ISLAND HOPPING THROUGH JAPAN

No wonder they built a city here! The harbor. The cliffs. The duty-free shops (well, those came later). Referred to as the beautiful city in the World by many, Hong Kong has a lure all its own. Once you visit, you will want to return.

There is nothing like Hong Kong and the bustle of commerce, of enterprise, of fortunes being made. And there’s nothing like her duty-free shops and colorful markets to explore both on land and afloat in Victoria Harbour.

An intriguing blend of old China and the modern world, this venerable British Crown colony reverted to Chinese sovereignty on June 30, 1997. Lying at the southern area of Mainland China and the China Sea, it serves as a major sea port and access point to southern China. It is has ferry and plane service to Maccau and the many outlying islands,
many that offer excellent vacation opportunities.

Keelung is a bustling port city. 20 miles from Taipei, the capital, Keelung is one of the most prosperous cities in Asia.
Places not to be missed are, among others, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial, the National Palace Museum which holds treasures from Beijing’s Forbidden City and the Grand Hotel.

Nagasaki’s many memorials are a constant and poignant reminder of the fateful day in 1945 that changed the course of history. However, Nagasaki has demonstrated its resilience throughout the years, rebounding to become a flourishing,international city.

In the late 16th century, Nagasaki traded with the Dutch, Spanish, and Portugese. The subsequent European and Christian influences are reflected in many of its churches, gardens, homes and museums.

Dotting Nagasaki’s coastline is an array of outlying islands – a particularly spectacular sight at sunset, when the islands are bathed in the sun’s golden hues.

The city of Osaka lies in the delta of the Yodo River, which branches out into a network of waterways and canals spanned by more than a thousand bridges, earning Osaka the nickname, “Venice of the East.”

Osaka’s origins date back to the mythological early days of the Japanese empire. Following his legendary odyssey through the inland sea, Emperor Jimmu is said to have landed at the mouth of the Yodo, naming this area Naniwa, which means “rapid waves.”

Osaka is the gateway to all day tours to the cities of Kyoto and Nara.

It’s a city of contrast. Where else do you find demure kimono-clad girls next to slick Elvis impersonators than good old Yoyogi Park? But only on Sundays.

Tokyo will amaze you with its dual personality; its serenity and its brashness. A city of about 20 million people, it is one of the few metropolises where every train is on time. But try to avoid rush hour. You might get pummeled by a sweet old lady on her way to the Sumo matches at the Budokan Hall!

Visit Roppongi for a taste of modern night life; you can even catch a reggae show. And if you’re still awake after that, hop a train to the Tsukiji fish market at 5 a.m. to see one of the most spectacular fish bazaars on earth. Some tuna comes all the way from Montauk, NY. Now that’s a global marketplace!

When you’re ready for a little peace and quiet, you may visit the brilliant Asakusa Shrine, a prime example of Edo-period architecture. Here you may cleanse your spirit, or, of course, shop to your heart’s delight at many of the little stalls lining the small streets leading to the shrine. Otanoshimi ni! Perhaps the greatest urban sprawl in the world, the Tokyo metropolitan. Tokyo began as a tiny fishing village called Edo, and for more than four centuries was ruled by a series of
chieftains and military warlords. A castle was constructed in Edo in 1457, the year officially noted as the founding of the city, and by 1680 it had grown to a population of over a million people. The city received its modern name in 1868 when the Emperor Meihi moved his court to Edo. It now sprawls 55 miles (88.4km) east to west and 15 miles (24km) north to south and covers an area of 2,031 sq. km.

This area is home to some 20 million people. Famous for its extremes; the word’s most crowded trains, the world’s cleanest streets, the world’s most expensive melons, Tokyo nevertheless seems to be characterized by an overlying blandness. Since the 17th century, Tokyo has been divided up between “yamanote” (south and west) and “shitamachi” (north and east). Simply put, uptown has more to do, downtown more to see. Uptown has the high-rises, the nightlife and the
armies of navy-suited salarymen of the Shibuya, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro business areas, while downtown has Tokyo’s oldest area, Asakusa, the city’s great museums and the imperial palace.