A "sea" day - Friday 16 August

A 5am sneak peak was less than encouraging, solid seas, strong winds, and, despite it being daylight, little visibility. The Captain obviously received the all clear however, and we pulled anchor around 6am to set sail.
One of us for breakfast in the restaurant and one of us for "in the cabin", then to port talk before going to see Diane Kichijitsu talk about the journey that brought her to Japan and discovering the importance of laughter in our lives. She would be one of most entertaining speakers I have ever seen - one hour of absolute entertainment, never used a note, never missed a beat, and seamlessly moved between english and Japanese over the full session. Truly outstanding.
Seas still big, winds up and visibility down to about 300m before some improvement after lunch - better visibility and even some sunshine that allowed time on our balcony (deepest we have ever had and provided a good wind break). Temperature is high (about 33 l.p.C), but cloud back and low by mid afternoon.
Feet up, and then off to Captain's Circle welcome with some entertainment. Naturally, the Japanese make up the biggest component of the passengers, but it appears that Australians come in second. Formal night tonight, kicking off with the Captain's Welcome and champagne waterfall.
Perhaps it's the nature of the crowd, but the numbers in smart formal wear on this cruise seems high - perhaps a result of the Japanese influence (including quite a few kimonos). As always, big numbers for the Captain's Welcome and champagne waterfall, and then to an excellent dinner. Finished the day with a great live show in the Princess Theatre - Born to be Wild, with a cast of 12, stunning sets (including a Cadillac) and lively rock music.
A word on japanese toilets - very, very good! The one we had at the Oakwood Premier was brilliant and had numerous features and adjustments, including direction, pressure, and even oscillation. With the Diamond Princess largely based in Japan, a number of its toilets, including ours, have been converted (although some contortionist skills are necessary to use it).
Tomorrow, subject to clearing the outer reaches of the typhoon, we should be in Wakayama - apparently the first cruise ship to do so. The area is planning big celebrations, a water cannon welcome, and the prefecture Mayor is coming on board for a welcome ceremony.