May 8- Muroran, Japan

Our last port in Asia was Muroran, Japan.  Jessie and I were both very excited for this port because our other port in Japan were fabulous.  This one was also sure not to disappoint.

We decided to stay in port that day instead of paying for an expensive tour into the city of Sapporo (which is also about a 2 ½ hour drive).  Instead, we were shuttled all around the small town of Muroran and had a wonderful day.

First, as we got off the ship, we were welcomed by a bunch of high school students who presented us with a welcome package and answered all of our questions.  We then boarded a shuttle bus and were dropped off in town.

Jessie and I decided to go to the tourism and information centre first because there were events happening there.  We were warmly welcomed and given a Japanese balloon yoyo as a gift.  We then proceeded to make Japanese kites, write traditional calligraphy, watch flower arrangements being made and learn how to make origami.  We even were able to participate in a traditional tea ceremony.  Jessie and I spent a large portion of the day there making friends with the locals and learning about their culture and community.  We had such a wonderful time and the best part of it was knowing that it was purely volunteer operated.  People went out of their way to ensure that we were having a nice time.  How special!

Afterwards we decided to hike up to the Shinto Shrine.  This was no easy task as it was over 300 steps to get there but we finally arrived.  From the view on top of the hill, we could see over the town and into the harbor.  It was very beautiful.

As we walked up to the temple, we saw three Japanese girls in traditional clothing there to welcome us.  They were shrine maidens. They posed for photos for us and then offered us a taste of sake (the traditional rice wine).  It was very strong but Jessie surprisingly enjoyed it (little lush!)

Jessie and I wandered around the grounds of the temple and at the back there were no people.  I decided this would be a prime place to test out my kite and see if it could fly.  The problem was that there was no wind; so instead, I had to run very fast and hope that it caught in the breeze I was creating.  A Japanese maintenance worker thought this was very funny. 

Heading back into town, we got on another shuttle and were dropped off at a local shopping area.  Jessie and I first decided to grab a bite to eat.  We settled on authentic Japanese ramen (usually known as the instant noodle soup) however this ramen was freshly made and delicious!  We ordered two types: one miso based, and one soya based (the soya based soup was better).  The tiny restaurant only held about 8 or 9 seats, but we were lucky enough to be surrounded by many of the ship’s crew members.  We got to know many of the servers in the dining room over a nice lunch.

After lunch, we decided to do some shopping.  We were told that there were large markets in the area, but it turned out that they were supermarkets.  Instead, Jessie and I went into a department store, but everything was fairly pricey.  We decided to spend most of our leftover Yen in the 100Yen store.  Jessie filled the basket with various art supplies and special tabi socks.  Quite the shopping experience.

We also stopped to try the ice cream.  We learned that this is a special treat here in Japan and thought it would be nice to try.  We decided on the authentic flavor of Green Tea.  A tiny little cup of it cost $4 but we enjoyed every bite.

Soon it was time to head back to the ship.  As we came close to the shuttle location, Jessie and I stopped to talk to some local Japanese students.  I had mentioned that I was teaching in Korea prior to my travels and they told me of their Korean friend Mirra.  They called her over and when she discovered my slight Korean background she was thrilled.  We talked about the differences she’s experienced for a while and then the shuttle came.  She gave me a big hug and asked to keep in contact over facebook.  What an interesting experience. 

Jessie and I were soon back onboard of our ship.  As we were leaving port, the town’s people of Muroran were kind enough to put on an extravagant goodbye performance for us.  Over 100 children learned multiple choreographies and performed them for almost an hour.  Their parents and other town members were standing at the background waving to us.  The entire production was so heart warming that many people had tears in their eyes as this was going on (myself included).  The town only sees about 1 cruiseship a year, so it’s a very big deal for them.  I couldn’t believe what a wonderful job they did at not only welcoming us and guiding us throughout the day, but also in giving us such a tremendous sendoff. 

This was our last stop in Asia, and it dawned on me that I was leaving the part of the world where I spent the last 15 months.  Although I was sad to be leaving, I couldn’t have thought of a better way to say goodbye.