Update 1.

I have learned something about Japan before we even get there.
I was listening to Morning Edition about a 4.5 earthquake that caused falling rocks and and avalanche. A person died in the wake of it. This was in Hitachi. This is the same day that the Tsunami warnings were all over the West coast because of the Earthquake in Alaska.

So, Wayne told me our plans with the ferry were changed, so I hopped onto my laptop to call my friend. He said, "so, did you hear what happened?"
Me: "yeah, I heard about the Earthquake".
And he said, "The one in Alaska?"
"No, the one in Japan"
"there was an earthquake in Japan? Where?" (mind you, he lives in Japan, near Tokyo).
"you don't know about that? A soldier died."
"oh, that kind of thing happens ALL the time."
"people just die in earthquakes?"
"Yeah."
Me, "Oh... So, I guess the thing that happened is that the ferry got cancelled for maintenance."
Masaki: "Yes, that is what happened I wanted to talk about."

and so on.
It didn't even make any sort of headline there, really.
As Masaki said, "4.5? That's NOTHING. Unless it's really big, no one reports on it."

So, apparently, they had to cancel our ferries for maintenance. No giant futon room experience. That's okay. We're able to spend an extra day in Sapporo and use a hotel we originally booked, but couldn't get refunded. I'm glad we didn't tell them we weren't coming.

Much easier change to the plan than the last two times something was changed.

Anyway.
People in Japan just accept earthquakes and related deaths as day-to-day occurrences.

But a ferry being cancelled is, apparently unheard of.

It makes sense. Like how Northwesterners, unless it's a very large fire, it's just "meh". Just a fact of life.

Even though it made it into the Morning Edition headlines lineup, they didn't post it anywhere on their site. The only place that had any info was a website that keeps a record of all earthquake reports/monitors.

A lot of earthquakes happened today.
Although... for an average day, I dunno know... I'm not really sure what the average actually is.

There was way more earthquake news than normal. Becuase I listen to the news. Every. Single. Day.

It's going to be so weird *and so nice* not listening to the news every day.

Nothing against the news. Informed public, right to know, etc. etc. but it does wear on one after a while. It will be great to get some reprieve.