Welcome to Japan! Though I didn’t quite reach the level of proficiency in Korean I had hoped for, I am finding that I actually learned quite a lot in comparison to how little Japanese I have so far.
After a last meal (of Korean food) on the border of Chinatown and Texas Street in Busan and a cold brew at Starbucks, I sauntered over to the International Ferry Terminal, which looked like an airport. I was a bit early. The ticket window opened at 4pm, and I purchased a ticket to Fukuoka with now problem other than the fact that boarding would not be until 7:30. I killed time by accessing free WiFi, charging my electronics, and attempting to game out a purchase in 7-11 to use up all the change in my pocket.
By 6, the departure hall was pretty packed with at least 3 distinct tour groups. The tour leaders sorted through stacks of passports and tickets, while the guests, all in their 60s, chattered away noisily. Fortunately, half the crowds left on an earlier ship heading to a port on the tip of Honshu. My biggest concern was with how crowded my second class cabin would be. A few people is fine, but it would be very uncomfortable if filled to capacity.
The New Camellia Line appears to be Japanese-operated, or at least Japanese-built. The mini shop was priced in Yen, and I had a little sticker shop seeing a 40% premium over Korean prices. Otherwise, it was much the same as the other two ferries I have taken so far this trip. I enjoyed a simple dinner of cup of noodles and a cookie and did my best to relax before getting to bed at an early hour. Lights on at 5:30, where one could see the ship already berthed. Nonetheless, we couldn’t disembark until 7:30, which gave me enough time to make coffee and read through some download materials on Japan.
| Galbi Soup | 7000 |
| Ferry Ticket | 99400 |
| Snacks | 1950 |
| Total: | 108350 (655.5 RMB) (USD 97.66) |
Japanese Immigration and Customs gave me a bit of hard time, questioning my itinerary and drug testing my luggage. On the other side, I decided to visit a currency exchange because I knew I will need more money at some point and I figured it would be better to do it while it was convenient. I strongly regret that decision as the rate was really crummy and I talked myself into it.
While waiting for a bus to Hakata train station, I noticed an empty space in my backpack and had the sudden sinking realization that I had left my toiletry bag on the ship. When I went to the bathroom in the morning, all the old men were washing their hair in the sinks and splashing water everywhere. Because my bag got soaked, I didn’t pack it away immediately, instead putting it in an empty shoe cubby to dry. I went back inside and asked the woman at the information desk. She made a call and told me to go to the ship office on the third floor. They made a call and after about a 20 minute way, it was delivered to my hands.
I did a quick half-loop through the mall attached to the Hakata (Fukuoka) train station to see about finding a SIM card. Spotting a tourist information desk, I uncharacteristically decided it would be easier to just ask rather than spend a lot of time wandering around. They quickly pointed me in the right direction, but noted that the store didn’t open for an hour. So, I went to the bus terminal and purchased a ticket to Nagasaki.
An hour later, after the bus swung by another location to pick up more passengers, it was finally pulling on to the highway. I looked out the window to see the New Camellia sitting in the harbor right there. Life sometimes goes in circles, and sometimes spirals.
The bus to Nagasaki took about 2.5 hours and passed through typical Japanese country side, hamlets surrounded by fields in front of a backdrop of densely forested hills. My guesthouse wasn’t far from Nagasaki station so I went by foot. I dropped my stuff and immediately went back out to find food. I had some homemade ramen at a little corner shop. It wasn’t a huge portion, but it hit the spot. I headed back to the hostel, where I was offered tea and chatted with the people in the common room. Its a good place. The staff (3 Japanese girls) as well as the guests are all quite friendly. I checked in, changed out of my jeans into linen pants because it was so hot outside (barely 2-3 degrees more than Busan, but feels like early Summer as opposed to early Spring) and took a sightseeing walk.
There is Dejima island (though not really an island), where the Japanese restricted Dutch traders to for 200 years and now we have to pay to enter. It is pricey and maybe not really worth it, but it is kind of cool to walk down what feels like the main street of an old west town, and like most historical places in Japan there are guys walking around dressed up and armed. Half of the buildings were historical reconstructions and the other half housed exhibits covering history of Japanese-Western relations and historical trade routes.
Heading south from there, I walked along the harbor (though technically the entire twisty coastline of Nagasaki is an endless stretch of harbor, docks, and wharves. Tourist cruise vessels and a three mast schooner were docked near the main stretch of cafes and bars that open out to the water. Tons of locals were enjoying the afternoon sunlight with a refreshing glass of beer. I was thirsty, but kept walking around the seaside park where teams of workers were setting up tents and a stage.
Without even realizing it, I had walked to the southern end of Nagasaki where there was a collection of historical buildings, such as an HSBC bank and a cathedral. I headed up a cobblestone tourist stretch observing the snacks and kitsch on display before deciding to shell more big bucks to visit Glover Gardens, but by a Scottish merchant back in the day. The gardens are on a hill offering a good view of the bay and house a number of historical buildings.
I head back to the hostel going over “Dutch Slope” (which didn’t really have much to see despite being so famous) and skirting around Chinatown. I had a rest for a bit, chatting with a young guy from Hong Kong in Japan on working holiday before heading up the street to get some curry from Coco.
Back in the hostel, I studied a bit of Japanese and chatted with the international assortment. It could have been a late night, but it was already a long day.
| local bus | 230 Yen |
| Express bus | 2570 Yen |
| sparkling water | 120 Yen |
| Ramen (White) | 750 Yen |
| Guesthouse (3 nights) | 468 RMB |
| Dejima ticket | 510 Yen |
| Glover Garden Ticket | 610 Yen |
| Pocari Sweat | 150 Yen |
| Coco Curry Beef cutlet | 886 Yen |
| Asahi Clear Cooler | 153 Yen |
| Total: | 850.6 RMB (USD 126.75) |
Running Total: 22068 RMB (USD 3287.75)
Daily Average: 279.3 RMB (USD 41.62)
Two notes:
1) I’m wondering if I should start a separate daily average per country I visit.
2) My “personal” exchange rate for JPY to RMB is 6.4 (e.g. 6.4 RMB = 100 Yen). Google says it is currently more like 5.99 and it would be so much easier to just mentally multiple by 6, but when I exchanged money in January the rate was north of 6.2 and the terrible rate I got from a Japanese bank pulled the average up even more).