Thursday 12 October 2023
Koshiro, Hokkaido, Japan
I haven’t communicated my walking step count on this voyage, but after 18,000 steps on my big day in Seattle, today is another one for my record books: 16,800 steps, or 6.3 miles. And tonight my legs and feet feel them all. But the two Amstel Lites at dinner help ease the pain.
On Thursday Morning
Westerdam is docked in Koshiro by the time I arise at 6:40am. Since I have to go through Japanese immigration on board the ship (as all passengers must), before I can start my shore excursion at 9:45, I opt for room service breakfast which arrives promptly at the pre-ordered time of 6:45. Everything is piping hot, including the coffee, which I have to cool down before drinking.
The immigration process is well organized and proceeds rather quickly. I do have to walk the length of the ship three times between the locations for immigration, shore excursion sign-in, and exiting the ship. There are six buses heading for this same shore excursion, but my bus is the first to leave. It is a gorgeous day, bright sunshine with temperatures in the high 50s.
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View of Kushiro Port from ms Westerdam (above and below) |
This is Japan, so the tour bus windows are very clean (unlike in some other countries I have visited recently), and the guide provides maps and pamphlets for each passenger. The guide is friendly, but although she lived in Canada for three years, her English is rather muddled, and more so when she uses the microphone. Much of what she says is incomprehensible to most of us on the bus. But the maps she distributes have all the locations circled, so we pretty much know where we are and where we are going.
The first stop on the tour is a visit to view the wetlands at Kushiro Shitsugen National Park, winter home to Japanese cranes, who have not yet arrived.
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| Kushiro Marsh Observatory |
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| Map of Marsh Wetlands Trails |
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| Start of Marsh Wetlands Trail; Guide in Front with Red Flag |
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| Almost Half-Way Up |
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| View from the Top of Arduous Climb. Panoramic View, but Not Worth the Effort Unless You Can't Resist Marshlands |
This adventure pretty much wastes the first 90 minutes of the tour, including the bus drive from the port. This also leads to a second, more serious complaint about the guide. Although she tells us about the length of the morning walk, she does not warn us about the bad shape of the wooden boardwalk--missing planks, uneven surfaces, and large gaps that have to be stepped over. She also doesn't warn us about the speed-walking pace she will take, even knowing that almost all the participants are seniors, many of whom use canes or need other kinds of help.
In summary a very long walk for a very bland view.
The second stop, although shorter, is the highlight of the morning, a 45-minute visit to Tancho, the Kushiro Crane Reserve. The crane is the national bird of Japan; large flocks migrate back to these marshlands in the late fall (I'm about a month too early). Recently, wild flocks have been devastated by a form of bird flu. The birds in the Reserve have been
separated from their flock to prevent further infection. The wings of these cranes have been clipped so they can no longer join the diseased flocks. Male-female couples are kept in large open areas, where they can create a new generation. Interestingly, crane chicks reach full size in about 100 days, so they become difficult to differentiate from their parents.
Then we head back to the city center for a visit to main fish market--Kushiru Washou Market. Fishing and seafood production are the main industries in the this area of Hokkaido. The fish market sells much more than fish and houses several restaurants and counters at which shoppers and visitors can eat. The workers are very helpful, carrying trays and helping visitors choose items. Most workers speak English willingly.
On Thursday Afternoon
After 45 minutes at the market for lunch, there is still one more item on the tour--a visit to the Kushiro Museum. Given how beautiful the afternoon is and how many days we have been cooped up on the Westerdam, a number of us decide to leave the tour at this point and head out on our own through the center of the city.
My walk through the center to the riverfront area is not very interesting. There is little of historic or architectural interest, except for the Children's Museum building, below. But the walk is easy and pleasant.
I do pass a couple of things worth a quick photo:
At the river's edge is another market (locally known as MOO), lots of fishing boats, a lovely bridge, and most importantly, a free shuttle bus back to the Westerdam.
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| Riverside Floral Clock |
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| One of Many Fishing Boats |
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| Nusamai Bridge Across Kushiro River; Large "Castle" Hotel on the Right |
On Thursday Evening
After the long day ashore I am ready for a leisurely dinner: starting with steak tartare:
Followed by a spinach, endive, and strawberry salad with balsamic dressing:
Followed by home-made rustic lasagna with garlic bread.
After dinner I attend the final performance by Cantare, a singing group of four handsome men from various parts of the world. The singing is good, but the recorded musical accompaniment is so loud it drowns out much of the pleasure.
A note about the entertainment on this cruise: There have been no big ensemble shows with questionable young talent--usually I don't attend those anyway. Instead, the performances have focused on experienced professional talent, either in small groups like Cantare and One Step Dance Company, or soloists like the Australian singer or stand-up comic (which I did not attend). This has been a marked improvement over other cruises. And since I attend the late show at 9pm after my dinner, it is easy to find a good seat, since the theatre is not usually full.
This has been a long blog; I hope you have enjoyed it. I will be back with one more entry tomorrow, before disembarking in Yokohama on Sunday. Bon voyage until then.
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