Day 12 – Aomori: Colourful Traditions, Apple Cider and a Missing Watch!

Today we arrived in Aomori, Japan, and what a lovely place it turned out to be! Aomori is a smaller city, and one of the things I particularly liked was that the port was right in the heart of town, a little like Gibraltar. No need for shuttle buses or complicated transfers — we could simply walk off the ship and start exploring.

The weather was looking a little overcast, so Gaby and I decided to take our raincoats with us, just in case. After all, we have learnt that the Japanese weather can be rather unpredictable!



Once ashore, the local tourist guides explained how to get into town, and we found it incredibly easy to navigate. One thing I really appreciated was that the road signs included the main tourist attractions in English, making it so much easier for us to find our way around.

Our first stop was the beautiful Utou Shrine, where we enjoyed a peaceful walk around the gardens.

There is something so calming about visiting these traditional Japanese shrines. Even when you are in the middle of a town, they seem to offer a little sanctuary from the busyness of everyday life. I always enjoy taking a few moments to appreciate the surroundings and simply be present.

From there, we continued walking along the main shopping streets, taking in the sights and enjoying the opportunity to explore somewhere new.

Eventually, we reached the station area and made our way to the Nebuta Museum, which turned out to be one of the highlights of our day.

What an incredible place!

The museum celebrates Aomori's famous Nebuta Festival, and we were fortunate enough to watch a wonderful cultural performance featuring traditional music and dancing.

The energy and enthusiasm of the performers were fantastic, and it was lovely to experience another aspect of Japan's rich cultural heritage.

But the real stars of the museum were the enormous traditional festival floats.



These incredible creations are used in the annual Nebuta procession, and the amount of work that goes into designing, constructing and painting them is absolutely astonishing.

The colours, intricate details and dramatic imagery were simply stunning. It is difficult to imagine the hours of craftsmanship involved in creating something so beautiful.

I found myself thinking about the dedication and pride that must go into preserving these wonderful traditions from generation to generation.

It really is one of the things I am enjoying most about Japan — discovering how deeply its culture and traditions are woven into everyday life.

After our visit to the museum, we headed to the A-Factory, where we had a look around the apple juice and cider production and the wonderful selection of local apple products.

Aomori is famous for its apples, and it certainly makes the most of them!

As we wandered around, I couldn't help thinking how much Joe would have enjoyed it, particularly the cider.

So, naturally, we may just have purchased a few cans of Japanese apple cider to take back for him to enjoy once he was feeling better!



After all, we couldn't leave him out of all the fun.

We then decided to take the scenic walking route back towards the ship, enjoying the fresh air and the views along the way.

We arrived back just in time for lunch, which was perfect timing.

After a busy morning exploring, we decided that a relaxed afternoon was in order, especially as we had something rather special planned for the evening.

Tonight, the three of us were going to have dinner together at Solis, the ship's premium Mediterranean restaurant.



I was really looking forward to having a lovely family dinner, particularly as Joe was finally beginning to feel much better.

In fact, there were some very encouraging signs today!

Joe had decided to venture out and explore the ship a little more, and he even went off to find the Shabbat service.

It was wonderful to see him becoming more independent again and taking an interest in the things he enjoys. After such a difficult start to our holiday, every little improvement feels like something to celebrate.

And, of course, before our dinner at Solis, he somehow managed to squeeze in a cheeky little bite at the Sushi Restaurant!

Honestly, I think the staff there must be wondering whether he is planning to move in permanently!

Meanwhile, I had a little drama of my own.

I had misplaced my watch!

Now, I was absolutely convinced it had to be somewhere in the suite, but despite searching everywhere, I simply couldn't find it.

I ended up practically pulling the room apart, looking in every possible place and trying to retrace my steps.

Eventually, after much searching, there it was — hiding between my notebooks!

How on earth it managed to get there, I have absolutely no idea.

But what a relief to find it! One mystery solved, and thankfully no need to spend the rest of the cruise wondering where it had disappeared to.

With the watch safely back where it belonged, it was time to get ready for our family dinner.

We headed to Solis, where we enjoyed a lovely evening together.

The food was beautifully presented and very much in the nouvelle cuisine style, which, as you can imagine, is not exactly Joe's usual preference!

He does like his food to be fairly straightforward, and some of the more elaborate dishes are not quite his thing.

Nevertheless, he managed to eat well and enjoy his dinner, which was wonderful to see.

And, of course, he was delighted to enjoy one of the Japanese apple ciders we had brought back for him from Aomori.

It was such a lovely moment, sitting together as a family, enjoying a special meal and seeing Joe finally beginning to feel more like himself.

After dinner, there was an opportunity to enjoy another performance by the wonderful Seabourn Six, who were back in action with a selection of songs from musicals.

They really are a talented group, and their performances have been one of the highlights of our evenings aboard the Seabourn Encore.

Unfortunately, there was one rather sad reminder waiting for us when we returned to our suite.

Our disembarkation information letter had arrived.

Oh dear!

There is something about receiving that letter that suddenly makes you realise just how quickly the days have passed.

It feels as though we have only just boarded the ship, and already we are being reminded that our cruise will soon be coming to an end.

With only a few days remaining, I am determined to make the most of every moment.

And now that Joe is finally feeling better, I am really hoping he will be able to enjoy these last few days with us.

Despite the challenges we have faced, we have already made some wonderful memories, discovered fascinating places and experienced so much of Japan's incredible culture.

Today was another beautiful reminder of why I love travelling so much.

From the peaceful gardens of Utou Shrine to the spectacular Nebuta floats, the apple cider, the family dinner and even the mystery of my missing watch, it was a day filled with experiences, laughter and gratitude.

Here's to making the most of every precious moment we have left aboard the Seabourn Encore! 🚢❤️

🌿 Daily Reflection

Time passes so quickly, especially when we're making wonderful memories. A reminder to appreciate every moment and never take our health or time together for granted.

✨ Highlight of the Day

Seeing Joe feeling so much better and enjoying a lovely family dinner at Solis, complete with his Japanese apple cider!

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