After big city experiences recently, we were seeking a different kind of day and boy, did Miyako, Japan deliver!! Miyako is a small town of 50K people, with several industrial companies and a small tourism industry. We headed out in the early morning on a Princess tour to visit Johodagama Beach. Jodogahama features a beautiful white pebble shoreline, clear and calm waters, and several jagged and rocky islands. The white rocks at Jodogahama Beach, consist of rhyolite, a type of volcanic rock rich in silica and were formed roughly 44 to 52 million years ago through intense volcanic activity. The landscape was breathtaking and peaceful.

We also took a 30-minute boat ride along the coastline of Miyako Bay where we observed some bird rookeries and some additional striking landscapes. The ride was very pleasant from atop the two-level vessel, where the breezes were brisk and we could see the birds. From the boat we were also able to see some of the new tsunami wall that was built after the devasting 2011 earthquake and tsunami that hit eastern Japan, killing 19,700 persons. Our guide explained that the 133 feet high tsunami waters would have breached this new wall system, but what the wall is supposed to do is provide a break wall as the water recedes, hoping to catch people before they get pulled out to see. Wowsa.

Our next stop was the fish market in town, where we found a welcome sign for the ship. This was a lively shopping stop for locals and tourists alike. Sharon sampled some Otoro tuna while Marshall enjoyed some sweets. There were some really unusual varieties of shellfish, seaweed and fish being sold. The market also has a regular grocery store attached, and there were some small stalls selling souvenirs and home goods. The Japanese people were so friendly. As Sharon sat at a table, eating her tuna, several older Japanese seniors came up and nodded and smiled their approval.

The real star of the shopping opportunities though came after the completion of our tour. As we were pulling back up to the ship, we couldn’t believe what had been set up since we left the ship three hours prior. Now there were food trucks, and a large tent with tables and chairs. There were dignitaries with flowers and flag bearers. There were 20 or more stalls selling beautiful handcrafted items like kimonos, Japanese papers, purses, jewelry, slippers, and more. There were school girls inscribing names with Japanese letters, on beautiful cards – for free!!

Listen, we’ve seen quite a few little pop-up markets next to our ship over the last couple months but this one might have been the nicest. And the best part, it was also open to the local people so they were visiting the market too. Crew members were there also as it was so easy for them to pop off of the ship for a little shore leave. We loved it!! Sharon bought a Happi Coat which is a traditional straight-sleeved Japanese jacket, typically made of cotton, often featuring indigo dyes, kanji, or traditional motifs. From another stall, she bought matching earrings made of Japanese washi paper. The artist explained how she makes the paper and was clearly very passionate about her art. Our last purchase were rice cakes, being sold by an organization that employs disabled Japanese.

Back on the ship and as our sail away time of 4:00 drew closer, we decided to crochet on the open deck 7 and watch what would surely be a big send-off. We were not disappointed! There were flag artists and trained dancers and small children doing cute dances. They sang songs, they thanked us for coming, they bid us farewell. And just when the captain should have sounded the horn of departure and the “waving goodbye” should have commenced, there was nothing. The poor townspeople kept dancing and singing and I’m sure were thinking “good lord, when are these people going to leave?”. By 4:20 the captain came on the PA system to say we were having propulsion problems. It was another 2 hours before we finally left and understandably, most of the locals had already gone. But the hospitality that was shown and the show they put on, will be forever remembered.

Tomorrow: Aomori, Japan