The luxury liner, MS Queen Elizabeth arrived in Marine Port, Kagoshima city.

The total length is 294 meters, the capacity is 2,000 people and 90,900 tons gross.

She looks like a huge building. I didn’t know how far I should have pulled back to take the whole picture of the ship.

 

This is the 3^rd ship of QE, and Kagoshima is the first visit to Japan for her.

The port had the atmosphere of an enthusiastic welcome from the early morning.

There were free services of satsuma-age (deep‐fried minced fish and vegetables), the Kagoshima specialty and zanzai (sweet red-bean soup) for the passengers and crew.

The nice smell of freshly-fried satsuma-age was hanging in the air.

I was happy to see people, who nervously had the satsuma-age for the first time after hearing that it made from fish, smile after taking a bite.

This is sweet red-bean soup by “Fuku-fuku”, the popular noodle restaurant. It had a light sweet taste and it was easy to eat a few helpings. This was popular among Japanese passengers. Quite a few of them were saying
“I’m very happy to eat Japanese food after a while.
It was also popular among Chinese passengers and people from other Asian countries.

There were free services of shochu, another Kagoshima specialty (a clear liquor distilled from sweet potatoes) and green tea.

Young ladies in kimono were handing picture postcards of Sakurajima to the passengers.

The port was full of passengers, crew and people who came to see the luxury liner. It was like a festival.

Sendai Sengoku Mura from Satsuma-sendai city was offering a free try-on service of samurai helmets and armor.

There is no chance for the ninja against the samurai who has blue eyes.

They were selling samurai goods at their stall.

Geishas and apprentice geishas were popular and many people took pictures of them.

Passengers are trying taiko (Japanise drum) taught by members of Yamagawa Tsumabeni Daiko.

This passenger made a great taiko performance.

It was very powerful!

Oshima Tsumugi models were also welcoming passengers and crew.
Oshima Tsumugi is soft thin woven cloth made in Oshima Island, and it has various colors and designs.

The welcome attractions were very good.
I felt that the traditional culture of Kagoshima was well represented.

The photo above is the performance of Yamagawa Tsumabeni Daiko. The pure energy of the young people impressed passengers.

The dance of Kagoshima is “Ohara-bushi”.
The group “Young Ohara” arranged “Ohara-bushi”, the traditional dance in an energetic way!

The group above is the “Kirishima Kumen Daiko”.
They dance in the motif of Japanese myth about the descent to earth of the grandson of the sun goddess. This is performed at Kirishima Jingu Shrine on the 1^st of January (0:00 / 2:00) every year. The masks the players wear are said to be the nine gods’ masks and they are kept in Kirishima Jingu Shrine as treasures.

Kids’ jazz band “Little Cherries”.

They played well known, high quality jazz numbers.

 

About 9,000 people came to see the cruise ship on this day.
It seemed like the passengers and crew enjoyed our “omotenashi”. The organization received a letter from the captain of MS Queen Elizabeth.

In the letter, he said he is thankful for the welcome ceremony and attractions. He also said he wanted to come to Kagoshima again!

 

We’d like to have our hometown known as a place where people want to come again!

 

Category : text @en

Tag : 24 divisions of the solar year , 24sekki , corona virus , COVID-19 , COVID19 , Emergency , Japanese culture , season , tanabata , The coronavirus , 日本の文化