Japan Intensive Cruise

Day 1 - Kobe

Arrive: Sun 20 April 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 2 - Kobe

Depart: Mon 21 April 2025 at 20:00

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 3 - Kochi, Japan

Arrive: Tue 22 April 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 22 April 2025 at 17:00

Kochi Prefecture, on Japan’s Shikoku Island, is a largely rural area known for its mountains, rivers and Pacific beaches. Capital Kochi City has one of Japan’s best preserved feudal castles, Kochi-jo, established in the 1600s. The city's centuries-old Sunday market has hundreds of vendors selling food and other wares. Summer's Yosakoi Matsuri is a festival in which colorfully attired dance teams fill the streets.

Day 4 - Hiroshima

Arrive: Wed 23 April 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 23 April 2025 at 20:00

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 5 - Kitakyushu, Japan

Arrive: Thu 24 April 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 24 April 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 6 - Sasebo, Japan

Arrive: Fri 25 April 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 25 April 2025 at 20:00

Sasebo is a city on Japan’s Kyushu Island. It's known for Huis Ten Bosch, an amusement park modeled after a Dutch town, with canals, replica buildings, windmills and flower gardens. Kujukushima Aquarium has dolphins, coral reefs and many jellyfish. Off the coast, boats cruise among the forested Kujukushima Islands, part of Saikai National Park. To the south, Saikai Bridge is a popular spot to view cherry blossoms.

Day 7 - Busan, South Korea

Arrive: Sat 26 April 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 26 April 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 8 - Sakaiminato

Arrive: Sun 27 April 2025 at 13:00 / Depart: Sun 27 April 2025 at 20:00

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 9 - Kanazawa

Arrive: Mon 28 April 2025 at 09:00 / Depart: Mon 28 April 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 10 - Niigata, Japan

Arrive: Tue 29 April 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 29 April 2025 at 18:00

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 11 - Akita, Japan

Arrive: Wed 30 April 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 30 April 2025 at 18:00

Akita Prefecture is situated in the north-eastern part of the Japanese main land, east of the Sea of Japan, flowing rivers, and expanses of fertile farmland. Majestic mountain ranges, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Shirakami - Sanchi Mountains, surround the northern, southern, and eastern sides and make for incredible views.

Day 12 - Aomori

Arrive: Thu 01 May 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 01 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 13 - At Sea

Day 14 - Tokyo

Arrive: Sat 03 May 2025 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 03 May 2025

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.