We boarded our Zodiacs at 9pm in cold damp weather with a light snow falling. It’s really not about the weather, it’s what you wear. And, we were definitely bundled up.
We started out toward a beautiful, massive cliffside called Alkefjellet (say that three times fast). The mountain rose straight out of the sea and had spectacular columns that rose over 300 feet into the low cloud cover above.
The Alkefjellet CliffsThere were a number of guillemots on the water as we got closer to the cliffs.
As we approached the cliffs we started noticing many birds in the water. Our birding expert told us they were called the common guillemot. We learned that Alkefjellet means Mount Guillemot. Creative name.
As we grew even closer to the cliffs it appeared as if the walls were moving. Soon it became clear that the cliff was covered with these black and white birds. I mean covered. Experts estimate that there are over 120,000 guillemots on the cliffs above. We didn’t count, but, after seeing the massive numbers across the full width of the cliffs, I would almost think that is a low number. Guillemots come back to this same spot every year to nest. Each couple has one egg. Once the chick is ready to leave the nest the birds head out to sea and don’t return until the following year. I wonder if they rent the place out to other birds while they’re gone.
Click on this photo and zoom in on it. There are thousands of birds on this small section of the cliffs.A closer look.It’s like they live on different floors of an apartment building. The penthouse looks a bit crowded, though.I’m not sure how they nest in such close quarters.
One benefit of being with National Geographic photographers is that they teach you a lot about wildlife photography. I was having difficulty getting in-focus photos of birds in flight. Bryan, one of the photographers on our trip, gave me a few pointers:
I was particularly proud of this photo of a guillemot in flight. You can even see the light snow falling around it.
After about an hour we headed back to the ship. As we embarked they handed us a hot toddy with dark rum which put a nice finish on the enlightening excursion.
The expedition (we were told not to call it a cruise) went quickly and on our last day we saw more polar bears. Not as exciting as the momma and her new cubs. This was a mom with two two-year-old cubs. They were huge rather than cute. And, they really didn’t stay too close to mom. After a while, they laid down to sleep and she kept going. I think she was trying to ditch them. Two years is long enough!
Here are all three bears. Mom on the right. The kids on the left.The young ones seemed to be ready to call it a night.But, mom just kept on walking along the shore. Before long she was out of sight. I wonder if the kids ever caught back up with her.
Finally, Lisa and I had a chance to kayak out to a beautiful glacier. We were warned not to get too close to the glacier or surrounding ice as the glacier could calve (big pieces falling off) and the mini-icebergs could flip over causing it to fall on us. Since neither option sounded good to us, we kept our distance.
Heading out in our kayak!The glacier (I think that couple might be too close!)One of the icebergs with kittiwakes on it.The kayaks lined up outside the ship.
We’re now sitting in our hotel after disembarking the ship and flying to Oslo. We head home tomorrow. It has been an amazing experience. We learned so much and got an appreciation for the environment, the wildlife, and the history of this remote part of the world. On our second to last day we crossed over the 80th parallel. We will likely never be this far north again. But, we will never forget our time here.
Stay tuned for Lisa’s wrap-up of our visit to the Arctic.
It was supposed to be a late start to the morning. Lisa and I had gotten up a bit early because the ship had reentered the ice and it shook us awake. As we headed out to find breakfast we decided to grab our cameras and binoculars — just in case.
That was when we heard the familiar “good morning” announcement from the expedition director. He was earlier than usual. “We have spotted polar bears on the port side of the ship. Go to the outside decks. But, keep quiet so as not to scare them off.”
“Let’s go to the bridge,” Lisa suggested. So, we headed up one floor to the 7th deck. It was buzzing with excitement.
Many of us hurried to the bridge.
The crew had been searching for bears using their infrared cameras, telescopes, high mag cameras, and binoculars. They weren’t spotting anything. Then they got a call from the ship’s sous chef. He had gone out to one of the balconies for a break. He saw something on the ice. It was polar bears! While the high-tech-laden crew was looking right, he was looking left. Thank goodness he needed a break from preparing our lunch!
Suddenly, the morning was filled with oooohs, aaahs, and clicking cameras. It was a mama bear with her two cubs crossing the ice floes.
The mama polar bear being trailed by her two cubs.
Polar bears are considered to be marine mammals (I thought that designation belonged only to whale and seals). This is because they spend most of their time in the water or on the ice and are dependent on the ocean for their livelihood.
While the polar bears appears white, if you shaved it, you would see it has black skin — and it would be pretty angry at you for shaving it. If you look closely at their nose area where their fur is thin, you can see that it is black. They weigh between 650 and 1750 pounds with the males being on the heavier end.
Polar bears are the apex predator of the arctic (shoutout to our 4-year old grandson Noa who loves apex predators). They primarily hunt seals, particularly the ringed seal. But, they will eat other mammals like walruses, beluga whales, or even reindeer. Their sense of smell is acute. They can small a seal in its 3-foot-deep den in the snow from over a mile away. They primarily hunt on sea ice high is why the disappearance of the ice is such a threat to polar bears. This is why they are called a vulnerable species.
