[Date & Time] Thursday, March 16, at 8:00~14:00[Spots] Yokohama Kimono Station, Sankeien Garden, and Yokohama Marine Tower
[Visitors] 4 Foreign Cruise Ship’s planning staff, 1 YCVB member, 1 Yokohama City Culture and Sightseeing Agency member, and the other (Seven visitors in total)
[Attendant/Interpreter] 1 KSGG member
[Language] English
The Quantum of the Seas, one of the world’s largest luxurious cruise ships, arrived at the Daikoku Pier of Yokohama Port for the first time. Amazingly, her aggregate tonnage is 167,800 tons and carried 4,200 passengers who landed in Yokohama. As most of the passengers wanted to Tokyo, a staff of Yokohama City Government guided the planning staff members of the cruise company around Yokohama in order to promote the tour around Yokohama. I joined them as a simultaneous interpreter. Although, considering the limited time they had, the tour was arranged just for Sankeien Garden and Yokohama Marine Tower so that the visitors could enjoy relaxed time, it was a very well-managed tour because they acted promptly and efficiently. The two women in kimono looked very vice in photographs in harmony with the landscape of Sankeien. The group of four visitors also seemed to enjoy the garden with its atmosphere, taking photographs. On our way back, we were asked, “What is the origin of the word Japan?” Having referred to an encyclopedia on the internet, we found that it had come from Jipang named by Marco Polo in his travels written during the Age of Discovery. Then I asked myself, “How about the origin of the word Nippon?” I checked it up after I returned home. I appreciate this kind of questions asked by the visitors every time I provide guiding service.