We stayed on Michael's boat in Kurihama at the Marina. It was hot! But at 5:40 a.m. we set sail for Shimoda, nine hours away. Halfway across we killed the engines and took advantage of some good wind. We also saw a shark cross our bows, which rather killed the plan of a swim.
Shimoda was the first place Commodore Perry landed when he visited Japan in the middle of the 19th century. His Black Ship was a scary thing to the Japanese who lived in a closed society. This is a replica that is used to amuse visitors to Shimoda. It didn't seem to be operating on the day we arrived.
Perry is also "celebrated" by a little river walk in the town named after him. During our walk around I tried most unsuccessfully to persuade a bar owner to open up an hour early (at 6:00 p.m.) as he was bustling about inside. I spoke fluent English and he replied in fluent Japanese. I did the get the gist of it, however, which I think was roughly "Piss of fool! I don't open until 7 for you or anyone!"
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