Polar bears are quite dangerous to humans as well. Every time we go ashore, a scout crew goes first to ensure none are in the area. Then they carry guns for protection, just in case. We are instructed to stay with our guides for safety purposes, and because no one ants to have to shoot a bear.
As we watched the bears trod along the ice, they would hop in the water to swim to the next ice floe. They were constantly on the move. We followed them for quite a while.
A shipmate took video through one of the telescopes on the bridge.Swimming to the next ice floe. The little one at the end always seemed to lag behind.Mamá taking a look at us.Take a look at mamas paw. They’re huge. Good for both hunting and swimming.Mom expected the babies to keep up.Hopping onto the next ice floe.
As we sailed away from the bears we felt in awe of nature and the beauty of these creatures. That evening we celebrated our good fortune with a polar bear party. And, we toasted to the continued good health of these magnificent animals.
Lisa and I were awakened in the morning to a 4.0 magnitude earthquake. At least that’s how it felt. We looked outside and we were surrounded by sea ice.
The National Geographic Resolution is the world’s first Polar Class 5 icebreaker cruise ship. This means it can go places in arctic waters that virtually no other cruise ship would attempt. Today was a day we did just that. As we came around to the east side of the Spitsbergen the sea was iced over throughout much of the route. The ship vibrates like an earthquake as it plows through the frozen ocean.
Plowing through sea ice as seen from the bow of the ship.
The bridge of the ship is always open to passengers (one of the unique opportunities for passengers on the Resolution). So, Lisa and I thought we’d better head up there to see what was going on.
We arrived to find a flurry of activity. The navigation officer was driving. She had the biggest smile on her face as she guided the Resolution through the ice. Apparently it is one of the most fun aspects of piloting a ship. And an experience not available to most cruise ship officers.
The view from the bridge.Our Navigation Officer was having a blast piloting the ship through the ice.
Watching the ship carve though the ice is mesmerizing. Take a look at this short video. Make sure the sound is up on your device.
Breaking through the ice.
The crew told us we were plowing through ice in search of polar bears. They largely spend their time on sea ice in search of seals, their favorite food. The ship has extraordinary technology to search for wildlife. The bridge has both infrared cameras and telephoto cameras to spot bears. The infrared cameras pick up the heat signature of the animals and the regular cameras confirm what type of animal had been spotted.
The infrared camera above with the corresponding standard image below. Lisa and I searching for polar bears.
After a full morning of searching, alas, no polar bears.
We did, however, catch site of a walrus lounging on the ice.
A nice afternoon nap in the sun.He was soon visited by an ivory gull. But, he didn’t want to play.
The ice we were carving through is called drift, or pack ice. It is floating out in the ocean. We kept hearing about fast ice — the kind we aren’t allowed to navigate through. Was it moving too quickly? As it turns out, fast ice is a term for ice that is “fastened” to the land. Since it is essentially an extension of the land, it is considered habitat for polar bears, seals, and walruses. So, we stay out of these areas so as to not destroy their habitat.
Sea ice is rapidly disappearing. The warming of the planet is occurring quickly and even faster at the poles. There is clearly more we need to do to slow Earth’s warming. Diminishing sea ice eliminates the habitat for many of the species we are seeing on this visit. It also means ice on land such as Greenland is melting in the ocean which significantly raises sea levels and affects coastal areas all over the world. Scientists estimate the Arctic could be ice free by 2040.
Arctic sea ice levels in September and March from 1978 to 2023 vs. 30 year average.
After lunch, since we still have Arctic ice, we got out into our Zodiacs for an afternoon cruise. The weather was spectacular.
First we took a lap around the ship.We cruised along the sea ice.Brad capturing the scene.
Our Zodiac group was led by a National Geographic photographer. He was a great educator, helping us get the most out of our cameras. He was also good at identifying the arctic birds that were flying overhead.
A Northern fulmarA Kittiwake
No luck finding a polar bear today, however. So, we’ll try again tomorrow. We’re heading north through more sea ice that is prime polar bear territory. We’ll keep our eyes open and let you know if we spot one!
Lisa and I boarded the National Geographic Resolution on Friday. We departed from the town of Longyearbyen and started our counterclockwise circumnavigation of Spitsbergen, Svalbard’s largest island. We’ll explore the island’s fjords and bays. We’re told there is quite a bit of sea ice on the eastern side. The resolution has good icebreaking capability so it should be interesting to see that area. Sea ice is often where polar bears hang out in search of their primary prey, seals.
A map of Svalbard. We’re sailing counterclockwise around the island of Spitsbergen.
Our first day was sunny and warm — almost too warm for the heavy clothing we were wearing. By the second day the temperature had fallen and the wind came up. We know we’re in the Arctic today!
Since Svalbard is mostly uninhabited (a total population of 2500, most of them in Longyearbyen that we just left behind), there are no places to dock. So, we get to shore on Zodiacs, small inflatable motorboats.
