Yeah - we have Internet for the 1st time in 2 days and will lose it again after a few hours in the morning. No one getting off in Osaka will be able to print their boarding passes ahead of time.
Tokyo has not been what I expected at all and yet it is exactly how writers describe it. Extremely polite people - except for one shop owner I'll tell you about when I post some more pictures. More NEW sky scrapers as far as the eye can see and tons of industry everywhere you look, especially near the water. VERY expensive.
I thoroughly enjoyed my tour yesterday to see the Big Buddha and a Shinto shrine. Ate lunch at a very nice hotel that has those fancy Japanese toilets that do everything from playing music to warming the seat. Naturally I have a photo.
Some were disappointed they didn't serve a Japanese meal. I thought their "western" menu was delicious.
My major disappointment is that it is difficult (make that impossible) to find souvenirs that are 'Made In Japan'. Even the "Asian items" in La Boutique are made in China. Walked the streets of the Ginza today and bought nothing. Was happy to find the Kabuki House, although it is always closed the last week of the month. The crew was very sad they didn't get to see a performance (as was I) but they had a grand time at some crew party last night. My only hope now is a gift shop at the Osaka airport. Those of you on DRAGON will have a wonderful time.
Have lots of photos to share but no way to pack and get them ready to post. Sorry it will have to be next week.
Adding 2 interesting items about Japan I didn't know. Many people practice both Shinto and are Buddhists. Shinto is for happy occasions (weddings, new babies, etc) and Buddhism is more about death and the afterlife. Our guide's family practices religion in this manner. And she attended a Catholic girls school for all grades so says she knows more about Christianity than either of her 2 actual religions.
#2 - families that tend to reproduce only girl babies when a boy is finally born, many times the husband will then legally take the wife's maiden name so a family name will continue. Sorry - that sentence is a mess. Hope it makes sense.
Hope others will post before we go down again. I'm off to start the packing chore.
Thanks for following along with us. What a wonderful cruise!