I do not recall ever hearing or reading the name Kagoshima before embarking on this world tour. When Mary and I boarded our shore excursion bus, we found very nicely printed “Tourism Guide Maps” on our seats. Rather than plagiarize the tourism guide and pretend I wrote it, I will just quote from it.

Kagoshima, on Kyushu, lies at the head of a large bay.

Our greeters

“Kagoshima is a popular tourist destination located at the southernmost point of the Japanese mainland. Kagoshima is the home of one of the world’s most active volcanoes (Mt. Sakurajima), famous hot springs, Japan’s first national park (Kirishima), the world’s only natural steam sand bath (Ibusuki), and many other attractive tourist sites.

There are very few places in the world where you can witness an active volcano such as Sakurajima beside a city of 600,000 people like Kagoshima City. The sight is very impressive.

Kagoshima is a port a town blessed with many fresh and delicious foods.  As a gourmet destination for both domestic and international visitors alike. Kagoshima offers several kinds of shochu which cannot be found anywhere else and of course our pride and joy Kagoshima Pork and Kagoshima Kuroushi Beef.”

Mary and I did not take the steamed sand baths, sample the gourmet food nor observe any volcanic activity but we did enjoy our tour. Our tour guide informed us at the conclusion of the tour that she had been doing her job for 30 years. She did a nice job.

Sometimes, just little things are interesting. I learned that regulations in Tokyo prohibit the hanging of clothing on balconies. I learned that the many people wearing masks across their faces might be protecting themselves from pollen rather than germs. I learned that the Camphor trees which line the streets are there for their fragrance as well beauty and ecology. I learned that Saint Francis Xavier came centuries ago and baptized many people because he told them God loved all people equally.

Some cultural differences which our tour guide described were amusing to me.  Our tour guide told us that an American woman wished to bring flowers to her friend who was hospitalized. She showed the flowers to the tour guide who admonished her not to give chrysanthemums because they were funeral flowers.  Next, the woman wanted to give her hospitalized friend a potted lily. The tour guide vetoed this plan because giving a potted plant indicated you expected the person to be where they were for a long time.

We also learned from a lecturer aboard ship that the Japanese people will be self-deprecating in a way that we westerners are not.  If you are invited to dinner, your Japanese host will say apologetically that this is really something inferior they are offering you when, in reality, it is an extraordinary feast.  This reminded me of a scene from the movie “The Joy Luck Club.” (Yes, I know the movie was about Chinese culture.)

When a Japanese man is introducing his spouse he will customarily precede the word “wife” with “foolish.” The lecturer said that there was a diplomatic event in the United States. The translator accurately translated this customary spousal putdown and it was the source of international concern.

Each port we have visited has had dramatically different features at the pier. We enjoyed a beautiful view of the harbor and the volcanic mountain when we were in Kagoshima.  Our view from the Amsterdam not only took in the beauty around the harbor but an amazing park adjacent to the pier. “Welcome to Kagoshima” was spelled out in giant letter on what appeared to me to be an amphitheater. Behind this amphitheater was a huge park with adults and children participating in a variety of physical activities one would expect to see taking place in a park. I could observe the activities because there was a lack of trees concealing them. This “bird’s eye view” was a real treat.

Another real treat for me took place when it was time to sail away. The Kagoshima fire department has a band! This uniformed gentleman played a wonderful medley of familiar tunes. That was not all. There were at least 100 adults and children waving orange flags as we sailed away from the pier. It was the most impressive send off so far.

The audience enjoying the music

 

In a previous message, I spoke of a sunrise and sunset. When we were underway after visiting Kagoshima, I saw something pretty special, it was the moon. I was getting ready for bed when I took a quick peek out the window. The moon appeared so bright that I decided to go out on the promenade for a closer look. (Well, I was a few feet closer maybe.) The view was amazing. There was a path of moonlight on the water. Unlike other circumstances when I have viewed the moon from a stationery point, the water was glistening with little waves rushing across the moon’s path.  I knew there was no way I could possibly record what I saw, to share later, but it was truly an awesome sight.

 

Onto Nagasaki…