Monday, September 7:
After a mildly rocky night (but with 40 knot winds and 12 foot seas a different ship would have been much rockier!) we pulled into the sheltered harbor of Shimizu. The rain subsided to gentle showers, the winds died down, and on the whole we lucked out again. The rain and wind intensified as we left the port at mid-day, a remarkable piece of good fortune.
Shimizu is known for its tea and seafood (the bay is quite deep). It also has a vibrant craft industry, sustaining many historic arts from the Tokugawa era, including katana (sword) making and traditional ceramics and fabrics.
Some of our shipmates chose to go (by climbing stairs or riding in a tram) up to a shrine with potential views of Mt Fuji. They enjoyed the shrine but Mt Fuji was invisible in the clouds. We opted for a cultural tour this morning, visiting shrines, learning about the Suruga Hina dolls and tasting tea blends. The dolls are quite detailed and ornate; some celebrate weddings and other life milestones, while others are considered protective good luck emblems for children.
At the tea tasting we sampled green, roasted green, and black teas. We also tasted teas with the addition of roasted brown rice, which surprised us. The roasted brown rice added a nutty flavor to the teas, in some cases making for an odd taste profile.
We visited a site with multiple lacquer-decorated shrines, one of them built for the first shogun, before returning to the ship for the transit to Osaka and disembarkation tomorrow. As this was the first time our ship had visited Shimizu port, the captain received a plaque and we all were treated to a fireworks display as the ship pulled away from the dock.
By the time we arrive in Osaka, we will have traveled over 4500 nautical miles. For comparison, that is longer than the northwest passage!
Pictured: two of the shrines at Monday, September 7: Shimizu
After a mildly rocky night (but with 40 knot winds and 12 foot seas a different ship would have been much rockier!) we pulled into the sheltered harbor of Shimizu. The rain subsided to gentle showers, the winds died down, and on the whole we lucked out again. The rain and wind intensified as we left the port at mid-day, a remarkable piece of good fortune.
Shimizu is known for its tea and seafood (the bay is quite deep). It also has a vibrant craft industry, sustaining many historic arts from the Tokugawa era, including katana (sword) making and traditional ceramics and fabrics.
Some of our shipmates chose to go (by climbing stairs or riding in a tram) up to a shrine with potential views of Mt Fuji. They enjoyed the shrine but Mt Fuji was invisible in the clouds. We opted for a cultural tour this morning, visiting shrines, learning about the Suruga Hina dolls and tasting tea blends. The dolls are quite detailed and ornate; some celebrate weddings and other life milestones, while others are considered protective good luck emblems for children.
At the tea tasting we sampled green, roasted green, and black teas. We also tasted teas with the addition of roasted brown rice, which surprised us. The roasted brown rice added a nutty flavor to the teas, in some cases making for an odd taste profile.
We visited a site with multiple lacquer-decorated shrines, one of them built for the first shogun, before returning to the ship for the transit to Osaka and disembarkation tomorrow. As this was the first time our ship had visited Shimizu port, the captain received a plaque and we all were treated to a fireworks display as the ship pulled away from the dock.
By the time we arrive in Osaka, we will have traveled over 4500 nautical miles. For comparison, that is longer than the northwest passage!
Pictured: two of the shrines at Shizuoka Shengen, tea tasting demonstration, Hina wedding dolls, samurai doll for a small boy
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