Lighthouse68 Posted November 4, 2012 #1 Share Posted November 4, 2012 We are booked on the Pearls of the Far East (Nautica leaving March 10 from Beijing) and were wondering if it was possible to see Nagasaki on our own. Does Nautica dock anywhere near the centre of town? There are very few ships tours offered. Also what about Hong Kong.. Is it possible to wander around on your own ? Does the ship dock anywhere close to interesting things Thanks in advance Paula Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no fuss travel Posted November 4, 2012 #2 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Hong Kong you can easily wander around on your own. Excellent public transit. Have not been to the other city, so can't help you there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaitape Posted November 4, 2012 #3 Share Posted November 4, 2012 We are booked on the Pearls of the Far East (Nautica leaving March 10 from Beijing) and were wondering if it was possible to see Nagasaki on our own. Does Nautica dock anywhere near the centre of town? There are very few ships tours offered. Also what about Hong Kong.. Is it possible to wander around on your own ? Does the ship dock anywhere close to interesting things Thanks in advance Paula Yes, Nagasaki is very easy to do on your own...they have a wonderful street car system which you can take just outside the port gates to the right. We went to a lovely shrine/temple in a hillside neighborhood. Adjacent to the temple is a daycare/nursery school.The children come to the shrine to exercise...very sweet and fun to interact with the children and their teaches. Then we walked around the neighborhood and visited the open air stores as well as a department store. We took the street car back to city center and followed the map to Peace Park and my husband went into the museum just adjacent to the park...not for the feint-hearted but important most certainly. We had a lovely traditional lunch in a little family shop just down the block from the museum which we will look for the name of if you are interested. All easy to do on your own. The Japanese people are lovely...very welcoming and try hard to help Westerners such as ourselves explore their city and their country. We were very glad we struck out on our own as we feel we had a truly authentic experience of Japan and her culture. In Hong Kong, Regatta never docked and we took terribly long and rocking local tenders for transfers to the dock in Kowloon. Not pleasant and actually disappointing that we could not dock as it is much easier and more pleasant. We loved Hong Kong, regardless of O's substandard method for tendering her passengers. Lots to see and do on your own there. You can't go wrong with your choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllanWW Posted November 4, 2012 #4 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Thanks for all the information on Nagasaki. We are doing the same cruise and planned to do the 2 ports in Japan on our own as well. If you can find the name of the shop where you had lunch that would be great. By the way did you do any other port in Japan?? Regards Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaitape Posted November 4, 2012 #5 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Thanks for all the information on Nagasaki. We are doing the same cruise and planned to do the 2 ports in Japan on our own as well. If you can find the name of the shop where you had lunch that would be great. By the way did you do any other port in Japan??Regards Allan Will do through our stuff and get the name of the little restaurant in Nagasaki....mind you, it is a family run little place but wow, talk about a fresh and authentic lunch! Yes, we went to Hiroshima, Kobe (took the train from Kobe to overnight in Kyoto, easy to do) and Kagoshima. We did them on our own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllanWW Posted November 4, 2012 #6 Share Posted November 4, 2012 THanks for going to the trouble to look up the name of the store. We are stopping in Kagoshima as well and plan on doing it on our own. It seems easy like Nagasaki but any information about it would also be very helpful. Thanks Allan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaitape Posted November 5, 2012 #7 Share Posted November 5, 2012 OK, found the photo of the little restaurant in Nagasaki between the Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum. If I can't find the menu with the name and address, I can take the photo to our local Japanese restaurant and get them to translate the sign...hope that works! If you want to see the photo, send an email to vaitape at aol dot com with Nagasaki in the subject line. Found the name of the lovely Shinto Shrine/Temple we visited before going to the Peace Park....it's called the Suwa Shrine.....very easy to get to via street car and the neighborhood is fun to walk around after going to the Shrine. Lots of green grocer, fish, flower, etc stalls along the streets and a Tamaya (or was it a Takashimaya??) Dept store. Then we went took the street car back down the hill and went the Peace Park, etc. Kagoshima is a lovely city...if we were to return we'd take the ferry to the island Saakurajima and tramp around the volcano. There's lots of info given onboard the ship to help you do self-tours and in Kagoshima, there was an extensive tourist center at the dock. Taxis are expensive (but good, quick, and safe) and public transport is quite easy. There's also a HO/HO. We went to the train station in Kagoshima to obtain info on how to get from Kobe to Kyoto so we could be prepared. Anytime you want good, cheap food, go to train station! The food court is on the 2nd level of the train station. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oceans&Rivers Posted November 5, 2012 #8 Share Posted November 5, 2012 OK, found the photo of the little restaurant in Nagasaki between the Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum. If I can't find the menu with the name and address, I can take the photo to our local Japanese restaurant and get them to translate the sign...hope that works! If you want to see the photo, send an email to vaitape at aol dot com with Nagasaki in the subject line. Is the photo with the name (on the sign) online? Perhaps on Webshots or similar? If so, I can get it translated for you pronto :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaitape Posted November 5, 2012 #9 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Is the photo with the name (on the sign) online? Perhaps on Webshots or similar? If so, I can get it translated for you pronto :) No, the photo is in my computer gallery.......but kind of you to offer. Should I send it to you? FYI: this is a very simple but lovely neighborhood restaurant offering authentic food so you are getting local food where the residents eat and not tourist fare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oceans&Rivers Posted November 5, 2012 #10 Share Posted November 5, 2012 No, the photo is in my computer gallery.......but kind of you to offer. Should I send it to you? FYI: this is a very simple but lovely neighborhood restaurant offering authentic food so you are getting local food where the residents eat and not tourist fare. Sure. I just set up a gmail account to receive it: nagasakirestaurantphoto@gmail.com Send it soon, because I don't intend for this to be a regular account. :) Or you could upload it here to this forum, and if the sign name is large enough to see, that will work, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaitape Posted November 5, 2012 #11 Share Posted November 5, 2012 hmmmm, not clever enough to know how to upload photo to this forum....