Kyoto’s Golden Pavilion & Arashiyama: Temples, Gardens and Bamboo

Posted on October 11, 2026 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

October 9, 2026 ~ Kyoto

My first trip to Japan was back in 2000 and the first city we stayed in was Kyoto. My strongest memory of that city was the magnificent Golden Pavilion. I was wondering if a revisit would live up to my expectations. And not for one moment did it disappoint me!

This pavilion was built as Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu’s retreat in 1397. It became a Zen Buddhist temple after his death. Sadly, the original was set on fire by a monk in 1950 and rebuilt in 1955.

Yes, that is real gold! Its upper two floors are covered in genuine gold leaf, while the ground floor features natural wood and white plaster. A golden phoenix, a symbol of good fortune, sits proudly on the roof.

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Shinkansen Bullet Train from Tokyo to Kyoto

Posted on October 11, 2026 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

October 8, 2026

Japan’s famous bullet train, the Tokaido Shinkansen, connects Tokyo and Kyoto in as little as two hours and ten minutes, reaching speeds of around 177 miles per hour. The route opened in 1964, just before the Tokyo Olympics, becoming the world’s first high-speed rail service. More than sixty years later, it remains a remarkable way to travel between Japan’s modern capital and its historic one.

We booked tickets before leaving home for the bullet train using SmartEX (Japan Travel). A couple weeks before our departure date I received our direct boarding QR codes via email.

Screenshot

I had purchased the tickets for all four of us, so that we would be seated together. I had also paid a slight premium for a view of Mt Fuji. All we needed to do was scan our QR code and board.

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Birthday Celebration ~ Team Lab, Asakusa, Senso-ji and Sushi

Posted on October 8, 2026 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

October 7, 2026 ~ Tokyo

Team Lab

What a truly unique and fun way to celebrate my birthday! It is almost impossible to put into words what Team Lab is all about, but maybe this will give you an idea.

“It feels like stepping inside a dream, where light, water, flowers, and reflections surround you in a constantly changing world. Walking barefoot through water and rooms of shimmering lights, you become part of the artwork. It’s a blend of art and technology that invites you to slow down, explore, and rediscover a little childlike wonder.”~ Rune

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Tokyo ~ Peaceful Gardens, Shibuya’s Scramble and a Faithful Dog

Posted on October 7, 2026 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

October 6, 2026 ~ Tokyo, Japan

Meiji Shrine

Meiji Shrine is a peaceful retreat tucked into a vast forest in the heart of bustling Tokyo. Established in 1920, this Shinto shrine honors Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken, who lived during Japan’s transformation into a modern nation. One surprising fact is that the forest was planted by hand, using around 100,000 trees donated from across Japan.

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Shrines and Temples of Nikko

Posted on October 5, 2026 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

October 5, 2026

Another very long day with an early start. Up at 5:30 to allow time for breakfast and to be ready for a 7:00 pickup. We had arranged a private driver to take us to Nikko. It was almost a three hour drive to get there, but well worth it.

Nikko’s famous waterfall is Kegon Falls, also called Kegon no Taki. It is nice to see from the top, but I definitely recommend spending the small fee to take the elevator down to the viewing station.

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First Taste of Tokyo: Ramen, Subways & the Tokyo National Museum

Posted on October 4, 2026 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

October 4, 2026

Greetings from Japan! I’ve noted the date as October 4th, but a reminder that since we crossed the International Date Line that we are actually a day ahead of our family and friends back home in the USA.

We observed the fueling operations this morning before we disembarked

Getting off the cruise ship, through immigration and customs went smoothly except for one slight snag that my large suitcase was missing in the arrival terminal. It got sorted out quickly though when one of the staff asked us to check in the section of bags where the baggage tags had come off. Sure enough, my bag was there and we were on our way.

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Wrap Up ~ Scavenger Hunt and Progressive Trivia

Posted on October 3, 2026 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

October 3rd, 2026

Short and sweet. It was finally warm enough and smooth waters to enjoy being back outside. We are arriving in Tokyo tomorrow morning, which means that activities that have gone on for almost two weeks, needed to get wrapped up.

SCAVENGER HUNT

We did only OK in our pursuit of getting signatures. It was fun for the first few days, but after a week, and with diminishing returns, we both lost interest. I was actually happy to see that a young kid, maybe six years old, came in third place. He won a bottle of champagne, which was promptly turned over to his dad, plus a bag of unknown treasures. I hope there was something he will cherish in that sack!

We managed to walk away with a yellow rubber ducky 😁.

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Around the World, One Bite at a Time

Posted on October 2, 2026 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

October 2nd, 2026

On the ship, I normally start my day with a small serving of some kind of protein like corn beef hash with an egg on top and some fresh fruit such as chunks of cantaloupe and honeydew melon, along with a cup of decaf coffee. On other mornings I have enjoyed two tiny egg white bites from the International Cafe. A couple days ago I discovered chia seed parfait cups and they are my new favorite. I’m obsessed!

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Going to Sleep on the 28th, Waking up on the 30th – Crossing the International Date Line.

Posted on September 29, 2026 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

September 28th ~ 30th, 2026

Our weather has improved dramatically since yesterday and we have returned to our normal speed instead of the throttled back, slower pace when the worst of the swells were battering us. The captain indicated that we had 5 meter (16 feet) swells during one of his announcements, but I’m not sure if that was the peak or not.

This was two days ago with a lot of white caps and big swells. Much calmer now.

At one point when at dinner, a wave splashed against the side of the ship, completely covering the dining room window, which caused a few gasps from fellow diners.

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Progressive Trivia, Scavenger Hunt and Deteriorating Weather

Posted on September 27, 2026 by Tim and Joanne Joseph

September 26, 2026 ~ At Sea

There is always a lot going on every day while on a cruise ship with a wide range of activities to choose from. They are quite good at offering a variety. Here are some examples of today’s options.

Want to get active? Besides the gym, there were classes offered in Zumba, Line dancing, and a 80’s Grooves dance class.

Improve your health? You can attend a lecture or class on Acupuncture for pain management, How to increase your metabolism, Better posture and alignment or Relieve back, neck & shoulder pain naturally.

Hair and beauty? I found these options – Master hair class, Look 10 years younger, Non-surgical facelift.

Enrichment? Coffee and chat with the officers, Destination talk on Tokyo, and a lecture on Bears and survival in the north.

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