Lindblad Expeditions – Page 2

Japan, Day 6 (September 8): Yakushima Island

Hiking through a virgin cedar forest atop an ancient volcano.

The “Buddha Sugi”, a 1800-year-old cedar trees in the Yakusugi forest.

Overnight, the Resolution sailed out of the inland sea and south along Japan’s east coast. We spent the morning at sea, leaving Japan’s mainland behind as we headed for Yakushima Island. A small, round island, it is very tall – with 45 peaks over 1000m, made of granite – formerly, a lava plug inside a much taller volcano. It is one of the world’s wettest locations; the “annual precipitation in Yakushima is one of the world’s highest at 4,000 to 10,000 mm (160 to 390 in)” [Wikipedia], and its highest reaches are now a UNESCO world heritage site because it is covered in virgin forest. Read on, to learn more about our hike on this greenest of green islands.

Japan, Day 5 (September 7): Uwajima, Uchiko

After an overnight transit to Uwajima, along Japan’s inland sea, I was up on deck to watch the sun rise… directly over a mountain peak! As the sun rose and we pulled into Uwajima’s harbor, our ship was escorted by four local fishing vessels that had been elaborately decorated with banners and flags. On each boat there were one or two enthusiastic volunteers who were waving massive flags, all meant to welcome us to their city. [video]. Read on!

Fishermen arranged a colorful escort to welcome our ship to Uwajima.

Japan, Day 4 (September 6): Hiroshima

An incredibly moving experience.

Our trip around Japan has thus far been fascinating, as we experience the beauty of its landscape, the depth of its culture, and the friendliness of its people. Our afternoon visit to Hiroshima, however, was profoundly humbling and thought-provoking. Now a bustling metropolis of 1.2 million people sprawling across the broad delta of a river pouring into Japan’s inner sea, it was hard to visualize the day, just over 79 years ago in August 1945, when the Enola Gay dropped the world’s first nuclear weapon here – then a city of 350,000 souls. By the end of that year, 140,000 people had died. Please read on.

Atomic bomb dome – the ruins of a civic building damaged (but not destroyed) by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

Japan, Day 4 (September 6): Miyajima

A visit to Miyajima island to explore the Itsukushima Shrine and the Buddhist temple above. Wild deer!

The Resolution sailed along the rocky shores of Miyajima island, surrounded by hundreds of oyster farms in the shallow waters near shore. Due to the shallow waters and congested port area, the Resolution held position offshore while we boarded Zodiac (inflatable motorboats) to reach the port at Miyajima [video]. This small island in Japan’s inland sea is home to only 1,400 people, most of whom support the bustling tourist industry … foreigners like us, as well as numerous locals who visit the famous Buddhist or Shinto shrines. Read on!

David and Pam ride the Zodiac to Miyajima Island, Japan.

Japan, Day 3 (September 5): Takamatsu

A visit to a bonsai farm, Shikoku-mura outdoor museum, and Ritsurin Gardens.

When we woke on the third day of our voyage we were in the port city of Takamatsu, on the northern shore of Japan’s inland sea. We visited a bonsai farm, an outdoor architectural museum, and Ritsurin Garden, a large, elaborate Japanese garden. Read on!

Sunrise over the inland sea of Japan, near Takamatsu.

Japan, Day 2 (September 4): Uno, Naoshima

Koraku-en garden, Naoshima island, and Benesse House Museum.

This morning we docked in Uno, toured Koraku-en garden, “one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan”, and this afternoon we went ashore in Zodiac boats to visit two modern-art museums on the tiny island of Naoshima. Read on!

A pumpkin sculpture at Benesse museum, on the beach at Naoshima island, Japan.

Japan, Day 1 (September 3): Kobe

Himeji Castle, Koko-En garden, and lunch on shore before boarding our ship, the National Geographic Resolution.

Today we joined our expedition group, toured sights near Kobe, and boarded our ship – the National Geographic Resolution. Read on!

Coastal Japan trip

The start of our next adventure.

We’re embarking today on the National Geographic Resolution, an arctic-class cruise ship identical to the ship (the Endurance) we sailed to South Georgia in March 2023. On this trip, Coastal Japan: Imperial Dynasties and Modern Culture, run by National Geographic on a ship managed by Lindblad Expeditions, Pam and I and my parents will be cruising along the southern coasts of Japan, and make a brief stop in South Korea, exploring many of the natural and cultural highlights of this beautiful region of the world. More to come, and you can be sure I’ll bring back lots of photographs!

Our planned route; slight deviations noted in subsequent posts.

The National Geographic (Lindblad) “Resolution”, in Uno, Japan.

South Georgia and the Falklands

Wrapping it all up – with the best photos!

Well, that about wraps it up folks. I’ve just finished blogging about our February-March trip to South Georgia Island and the Falkland Islands. (It’s now mid-June, and I’ve been backdating the posts to keep them in chronological sequence with the trip.) If you’ve landed on this post and want to read the whole story in order, start here.

Jack and David (at center) trying to photograph seabirds.

During the trip I snapped over 10,000 photos and videos. I kept about 2,900, and posted about 400 in the galleries associated with this blog. Four percent – not bad. But I have one final gallery for you: my 40 favorite photographs. Enjoy!

Carcass Island – Falkland Islands

Tea & cakes are a splendid way to end a hike!

[backdated to fit into the sequence of posts about our trip to the Falklands and South Georgia in March 2023.]

Our last stop in the Falkland Islands was on Carcass Island. As Wikipedia notes, its “grim-sounding name comes from the ship HMS Carcass, which surveyed the island in 1766.” Despite the grim name, we visited on a beautiful day and had a lovely hike up the steep and grassy slopes, past a small Gentoo settlement and through sheep pasture, to a rocky summit with broad views of the bay and surrounding islands.