Japan Kreuzfahrt - Reisebericht mit Highlights

Japan is a country that is not evident to the visitor immediately. Well, if you have enough time to get to Know – how on a two-week circumnavigation by cruise with Azamara Quest.

In slow motion the white-painted dancers to move inside with the colorful Kimonos their subjects. Graceful form new graceful figures. These include Asian sound of music. In her final pose, the six women to look like a flower. Then men offer a drum performance and a peasant dance. Applause erupted through the Busan Cultural Center. The passengers of the Azamara Quest are excited. This special Event was organized exclusively by the shipping company for you and can be visited free of charge, as each "Azamazing" Evening of Azamara Club Cruises.

Tänzerin in traditionellem Gewand auf einer Bühne — *The passengers experience in the Azamazing Evening in Busan, traditional dance performances.*

Traditionell angezogenen Tänzerinnen auf einer Bühne mit Fächern in der Hand — *The fan dance is deeply rooted in the Asian culture.*

*Traditionally dressed hostesses to welcome the passengers in front of the cultural center in Busan.*

Azamara: focus on the goals and objectives of our cruise Route

The luxury brand of the Royal Caribbean Group currently operates three ships of the legendary Renaissance class. It is the youngest and most modern cruise ships are not, but they come thanks to their manageable size, in many ports, the large new buildings are denied.

*Timeless elegance in the Atrium of the Azamara Quest*

*Fine wood panelling belong to the style of Azamara*.

*The library is a great place to retreat to the boutique ship.*

We travel with only 670 passengers on the "Azamara Quest" in the two weeks around Japan. Hardly any other shipping company takes so much time for a country. But it takes time to come to Japan in contact and to understand the country. We will visit on our tour the small ports such as Aomori and Akita, Kanazawa and Sakaiminatobut also cities such as Hiroshima and Kobe. The Start and end of the Voyage is in Tokyo. And in the middle of the cruise around Japan, there is a detour to the South Korean Busan – with the Azamazing Evening Event.

The culmination of this Evening 25 form TaekwondoFighter, the start-footed and powerful to amazing high jumps. It is the Olympic team South Korea, which has already brought two Gold medals. The Korean martial art is amazing young: it developed only after the Japanese occupation, which lasted until 1945. The Japanese martial art of Karate was the basis. The three syllables of Tae kwon do for foot work, hand, technology, and the way. Compared to other combat sports, the foot techniques to dominate in the battle. Only since 2000, Taekwondo is considered to be an official Olympic discipline.

Taekwondo Kämpfer in synchroner Performance — *The Taekwondo fighters are among the best in the country.*

Ein Taekwondo Kämpfer bei der Ausführung eines Tritts — *High jumps and incredible flexibility make the Azamara guests in Amazement.*

Hospitality pur – Green tea in Akita

The first principle of the Taekwondo seems to apply to all of the people we meet on our cruise on Land: as a courtesy. In Akita invites me Chieko Noguchi or a bowl of tea in her house. We sit on the traditional rice straw mats, and look on the perfectly trimmed bonsai trees and stone lanterns. Part of the work in the garden, you can still do it even says the 86-Year-old, while she Fucks with the Matcha in a bowl. She offers me a small candy out of a beautifully decorated paint can should I go in front of the green tea. Why has guided me in your private area? Because you've made on your trips abroad, also good experiences, she says with bright eyes.

Ältere Frau serviert Tee auf japanische Art — *Chieko Noguchi invites me in Akita to green tea in your house.*

Strengthened by the tea I'm moving on ins Kanto Museum and meters photograph high Laternenmaste. They are worn by a little boy through the streets to commemorate the ancestors and ask for a good harvest.

Meterhohe Laternen an Masten in einem Innenraum — *The meter-high Laternenmaste be balanced to the festival of lights through the streets of Akita.*

I'm falling in love with the water-Lily splendor in the Senshu Park and watch a young Couple in front of a Shrine. You ring a bell, bow and clap their hands. This is how you do the gods attention, explained to me a Mitpassagierin on the way back to the ship. The young Tokioterin is already making her 18. Japan cruise because it is so traveling in a practical way. Your goal is to visit as many of the shrines in the country. With more than 80 million shrines, it is impossible to see all in just one human life.

