Sado Island to Otaru - April 7, 2024
A quick word before I begin, apologies for my rambling discursions in my last two posts, I’m well aware of my tendency to drift rapidly off course at any given opportunity so to get back on course let me tell you a little about the nature of this trip. This is the second time we have travelled with Abercrombie & Kent, who charter Ponant ships for their expeditions, although I also travelled with Ponant on my Antartica trip in 2022. It’s unlikely that we will do another one of these trips, not because of any shortcomings of the voyages but simply because of our primary reason for taking them has been met to our satisfaction.
We are not cruisers by nature but we have taken these trips for two reasons; they allow us to access places and events that we would not ordinarily be able to access by any other means and they are created as expedition trips, not cruises. We have travelled with A&K to Greenland and the Arctic and now on this trip, to small ports and cities around the coast of Japan. In both instances, the ports and sites we visit would either be completely inaccessible or at the least, very difficult to reach. And because they are built as expeditions, they dive deeply into local culture, arts, music and history and require active participation. Travelling with the ship are a number of subject experts who rotate in providing a couple of lectures a day on a wide ranging list of topics, from the use of space in Japanese gardens, to the history of Russo-Japanese relations to the culture of the geisha and the floating world.
Kodo Drummers rehearsal space
Each day also has a number of scheduled activities which we pre-selected prior to travelling which allow us to leave the ship and be taken to interesting sites and activities, some of them requiring significant hikes or climbs. Each expedition begins around 8:30/9:00am and ends around 4:30/5pm. Nobody really chooses to stay behind on the ship. The logistics of getting 150 guests out to three different expeditions each day is mind boggling. There are busses lined up at the bottom of the gangplank when we disembark (after the required passport inspection), each large bus carrying a maximum of 20 guests, plus a local Japanese guide and 3 A & K staff. Timing is carefully worked out so that there are never more than 20 of us at a site at a time, we can’t imagine the complexity of working this all out!
In addition, because of the reach and influence of the A&K organization, they have negotiated access to private activities that are not easily available to travellers trying to set these things up on their own. Yesterday for instance, we were allowed into the rehearsal space of the world-famous Kodo Drummers and were given a private concert. The location is on Sado Island, which has a very shallow harbour and entrance, so it was a bit nerve-racking even for this relatively small ship since the depth of the very narrow channel was 7 metres and the ship draws 5.5 metres. The community was out in force to welcome the ship and again to see us off, much waiving and singing.
Example of Kodo Drummers performance
The drummers’ rehearsal space was stunning and the proximity to the players meant that we were mere metres away from massive drums which when struck, quite literally made your whole chest cavity vibrate in sympathy with the drumming. I wouldn’t be surprised if one’s heart did not slip into rhythm with the drum as well.
The drummers are equal parts athletes and musicians, the strength and endurance required to play these instruments means that they train as monastic athletes, undergoing rigorous daily practice including a daily 10k run, no cell phones or personal relationships and drumming practice every day from sunrise to sunset.
If you have never heard them, this YouTube video gives you an approximate idea of the effect but a computer/phone cannot begin to convey the enormity of the experience. The drummers in the company spend approximately 1/3 of the year practicing, 1/3 of the year giving concerts in Japan and 1/3 of the year giving concerts around the world.
Our daily expeditions, of which the Kodo Drummers is an example, have allowed us access to the Imari porcelain kilns, a private viewing of a Noh play, a lengthy and candid conversation with a Zen Buddhist monk, and a private viewing of a a series of geisha performances. What is also interesting about these trips is that they self-select people who are interested in learning about their world, in expanding their horizons, are actively engaged in their learning and are physically fit enough to actively take part. This also means that they themselves tend to be open and interesting so many good conversations do arise. A secondary effect of this is that everyone takes part, there are no people who are here simply to sit by the pool all day and sunbathe. Aside from the fact that our bathtub is larger than the (unheated) pool, everyone participates in the various expeditions. They are all on time, cheerful and interested so a very happy bunch to travel with and since they are for the most part American, we stay as far away from politics as we can and keep life simple and in the moment.
Geisha performance
The only unfortunate part of the trip is that on any given day there tends to be more than one excursion that is tempting and since we are only ever in one location for a single day one, much like the rest of life, must live with the choice that you have made. In effect there are three different trips taking place so memories and impressions can vary widely but for the most part I think it’s safe to say that we have been very happy with our choices.
I would not hesitate in recommending A&K to anyone whose travel needs match my description of our trips’ frameworks. The reason that I say that we are unlikely to travel with A&K again is that, for the most part, there are few places that we would be likely to travel to that we would not be able to plan and execute on our own. A&K has served its purpose well for us but we’re ready to be back on our own.
Today has been a very pleasant and relaxing day. We have been at sea since 6pm yesterday, Saturday, and I’m writing this on Sunday afternoon, expecting landfall in Otaru sometime later tonight. Tomorrow will be a very busy day, a last excursion to Sapporo tomorrow, then pack and leave early the following morning.
More to come!
