A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a blog, First Impressions of Japan. I would suggest reading that before you read this blog. I mentioned in that blog that I’ll write something that reflects how I feel about Japan at the end of my trip. Maybe there might be a vast difference, or it might be exactly what you expected. Either way, let me know what you think in the comments.

This was my first trip to a new country, since 2019, adding to my favourite set of stats. Upon reflection, I can say that I came looking for, what I can only describe as, euphoria, in Japan. I wanted the feeling of, “Wouldn’t it be nice to just live here and not get on that return flight?” I don’t know if I experienced that or not, I’ll let you be the judge of it.

Over the years of travel, I often noticed a pattern. Something disastrous usually occurred in the country I was visiting in my upcoming travels. The first time I went to America, a domestic flight crashed in San Francisco just a mere two days before our flight, resulting in a delay in our flight due to the runway not being available for immediate incoming flights. One of the Cirque Du Soleil performers got severe injuries during rehearsals as they lost their balance and fell a solid few metres in Las Vegas. You get the idea. Japan was no different. We were greeted by an incoming typhoon - Typhoon Shanshan. We panicked at what would the fate of our cruise be. Would it get cancelled just a day before we embarked?

Luckily, the Typhoon Shanshan had subsided by the end of the week and what we experienced, despite it being torrential rain, was essentially the typhoon dying down. Once we boarded our cruise, the Captain of the ship, announced this, and told us to expect rough seas over the next two days. Boy, was it rough. I went for a workout and as I got some warm up in, on the bike, the stationary bike swayed from side to side. Needless to say, I struggled and came back and had to lay in my bed for a while, till the nausea died down.

For the next 12 nights, time seemed to go by in the blink of an eye, but at the same time, looking out to the vast sea with no land in sight, day in and day out, it seemed like the time had frozen. The only way of knowing which way west was, for someone who isn’t great with direction, was looking out to the sunset each night. Every night I wondered, as I looked out to the ocean, standing on the balcony of my room, or at the top decks, if the Pacific Ocean could talk, what stories would it share? What lies underneath, on its seabed? Are there remnants from the different centuries at the bottom of the ocean? What are some of the discoveries that haven’t even been made yet or thought of? I guess only time will tell.

It’s hard to put into words, what the experience of Japan was. Ironic isn’t it, writing a blog about it but struggling to find the words to truly express my feelings and emotions towards this trip that has just been. Japan was happiness, excitement, sad, and intense. It was a plethora of emotions. Excitement at knowing (according to our Cruise Director) that Mt. Fuji was visible on the day we arrived at Shimizu port, for the first time, in 6 months. Sadness hearing the anecdotes and seeing the sights of destruction in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Happiness as I entered the Torii gates of Fushimi Inari, which for me had been the symbol of Japan for months.

Let’s put the sights to the side, and focus on the people. The Japanese are such warm, and kind hearted people. I’m sure the grumps exist too, I just didn’t meet any of them. As we were departing Osaka, and Kagoshima, the local artists put on a drum show for the guests of the Celebrity Millennium. As the ship sailed away from the Port of Kagoshima, those artists and some local residents who were on their evening walks, screamed arrigato (thank you) followed by a few more words/phrases. I can only guess those phrases to either mean thank you for visiting or thank you please come again. Why do I think the phrases reflected that? At most major tourist spots, I noticed, as you exited there was a note that said the same “Thank you for visiting. Please come back again.” I was overwhelmed with this warmth in Kagoshima. People who don’t know me, wished for me to come back (yes, I know it wasn’t just aimed at me).

I have to also talk about their humility. Each time the people said goodbye to the tourists they would bow. At our hotels, if we needed to throw something in the trash can, and were wandering in the lobby, asking at the reception if there was a bin we could throw something out as we headed into our day of sightseeing, they would bow down, put both hands forward, and request for the item and throw it away. It didn’t matter who you were, they bowed to everyone.

I feel Japan has left me with a sense of gratitude. It is a country that has faced many horrors over the centuries, yet somehow, the people have transformed and they spread nothing but love and respect. It is a country that has shown resilience, and the power of starting from zero. I hope that someday, I am able to come back to this beautiful country and experience it in a different way.

Until next time,

MiliG