Geöffnete rosafarbene Seerosen — *The water lilies in the Senshu Park are a delight for the eye.*

Ein japanisches Haus im dichten Wald — *In the Senshu Park in Akita, you may lose the sense of time.*

Brücke aus Holz vor alten Bäumen — *Semi-circular bridges belonging to the Japanese garden architecture.*

*On small wooden squares write the visitors to the shrines of your desires.*

Samurai and Geishas in Kanazawa

In Kanazawa I'll lead me, my Guide Hanayo around. She shows me the traditional Samurai-district – one of the few places in Japan where you will find historic fabric of the building. The countless earthquake destroyed many old buildings in the Rest of the country. The Samurai were surprisingly sensitive for brave warriors In their homes, I learn that a room is only with flowers and a picture on the wall completely and you can even hide the nails in the wooden beams behind small works of art. And the garden in the center of the house is not walk for pleasure, but to Look at thought. From every room of a new perspective to Meditate offers.

*Kanazawa is the best place to visit in the traditional district of Samurai and Geishas.*
*Only a few places in Japan, there are still similar to the well-preserved historical structures*.

Geishas in Japan in Gruppe — *A break from work is enjoyed in the cheerful group.*

Alte Holzhäuser in enger Gasse — *Kanazawa historic teahouse district in which the Geishas occur.*

Japanische Parklandschaft vor Holzhaus — *A traditional house of the Samurai. An oasis to relax and Enjoy.*

Kanazawa is also for Sushi known. We were able to try on a lower floor of the Daiwa Department store a few specialties: sweet pickled fish, and fermented fruits and vegetables.

Marktstand mit japanischen Schriftzeichen — *A visit to the market in Kanazawa entices with many delights.*

Sushi Platte mit verschiedenen Häppchen — *To try authentic Sushi, a mandatory item in Japan.*

Essen in kleinen Schüsseln — *The shore excursion in Shimizu, the passengers get a Japanese menu is served.*

Frische Wasabi Wurzeln in Wassertrog — *On the market in Kanazawa, you can see fresh Wasabi roots*.

We could still hung forever the strange flavors, but the ship needs more. Goodbye dozens of dancers lie on the port edge of the synchronous Performance, between the strong men and the small young giant, colorful flag waving. The one or the other Azamara passenger at the railing wipes in the face of so much enthusiasm secretly a tear from the corner of your eye.

*Energetic dances and colourful banner in Kanazawa, we adopted enthusiastically.*

Tokyo – Kobe – Hiroshima

In Tokyo it draws us to the fish market. It smells delicious: A seller flambéed its tuna with the Bunsen burner. Foreign Gourmets amazed by the low prices for oysters. Countless stands up Snacks sell pretty.

*In Tokyo, a visit to the market is part of the program.*

In Shibuya wonder of we us through the ordered Chaos on the cross, where all the pedestrian traffic lights at the same time to switch to Green and there are no collisions.

Menschenmenge beim Kreuzen einer Strasse in Tokio — *We are amazed at the crowds in Shibuya, the use, in perfect coordination of the pedestrian crossings.*

In Kobe we use the overnight stay for a ride on the fastest train in the world in the former Imperial city of Kyoto.

*The Shinkansen will overcome the distance between Kobe and Kyoto in just 30 minutes.*

Rote Torii Pfosten in Japan — *The so-called "Torii", like this one in Kyoto, are symbolic entrance gates of a Shrine.*

*We will visit the Imperial Palace in Kyoto.*

And in Hiroshima we return after the visit to the memorial for the atomic bomb dropping very thoughtful to the cruise ship. The Scenery of the reminder impressed all visitors Of the disability dome of A Cathedral protrude bent steel beams in the sky, on the half-collapsed walls CAW fell-black ravens.

The "A-Bomb Dome" was deliberately left as a memorial in the original condition.
A depressing reminder of a terrible past.

