Japan Intensive Voyage Cruise

Day 1 - Tokyo

Arrive: Sat 03 May 2025 / Depart: Sat 03 May 2025 at 19:00

It’s hard to imagine Tokyo as a tiny fishing village named Edo. Tokyo is now the largest metropolitan area in the world, an exciting city with a seemingly unlimited choice of shopping, restaurants, museums, temples, and gardens to visit.

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - Hakodate

Arrive: Mon 05 May 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 05 May 2025 at 16:00

Located on Hokkaido, the northernmost island in Japan, Hokadate sits under the vast 334m-high Mount Hakodate. Hop on a tram that can take you from one end of the city to the other in just 45-minutes or enjoy a leisurely stroll through the area that takes you past historical buildings. Looking for a break and some soothing relaxation? The Yunokawa Onsen is a spa resort area offering up many hot spring hotel and inn options.

Day 4 - Otaru, Japan

Arrive: Tue 06 May 2025 at 09:00 / Depart: Tue 06 May 2025 at 18:00

Day 5 - Aomori

Arrive: Wed 07 May 2025 at 10:00 / Depart: Wed 07 May 2025 at 18:00

Found on Japan’s main island, Honshu, Aomori City spends most of the year offering visitors a taste of a sleepy, seaside city mixed with forward-looking developments and modern art. Combining the history of an established port town with modern facilities and attractions, the city has been called the economic and cultural center of the area.

Day 6 - Niigata, Japan

Arrive: Thu 08 May 2025 at 13:00 / Depart: Thu 08 May 2025 at 19:00

A perfect contrast of old and new, where ancient traditions meet modern experiences—you’ll find Niigata prefecture, the largest city on Honsh?'s Sea of Japan coast. Start your journey with a relaxing stroll through Niigata’s first citizen park, Hakusan-k?en. Well-manicured gardens, two large koi ponds, the most vibrant cherry blossoms, and the ancient Hukasan Shrine. An inviting space—you’ll find no reason to be “koi” here. Make your way to the bustling Bandai City where you can catch a 360-degree view Niigata and its distant snow-capped mountains from the 20th floor of the Nipp? observation deck.

Day 7 - Toyama

Arrive: Fri 09 May 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 09 May 2025 at 19:00

Day 8 - Kanazawa

Arrive: Sat 10 May 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 10 May 2025 at 18:00

Tucked in between the Sea of Japan and the Japanese Alps, flanked by the Sai and Asano rivers, Kanazawa might be an unfamiliar destination, but it’s sure to become an unexpected favorite. Translated literally Kanazawa means "marsh of gold," and the city produces approximately 98% of the gold leaf in Japan. Find a small jar to take home or try it sprinkled on ice cream. Gold aside, Kanazawa is also a jewel in Japan’s historical crown. Founded in the late 1500s as a castle town, the city has been relatively untouched from the ravages of World War II and natural disasters. Once a powerful and strategic city for the Maeda clan, it is now a comparatively small city with a calm, comfortable feel.

Day 9 - Sakaiminato

Arrive: Sun 11 May 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 11 May 2025 at 17:00

Sakaiminato’s history is steeped in fishing tradition. Now the base of Western Japan’s fishing industry, Sakaiminato has been an open trading port with the U.S. and U.K. since 1899. Today the port town continues to be a haven for seafood lovers with fish markets and world-class restaurants scattered along its streets, making it the perfect place for visitors to taste the catch of the day.

Day 10 - Busan, South Korea

Arrive: Mon 12 May 2025 at 09:00 / Depart: Mon 12 May 2025 at 22:00

It is Pusan's premier trading port, adjacent to the Korean Straits and Japan, that makes it an international metropolis but its beautiful sea vistas that make it a charming place to unwind. Experience the serenity of Beomeo-sa Temple, climb the Busan Tower in Yongdusan Park and rejuvenate at Hushimchung Spa.

Day 11 - Nagasaki

Arrive: Tue 13 May 2025 at 13:00 / Depart: Tue 13 May 2025 at 20:00

Historically rich Nagasaki features beautiful seaside scenery and fabulous nighttime views from its mountain slopes. Secluded hot springs, fascinating museums, and ornate temples live side by side in this exciting city. Ten natural parks grace the area, and unique festivals can be experienced throughout the year. Walk through streets influenced by both Chinese and European cultures in fascinating Nagasaki.

Day 12 - Kitakyushu, Japan

Arrive: Wed 14 May 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 14 May 2025 at 20:00

Merged from five smaller cities in 1963, Kitakyushu is the gateway between the islands of Honshu and Kyushu—where the city sits on its northern tip. During WWII, the fate of the city could have been forever changed, if not for bad weather and smoke from the previous day’s bombing. It was the intended target of the Fat Man atomic bomb, but was passed over due to poor visibility in favor of Nagasaki.

Day 13 - Hiroshima

Arrive: Thu 15 May 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 15 May 2025 at 22:00

This "city of water and peace" is built in one of the most sheltered harbors on the Seto Inland Sea and is much more than the painful past it both honors and defies. Reflect and ring the bell of peace at Peace Memorial Park, then ferry to the holy island of Miyajima, famed for its Itsukushima Shrine and floating torii.

Day 14 - At Sea

Day 14 - Takamatsu

Arrive: Fri 16 May 2025 at 12:00 / Depart: Fri 16 May 2025 at 20:00

On the Seto Inland Sea, looking out over the Sanuki mountain range, sits the island of Shikoku and the old castle town of Takamatsu, Japan. Now a vibrant city, Takamatsu has been an economic hub of the region since the Edo period. To get a sense of its history, visit Tamamo-koen Park. The 16th century Takamatsu Castle had been destroyed, but there’s still plenty to explore: ruins, water moats, and classic Japanese-style yagura or turrets.

Day 15 - Kobe

Arrive: Sat 17 May 2025

Famous for the beef that bears it name, Kobe is headquarters for numerous Japanese and international firms, and has long been an important port. It is also a short bullet train ride from Kyoto, ancient capital of Japan from the 8th to the 19th century. Here vestiges of the past are easier to find than in many of Japan's modern, high-tech cities: countless temples and shrines, the palaces and castles of shoguns and emperors, and narrow lanes paved in stone and lined with wooden buildings housing shops and restaurants that have been serving travelers for centuries.

Day 16 - Kobe

Depart: Sun 18 May 2025

Famous for the beef that bears it name, Kobe is headquarters for numerous Japanese and international firms, and has long been an important port. It is also a short bullet train ride from Kyoto, ancient capital of Japan from the 8th to the 19th century. Here vestiges of the past are easier to find than in many of Japan's modern, high-tech cities: countless temples and shrines, the palaces and castles of shoguns and emperors, and narrow lanes paved in stone and lined with wooden buildings housing shops and restaurants that have been serving travelers for centuries.