Wednesday 15 April Hagi

Overcast and low cloud this morning. High of 19 and rain, so after breakfast we need to rug up a bit as we have to get on the zodiacs to take us to land. It was a wet 7 minute ride to the Port! We are then on the coach with Kenji as our guide! Only understand about 1 in 10-15 things he says. He is a shocker. However we get to a pottery place and have a quick look around, plus a walk through the Yoshika Taibi museum (at the same location).

Yoshika is renowned for his use of clay and glaze tones, therefore raising the interest in Hagi ware, now deemed a unique style and firm of art. Didn't do a thing for me as the items never looked quite finished and were deliberately not symmetrical. If we go back to the late 1500s, during the invasion of Korea, a feudal lord brought 2 potters back from Korea to Hagi to make them make pottery for the tea ceremony. So, Hagi ware began at the kiln they built for the lord so the history spans more than 400 years. Hagi ware made for the tea ceremony is highly valued and also highly priced! I maintain that the cups, saucers and plates are deliberately off centre and have bits chipped out,etc due to the original Korean potters actually being slaves to the Japanese feudal lords and the potters not wanting to make perfect items for their masters! Can't find any history books to support my theory, but I reckon that over time, the misshapen items took on a life of their own and have become highly sought after, whereas I'd put them in the bin, or at least try and put a plant in them in the garden!

We spend an hour here, which was 45 minutes too long. Back on the coach we now head to Shizuki Park and the ruins of the Hagi castle. It hasn't stopped raining so not a pleasant walk through the park. The castle was built in 1604, serving as the centre of the Mori clan for over 250 years. However during the Meiji restoration where the vast majority of castles throughout Japan were torn down or left to ruin, the main structures were dismantled in 1874, leaving only the original stone walls and moat intact.

The constant rain made taking photographs a challenge, plus it was very wet underfoot so we cut our walk through the park short. I'm sure the gardens would have been more impressive in sunlight and dry. Back on the coach, we head back to the port, taking about 50 minutes. We then have the zodiacs ride back to the ship. Very happy to get back to our cabin and remove all the wet clothing! Time for lunch and a relaxing afternoon as we didn't book the kimono experience tour for the afternoon. At 3pm we go up to deck 6 for a demonstration on how to put on a kimono and information of when it is worn and what the different styles mean in relation to marital status and privilege. We then have to show out passports at a makeshift immigration office on the ship, as we depart Japanese waters tonight as we head for Korea. 11I spoke yo Margie about how bad Kenji was and she told me that she had already received a number of complaints about him today and spoke to him about an hour earlier that he had to speak slower and all of we understand him and if we have any questions. Cocktails enjoyed during the briefing for tomorrow.

Okay...so I had a second one.... While waiting for the briefing, Vicki came and sat next to me. She and Brian had just returned from the kimono experience tour. I asked her how it went and she started crying. Turns out that Kenji was their guide and he had left her behind at one of the kimono shops. Not sure how it eventually got sorted, because Kenji had put Brian in a taxi to the meeting point, even though Brian tried to explain that Vicki was still in the dressing rooms. Poor Vicki comes out of the dressing rooms and everyone had gone along with the bus! Anyway, Jo went and told Margie that she needs to follow up with Vicki tomorrow about it as Vicki was too distressed still to talk about it now. As someone who organised and ran tours for Police Legacy, I was forever counting people, and knew if anyone was running late or missing. Kenji's days as a tour guide should be over! However, it is now time for dinner which was good, but I still couldn't fit in a dessert.

We have another early start in the morning so it is back to the cabin, sort all the clothing and umbrellas we had drying in the ensuite and climb into bed. The seas have picked up as we head across the Sea of Japan. Fingers crossed I'm not sea sick but take a tablet just in case... Hopefully no rain tomorrow as we have a full day's tour of Busan, South Korea. Good night!

Tuesday 14 April Beppu

Overcast morning with high of 19 plus showers likely from late morning. We have to wait for a pilot boat to take us into the port of Beppu.

After breakfast we head onto the coaches where our first stop is to Chinoike Jigoku, or Blood Pond Hell, the oldest of the 'hells' featuring vivid red waters coloured by iron oxide. Historically it was useful for extracting red clay for dyes and ointments.

We are given the opportunity for a foot spa in the 37 degree water.

The next onsen is Umi Jigoku or Sea Hell which is a streaming cobalt blue pool created by a volcanic explosion over a millennium ago. The spring reaches near boiling temperatures, releasing thick clouds of steam. There is an obvious sulphur smell in the air (not as bad as Rotorua).

The gardens are definitely wow factor.

The hot house water lily pond is impressive as is a small Blood Pond we didn't expect to find here.

We then head to the Beppu City Traditional Bamboo Crafts Centre where we try our hand at bamboo weaving during a workshop guided by local women. I'm not ready to start up my own small business in bamboo weaving!

There is time to look through the small museum as well.

The light bulb is using a bamboo filament that Thomas Edison determined was a great conductor for his electric light bulb. Time to head back to the ship for lunch. Our timing is really good as light rain had just started and now looks likely to set in. We haven't booked the optional tour for the cherry blossom festival and are really pleased as the weather is not at all conducive to walking around open gardens now, plus we saw lovely cherry blossoms on our first day in Osaka so don't feel like we are missing out on anything. Instead we catch up with Margie from Travelmarvel to talk about future tours and possibilites, and then have time to catch up on the blog. Late afternoon Margie hosts a travel talk on different tours Travelmarvel are offering. May need to think about Sri Lanka in future. Hmmm. It is also cocktail time and yes, I am working my way through the drinks menu!

We have a look through the small onboard gift shop but there is very limited range and very expensive so no shopping done. Back to our cabin for a short rest before it is time to go for a briefing about tomorrow and then dinner. We sit with Owen and Simon for dinner who happen to be the same guys we sat with at breakfast this morning. Lovely evening of good company and good food. I forgot to take my phone with me so no photos of the excellent sushi and then udon noodle main meal. Late night talking so we were the last to leave the dining room. Time for bed as we have an early start in the morning and need to use the zodiacs in what is likely to be wet weather.