The day began in the best possible way — breakfast delivered straight to our cabin. We ordered, blinked, and ten minutes later it arrived: fresh, beautifully prepared, and exactly the kind of gentle start you hope pfor on a cruise morning.
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| Samurai diorama |
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| Japanese souvenirs at the castle |
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| View from the castle |
Soon after, we headed out on our excursion to Osaka Castle and a nearby Shintō shrine. Disembarking was effortless; the crew handled everything with that polished professionalism we’ve come to appreciate.
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| The shrine |
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| The shrine |
Our coach wound its way through Osaka, a city buzzing with excitement thanks to a national baseball final. Even with all the activity, Osaka still felt calm, clean, and wonderfully organised. The wide, tree‑lined boulevards and modern skyline made it clear: this is a city we’d love to return to and explore properly on another trip.
Osaka Castle itself was a highlight. One of Japan’s most famous landmarks, it played a major role in the unification of the country during the Azuchi–Momoyama period. The inner keep sits on a vast one‑square‑kilometre plot, perched on raised platforms of cut‑rock walls built using burdock piling. From the outside it rises five stories, but inside it stretches to eight — all resting on a massive stone foundation designed to keep attackers at bay.
A maze of moats and fortifications surrounds the keep. The inner moat has both wet and dry sections, while the outer moat forms a full ring around the castle, divided neatly into four water‑filled quadrants. The grounds themselves cover about 61,000 square metres and include thirteen structures designated as important cultural assets. We even spotted the famous Octopus Stone, a megalith with no official cultural status but plenty of character.
We took the lift to the fifth floor and climbed the remaining three flights to the top. The observation deck rewarded us with sweeping views of the castle gardens, moats, and the city skyline beyond — Osaka stretching out in every direction.
The Shintō shrine was just as memorable. Today happened to be a special day, so locals were out in large numbers, dressed beautifully and moving through the rituals with quiet grace. We were lucky enough to witness a traditional wedding — something our guide said only 20–30% of Japanese couples still choose, with most opting for hotel or restaurant ceremonies instead. Watching the rituals unfold felt intimate and uniquely Japanese, and our guide walked us through the proper way to make a prayer at the shrine.
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| The |
| shrine |
A special mention must go to our bus driver, who somehow manoeuvred a 52‑seat coach into tiny, improbable spaces all over the city. Truly a master of his craft.
By 2pm we were back on the ship for lunch, and after a quick break we headed out again to the shopping centre beside the pier. The star attraction was a giant Ferris wheel towering over everything — even the ship. Naturally, we had to ride it. The full rotation took about 15 minutes, giving us incredible views and a fun contrast to the morning’s history and culture.
Inside the mall we found anime stores, quirky shops selling Japanese‑themed clothing, and all sorts of knickknacks. It was a colourful, lively place to wander.
Dinner took us back to one of the specialty restaurants for another Japanese meal — mostly raw, except for the eel, and absolutely delicious.
We planned an early night… but travel has a way of rewriting plans. We bumped into the delightful couple Ann Marie and Damien from the UK, and since it was Damien’s birthday, we joined them in the Wheelhouse Lounge for celebratory drinks. Midnight came and went in a blur of laughter and good company. So much for an early night.
Melissa and I ended the evening quietly, sharing a champagne and marking her retirement on 4 October — a lovely, gentle close to a full and unforgettable day.
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