Kurashiki and Naoshima, 8/26/2023, National Geographic Resolution
Aboard the
National Geographic Resolution
Japan
We couldn’t have asked for a better start to our expedition in Japan. Surrounded by rice fields, we visited the traditional village of Kurashiki, stopping by the canal, the tiny craft shops, traditional Japanese houses, and the Ohashi House.
After a nice lunch on board, we went back to explore the wonders of Naoshima Island by ferry. Artist Yayoi Kusama displays one of her most famous pieces of art here: a giant pumpkin!
Maria Intxaustegi is an internationally awarded maritime archaeologist, naval historian, commercial diver, professional offshore sailor, and expedition guide from the Basque Country.
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Today we enjoyed our final day of our incredible journey in Japan. There were several sites visited throughout the day. One group visited Koraku-en Garden, one of the three great gardens of Japan. It was beautiful to stroll around the well-manicured garden and the light breeze was appreciated with the rays of the sun. Another group visited Kurashiki, a city known for its centuries-old buildings and shops, including the Ohara Museum of Art. Everyone got the chance to visit Naoshima, an island in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea famous for its art museums. We all visited the Benesse House Museum and had the opportunity to tour the interesting art installations on the property. In the evening, we had a wonderful farewell cocktail hour hosted by Captain Heidi, and the trip was perfectly capped off with a wonderful Pilipino dinner by our wonderful galley team.
National Geographic Resolution spent the day in Takamatsu, the largest city on Shikoku Island. We all visited Ritsurin Garden, one of the most beautiful gardens in Japan. The pine trees, ponds, lotus flowers, and arched bridges were particularly beautiful against the steep mountainside. We visited the Kinashu Bonsai Farm where we learned about the meticulous process of growing these decorative trees. It’s amazing that it takes decades to raise these trees before they are put in trays. Some of the guests visited the flat-topped Mount Yashima, where we saw a great overlook over the city and inland sea. We saw the Yashima Temple, which is one of the Buddhist temples on the Shikoku pilgrimage route, so there were pilgrims dressed in white. Other guests visited the Shikoku-Mura Museum where we saw a variety of folk houses and other structures from the 1800s. We climbed the stone steps to see thatched roof houses, waterfalls, and bamboo forests, but the most memorable experience was crossing the wood and twine suspension bridge. Before dinner, a local group of Shogun-era riflemen gave us a demonstration on the pier. It was powerful, with several muskets being fired together or in succession.
After a thrilling Zodiac approach, our tour began with a glimpse of the infamous vermillion torii gates marking the watery entrance to the lovely Itsukushima Shrine on the sacred island of Miyajima. After winding our way along the massive-planked boardwalk past enormous lion dogs, an ancient Noh stage, and monks selling amulets and fortunes, some of us continued on to the enchanting 12th century Buddhist temple, Daisho-in. Native deer, abundant on the island, added to the charm. After lunch on board, we made our way to nearby Hiroshima for the afternoon. In the shadow of the Atomic Bomb Dome, one of the few buildings left standing in the city center following the explosion, our guides led us through the Peace Memorial Park and explained the mission of the park and neighboring museum – to pass on the message of peace and urge us to abolish nuclear weapons once and for all. One especially moving part of this tour was a visit to the Peace Monument, where we donated paper cranes from last night’s origami session. The powerful Peace Memorial Museum was a sobering end to an important day, leading to many thoughtful discussions over cocktails and dinner.