Lisa eagerly awaiting our departure to shore by Zodiac.The Resolution with Zodiacs coming and going.A Zodiac heading to shore.
We came to shore in front of a large glacier. We had a chance to see the geologic impact the glacier has over ages. It was a beautiful site. We were shown photos of the same glacier over the past hundred years. It has receded noticeably over that period. Apparently, global warming is occurring three times faster at the poles than it is in warmer climates. Not a good omen for the retention of sea ice.
The glacier we visited on our first day at sea.
An adjacent mountain with its reflection in the water below.
Wildflowers emerging in the Arctic summer.
As we left the glacier and sailed back up the fjord, we came across a herd of walruses lounging on shore.
Walruses hanging at the beach.Note the size of the tusks on the big one in the middle.
We then left for another fjord where we hiked up to see one of the world’s largest colonies of Little Auks. These small birds are cute, squatty little creatures with plump bodies (for diving for their food) and small wings. They come to Svalbard every year to mate and nest, preferring steep rocky areas. So, to see them, we, of course, climbed up a steep rocky area. As we approached, the racket of birds in courtship got very loud. Apparently, little auks are relatively silent except during their mating season when the trills and shrieks are impossible to miss.
We came upon thousands of birds on the mountainside. They didn’t seem to mind our presence. We sat and watched them for about a half hour. It was fascinating.
A Little AukThe CourtshipAnd, um, success.There were thousands of birds at this site.The tundra in the area was beautiful.
The landscape in Svalbard consists of mountains, glaciers and fjords. The views are breathtaking.
A view in the wake of our ship.Cloud adorned mountains.Many of the mountains are step and jagged.A panorama of the area around that same mountain.Blue ice at the terminus of a large glacier.
And, finally, this morning we had a chance to sail by a gray whale in one of the bays.
He came up and dove down for us several times. A beautiful animal.
We still haven’t found that elusive polar bear. We’ll hope to see one soon. When we do, you’ll be the first to know!
We flew to Longyearbyen, Svalbard from Oslo today. The three hour flight took us north of the 78th parallel. Because the Earth tilts on its axis, days are longer the farther north one travels in the summer. It is the exact opposite in the winter. Days get shorter as you approach the winter solstice. I’m a geography geek so I began to ponder this concept (much to Lisa’s dismay).
Think about it this way: The equator is at 0 degrees latitude. The North Pole on the other extreme is at 90 degrees. Hawaii, in the tropics, is at 20 degrees latitude, San Francisco at 38 degrees, New York City and Boulder, Colorado are at 40 degrees.
We started this trip in Copenhagen. It is way up north at 56 degrees latitude. Oslo, where we spent the past two days is even farther north — 60 degrees.
The days at the equator are always the same. Exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness. Hawaii days vary, but very little from winter to summer. Most of us live in 35 to 40 degree latitudes and we’re all familiar with those long summer days and the very early darkness in winter. Norway, on the other hand is known as the Land of the Midnight Sun in the summer and sees the sun set not long after noon in the winter.
Well, here in Svalbard, we will not see a sun set the entire week we are here. The sun will simply circle overhead, never even approaching the horizon. No Northern Lights for us. Our grandson Max asked us how we will know when to go to bed. I told him, “I have no idea.” I write this at 10 pm with the sun blazing overhead. Lisa and I are forcing ourselves to sleep.
The view from our deck at 9:30 PM. The sun will get no lower than this. It will simply circle around the sky.
Conversely, the sun will not rise at all in December. Darkness all day for days on end.
The Arctic Circle is defined by the point farthest south where there is at least one day where the sun does not set in the summer and does not rise in the winter. The Arctic Circle is at 66.34 degrees latitude. So, with Svalbard being so deep beyond the Arctic Circle it will experience many days with no sunset. Kinda cool. Kinda strange.
Svalbard is just south of the North Pole near the 80th parallel.
Anyway, we boarded the National Geographic Resolution, a new ship equipped with icebreaking capability and luxury accommodations. First, however, we spent a little time with husky dogs, the ones who pull the dog sleds around here. The weather was an unusually balmy 43 degrees. Very fun.
The dogs are out sunning themselves on this beautiful summer day.BlitzenDiamond
More to come as we embark on our search for polar bears, walruses, and arctic foxes. But first, we have to figure out how to go to sleep with the sun shining through our curtains all night long!
We are on our way to the Arctic Circle via Norway. Soon we will be as far north as one can go without an icebreaker ship — 350 miles north of Norway’s northernmost point. Svalbard is a group of islands punctuated by massive icebergs, deep fjords, and ice-capped mountains. And, it is the best place on the planet to see the master of the Arctic, the polar bear.
Lisa and I hope to capture photographs of those polar bears along with walruses, arctic foxes and a variety of arctic birds. We’ll share those with you as we capture them on our cameras.
Before we go north, we will make stops in Copenhagen, Denmark and Oslo, Norway. We’ll then fly to Svalbard and board the National Geographic ship, the Resolution.
Join us as we experience a world we have never before seen. You can subscribe to our blog by entering your e-mail on the right side of this page.