The Cenotaph in the peace Park appears as a Symbol for protection, the children's memorial glass boxes to donate full of small, colorful Paper cranes Comfort. Symbols of life, as well as the Phoenix tree, with its distinctive scar: As if by a miracle he survived one of the largest man-made disaster in the history and is wearing just fruit. The walk through a Japanese garden helps to process all of the Seen.

*A plaque commemorates the children who were killed by the atomic bomb dropped.*

Bunte Papier-Kraniche — *The paper cranes are of great importance in Japan as a symbol of Peace, especially for the children.*

Baum mit Hiroshima Mahnmal — The Phoenix-trees have survived in spite of the proximity to the Explosion, and a little later again, flowers and leaves worn. Since you are a much-valued characters for the will to Survive and rebuild in Japan.

Aomori, Takamatsu, & Shimizu little pearls on the roadside

In contrast to large Cruise shipsthe schedule often only a few stops in the major cities of Japan, delivers our intensive Japan circumnavigation with Azamara, a much more comprehensive picture. We enjoy the stay in small harbours, such as in Aomori. Here we admire in Warasse Nebuta Museum, huge cars, which were moved to the annual light festival at the beginning of August of dozens of men through the streets. Four tons is the weight of a car, out-metre-high paper installations are mounted, painted with Indian ink, illuminated by hundreds of light bulbs. Every year, there are 22 new cars, the most beautiful are exhibited in the Museum.

*The paper installations on the car from the light festival in Aomori, mythological, and historical scenes show in Japan.*

In Takamatsu we walk through the Ritsurin garden, which was for centuries a refuge for aristocratic families, and over the generations has been perfected. The 75-acre Park is the largest garden in Japan. Winding paths between the idyllic waters offer the eye always new perspectives on classic curved bridges and stone lanterns, bonsai-like trees and flowering water lilies.

*The Ritsurin garden in Takamatsu, is one of the most beautiful on our journey.*

*Water is an important Element of any Japanese garden.*

The coronation this day in the nature, the sky turns during our dinner in the port of Takamatsu, in the most beautiful shades of red.

*What a view for dinner in Takamatsu – from the Restaurant of the Azamara Quest.*

Of Shimizu we drive in the direction of Mount Fuji. The Holy mountain is considered to be the seat of the gods. More than 1300 shrines stand at the foot and on the Slopes of the highest mountain in Japan, which is also a volcano. To appease the cherry blossom Princess, the goddess of volcanoes.

*There are more than 80,000 Shinto shrines in Japan.*

The Kunozan-Toshogu Shrine is the burial place of the ruler Tokugawa Ieyasu,
the 1603 several regions of Japan, United.

In the garden Momijiyama various Japanese landscapes are represented in miniature
this image shows a replica of Mount Fuji.

Japanese culture on Board of the cruise ship

The Azamara Quest is for us a home in the Stranger. But also on Board Japan's anything other than remote: at The main restaurant, the passengers can taste every evening a different Japanese dish, and Entertainment by local guest artists come to train: The great Shrine drum in the Theater can be heard three miles away, and the "White Night" is crowned by the appearance of three Geishas. Highly concentrated, they are hidden behind white painted faces precise and elegant dances, play musical instruments and sing.

*In Kobe, a drum held a show on Board the Azamara Quest.*

You are in your mid 20 still training to become a society lady, which is not usually starts in front of the University degree. At the time of the interaction with the guests their serious expressions loosen. The spectacle is representative for the amazing balancing act in Japan between seriously a living Tradition and modern technology of the future. Actually, it would take much more time to the polite Japan, careful to come closer. Maybe next Time at the time of the cherry blossom.

Japan Cruise Booking Tips

Most of Japan cruises start and end in the capital, Tokyo. Azamara Club Cruises was a pioneer for the new trend of destination. The next Japan circumnavigation is scheduled for April 2022 – at the time of the cherry blossom. It was extended to 16 days. Meanwhile, MSC, NCL, Princess Cruises and Cunard in Japan on the go. To experience the full diversity of the country and not just in the metropolises, it is recommended to book a small ship such as Oceania Cruises, Windstar, or Azamara.

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