Ahoy!
Yokohama, Japan was a fabulous port and we hope to visit again in the future. There was so much to do, see, and eat, SO many vending machines to try out, and Tokyo was only a short train ride away. One of the best parts of Japan: the exchange rate was phenomenal, so our money went a long way. It is hard to capture everything we did while in port, but here are some highlights:
Many cadets braved the rain and headed to Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea!
Sensō-ji Temple was a must-see. Per Wikipedia: Sensō-ji is an ancient Buddhist temple in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan. It is Tokyo's oldest-established temple, and one of its most significant. There was much to do in this area, including plenty of local restaurants and an awesome market just outside of the temple. This temple specifically was about 30 minutes away from Shibuya and Shinjuku (two very popular areas that were visited), as well as the Imperial Palace.
A popular attraction in Yokohama was the Cup Noodles museum, as well as the Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum. At the Cup Noodles museum, guests were able to design their very own Cup Noodles and view exhibits that take you through the creation and journey of instant ramen.
Pictured here is Yokohama's Masobyo Temple. Yokohama's Chinatown is Japan's largest, with around 250 Chinese-owned stores & eateries, a colorful entry gate, and ornate temples. Cadets enjoyed venturing through this area, eating and shopping along the way.
We were treated to some Friday night fireworks right next to the ship! The views more than made up for missing our traditional July 4th displays back at home. Photo credit: Cody Lewis.
Sunday morning rolled around, and all began to prepare for departure. It was a fun stint with two ports back to back, but we were ready to get underway and finish the last three weeks of Summer Sea Term, with the Sinbad Games, a quick port visit in Los Angeles, and Underway Training wedged in. There's no doubt that we will stay busy through the end!
Onlookers from the cruise terminal were curious about TS Golden Bear throughout our visit, and many stopped to wave us goodbye.
Fair winds and following seas!
~Faye Joelson, Assistant Purser & Jessica Fowler, Purser
Check back often and follow the voyage with our blog series that gives the latest news from Summer Sea Term! TSGB will travel to Honolulu, HI, Busan, South Korea, Yokohama, Japan, and Los Angeles, CA prior to returning to Vallejo on August 5th.
Stay tuned for updates to the Follow the Voyage blog.
ABOUT CAL MARITIME
Established in 1929, California State University Maritime Academy is the only degree-granting
maritime academy on the West Coast. Located in Vallejo, California, the campus offers
undergraduate degrees that prepare students for careers in engineering, transportation,
international relations, business, and global logistics. Cal Maritime also offers
a master’s degree in Transportation and Engineering Management, as well as a number
of extended learning programs and courses.