“Wherever you go becomes part of you somehow.” — Anita Desai
A man once told me he didn’t travel because he could see everything he wanted to see in a National Geographic magazine. I believe he couldn’t be more wrong. Visiting a place — seeing it, smelling it, meeting the people, eating the food, being immersed in it — somehow it changes you in ways a simple photograph could never begin to accomplish.
Twenty years ago, Lisa and I had traveled throughout the US but had experienced very little international travel. Beginning in 2004 when we first visited Italy, the travel bug bit us hard and we have been taking every opportunity to see new places, both familiar and totally foreign.
We always leave a new place as slightly different people than when we left home. As we gain a deeper understanding of new cultures, as we meet interesting people who come from a different perspective, as we become immersed in a place so different from who we are, we emerge, I’d like to think, as a better version of ourselves. I am sure you have had this same experience as you have visited new places.
Japan has been special. It is home to ancestors I’ve never known. But, it has provided me with a window into who I am and who my family is. Here are few thoughts and observations of our trip.
Brett, our Tour Leader
Brett was born and raised in a small rural town in northwest Iowa — the last type of person you would expect to have as your tour expert in Japan. On our last day he told us about how he got here. He was six-years old and had he checked out a book on Japan from his elementary school library. He loved that book. He was particularly fond of a photograph of a giant Buddha. He wanted badly to see it. Once the book came due, he rechecked it out. He continue to recheck it throughout his elementary school years. It resided in his backpack the entire time, the pages becoming worn from flipping through it so often.
He moved on to middle school and, to his chagrin, the new library did not have that book. But, he found other books on Japan and he devoured them just as he did when he reached high school. At graduation he went back to his elementary school library to see if, by chance, he could buy that book with the big Buddha in it. They apologized and said the library no long had it.
At his graduation ceremony he was handed a package by the school principle. In it — the book he so coveted. They had removed it from the library to give to their prized student. He almost cried. Brett went to Iowa State (sorry for their football loss this week) and furthered his studies in Asian culture. In 2006 he got a job as a journalist in Japan — his dream. On his first week in Japan, he headed for Kamakura on the coast south of Tokyo to visit The Kotoku-in Temple where the big Buddha resides.
It was so much larger than his six-year-old self could have imagined, and the emotional impact of his journey to this point was overwhelming for him.
The Big Buddha in Kamakura
Brett stayed in Japan, married a Japanese woman and now has a 6-year-old daughter himself. He is the best guide and best storyteller we have ever met. He brought the country and its history alive for us. And, he is a living testament to following your heart and your dreams.
Brett passionately relating a story on Japanese history.
The People of Japan
Japanese people proved to be kind, polite, thoughtful, and, um, quiet. Yes, quiet. Restaurants are quiet as people eat and softly talk to one another. Trains are quiet, cars don’t honk, there is no shouting in the streets, I think this is another way they show consideration for others.
The culture also rewards rule following and conformity — two traits unfamiliar in America. There was no jay walking, signs on how to behave were everywhere. And, people heeded those signs.
No one eats while walking on the street.Everyone probably heeds this one.
We found the Japanese people to be delightful. We call our family the loud family because everyone talks at high volume all at the same time. I don’t think this comes from the Japanese side of our heritage.
Religion is a big part of Japanese life. There are Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples everywhere. Huge ones that have been there for centuries and little tiny ones tucked into a side street that barely takes up more room than a parked car. Many Japanese people are not particularly religious. But, if this makes sense, religion is still a big part of their lives and their culture.
Japanese Food
The food was wonderful. Japanese food selections are broad and delicious. There is a theme, though. Most dishes include fish. Sashimi was served at most meals. Rice is a staple. Every meal includes soy sauce.
Japanese beef is some of the best in the world. We had the privilege of eating Kobe beef. Much of what is called Kobe beef in America isn’t authentic. Most Kobe beef never leaves Japan. Kobe beef literally melts in your mouth. It is very rich. Don’t eat too much in one sitting or you will feel it at 2:00 am. I say that from experience.
Kobe beef on a Japanese grill.
For the Japanese, food is art. Our meals were as beautiful to look at as they were delicious.
Delicious Art.
Now, this doesn’t mean that all food in Japan is this way. It seemed as if you could get anything delivered — even some of our American “favorites.“
McDelivery.
Bugs
The weather during our visit was very hot and humid. We were regularly out in 90 degree heat with 90 percent humidity. Yet, to our surprise, we didn’t get a single mosquito bite. In fact, except for the water bugs skipping along the ponds, we didn’t see many bugs at all.
Now, the bugs we did see were very big. As we were walking around the ryokan in Hakone we saw a large Japanese cicada. It had an iridescence that made it beautiful. While it is harmless, this was no consequence to Lisa as it flew right at her.
Japanese cicada.
