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October 2023
  • Tui Snider
  • Tui Snider

October 2023

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  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler
    111121

    Yuushien Garden

    October 22, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    Today we visited Yuushien Garden in Sakaiminato. I love Japanese style gardens, but this is the first one I’ve ever visited in Japan.

    It did not disappoint!

    Despite all the visitors, the garden felt peaceful. Even the groundskeepers had a placid air. No noisy leaf blowers to disturb the serenity, just a witchy looking broom and a bamboo rake were enough to get the job done.

    As we snaked our way through twisting paths, a sea of chrysanthemum blossoms splashed contrasting colors onto all the green.

    So relaxing!

    By the way, do you like my new hat? We bought it at the fish market in South Korea. The brim makes it perfect for a sunny fall day.    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler
    111

    Sasebo

    October 23, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    We are on the island of Kyushu in southern Japan now. Today, we explored Sasebo, a city known for its hamburgers!

    Not what I expected, but it makes sense when you learn about Sasebo’s history. Due to its proximity to Korea, many US sailors were stationed here during the 1950s. The hamburgers were created to appease their appetites.

    The famous Sasebo burger consists of a burger, but it’s topped with an egg, and I’m not sure what all else. We didn’t try any burgers today, although seeing a “Samurai burger” advertised at the local McDonald’s cracked me up.

    We’re a lot closer to the equator here than we were on Hokkaido. It was in the 70s here today and quite sunny.

    The local shopping street, kinda like a Japanese version of Barcelona’s Rambla, was covered. We appreciated the shade today.

    Just as in other Japanese cities, we saw some painted manhole covers, and other designs in the streets.

    We popped into a 100 Yen store, where I bought a sour plum candy simply because the business man on the wrapper amused me. I didn’t buy the UFO ramen that also caught my eye.

    I bet the American Festival, for which we saw a poster today, is a lot of fun. We also noticed plenty of Halloween decorations, and a poster saying, “Trick or Enjoy.”

    Remember the groundskeeper I saw at Yuushien garden? We saw those witchy brooms and lightweight rakes for sale at a hardware store today.    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler
    111

    Welcome to Nagasaki

    October 24, 2023 in Japan

    Beautiful day in Nagasaki! I saw some witchy brooms, cleansed my soles, and saw the cutest anti terrorism sign ever.

    Oh, and good thing I left my camel at home!

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler
    1

    Nagasaki Peace Park

    October 24, 2023 in Japan

    The Peace Statue is the center point of a sculpture park in Nagasaki. The artwork was placed here on the tenth anniversary of the atomic bomb blast that devastated the city in 1945.

    The bronze statue stands 10 meters high and was created by Seibo Kitamura. A nearby plaque explains that the right hand points skyward to remind viewers of the threat of atomic weapons, while the left hand is stretched out to symbolize world peace.

    It further explains that, “Divine omnipotence and love are embodied in the sturdy physique and gentle countenance of the statue, and a prayer for the repose of the souls of all war victims is expressed in the closed eyes. Furthermore, the folded right leg symbolizes quiet meditation, while the left leg is poised for action in assisting
    humanity.”    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler

    Sculpture Park

    October 24, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Nagasaki’s Peace Park features a variety of sculptures. Here are a few of my favorites.

    The marble monument where I caught an accidental selfie is there to commemorate Chinese prisoners of war who were killed in the atomic blast of 1945.

    It was a peaceful day, and a serene setting, but also a somber reminder of the devastation that humans are capable of inflicting on one another.

    As a wave of sadness swept through me, an unusual duo caught my eye. A man and his cat were clearly on a stroll together, the man with a jaunty step and the cat trotting along in a very doglike fashion.

    I must also add that every time I see a water fountain, I shall think of Nagasaki. See that photo? When I bent to take a drink, the water shot 3 feet in the air, dousing my face! Not only was I surprised, but several people saw my unwitting baptism. I didn’t mind, though. I think we all needed a laugh!    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler

    The Bell of Nagasaki

    October 24, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    I’m not sure the full story behind this sculpture, but it’s called the Bell of Nagasaki, and is meant to symbolize a desire for peace.

    Every year on August 9th at 11:02, the time of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, churches and temples throughout Nagasaki ring their bells.

    It must be very moving!    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler
    1

    Temples in Nagasaki

    October 24, 2023 in Japan

    After visiting Nagasaki’s Peace Park, we spent the rest of the day wandering all over the city. Along the way, we passed several Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples.

