Pagoda in the gardens of the Prince Hotel Takanawa, Tokyo, where we spent a night before joining the Azamara Quest the next day.
The toilets in Japan are unbelievable! Here is a typical control panel you'll find on nearly every toilet cubicle wall. You can have your 'rear' or 'front'…
You can have your choice of flush as well as whether you want the wash water to pulsate or ocillate! Going to the toilet is an experience itself in Japan!
The Japanese artist who was on board the Azamara Quest. Here she is dressed in traditional Japanese formal clothing for the Captain's Cocktail Party.
The Azamara Quest docked in Muroran, Japan.
One of the ubiquitous pachinko parlours. Pachinko is an extremely popular arcade game. It is similar to pinball, but played vertically, and the aim is to keep…
Pachinko parlour.
The famous cherry blossom in Muroran, Japan.
Tree with cherry blossom, with a Toyota car for perspective!
Groups of children in traditional costumes entertained us with singing, dancing and simple musical instruments just before we set sail from Muroran.
Fish stall in Kushiro, Japan.
An array of different fragrant Japanese teas in the market.
Fish stall in Kushiro. The Japanese are very big fish-eaters, which is probably why they live so long.
Underground Art Museum in Kushiro. The photos are taken by members of the public, many of them disabled, and displayed in a museum set in a subway (under-road…
Some exhibits in the Underground Art Museum, Kushiro, Japan.
Large brass sculpture in Kushiro, Japan. There is an almost-identical sculpture in the main foyer of the M/S Balmoral.
"Look at the big ship!" A group of schoolchildren and their teachers pass by the Azamara Quest while it is docked in Kushiro.
The stark, but strangely beautiful, landscape of the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia.
The town of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsy, Russia.
Stark landscape in Petropavlovsk, with a couple of linemen working on on of the pylons and nearly blending in with the scenery!