Our guide, Shin, had gathered the beer cans from our group and was taking them to a recycle bin when a Japanese giant hornet landed on one of the cans, apparently attracted by the beer (Japanese beer is quite good). These are the world’s largest hornets and their sting is said to be very painful. Shin didn’t seem to mind and neither did the hornet. So, no one got hurt. The hornet was very large, quite beautiful, and awe inspiring.
Japanese giant hornet.
The Future of Japan
The Japanese population has been shrinking since 2010. Growth rates have been very slow since the 1980s. Birth rates have been declining as a result of heavy work demands, a high cost of living, and other factors. The United States has two growth engines working for it — birth rates and immigration. The Land of Opportunity has always attracted hard working people from around the world with the promise of achieving the American Dream. This keeps our economy chugging along.
Japan’s history took a different path. The country was isolated from the rest of the world for 250 years, ending in 1868. And, while Japan has been reopened for over 150 years, the remnants of that policy has meant a severely restrictive immigration policy.
This combined with the low birth rate has led to an almost constantly stagnant economy for the last 40 years. And, with an aging population, Japan will not be able to support health care and retirement income for its seniors in the future. As one of the people in our group said, there will be a day of reckoning before too long.
The Japanese people are innovative, resourceful, and pragmatic. I expect them to find solutions to this problem. It won’t, however, be without difficulty.
So Long, Japan
We left Japan this Monday afternoon and went to the airport for a 5:10 pm departure. We landed in San Francisco on Monday morning at 9:45. We arrived 7 1/2 hours before we left — at least that’s what the clock told us. Our Monday will be 40 hours long.
Yes, as Anita Desai said, wherever you go does become a part of you. And, while being half Japanese has meant that Japan has always been a part of me, traveling to this beautiful country, meeting its wonderful people, and experiencing the culture of this foreign land means that it is is much more a part of me today. It’s now a part of Lisa, too.
As we left Kyoto for the mountainous town of Hakone via bullet train, Brett, our guide told us that we might be able to catch a glimpse of the iconic Mount Fuji as we rode the rails north. It was a beautiful sunny day and our hopes for a glimpse of the sacred volcano were high.
I pulled my camera out of its bag and attached the telephoto lens hoping for that photo the all who visit Japan long to capture. Brett went out of the front of the rail car to a large window in order to check on the mountain’s visual status. We waited for word to join him.
As he trundled back to his seat he said, “It isn’t visible. Covered in clouds.” Disappointed, I put my camera back in its case.
We got off the bullet train and got on the bus for our 30 minute ride to Hakone. Hakone is a town of 11,000 people that sits right in the middle of Fuji -Hakone-Izu National Park — one of Japan’s largest and busiest national parks. While the town is small in population, it is graced with 20 million visitors each year, 18 million of whom are Japanese tourists.
They come for the hot springs. Hakone is surrounded by active volcanoes. While none are currently erupting, the geothermal activity heats up underground water creating plentiful hot water rife with healing and soothing minerals. The onsen, or Japanese hot baths, are highly popular and, with Hakone being only a 90-minute drive from Tokyo, people flock here for weekends and holidays.
The Hakone Open Air Museum
Before we got our shot at an onsen, we stopped in to the Hakone Open Air Museum. The multi-acre exhibit held pieces by both Japanese and worldwide artists. Even if you aren’t an art lover you would love strolling the meandering paths though the grounds. There was a two-story building full of Picasso’s works and many outdoor sculptures.
A suspended ball reflecting back on us.The building housing many of Picasso’s works.A towering sculpture of stained glass.Sculptures in the spacious grounds of the museum.
The Gora Kadan Ryoken
After lunch we checked into our ryoken. A ryoken is a traditional Japanese-style inn. We’re about to experience a couple of nights the Japanese way! Our inn, the Gora Kadan (https://www.ryokancollection.com/ryokan/gora_kadan/) was formerly a retreat for the Emperor in the mid-1700s. Rooms in a ryoken are sparse with clean lines, tatami floors, and futons for beds (not the college dorm type, very plush comfortable ones). Ours had a private onsen (Japanese hot tub) with hot water that constantly flowed in from a hot spring. We wore yukatas, which are a simpler version of a kimono. More like a comfortable, classy bathrobe.
We were greeted by many staff members dressed in kimonos at our ryokan.The hallway was stunning.Our living room had a table at which we sat on the floor. Our bedroom sported futons on the floor.Our bathroom had an onsen (hot tub with water flowing in from a hot spring), a shower, and a sauna. The toilet is in a separate room in a ryokan.
We were served a Kaiseki dinner (traditional multi-course Japanese meal) in our room. Kaiseki focuses on the art of food as well as the taste. Each course was beautifully crafted making our dinner both attractive and delicious.
The first course.Me in my yukata drinking plum wine with another course.Of course, we had sake with our meal.
After two hours enjoying a wonderful meal, Lisa and I were full and a bit stiff from sitting on the floor. I think this style of eating takes some practice.
The Owakudani Volcano and the Search for Mount Fuji
The next morning we left for a gondola ride over an active volcano. We met our local guide Shin to help us learn about the area. The gondola took us up the mountain. As we climbed toward the volcanic crater we noticed many dead trees. Shin said the volcano erupted in 2015 and the fumes killed many of the trees. Comforting.
