Well, my plans to keep up to date with this blog fell apart completely when we realised the internet on board our cruise ship was too slow and too restricted (in download and upload limits). We arrived home last night, and my goal is to update the blog over the next few weeks. Each post will be dated as though I wrote it on the correct day.

After a couple of days in Matsumoto, we travelled by train back to Tokyo. We enjoyed our first “Ekiben” – bento boxes that are sold at train stations (eki = station in Japanese) designed to be eaten while commuting, something Japan is famous for.  Tokyo Station is a grand building constructed in 1914, and the busiest station in Japan in terms of scheduled trains, with more than 4,000 trains arriving and departing daily.

We caught a local bus to the cruise terminus and enjoyed watching the sun setting over Tokyo as we sailed away.

Ekiben display at the station.

Quail eggs for breakfast

Not your average take-away container

Breakfast of champions

Tokyo Station

“Object of Wind” by Susumu Shingu

Tokyo photo ops

Tokyo photo ops

The Rainbow Bridge and the Fuji Television building on the waterfront

A nice view of Tokyo Tower

Tokyo put on a good show for us.

Farewell Tokyo

Here’s a little tour of our stateroom on board the Coral Geographer. It’s a small ship – it carries up to 120 passengers, but there were only 96 on board.  You can see all the details HERE if you are curious. We were very comfortable, with plenty of storage space and a nice balcony to enjoy the sea air.