2024-05-11 Whittier cruise port and Anchorage, Alaska

Detailed description of Whittier and Anchorage 

Whittier

Whittier (273 h.) is a city at the head of the Passage Canal in the U.S. state of Alaska, about 58 miles southeast of Anchorage. Whittier was built during World War II as a military base, and many of the original buildings remain today. The town is also home to the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, the longest combined vehicle-railroad tunnel in North America.

Boat tours

A Glacier Cruise takes you from the quaint seaside town of Whittier to glacier-filled Blackstone Bay.

Anchorage

Anchorage is the largest city in the U.S. state of Alaska (300 000 h.), located on the Cook Inlet in Southcentral 60 miles (90 min) from Whittier. It is a major transportation hub and economic center for the state, and is known for its proximity to wilderness areas and its abundant wildlife.

It's known for its cultural sites, including the Alaska Native Heritage Center, which displays traditional crafts, stages dances, and presents replicas of dwellings from the area’s indigenous groups. The city is also a gateway to nearby wilderness areas and mountains including the Chugach, Kenai and Talkeetna.

Detailed description of Whittier and Anchorage 

Other ports in the Japan trip

2024-05-11,12 Cruising in Alaska Glacier

Detailed description of Alaska’s glacier

Alaska is home to more than 100,000 glaciers, which cover about 5% of the state's land area. This makes it one of the most heavily glaciated regions in the world outside of the polar ice caps.

Hubbard Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier in North America and one of the most spectacular natural wonders in Alaska. It is located in Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve in eastern Alaska and Kluane National Park and Reserve in Yukon, Canada. 

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, is a 3.3-million-acre wilderness of rugged mountains, dynamic glaciers, temperate rainforest, wild coastlines, and deep sheltered fjords. It is a highlight of Alaska's Inside Passage and part of a 25-million-acre World Heritage Site—one of the world's largest international protected areas.

Detailed description of Alaska’s glacier

Other ports in the Japan trip

2024-05-02 Muroran

Detailed description of Muroran.

Description of a car ride in Muroran.

According to many tourist guide and by the admission of some people of Muroran, the city does not present any interests for the tourists.

There is a site that describes a car ride around the peninsula. I have reformatted the document to make it easier to read. 

Outside Muroran

The Lake Toya, 55 km from Muroran, is in an area that offers hot springs and spa, a cruise on this beautiful lake and a little entertainment. 

Lake Toya (洞爺湖) is a volcanic caldera lake in Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Abuta District, Hokkaido, Japan. It is part of the Toya Caldera and Usu Volcano Global Geopark. The stratovolcano of Mount Usu lies on the southern rim of the caldera. The lake is nearly circular, being 10 kilometers in diameter from the east-west and 9 kilometers from the north-south.

Lake Toya is one of Hokkaido's most popular tourist destinations, known for its stunning scenery, hot springs, and active volcano. The lake is surrounded by lush forests, snow-capped mountains, and crystal-clear waters. Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities on and around the lake, including boating, swimming, hiking, and camping.

The Tōya Lake Forest Museum on Nakajima Island to learn about the flora and fauna of the lake.

There are fireworks show at the Toya Long Run Fireworks Festival, which takes place every night from April 28 to October 31.

Other ports in Japan.

Detailed description of Muroran.

Sakata, Japan, 2024-04-08

Detailed description of Sakate

Sakata is a charming city with a lot to offer visitors. It is a great place to learn about Japanese history and culture, enjoy the natural beauty of the area, and sample some of the delicious food. Some of the popular local dishes include harusame (thin noodles), kamo no mukko (grilled duck), and sake kasu jiru (miso soup made with sake).

  Homma Residence                                                              Homma Museum of Art

The Homma Historical Residence is a great place to see the difference between classes in Japan from the 1700s onwards in Sakata City. Originally built over 250 years ago in 1768 by the famous third generation of the family, Mitsuoka Homma, what became the Homma Historical Residence building was made in the samurai style to host visits from inspectors of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

 

If you’re wanting a taste of life for the elite in Japan from the 18th Century, the Homma Museum and adjacent Seienkaku Villa and accompanying Kakubuen Gardens are an excellent spot.

It is  also a garden art museum with the Kyoto-style pure Japanese architecture ``Seienkaku'' and the garden ``Tsurumai-en''. In a kiln in one corner of the garden, Honma ware, a folk craft, is made.

The collection mainly consists of fine arts and crafts that have been handed down from generation to generation by the Honma family. 

Detailed description of Sakate

Other ports in Japan