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oceans&Rivers Posted November 5, 2012 #12 Share Posted November 5, 2012 hmmmm, not clever enough to know how to upload photo to this forum....... No problem, I sent you the following by email: "The restaurant is called Daimon, (大門), which can be translated to mean "big gate". Address 長崎県 長崎市平和町１５－４－１Ｆ山秀ビル which translates to Heiwa-machi 1541. (Heiwa means Peace) That location is in the Yamahide Building. Phone number. 095-845-0083. Here's a link to a map I found to the restaurant, and it's in the direct center of the top map: http://www.hotpepper.jp/strJ000785643/map/ Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oceans&Rivers Posted November 5, 2012 #13 Share Posted November 5, 2012 vaitape: Here's some more information and photos on your tiny restaurant, which my husband says is more like a pub, with "home cooking style": http://www.umakamon-n.jp/item_552.html Look familiar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaitape Posted November 5, 2012 #14 Share Posted November 5, 2012 That's the spot, most definitely! Domo arigato gozimus for diligence and assistance! It's such a cute little place and very welcoming. I hope Oceania folks who are in the vicinity go there for lunch.....it's wonderful! Again, WOW, you are GREAT!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fetchpeople Posted November 5, 2012 #15 Share Posted November 5, 2012 I can confirm that touring Nagasaki on your own is quite easy. About 6 years ago, on a Princess cruise, I walked about a block from the ship to the trolley. I was joined by a number of fellow passengers who were on a guided tour. The trolley to the Peace Park/Museum is relatively short and uncomplicated. One interesting tidbit: the first panel on the Peace Museum's historical information started as follows: "In 1942 Japan found itself at war with the Allied Powers". I do not know if the sign has been changed. Then you can take the trolley to downtown Nagasaki and do all the shopping and eating, etc that you want. Another food idea very much worth trying: There is a Japanese comfort/ordinary person's food called Okonomiyake. It's their version of a sort of stuffed pizza or pancake. Custom made with your choice of fillings with a base of cabbage and egg, it's finished off by you with a hoisin type sauce. Quite tasty, remarkably inexpensive, and served is specialty restaurants, it's a treat not to be missed and worth asking locals where it's available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian_uk Posted November 5, 2012 #16 Share Posted November 5, 2012 When we were there in March 2012 on a Princess Cruise. The rain was very heavy. We took the tram and with the help of a few locals found our way to the Peace Park. We had to change once. It was interesting to see but we did not stay too long. We returned to the City Centre via tram and found the covered Shopping Arcade which was quite fascinating. The Main Store was quite puzzling especially in the food department in the basement as we had absolutely no idea what anything was. All beautifully wrapped and presented and could have been Japanese chocolate but equally could have been a Pork delicacy. We bought nothing but it was certainly the driest place to be. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaitape Posted November 5, 2012 #17 Share Posted November 5, 2012 And don't forget the sponge cake that Nagasaki is famous for either! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oceans&Rivers Posted November 5, 2012 #18 Share Posted November 5, 2012 That's the spot, most definitely! Domo arigato gozimus for diligence and assistance! It's such a cute little place and very welcoming. I hope Oceania folks who are in the vicinity go there for lunch.....it's wonderful! Again, WOW, you are GREAT!!! Happy to oblige. Do itashima****e means "you're welcome". Edit: well, well, well, I guess some words get edited, whether they are correct or not.. LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oceans&Rivers Posted November 5, 2012 #19 Share Posted November 5, 2012 One interesting tidbit: the first panel on the Peace Museum's historical information started as follows: "In 1942 Japan found itself at war with the Allied Powers". I do not know if the sign has been changed. The "Declaration by the United Nations" was signed by 26 Allied powers on 1 January 1942, when they declared their intention to fight together against the Axis (Germany, Italy and Japan), so the date is correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaitape Posted November 5, 2012 #20 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Happy to oblige. Do itashima****e means "you're welcome". Edit: well, well, well, I guess some words get edited, whether they are correct or not.. LOL. How funny is that!! We always had a giggle when we were kids with the "don't touch my mustache" phrase....never thought it would be needed as an adult! Again, thanks for going the extra mile on this, O&R....it was fun and much appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MightyQuinn Posted November 6, 2012 #21 Share Posted November 6, 2012 We'll be cruising Japan next spring with another cruise line (gasp I know :eek::eek:) and Nagasaki is a port of call. We always intended to DIY and now I know where we'll eat. I hope Daimon (大門) has the famous sponge cake! Thanks so much Vaitape and Oceans&Rivers-san. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vaitape Posted November 6, 2012 #22 Share Posted November 6, 2012 We'll be cruising Japan next spring with another cruise line (gasp I know :eek::eek:) and Nagasaki is a port of call. We always intended to DIY and now I know where we'll eat. I hope Daimon (大門) has the famous sponge cake! Thanks so much Vaitape and Oceans&Rivers-san. Don't know if they do but there are many shops around where you can purchase some. We bought several and brought them on board....needless to say they didn't make it to the end of the cruise! Envy anyone going to this lovely, hospitable country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse68 Posted November 6, 2012 Author #23 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Thank you to all that responded to my question. It certainly seems that exploring on our own is the way to go. Paula Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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