• Whispers of the Orient
    Otaru Canal once used to move herring to port. Reminds us of one of the Amsterdam canals.
    The snowy mountains on our sail into Otaru.Skiing is open through late April, early May!Really liked the canal.Lots of sushi places. Love the salmon caviar!Funny little Otaru guy.The detailed ceiling at Aoyoma Villa was really beautiful!Throughout the villa were gorgeous paintings, all commissioned for their spaces.Master calligraphers were hired to create the screens.Tea room looks inviting.We saw several gardeners employed to maintain the gardens.Magnificent komono!Another screen, more Western in look.I would be terrified to make a salad in this bowl....You can make this kimono yours for 66,000 yen ($446).At the entrance to Aoyoma Villa.Our ship's flag.Sweet anniversary surprise when we returned to our room.Anniversary dinner at Le Bistro.

    Sapporo (Otaru), Japan

    April 7, 2025 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F

    What a gorgeous sail into Otaru this morning. Snow capped mountains and sparkling water. You would think you were in Alaska. Sapporo was the site of the 1972 Winter Olympics and you can still see the ski trails and jumps today. While we stayed in Otaru (Sapporo was too far to visit comfortably), we still saw the beauty of this area. Also, still snow in places! We walked around town, saw the Otaru Canal and then visited the Aoyona Villa. Anniversary dinner at Le Bistro onboard. Another nice day!Read more