Day 5 Shimizu, Japan

 We woke this morning to a very bleak day but thankfully not cold.  Today we are docked at Shimizu and this city lies in the shadow of magnificent Mt. Fuji.  Unfortunately she (the mountain is a she) was very shy today and well hidden amongst the clouds.

Last night we filled out a room service breakfast menu so that we could enjoy the morning without rushing.  We ordered way too much but were grateful for it when we didn't get back from tour for lunch until almost 2pm.  

The tour we chose was "Mt Fuji highlights" that included a visit to the 17th century Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha Shrine.  The drive to the Shrine on a clear day would have been spectacular.  We passed through many villages where tea is the main source of income and in fact the green tea grown in this area makes up almost half of the tea grown in Japan. 

It was really raining hard by the time we reached the Shrine so we didn't see it in it's best light.  However, it was lovely to see the Wisteria in full bloom beside the pond that surrounded the Shrine.  The shrine itself looks almost identical to the ones we saw in Tokyo with the massive gate leading to the shrine that sits in a courtyard surrounded by smaller buildings.

We took the "scenic" drive back to the port, zig zagging through some beautiful valleys.  The Japanese certainly know how to build a road.  Check out this highway that we drove on, that is hundreds of metres above the ground! 

Surprisingly the best viewing point for Mt. Fuji is at the beach.  Not the sort of beach that we Australians know though with its black sand.  To get to to this point we walked around 500metres along a pine tree lined boardwalk.  We were shown a pine tree that was around 400 years old. 

 Of course we couldn't see Mt Fuji but our tour guide kindly gave us a photograph of what we should have seen.  It would have been amazing.

I took this photograph last night as we were leaving Yokohama.  The ferris wheel kept changing colours and looked spectacular against the skyline.

Day 4 Tokyo

 After checking out of the Tokyo Hilton this morning we once again boarded the bus for another half day tour of Tokyo.  We were greeted by our tour guide who gave us a run down of what to expect on this tour.  Our first stop was the Meiji Shrine that was built to honour Emperor Meiji.  The Shinto shrine is almost hidden amongst a forest of trees and as we reach the very high "gate" we are told that it is tradition to bow before you pass through.

The wooden buildings, built around a compound, are impressive and we stopped to fill out a wish and prayer form that we dropped into an envelope and will be posted on the wall.  We prayed for a healthy, happy life and we wished for longevity!

We walked past a wall that was stacked high with barrels of Sake that are wrapped in straw. Sake is a spirit that is much loved by the Japanese.

Our next destination was Odaiba where we were taken to the observation deck on the 25th floor of the Fuji building.  On a clear day we would be able to see Mt Fuji but unfortunately today was very cloudy so we missed seeing this.  

We were allocated an hour at the viewing tower but Philip and I left after 20 minutes and went for a walk around the area.  There were lots of school kids, presumably on a school excursion, running around and they were looking for statues of which there were many, even a miniature Statue of Liberty.

Our tour guide once again gathered us all together for the 30 minute drive to our waiting cruise ship - Regent Explorer.  The check-in process was tedious but necessary and we are now safely onboard.  It was late when we were arrived on board and we hadn't had lunch so we made a bee line for the poolside buffet.  

The past three days have been really full on so we are having another early night.  We have tours booked every day as we circumnavigate Japan so we will certainly get an in depth look at this lovely country.

Day 3 Tokyo

We skipped dinner last night opting instead for another early night and once again turned out the light by 8pm and did not wake until 6am.  Not surprisingly we were both hungry when we woke so after coffee in bed we headed down to the function room where all Regent guests enjoyed a complementary buffet breakfast.  The buffet table takes up three sides of the room and every nationality is catered for.  After breakfast we had to do a RAT Covid Test and thankfully we were both negative so we are free to board the ship tomorrow.  We have to have another RAT test when we come back to Japan from Korea next week.  We were told that Japan is still not fully recovered from Covid and only last month opened its borders to cruise ships.  We were completely taken aback.  What would Regent had done if the borders didn't re-open?  Thankfully it is a question that will never have to be asked.

Today was another half day tour of Tokyo.  First stop was the Imperial Palace Plaza where we had a photography opportunity.  You can pay to have a fully conducted tour of the palace but it wasn't included in todays tour and we certainly didn't have time to do it today.

