We’re heading East for Easter, a month exploring mainly Japan, but also touching on Taiwan and South Korea. We will return to this area in October to revisit South East Asia.
- Japan In-depth 2025 – day 00 – Thu 27/03
When embarking on a long-haul destination, we have so little and perversely so much choice – there are no direct flights from… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 00 – Thu 27/03 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 01 – Fri 28/03
This will be the shortest item of our holiday! After a very pleasant and structured breakfast in the NH hotel, we walk… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 01 – Fri 28/03 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 02 – Sat 29/03
We land early, by about 35 minutes, at 06:20 and pass through the airport like a dose of salts. Immigration is rapid,… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 02 – Sat 29/03 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 03 – Sun 30/03
Our Sunday in Tokyo starts with a stroll around the Ginza area, heading the opposite way to yesterday. We know this is… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 03 – Sun 30/03 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 04 – Mon 31/03
Our first sea day is upon us, so we’re up and dressed by 08:00 and on deck nine doing laps. The temperature… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 04 – Mon 31/03 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 05 – Tue 01/04
I intended to write something whacky to celebrate the first of April, but in light of this afternoon’s visit I’ve vetoed my… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 05 – Tue 01/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 06 – Wed 02/04
After a lovely poolside breakfast, we head off towards Hiroshima centre, passing through regular neighbourhoods, coming across a lovely temple, and even… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 06 – Wed 02/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 06 – Thu 03/04
We start on deck nine doing a few laps, it’s cold and windy but the sun keeps on showing for a while.… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 06 – Thu 03/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 07 – Fri 04/04
Busan is South Korea’s second city. It is also the country’s largest port and is actually the sixth largest by volume handled… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 07 – Fri 04/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 08 – Sat 05/04
We’re back in Japan now for two weeks. Our arrival into the port of Sakaiminato is serenaded by a group of drummers… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 08 – Sat 05/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 09 – Sun 06/04
Our arrival into Tsuruga is punctuated with rain showers, but by 09:30 they are mostly dissipated. Pity the poor reception group who… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 09 – Sun 06/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 10 – Mon 07/04
We learned last night that we’re not landing where expected today. It’s not a huge change, just the next town some ten… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 10 – Mon 07/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 11 – Tue 08/04
Today’s port is Sakata, each day we are heading more Northerly at present. This is apparent in the weather watch we go… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 11 – Tue 08/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 12 – Wed 09/04
We have witnessed three major infarctions today: So Hakodate would appear to be a pretty racey town by all accounts! We’ve moved… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 12 – Wed 09/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 13 – Thu 10/04
Our second day in Hokkaido is our most Northerly port, and it certainly feels like it. There is lots of snow around,… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 13 – Thu 10/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 14 – Fri 11/04
Today is a pea-souper! Not in the Dutch traditional Erwtensoep that Holland America used to offer – the bowls of wonderful thick… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 14 – Fri 11/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 15 – Sat 12/04
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to deduce the primary employer in Hitachinaka! This conurbation of several cities has numerous factories mostly… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 15 – Sat 12/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 16 – Sun 13/04
After two weeks we’re back in Yokohama for a day, and then in two more weeks we return to get off the… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 16 – Sun 13/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 17 – Mon 14/04
Over night we ran into some very bumpy water, swells around 4m so not horrendous but enough to be aware. And enough… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 17 – Mon 14/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 18 – Tue 15/04
Our fifth sea-day out of seven, and the second in a row. Since we left Yokohama we will have travelled around 500… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 18 – Tue 15/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 19 – Wed 16/04
Sea days are wonderful when the weather is good, but rather less attractive if it’s inclement. After two dull and bouncy sea… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 19 – Wed 16/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 20 – Thu 17/04
Naha is the capital of Okinawa, one of the more southerly islands of the Japanese chain. It has a population of only… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 20 – Thu 17/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 21 – Fri 18/04
We always say every day cannot get better – if it did the previous ones would depreciate in value, and by the… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 21 – Fri 18/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 22 – Sat 19/04
We pull into Keelung City with views over the huge cargo operation here. It’s our first balcony breakfast too. As you’ll know… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 22 – Sat 19/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 23 – Sun 20/04
We’re spending our second Taiwan day in the port of Keelung where we are parked. It’s 32° and high humidity so we… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 23 – Sun 20/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 24 – Mon 21/04
Mark is guest writer today – making his come-back some six and a third years after the last time he wrote the… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 24 – Mon 21/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 25 – Tue 22/04
We are promised a lovely sea day, but the weather gods have other plans. From early morning, the rain comes and goes,… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 25 – Tue 22/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 26 – Wed 24/04
Notwithstanding the horrific atom bomb, Nagasaki has other connotations for us. First though, we pass the gardens of the city hall, walk… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 26 – Wed 24/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 27 – Thu 24/04
Our pre-cruise planning document has us taking the tram from the port up to the aquarium. We learn that there will be… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 27 – Thu 24/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 28 – Fri 25/04
At least it’s warm for our last sea day, even if it’s overcast. Husband does his laps around deck nine, I decide… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 28 – Fri 25/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 29 – Sat 26/04
Our last full day on Quest starts with an early breakfast – at least it’s a warm day so we can take… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 29 – Sat 26/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 30 – Sun 27/04
Warning – you will need your big boots / pants on to wade though today’s incredible adventure. It’s ironic that our last… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 30 – Sun 27/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 31 – Mon 28/04
Sadly the weather report for today is glum – but it’s our last day in Tokyo so we will make the most of… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 31 – Mon 28/04 - Japan In-depth 2025 – day 32 – Tue 29/04
The rising sun in the Land of the Rising Sun, we can’t ask for more! I had to remove a section as… Read more: Japan In-depth 2025 – day 32 – Tue 29/04