JAPAN DELIVERS

Monday, September 29, 2014
Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan
Think big city. No, really big city. Multiply it by 10! Now, you're getting close to Tokyo, the largest city in the world, with a population of 36 million, most under 5'5" (or so it seems). We've had 2 days here, and we're just starting to get our bearings in this large, complex, energy-filled megatropolis. It is daunting for sure, even overwhelming, but we're determined to take a bite out of it anyways.
 
To backtrack just a bit, we arrived after 2 weeks at sea, which was a lot of fun and pampering. The days flew by, and we were deposited here in Tokyo after visiting 2 other Japanese ports, Otaru and Hakodate, with a side trip to Sapporo. While we had never heard of either before, we were very pleasantly surprised to find them to be enjoyable and interesting. First off, we've found the people to be extraordinarily friendly, despite the language barrier. It was common to be asked if we needed directions, and then to be guided partly to our desired destination. Of course, in the smaller cities, the pace was slower than here in Tokyo, but the sights no less interesting. 

Among them, beautifully designed/restored buildings, unique shops, immaculate parks, and clean, clean, clean streets . What do people do with their trash?, we wondered, since there are few public trashcans, yet no litter. 
In Sapporo, for instance, we happened upon an annual food festival, with dozens of stands offering you name it (we couldn't!). Hundreds of people were happily munching away from disposable plates, bowls, etc. yet there were no place to dispose of them. Where was all this flotsam going? We ate lots of food samples of ??? and couldn't put our trash anywhere. We were puzzled. Well, it seems that people take their trash with them, and throw it out at home. This would be a challenge in our case, so we just took it back to the ship. But I digress. In these cities, we visited street markets full of the freshest and most diverse seafood imaginable, much of it alive and ready for consumption. Some of it, not recognizable. Bonnie drooled whilst I, most definitely, did not. Anyone for a 7 pound (!) crab? It was the size of a poodle. See picture. Of course, no trip abroad would be complete without visits to multiple churches and temples of every stripe . No more need be said about that.But, we did visit a few places that tickled our fancy. Among them was a cable car ride in Hakodate up to the top of a beautiful mountain with a view considered to be one of the top 3 in the world (the others are Hong Kong and Venice). It was a sparklingly crisp day, and the view was breathtaking. We had a picnic lunch there, joined by some rather large and vocal crows who demanded that we share our sandwiches. Otaru was the site of a charming street filled with admittedly tourist-oriented shops, restos and attractions. Here, we found a memorable music box museum. It contained centuries old music boxes of every variety, ranging from the miniscule matchbox to the piano-sized. All were lovingly restored and in working order. An adjoining retail store carried literally thousands of them displayed for as far as the eye could see. We came close to buying one shaped like a Faberge egg, but the words "dust-collector" came to mind, so it was not to be.Now, we find ourselves in Tokyo with a myriad of choices for how we will spend our 5 days here. So much to see, so much to do, so little energy. But, we'll do our best, and you'll read about it in our next blog entry.

Comments

Hope Springman
2014-10-01

Great photos and wonderful commentary about your first days in Japan. The people might be 5'5" to you, but in my family, they would be giants! Loved reading about the unique museums, extraordinary sights and interesting trash disposal methods! Happy travels during the rest of your stay in Japan! Xox Hope

cissie.retired
2014-10-01

Good Afternoon, Bonnie and David,
So great to hear from you in Japan, and happy to read how enjoyable the places you've visited have been so far. I can honestly say I've heard of Otaru, but only in a crossword puzzle! :) Nice to know it really exists. It's October 1 today and a dull one, threatening rain any minute. Getting ready for Yom Kippur on Friday and Saturday, or as my sister says, her exercise day! Stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down! Take care and keep your great blogs coming. Love the crab description as being the size of a dog!
XOXO Cecile

The Dresher Sunnies
2014-10-05

I had not seen any of your blogs until today when you sent me an email with the link included! What an adventure you have embarked on.....such beautiful and interesting memories you are creating! I know you are now in Delhi and hope your journey throughout India will Provide you with many more beautiful sights and experiences! Knowing you, you will enjoy it all immensely and will create another incredible blog! Please continue to share your thoughts with us....it's the next best thing to being there with you! Love you guys!

2025-02-12

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