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler

    Buddhist Cemetery in Nagasaki

    October 24, 2023 in Japan

    We visited a pretty Buddhist cemetery in Nagasaki. Often, Asian tombstones will feature either red or white lettering.

    Red lettering indicates that the headstone belongs to someone who is still living. After their death, the lettering is changed to white.

    This time, however, I saw only red and gold lettering throughout the burial ground. I presume that the gold is used here to indicate the deceased, but I’ll have to look into this more later.    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler

    Buddhist Columbarium

    October 24, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    I saw a building with a Buddhist wheel on it, so I stepped inside. Turns out it is a columbarium, where people’s ashes are stored.

    The cemetery had slippers for guests to wear, so I gave them a try. Some of the niches had little tables for family members could leave grave goods.Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler

    Nagasaki Wanderings

    October 24, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    Our Nagasaki wanderings took us to the local arcade, a covered shopping area. As I was snapping a photo of Larry trying out some unusual seats, a group of schoolgirls approached and asked if they could interview us.

    They asked us where we were from, what our favorite Japanese foods were, and where we were going next.

    They were so cute. There was much giggling!

    In the tram, Larry towered over locals. He’s 6’ 1”, so hardly a giant by US standards, but over here, he’s easy to spot in a crowd.

    I’m not sure what the star represents for Nagasaki, but I saw stars on manhole covers all over town.

    When I saw “silk thread purple sweet potato ice cream” for sale, I had to give it a try. The machine that extruded the sweet potato reminded me of a Play Doh fun factory. Remember those?

    It was tasty enough, but I prefer a more savory sweet potato. Glad we tried it, though.

    We saw another Buddhist monk begging in the arcade, as well as an array of Buddhist swastikas at a shop selling incense, flowers, and religious items.

    After the sign forbidding camels in the cruise port, I had to pose with the local camel we came across.

    We could have spent several days exploring Nagasaki, but we enjoyed the many flavors this day offered!    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler
    11

    Kagoshima

    October 25, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    With an active volcano looming over the bay, it’s easy to see why Kagoshima’s nickname is “the Naples of the east.”

    We could even see some steam coming off of Sakurajima today!

    Kagoshima was originally known as Satsuma and is the home of Saigo Nakamura, aka “the Last Samurai.”

    Saigo Nakamura had a little dog, as you can see in the cartoon depiction of him. A more regal depiction of him stands over the local park.

    Bronze statues are tucked all through Kagoshima. Each one has a plaque explaining the history behind it. We even saw a monument dedicated to early astronomers right beside some mannequins at a secondhand shop.

    For fun, Larry talked me into trying some fancy lipsticks at a makeup counter. Yes, I love lipstick, but I never visit makeup counters. I was actually nervous to try it, but between his urging and the sweet sales person, I wound up having fun and found a nice shade of red.

    Like several other Japanese towns, Kagoshima has a covered shopping area called an arcade. These arcades always seems to have a zodiac theme along the ceiling panels. I wonder if astrology is a big thing here?

    Later in the day, we enjoyed coffee (for me) and ice cream (for Larry) at a cute little cafe. We snagged seats outside for some wonderful people watching.

    I love how Shinto shrines are tucked here in there in Japanese cities. We saw this one in a little alley full of restaurants.

    The strangest thing I saw today, however, was a vending machine selling gyoza.    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler
    1

    Kochi’s Romeo & Juliet

    October 26, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    A tragic love story surrounds a bright red bridge in Kochi, Japan. As the legend goes, a monk named Junshin fell in love with a beautiful girl named Ouma.

    This was in the 1800s, however, and at that time monks were not allowed to marry.

    When Junshin was caught buying a pretty hairpin for his beloved, the star crossed lovers were punished. Junshin was sent into exile, and Ouma was also sent far away.

    These days, the Harimayabashi Bridge is a popular tourist stop. The star crossed lovers never saw each other again, however their story captured local imagination. Images of Junshin and Ouma can be seen all over town, in statuettes, murals, and t shirts. There’s even a Hello Kitty rendition.    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler

    Kochi Wandering

    October 26, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    After catching a bus into Kochi, we were greeted by a cheery Darth Vader. As always, I snapped pics of fancy manhole covers around town.

    We’ve learned that in Japan, a raised yellow line leads you along pedestrian tourist routes. It’s a helpful feature.

