Not only citizens but tourists have been lining up alongside the terminal waving with their own yellow cloths or those provided at the terminal.
Inspired by Pete Hamill’s short story Going Home, the ceremony is intended to wish cruise passengers happiness and a safe return to Yokohama soon, notes a port official.
Having started this initiative this March, Yokohama Port says that it has held the farewell event for to more than 30 cruise ships so far this year.
Cruise-friendly port
The expectation is, says the port, that it also attracts people to come to the port to see the event, get familiar with cruise ships and hopefully choose Yokohama to embark from on a cruise in the future.
On March 26, when Japan’s largest luxury cruise ship Asuka II set sailing for a 102 day around-the-world cruise, more than 25,000 people met at Osanbashi with yellow handkerchiefs to wave off passengers.
And there is a footnote: anyone presenting their yellow cloth at the shops and restaurants inside Osanbashi terminal are eligible for a discount.
In addition to the Osanbashi facility, Yokohama is building two new cruise terminals to accommdate cruise ships which will be ready in 2019.
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