Day 40 A Japanese Farewell

It is 2.30 pm (5.30 am UK time) and we are sailing in an Easterly direction across the Pacific Ocean towards Alaska. We will now spend 6 days at sea, though only 5 dates, as we will experience 2 Thursdays when we cross the International Dateline.

Yesterday, sadly, was our last stop in the Far East, and I am already missing the wonderful culture and sights. The ‘cruise critic’ tour which we took in Japan was amazing, even though the tour company didn’t quite grasp the gender of our female cruise critic organiser.

The day started onboard with a compulsory thermal imaging scan for all passengers by the Japanese authorities to check we were not bringing any deadly viruses into the country. Thankfully we all passed despite the hot flushes of anxiety as we walked past the sensor, and the men in white  masks.

Our ship had docked in Muroran, on the Southern tip of the North Japanese island of Hokkaido, and our day led us through a magnificent range of experiences and entertainment.

We visited the restored Ainu village and learned about the former lives of the indigenous people of of the Tohoku region.    

We breathed in Sulphur as we walked along paths in ‘Hell Valley’ Hot Springs.

This was followed by a traditional hot buffet lunch of noodles, soup and a range of dishes. I have no idea what was on my plate, but it tasted delicious, and my chopstick skills are improving.

Our next stop was to take the cable car up to the top of Mount Usu. From there we climbed in thin air to the rim of the volcano and stared into the smouldering crater.

The outlook over Lake Toya was breathtaking. My photos do not do justice to the view.

I loved Japan. It felt secure and friendly. The housing was well developed, though mostly much closer together than in similar areas in the UK. The devastation of the Tsunami was in our minds.

Our return to the ship coincided with a local dockside ceremony led by the mayor to say farewell to the ship before she set sail for Alaska. Diamond Princess only visits this part of Japan twice a year, and the Japanese gave a very strong welcoming message.

So that’s it for now....goodbye Far East and no land in sight for 4 days at least.   More about the ship tomorrow.