    One of the funniest things I saw, was a t shirt proclaiming: “Peanuts Motorcyles Everyday Journey Gateway to Success”

    There’s a lot to unpack here… For starters, I hardly think of Snoopy as a badass biker dude, but here in Japan, such cutesyness is the norm.

    As for the slogan, the “gateway to success” bit sounds more like an inspirational poster than anything else.

    I also got a kick out of the Japanese luchador wrestling poster. Not sure what that’s all about.

    We never did find a cafe with outdoor seating today. Even so, the people watching was primo here in Kochi, Japan.    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler

    Kochi Castle

    October 26, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    When I think of a castle, I envision a stone building. In Japan, however, castles were often made of wood. For this reason, many are no longer standing, having succumbed to fire and other damage.

    In fact, Kochi’s historic castle is the only one in Japan with its tower still standing.

    Kochi Castle was in use from 1603 to 1871. It stands high on a hill, and we climbed plenty of stairs to get there.

    Visitors must leave their shoes in little lockers before entering the castle. This meant I was barefoot, but I found the tatami mats quite pleasant and cushy.

    As you can see, the castle interior is quite sparse. The wall panels were paper in many places, and secret rooms were tucked throughout for guards to hide.

    I’ve included a photo of the family crest for the Yamanouchi family, which later was adopted by a guy named Mitsubishi as a hood ornament for his line of automobiles.

    The higher we climbed, the steeper the stairs became. It nearly felt like climbing a ladder by the time we reached the sixth floor.

    I loved the views up there, not only of the mountains and city, but also of the
    “shachihoko.”

    Shachihoko are traditional Japanese roof ornaments that look like fish and are based upon mythical Chinese creatures. The top floor offered a good close up view of the shachihoko figures adorning Kochi Castle,

    Finally, I had to include a photo of some school children. Every time we pass a group, they call out, “Hello!” “Konnichiwa!” and/or “How are you?” The really brave ones will shout out their names. It’s pretty darn cute.    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler

    Fox & Chicken Shrine

    October 26, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    An old saying claims that, “Japanese are born Shinto, but die Buddhist.”

    As our destination lecturer explained, the two religions easily coexist because Shintoism is concerned with day to day matters, while Buddhism is primarily focused on the afterlife.

    That’s why Shinto shrines are tucked everywhere, but most cemeteries are Buddhist.

    Kochi seems to have a special connection to poultry. We saw rooster and hen statues all over town.

    A Shinto shrine we passed in the city center even had an active chicken coop housing a dozen or so birds.

    The main gate at a Shinto shrine is called a “torii.” Followers bow before stepping inside, left foot first. You are also supposed to enter through the left side. This leaves the right side free for spirits, aka “kami” to pass.

    Next, you stop at the “tsukubai” to wash your hands in a ceremonial fashion. The shrine in Kochi even had an illustration explaining the cleansing process.

    Kochi’s shrine featured numerous fox statues along with a few maneki neko, Japan’s “good luck cat.” From what I’ve read, the red bibs stand for children who died before their parents.

    I’m sure the arrows, paper and rope ornamentation all have symbolic significance, too, but I’ll have to learn about this later.    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler
    1

    Imperial Castle

    October 28, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 68 °F

    Aside from Senjosi Temple, the only other place we visited today was the grounds of the Imperial Palace.

    We only had a few hours in Tokyo, not nearly enough time to do the city justice! We definitely need to come back and spend a few days here.

    Even so, we enjoyed this brief taste.    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler

    Festive Tokyo Temple

    October 28, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    The atmosphere at Tokyo’s Sensoji Temple was more like a carnival than a somber religious affair. The grounds were crawling with visitors. Many women rented kimonos to wear, and could be seen posing for photos, and snapping pics of their own in key spots.

    I even saw dogs in fancy costumes. (Dogs in strollers seems to be a “thing” in Japan.)

    A huge woven sandal adorns one temple gate. Visitors take turns touching it to ensure the ability to walk with vigor for the rest of their days.

    As we approached the main building, we paused by a large, smoky cauldron. Wafting its fumes over your head allegedly strengthens your brain. (Can’t say I notice a difference… yet!)

    Our guide, a cheery woman named Joy, instructed us to toss a small coin into a box as we entered the temple. After that, she had us clasp our hands, make a wish, then take a small bow before stepping inside.