It was another beautiful day. Shin said that as we crested the mountain there was a chance we would see Mount Fuji. In September Mount Fuji is only visible in about one in every ten days. So he didn’t want to get our hopes up. As we approached the top we all waited anxiously, if not cautiously as we had been disappointed on the bullet train the day before. Slowly we climbed an then as we came over the peak . . .
Mount Fuji!!
There it was in all of its glory. It was beautiful. We usually see photos of Fuji with snow on it. But, being September, there wasn’t any snow. Still its symmetrical shape and towering strength make it awe inspiring to see. Mount Fuji rises only to about 12,300 feet bone sea level. But, with the land around it being much lower, it sits alone at these heights.
Once we digested the view of Mount Fuji, we retrained our focus on the volcanic crater immediately below us. It has steam rising from vents and areas of yellow sulfur splayed throughout. The volcano has been commercially tapped to supply all the onsen in Hakone. They pump water into the volcano to heat it and absorb the minerals and then send it down the mountain. Apparently it is a very lucrative business.
The Owakudani crater.
We got off the gondola and walked around to look at the crater, go to a viewing spot for Mount Fuji to take photos and to eat black eggs. Yes. Black eggs. They boil regular chicken eggs in a steam vent in the volcano. The sulfur mixes with the iron in the egg and turns the shell black. It is said that if you eat one it will add seven years to your life.
Our whole group in front of Mount Fuji.A black egg. Lisa and I split one so I guess we’ll each add 3 1/2 years to our lives.Sitting in front of a giant black egg.
We then went down to Lake Ashi right below the volcano. We rode a pirate ship across the lake — yes, a pirate ship. Apparently the man who started the boat company in the 1960s had recently visited Disneyland and loved how it made the children happy. He wanted to make the local children happy and it stuck. Children have been happily sailing Lake Ashi for the past 60 years.
A pirate ship on Lake Ashi.
The Hakone Checkpoint
We got to the other side of the lake, ate lunch and then headed to the Hakone Checkpoint. Bear with me while I explain (with apologies to historians for the simplified version).
Tokugawa was a Shogun (military general) in the 1600’s who defeated the army from the east and united Japan. He wanted Japan to be at peace for the first time in centuries. In times past, the victor would simply kill the other Shogun and that would be the end of it.
Tokugawa didn’t want to make martyrs of his enemies that could inspire revolution. So, once he relocated the Japanese capital from Kyoto to Edo (now Tokyo), he told the losing Shogun to relocate to Edo. They refused because they would have to forfeit all of their land and wealth. So, Tokugawa kidnapped their wives and oldest sons and brought them to Edo. He told them that if they wanted to see their families they would need to come the roughly 300 miles on the Tokaido Highway to Edo and spend every other year there.
Of course the men, being of much importance, couldn’t travel without a large contingent of servants, security, supplies, etc. All travel was on foot then, so, they walked. Up sprung inns, suppliers, and other businesses along the route. This meant the generals had to spend much of their wealth to make the two-week trek to Edo. Poor generals can’t mount a coup. Smart guy, that Tokugawa.
He also put in checkpoints on the Tokaido Highway, the most important one being at Hakone whose valley was a strategic choke point in the mountains. Hakone checkpoint was on the shore of Lake Ashi and required all who passed to have papers that showed permission to travel the route. Most focus was placed on women and children to ensure the wives and sons of the shogun weren’t escaping back to Kyoto. Get caught trying to escape — off with your head.
The Hakone Checkpoint
Tokugawa also had a softer side. Since the Tokaido Highway was such a traveled route between Kyoto and Tokyo, he had cedar trees planted all along the way to provide shade for travelers. Those trees, now 400 years old, still grace the road today.
A section of the Tokaido Highway with 400-year old cedar trees on both sides.
How Do You Open This Box!?!
Hakone is also know for the famous trick box. They are beautiful wooden boxes that appear to have no opening. Fiddle with it long enough and you will find hidden panels that, when manipulated in a specific order, will open the box. So cool.
We got one in our room at the ryokan when we checked in. I worked on it for 45 minutes before I figured out how to open it. It took another 30 minutes or so before I could replicate the moves I made the first time. My box takes 10 moves. There are boxes that can take dozens or even hundreds of moves to open. I don’t have time for that!
How do you open it?Voila!
We went to the store where the boxes are made. They aren’t painted. Each different color is actually a different type of wood. The craftsman who makes them showed us how they take the pieces, glue them together, then shave off a panel for the box. Fascinating.
Different types of wood glued together in a cube.Shaving off the top of one of the cubes to get a veneer for the box.
We might be coming home a with a few of these boxes to give to grandkids. Simpler ones, of course.
That’s it for today. We are heading back to Tokyo with a stop in a beach town on the way. We’ll wrap up with our final thoughts on Japan in our next installment.
