April 13, 2023 Kochi, Japan

Westerdam only docked at 10 a.m. in Kochi. Kochi is located on Japan’s Shikoku Island, which is the smallest of the four largest islands.

At 7 a.m. the ship was about 180 minutes from docking in Kochi. Temperature was 13° C with a light east wind of 6 km/hr. We walked on the Deck 3 Promenade deck until the Deck 2 dining room opened at 8 a.m. At our table of six were Christina and Ian from Melbourne, Australia and Greta and Rosalyn from Rotterdam, Netherlands. As we finished breakfast, the ship was making the final approach to docking. There were half a dozen people waving large colourful banners in front of the Kochi Cruise Terminal.

We were in the theatre to get our tour stickers by 10 a.m. After a short wait we were sent to the buses, swiping our room cards to get off the ship and then a brief look at our passports by a Customs official.

It was a half hour drive to Kochi Castle for the busload of 41 passengers. We passed many newly planted rice fields. There are over 200 steps divided into six or seven flights of stairs to climb up to the castle.

Kochi Castle was constructed between 1601 and 1611, including the Ōtemon Gate but most of the castle’s main buildings date from 1748, when they were reconstructed after a fire. It is built atop Mt. Otakaska. Ōtemon Gate has two six meter high doors decorated with copper. Atop the gate roof is a mythical dragonfish which is to protect the compound from fire. Through the gate and along a path lined with Azaleas and red lanterns to the first set of stairs up to Tsumemon Gate which connects the second citadel of the castle to the inner sanctum. In Honmaru Palace all visitors need to remove their shoes and carry them in plastic bags that are provided. In the first room covered in straw mats, as usual in all Japanese buildings, was a hand carved (in the mid 1700s) transom titled San-no Maru meaning Lotus Roots in Water.

Kochi Castle is built in Shoin-zukuri architectural style in favour by the Samurai in the 17^th and 18^th century adapting the style of Kyoto palaces. Samurai families lived at the bottom of the hill, the first line of defence of the castle, which never had to face a war. By Edo times castles were built lower down the hills as it was a peaceful time.

Kochi’s castle is the only one in Japan where the original castle tower and main keep remain intact. The tower was not only used for military purposes, but also as a residence. The honmaru, the ring of defence, is preserved in its original state. After centuries of surviving wars, fires, and other catastrophes, Kochi Castle is one of the last twelve original castles in Japan, and is designated an Important National Cultural Property.

There were several different scale models of the castle on display in the keep which was entered by 29 steep almost ladder like stairs. The keep was completed 1603 but had significant fire damage in 1727 and was reconstructed in 1749. In 1873 when the Meiji government took over in Japan, most of the 200 castles were abandoned and taken over by the government. There was a reconstruction of the castle under taken from 1949 to 1958 to repair the damage of the December 21, 1946 Nankai Earthquake.

After exploring the castle compound, the group crossed the street for a brief look in the Kochi Castle Museum.

The last stop was at Katsurahama Beach on the Pacific Ocean. Swimming is prohibited because of the danger undertows. There were restaurants and souvenirs shops to browse but there was only 20 minutes for the visit and view the beach before returning to the ship.

The Kochi cruise terminal had excellent Wi-fi, so Larry was able to post yesterday’s blog entry.

In the news today it was reported that North Korea blasted a long range missile which appeared to be aimed at the northern Japan island of Hakkaidō, but landed nearby in the Sea of Japan. It may have been to celebrate the 11^th anniversary of the North Korean‘s leader achieving power.

As we enjoyed Happy Hour in the Billboard Onboard Lounge, Larry noticed bubbles floating past the window. It was part of a farewell event at the pier. There was one person waving a large colourful banner, the Kochi mascot, dancers and musicians sending off the ship as she pulled away from the pier. This was the only stop on Japan’s Shikoku island. Tomorrow we pass through the Kanmon Strait into the Sea of Japan. It separates the largest island, Honshu, from Kyūshū island on which tomorrow’s destination, Fukuoka, is located.

We had dinner with a Canadian couple, Arnel and Cathy and a California couple Richard and Stephanie. After dinner we went to the 7 p.m. Ballroom dance hour where four other couples were dancing to the music. We had to quickly return to the stateroom to get earplugs due to the high volume of the music,

The show in theatre tonight was the male quartet Cantaré.

Total steps today: 14,671