Aomori, Japan

As we docked at the Aomori port the first thing you see is a strikingly beautiful bridge. The architecture in this city and Japan as a whole has been magnificent. Along the water as we disembark was a beautiful park with grass and trees allowing me to get 2 more life birds, the Oriental Cuckoo and the Long-tailed Rose Finch.

I made my way through the city headed to the Japan Rail Building hoping to explore some of the sites nearby. I wanted to see the Sannai-Maruyama Site or go to the Great Buddah (Showa Daibutsu).

The Sannai-Maruyama is a National Historic Treasure containing ruins dating back to 4000-5500 years ago (How old is the United States?). Today, archeologists are excavating more of the site and finding artifacts and clues to how the people lived at that time.

As I stood at the station, feeling confused, with no one speaking English, I saw a picture of the Buddha on a bus….as a result I hopped on, my decision was made. When I arrived at the site it was beautiful. The first vision was fields of rice in the midst of being harvested. The drying stalks looked nothing like rice but upon closer inspection you could see the kernels. Up the hill were many buildings including two Buddhist temples. I felt humbled when a Japanese woman came out with tongs and a bucket and picked the beetles gently up to return them to the woods. They do practice what they preach. The grounds were as I would expect from a Japanese garden with statues, a waterfall, wells, a large bell and many places to sit and be reflective. As I walked up the path, what I had come to see, came into view. On the hillside sat the Showa Daibutsu and my breath was taken away. The Great Buddha was more than two stories tall sitting in a lotus flower with hands held in a Zen meditation hand gesture. Much to my delight I could enter the Buddha in the back to go inside. After removing my shoes I stepped into a round hall completely filled with Buddhist proverbs and art. This was a wonderful collection and the place felt so spiritual. I then made my way to the second floor where I rubbed the belly of the Buddha from the inside out; I then took a moment to light some incense and say a prayer. What a great experience, one that I will never forget.

The captain and crew changed the itinerary due to hurricane Malor. It was to be a direct hit on Tokyo when we were scheduled to arrive, better to stay in the safety of the Japan Sea.

Tomorrow we cruise to Kobe, Japan.

Otaru and Sapporo, Japan

Overnight we cruised to the western side of Hokkaido Island and docked at the port of Otaru. It is believed that the name is derived from the Ainu (indigenous people) word “Otarunai” meaning “sandy swampland”; not a flattering name but a most beautiful place.

My first adventure was to explore the canal. The Otaru Canal was completed in 1920 to aid in the transport of goods to the city. Prior to the canal, ships would be off-loaded onto small tug boats (hashike) from the bay and these boats would then go up the canal, lined with warehouses, and drop off the goods. It was a very pleasant walk teaming with bird and plant life.

I then walked through the city and was amazed at the mix of buildings from the late 1800’s mixed with modern, western architecture. There were more open markets and vendors along the way and many of the local dogs, the Aikita, a medium sized, adorable fur-ball.

With half of my day remaining I decided to go to the JR (Japanese Rail) and make my way to Sapporo, this was an incredible city. As I emerged from the rail station (by the way not much was bilingual, I had to read Japanese characters that matched the city names…a great experience and challenge) much to my surprise were beautiful tall sky scrapers and buildings with TV’s on them, reminiscent of Time Square in New York.

The city was alive and vibrant and yet I longed for nature; Odori-koen was my goal. The Odori-koen is a park in the center of the city about 4,000 feet long; it was originally built as a precautionary fire barrier between the northern and southern districts and was beautiful.

I then made my way to the government district, finding 6 lifer birds at the lakes and in the trees on the grounds. The Japanese used this place as a break from the hustle and bustle of the city and so did I. Another fun discovery was the Gingko trees that I only knew as some holistic herb for health were the main local trees and it was fantastic to see them in all their glory…magnificent.

Next port….Aomori, Japan

Hakodate, Japan

After 8 days at sea we happily arrive at our first port. Hakodate is on the island of Hokkaido and is the gateway between the Japan Sea and the Pacific Ocean. This port is a major base for the fishing industry with about 21,000 ships coming in annually.

My first stop was at the morning market. Vendors sold vegetables, noodles and an array of seafood like I’ve never seen before. With all my experience as a naturalist there were creatures that I could not identify. Luckily, with the help of a vendor who spoke some English I got a crash course. The big seller of course is crab in all shapes and sizes with some reaching 2 feet across. Other edible critters were scallops, abalone, mussels, snails, frogs and the Hakodate mascot, the squid. It was incredible to see such a volume of seafood, vendor after vendor, and it made me realize how much is out in the seas and how important it is to this society. I tried some local crab mixed with goodies in a shell (I believe it was the green parts of the crab) and much to the delight of locals I not only ate it but licked my hand. A good laugh was had by all and the food was rather tasty.

In the afternoon I headed to Goryokaku Park and Tower. This area is the oldest western-style fortress in Japan built in 1864 after Commodore Matthew Perry negotiated the opening of several Japanese ports. The fort was built as a precaution against the threat of Russian attack. It is configured in a five-pointed star shape which allowed defenders to trap assailants in crossfire, clever. The moat was full of water and this is where I got my first Japanese lifer, the Spot-billed Duck.

In addition to the park is the Tower. The Japanese are fond of their towers which overlook the surrounding area and have wonderful viewing areas at the top. They sell posters, have collection stamps and characters that greet guests.

It was a glorious day and tomorrow onto the port of Otaru.

Bon Voyage

After completing my summer season in Alaska I boarded the ms Volendam in Seattle, WA for a 15-day cruise across the Pacific Ocean to Japan. The Pacific is not a friendly place this time of year and despite the ship being 781 feet long and a few stories high, we could feel it. Seas, at times, reached 10-12 feet and it made ping pong and swimming a contact sport.

It took us 7 days at an average of 17 knots to reach Japan. Along the way we passed the Aleutian Islands of Alaska and the Kuril Islands of Russia following the Kuril Trench. As we came closer to land we began to see more birds and even had some sea birds using the boats light at night to fish, what a sight!

Below are some facts about the ms Volendam.

Ship's Registry: The Netherlands
Passenger capacity: 1,432
Crew members: 615
Gross Tonnage: 61,214 grt.
Length: 781 feet
Beam: 105.8 feet
Maximum speed: 23 knots
Dedicated: November 1999, by tennis professional Chris Evert

When we reached Japan our first stop was the northernmost island of Hokkaido and the port of Hakodate.