Maybe we knew it at some point. Maybe we just forgot. But, as we headed to Tokyo we didn’t realize we were flying to the largest city in the world. Tokyo’s 39 million people dwarfs New York’s 19 million. What was even more surprising was how quiet, clean and uncongested 39 million people could be.
We arrived at the Peninsula Hotel in Tokyo’s Ginza District a day before our official tour began. The Ginza district is the 5th Avenue of Tokyo sporting high-end shopping, great restaurants and glitzy hotels. It also, like most of the rest of Tokyo, has a 7-Eleven.
Our daughter Stephanie came to Japan during her semester abroad. She told us we had to see a 7-Eleven. It’s nothing like the ones at home she said. So, since the iconic convenience store was right across the street from our hotel, that was our first stop in Japan.
I will say it was impressive. Prepared foods, and not just microwave hot dogs. All the packaged foods you would expect and some you might not. Although I did not notice my beloved Oreo cookies, there certainly were many other selections. Drug store staples like Band-AIDS and Advil graced the shelves as did many drink choices. Since ATMs are less common in Japan, many people come here to get cash. Many places don’t accept credit cards so access to cash is important.
And, finally, there was, upstairs, a seating area that people use to eat. It did, however, look more like a crammed set of work cubicles than a restaurant. We chose to skip the food at 7-eleven and found a nice sushi restaurant.
Lisa pointing out the 7-Eleven food selection.
Now by total coincidence, Lisa’s brother Bob was coming to Japan at the same time we were. We found out a few months ago that we would be near one another at the end of the trip so we arranged to get together then. What we didn’t know was that he and his wife Elizabeth would be there at the beginning. As it turned out, he checked into the same hotel, and ended up in a room on the same floor, two doors down from us. Sometimes our life feels like The Truman Show. This was one of those times.
Anyway, Bob and Elizabeth needed a snack and some water (it’s very hot and humid here) so they stopped by 7-Eleven. Unlike us, Bob chose to eat at the, um, dining area. Most Japanese people are relatively small. Bob is not. This made for an interesting spectacle.
Bob “relaxing” at 7-Eleven.Bob, Elizabeth, Lisa and me in the top floor bar at the Peninsula Hotel. A slightly more comfortable venue.
The Imperial Palace
Japan has had an Emperor for thousands of years. He used to have his residence in Kyoto when that city was the capital. He and the capital moved to Tokyo in 1868. The Emperor used to be the sovereign ruler of Japan but, in 1945, after the war, he became a symbolic figurehead similar to the British royalty. The country is now a democracy, with the government being run by a Prime Minister and the Diet (legislature).
The Imperial Palace still houses the Emperor, his wife and daughter. The grounds are immense and lie right in the middle of Tokyo. It was said that in the 1980s when Japanese real estate was in a period of tremendous appreciation, that the value of the palace grounds was worth more than all of the real estate in California. Whew.
Lisa and I decided to wander over to the grounds on day one and then visited the Imperial Gardens the next day with our tour group. While you really can’t get much of a glimpse of the palace itself, the grounds are beautiful and you get a real perspective on the importance of the Imperial history of Japan.
A Bridge onto the palace grounds. There is a moat that was used to protect the palace. It fully surrounds the property.We strolled through the Imperial Gardens.We also walked through Hibiya Park which abuts the Palace grounds.
Taiko Drumming
Taiko drumming is an ancient Japanese art that was used to motivate troops into battle. We weren’t looking for a fight, but, it’s also supposed to be good exercise and a lot of fun so the first stop with our Exclusive Resorts group was to a Taiko drumming studio.
As we entered we removed our shoes and were ushered into a room full of drums. Lisa and I took our position behind two good looking drums. The instructor was an experienced professional Taiko drummer and taught us some of the traditional rhythms used in the art. Apparently the Japanese also clap out many of these rhythms at baseball games as well. We’ll have to try that when we get home.
Anyway, he was a good teacher and our group were good students as we worked our way through the progressively more complicated drum sequences. It is, though, a bit embarrassing when everyone else is silent and you bang on your drum with gusto. Our instructor was quite forgiving so he didn’t chide me too much.
The class enthusiastically banging their Taiko drums.My drum. Kinda’ cool.
Our instructor spoke English very well and was very entertaining. He had an accent and phrasing very similar to my maternal grandmother. I miss her.
Once we finished our drumming session he did a demonstration of what real Taiko drumming sounded like. It was complex, intense, and very inspiring. I can see how warriors could be motivated to battle after listening to him.
Our instructor playing a self-composed piece.Our newly inspired travel group.
A Michelin-Starred Lunch?
Next stop, the Tsukiji Fish Market. It was the center of Tokyo’s fish trade for centuries. A few years ago the government relocated the market to another part of town (Brett, our tour leader calls the new place “Soulless”). So, while the fish auction and major wholesale activity is gone, the market that grew up around that wholesale activity is still going strong. We wandered through the booths selling fish, produce, and other goods on our way to lunch.
The Tsukiji Fish MarketWagyu beef at the market.They even sell Japanese knives, some of the best in the world.
