannot see from a guide we cannot understand…..
And here we pose with Sally in front of a representation of the Mount Fuji we would have seen had we been there on a clear day…
A great exception was the port of Aomori, which gave us a bright welcome….
Here they have a museum devoted to “nebuta” lanterns, colorful illuminated floats that are paraded through the streets during a popular summer festival. The artistry is incredible.
A favorite travel pastime is eating….. and the area around Aomori is renowned for its gorgeous fruit….
And vegetables…..
And, of course – seafood. (It’s a port.) Here we prepare to grill our own fish and crustaceans dockside over an open fire…..
Many Japanese ports have aquariums…. This one in Oarai was excellent.
Unfortunately, we found this display of a tiny octopus in an enclosure with the accoutrements associated with EATING octopus to be sad and insensitive….
A nearby noodle house gave us our most authentic meal….. no octopus on the menu!
The Port of Sendai boasts a Kirin beer factory, with a generous tasting opportunity following the formal tour.
A food truck area alongside the ship provided a chance to briefly connect with some locals…..
Great “tastes” of Japan before we disembarked the ship in Osaka for the next chapters……
(Apologies for the delays in posting our experiences….. internet access in China was limited. Hoping to catch up in the week to come! Please stay tuned!)