    As Joy started to tell us about the Buddhist angels painted on the ceiling, we heard several loud drum beats. After it stopped, we watched a pair of Buddhist monks behind a screened area that’s locked to keep the public out.

    Joy said if you have a big problem you can make an appointment for the monks to pray for you in the locked area, so that’s what might have been going on.

    My favorite part of our temple visit was drawing Omikuji. For 100 yen (roughly 66 cents) you shake a numbered stick out of a metal container to get a fortune.

    The numbers were written in Japanese rather than Arabic numerals, so Joy translated. After drawing 36, I looked for a drawer labeled 36 and pulled out a piece of paper with my fortune on it. (You can see it in my photos.)

    The fortunes are labeled “good,” “bad,” and all sorts of shades in between. If you pull a bad fortune, you tie it to a row of wires and try again. That way, you can leave your bad fortune behind.

    If you wanted peace and quiet, there were little nooks with statues dotting the temple grounds. I love historic trees, so I was especially impressed by the 1000 year old ginkgo. Joy told us that Japanese eat dried ginkgo nuts as snacks. I hope to try to some.    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler
    1

    October Winds Down

    October 29, 2023, Inland Sea ⋅ 🌬 66 °F

    As October winds down, it’s time for me to look back on the month. One way I do this is to read through my handwritten journal.

    Yup, I keep a handwritten one in addition to this online journal. One one side, I jot notes, on the other I jot a quick summary of each day.

    In addition to random ideas, the notes section is where I take notes during the ship’s culture and destination lectures.

    I have fun taping interesting bits of ephemera onto the cover of the journal. It helps me remember the names of all the ports and little bits of info them.

    As for the first photo; Larry was blindfolded by a magician one evening.

    Meanwhile, the citizens of Yokohama gave us a colorful send off with glow sticks beneath a full moon.

    The last photo shows the wreath that our new friends, Rick and Nancy gave us when they disembarked the ship.

    All in all, it’s been a wonderful month.    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler
    1

    Namba by Night

    October 29, 2023 in Japan ⋅ 🌙 61 °F

    An overnight stay gave us a chance to explore Osaka by night. We took a tram to the Namba District, which is also called the Minami District.

    Whatever you choose to call it, we felt a distinctly Times Square vibe as we strolled by the river bathed in a neon glow.

    See that photo that looks like sushi? The meat is actually Osaka beef. One of the criterion for it is to have 25% marbling.

    Many crew members stayed out ‘til the wee hours, but we made it back to the ship before midnight.

    Despite the late hour and big crowds, we felt quite safe strolling the streets of Osaka. At one point, I saw dozens of bikes parked outside the pedestrian area. None of them were locked!    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler

    Crab & Octopus Signs

    October 29, 2023 in Japan ⋅ 🌙 59 °F

    We saw so many crab and octopus signs in Osaka that I gave them their own post.

    Note to self: If you plan to meet someone for dinner in Osaka, don’t just tell them to meet you at the place with the big octopus or crab sign out front.Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler

    Osaka Aquarium

    October 30, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    Since Osaka boasts “the world’s largest aquarium,” Larry and I decided to check it out.

    Oh, but before I talk about the aquarium, I should explain the second photo: As we were about to take a selfie together, a toddler ran behind us and fell flat on her face. The resulting photo is our reaction. Poor kiddo!

    Much like the Dallas World Aquarium, Osaka’s had penguins and other animals, not just fish.

    I adore aquariums, but it’s hard to take decent photos, so I simply enjoyed our time there. That cube you see is a sample to show viewers how thick the plexiglass tank walls are.    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler
    1

    Osaka Ferris Wheel

    October 30, 2023 in Japan ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    Many cities these days have great big ferris wheels along their skyline, and Osaka is no exception.

    Larry and I usually walk by big city Ferris wheels, but it was such a pretty day that we gave this one a try.

    Supposedly the color of Osaka’s Ferris wheel at night is a weather forecast for the following day, with blue for rain and red for sun.

    The colors kept changing the night we were there, so I’m not sure how true this “weather forecast” idea actually is!    Read more

  • Tui SniderOctober 2023Traveler
    11

    Happy Halloween!

    October 31, 2023, East China Sea

    Back home, our neighborhood gets so many trick or treaters that we routinely hand out 40 pounds of candy.

    This year, our house sitters had that pleasure.

    Meanwhile, we had a sea day for Halloween. The crew carved some marvelous jack o lanterns. Love how they used corn and pineapple in their creations.Read more

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