We then walked to lunch. Michelin-starred chef Yoshida-san was there to teach us how to make sushi. Wait a minute. We’re making our lunch? I know he’s a good chef. I just hope he’s a good teacher.
Chef Yoshida showed us how to make sushi rice. He showed us how to cut the fish, form the rice, add the wasabi, and proportion everything properly. For sushi rolls he showed us how to make the rolls so they stayed together and looked good. Our team, Lisa, Kevin, Mary, and I dug right in and started preparing our lunch.
Chef YoshidaChef Yoshida showing us how to properly cut the fish.Somehow I got nominated to construct the sushi rolls. A lot of pressure.Our lunch. Michelin didn’t give us a star, but, we were happy.
Typhoon #13
A typhoon is a tropical storm or hurricane that occurs in the Pacific Ocean. We woke up to one on Friday morning. It was the thirteenth typhoon to hit Japan in 2023. The winds weren’t too bad, but it did rain quite a bit. This changed our plans for the day somewhat but we are only here for a limited time so we pushed through and did what we could.
The radar image of typhoon #13 hitting Tokyo. On Friday.
We got to our first stop and were going to walk through a neighborhood but no sooner did we get there than the wind picked up and scuttled our plans. The two guys who were there to help usher us around waited outside the bus. We invited them in but they wanted to ham it up in the storm. They really were pretty funny.
Hamming it up in the typhoon.We won’t let a little typhoon slow us down.
Somehow, Exclusive Resorts arranged for a special private prayer ceremony for us at Sensoji Temple, the oldest Buddhist Temple in Tokyo. It was deeply moving and we all got to participate. We couldn’t take cameras in so I have no photos. But, the experience is one we will not forget.
After we were done, we went back into the public area and shook long sticks out of a hole in a canister that had a number on it. We then opened a drawer that corresponded to that number and retrieved a fortune. Lisa shook out her lot, opened her drawer and got an “excellent fortune.” Riches, happiness, good luck, all the things.
Lisa’s Excellent Fortune.
I then shook out my number, opened my drawer and . . . Very Bad Fortune. Things don’t look so good for me. I had to ask Brett, our guide how Lisa could have a happy marriage and I have a bad one. Brett didn’t answer. He just ushered me over to this set of metal bars where you tie up bad fortunes. By doing so, you allow the winds to eventually blow away the bad fortune. I hope we have another typhoon soon.
The Tokyo SkyTree
Next stop, one of the tallest structures in the world. When it was completed in 2011, the Tokyo SkyTree, at 2080 feet, was the tallest structure on Earth. It has since been passed by two others, but, it is still way up there. We couldn’t wait to eat lunch up there and enjoy the view.
Uh, wait. There’s a typhoon coming through today. Well, at least we got lunch.
Here is the photo on the ground floor showing us what we were going to see when we got to the top.Here was the view we actually got. It disappeared again after about five minutes.
The Shinto Shrine
We then headed over to the Yanesen, an old section of Tokyo that survived the bombing during the war. Japan has two primary religions — Buddhism and Shintoism. We visited the Buddhist Temple in the morning. In the afternoon we visited one of Japan’s oldest Shinto Shrines, the Nezu Shrine founded in 1705.
It was beautiful. The Torii gates at the Shrine are said to remove a sin for every gate you walk through. Some of us decided we needed to make several rounds through the gates. Regardless, the Shrine was a sacred place that exuded great meaning. It was a special visit.
The main building at the Shinto ShrineThe Torii gatesLisa and I walking through the gates in the rain.
Our visit to Tokyo has been inspiring and educational. The people of Japan, the culture, the food, and the city are something to behold. There were no honking horns, traffic jams, trash on the ground, crime, or rude behavior. Pretty good for 39 million people all sharing a city together.
Our next stop is Kyoto. We’ll tell you about that in our next post.
Lisa and I are writing this from United Airlines’ Polaris Lounge at the San Francisco International Airport. We are getting ready to board a flight for Tokyo, Japan, our next international adventure.
Anxiously awaiting our flight to Tokyo
My family has roots in Japan. My Mother is Japanese and, even though neither she nor I have been there or really even have much of a Japanese cultural upbringing, there is something special about visiting a place of one’s ancestral origin. Our daughters Amanda and Stephanie visited Japan during their Semester at Sea in college. They said it was one of their favorite stops.
This will be another Exclusive Resorts group excursion beginning with three days in Tokyo. We then head to Kyoto for three days; two days in Hakone; and finish up with four more days in Tokyo. We will be traveling with seven other couples who we know nothing about. If our past experience is any indicator, we will have 14 new friends by the time the trip concludes.
Through total coincidence, Lisa’s brother Bob is going to be in Japan at the same time we are. He and his wife Elizabeth are on a Backroads trip. We do have to warn you, my tone deaf brother-in-law has been practicing all week for a trip to a karaoke bar with us. I pity all who are within hearing range of our attempt at rock stardom.
Join us as we update you on our adventures and insights. We are really looking forward to telling you about it!
Lisa and Brad's Travels 