Back on the bus and we were taken to Hamarikyu Gardens for our next stop.  We didn't have nearly enough time to explore these gardens that cover a huge area and sadly the Cherry trees flowered early this year so we didn't get a chance to see them in full blossum.  However, I did get to see a lovely Wisteria in full colour and stood in awe at the 400 year old oak tree at the entrance to the gardens.

From the gardens it was a short bus drive to the Ginza area that is a very high end shopping area.  We had the option of leaving the tour here and making our own way back to our hotel, which we elected to do.  I still had a camera to purchase and the tour guide kindly pointed us in the right direction.  I have now replaced my ten year old Olympus Pen F with a newer model Olympus camera so I'm very happy.  The only problem that I didn't notice until we got back to the hotel was that the instruction manual is written in Japanese!  Thankfully the camera is very similar to my old camera so it was not a big problem.  

Before leaving the Ginza area we found a lovely authentic Japanese restaurant where we enjoyed a banquet.  It was so delicious and very cheap.

We are really enjoying this lovely city.  Tokyo metropolitan area has a population of 37 million.  That figure is so hard to get your head around.  The streets are so lovely and green and clean and we are continually finding hidden gardens.  There are hardly any vehicles on the roads as the vast majority of residents use public transport. There is almost zero crime in Japan and it is considered one of the safest countries in the world.  I can't wait to see the rest of this lovely country.

Day 2 Tokyo

Sleep came easily last night. In bed by 8pm and asleep by 8.05pm and then we didn't wake until 6.30.  It was needed.

Last night we ate in the Japanese Restaurant, Junisoh, here at the Hilton and it was one of the best meals I have ever eaten.  Typically, Japanese food is light, fresh and small portioned.  You do not leave the table with an overfull belly. Our table was semi-private and the service was impeccable. 

The Sashimi

Today was a half day tour of Tokyo that took us to Asakusa Sensoji Temple and the National Museum of Science.  It was quite a lovely day so the Japanese folks were out and about so both places were packed with people.  You literally have to go with the flow.  It was interesting to see so many of the younger generation in full Japanese National Dress.  I think the Kimono is a beautiful dress and the girls were wearing it proudly.  They seem to balance precariously on the thongs they wear on their feet but I didn't see anyone stumble.

We did not spend a lot of time inside the National Museum of Science, preferring to stay outside and enjoy the beautiful park.  The first thing you notice when you drive through Tokyo is the number of "green areas" in the city and everywhere people are out and about and enjoying the parks.  We also drove by an area where people were fishing.  

After breakfast this morning, and before our tour, we walked for a few kilometres to see if we could find a camera store.  My faithful Olympus Camera is on its way out and I need to look for a replacement before it dies.  There is no better place in the world to purchase a camera than right here in Japan where the majority of cameras are made.  We did eventually find the camera shop but will return tomorrow when we have a little more time.  

Loved this street where T- Rex was looking over the top of one of the buildings.

Day 1 Cairns to Tokyo

On Thursday our travel agent rang to say that Singapore Airlines had oversold tickets for our flight from Cairns to Tokyo so we were re-routed via Brisbane.  It was very annoying but Singapore Airlines apologised by giving us two $300 vouchers to be used in the airlines duty free shop.  The worst part was having to fly to Brisbane at 9am on Friday before connecting to our flight to Tokyo via Singapore.  It added 10 hours to our journey.  

We landed into Japan at 8.00am Saturday morning and after negotiating customs and quarantine we quickly found our driver who transported us to the Tokyo Hilton.  Surprisingly it took us an hour from the airport to the hotel.  After checking into the hotel around 9.30 we were told our room would be available at noon.  We headed to a cafe for coffee and pastries and then decided to stretch our legs while our room was being prepared.  Shinjuku Central Park was close by so we headed to this lovely green area.

Tomorrow, after breakfast, we join our pre-cruise tour group.  We have three days sightseeing in Tokyo before we join our cruise ship - Regent Explorer - on the 25th April.  The three days are slow paced with only half day tours so we will be able to also explore independently. We might even try the underground railway system that is apparently one of the best in the world.