Hokkaido & Circle Japan Spring Flowers Cruise

Day 1 - Tokyo

Arrive: Wed 08 April 2026 / Depart: Wed 08 April 2026 at 16:00

Yokohama and Edo began life as sleepy fishing villages. That changed in the early 17th century after Tokugawa Ieyasu became Shogun. Edo became the center of political power in Japan, a position the city retained even after the restoration of Imperial rule in 1866. Contemporary Tokyo may be the most astonishing city on earth. It's a paradoxical mix of ancient tradition and postmodern culture. The Ginza - an international shopping mecca - stands near the serene grounds of the Imperial Palace, and the hyper-speed of 21st century consumerism is mysteriously reconciled with the elegance and serenity of traditional culture. Tokyo provides the traveler with a dizzying experience. With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Edo was renamed Tokyo, the "Eastern Capital," to distinguish it from the old imperial capital at Kyoto, the "Western Capital."

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - Nagasaki

Arrive: Fri 10 April 2026 at 10:00 / Depart: Fri 10 April 2026 at 19:00

For most travelers, Nagasaki is a symbol of the horror and the inhumanity of war. An estimated 75,000 people perished in 1945 when the city became the second target of a nuclear attack. Today, Nagasaki's Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum draw visitors from around the world. But this beautiful city on Kyushu offers other sights. Often described as the San Francisco of Japan, the city occupies verdant hills surrounded by a deep-water bay. For three centuries, Nagasaki was Japan's sole window on the world. The city is also celebrated as the setting for Puccini's opera "Madame Butterfly."

Day 4 - Busan, South Korea

Arrive: Sat 11 April 2026 at 07:00 / Depart: Sat 11 April 2026 at 16:00

The second largest city in South Korea, Busan is your gateway to a fascinating land whose culture is a unique amalgam of old and new. Modern high-rise towers dwarf ancient Buddhist temples. The city's bustling business district offers a stark contrast to the serene grounds of Yongdusan Park. In short, Busan is a microcosm of South Korea, a nation whose startling economic success often obscures one of Asia's most sophisticated and venerable cultures. Busan was the scene of bitter fighting during the Korean War. The United Nations Memorial Cemetery marks the final resting place for the troops from 16 nations who gave their lives during the conflict.

Day 5 - Sakaiminato

Arrive: Sun 12 April 2026 at 09:00 / Depart: Sun 12 April 2026 at 19:00

Wedged between sea, sky and mountains, this small fishing port has been esteemed for centuries for its superb seafood. Here, the Sea of Japan yields up both crab and hon-maguro, the prized Bluefin tuna esteemed by gourmets around the world. Sakaiminato is also your gateway to a very ancient region of Honshu. West of the city lies Izumo-taisha, one of the oldest and holiest shrines in Shinto. This area is dotted with burial mounds from Japan's Bronze Age. The town of Matsue boasts the celebrated "Black Castle," a six-story, black-walled castle that home to a clan of the mighty Tokugawa dynasty that ruled Japan for over 250 years. And to the east rises the great snow-capped summit of Mt. Daisen, considered one of the four most scenic mountains in all Japan.

Day 6 - Maizuru

Arrive: Mon 13 April 2026 at 07:00 / Depart: Mon 13 April 2026 at 19:00

Maizuru is a city in south-central Japan. The Goro Sky Tower has panoramic views over the islands of Maizuru Bay. Maizuru Park contains the ruins of Tanabe Castle, and is known for spring cherry blossoms. East, Brick Park is a group of Meiji-era warehouses, now home to the World Brick Museum.

Day 7 - Kanazawa

Arrive: Tue 14 April 2026 at 07:00 / Depart: Tue 14 April 2026 at 16:00

Kanazawa is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, on Japan’s central Honshu Island. It's known for well-preserved Edo-era districts, art museums and regional handicrafts. Kenrokuen Garden, begun in the 17th century, is celebrated for its classic landscape designs incorporating ponds and streams.

Day 8 - Sakata, Japan

Arrive: Wed 15 April 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 15 April 2026 at 18:00

Sakatais a medium-sized city in Yamagata Prefecture. Sakata is located in the fertile Shonai Plain that is known for its high-quality rice. The city grew as an important stop along the coastal shipping route that connected Hokkaido with Osaka via ports along the Sea of Japan and Seto Inland Sea during the Edo Period. A local merchant family, the Honma clan, came to dominate trade in the city and accrued a vast fortune that made them wealthier than some of the country's feudal lords. Due to their power and influence, the clan developed close ties with the local lords and had a number of lavish buildings built. Some of these buildings still stand today along with museums and other attractions.

Day 9 - Hakodate

Arrive: Thu 16 April 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 16 April 2026 at 17:00

It took Commodore Perry and American gunboat diplomacy to open Japan to the outside world after two centuries of self-imposed isolation. In 1859, the port of Hakodate became the first Japanese city fully opened to Westerners under the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. Foreigners soon flocked to Hakodate, and today visitors wandering the cobblestone streets of the city's Motomachi District can view their Western-style frame houses. Hakodate, once a fishing port famed for its high quality fish and shellfish, quickly became Hokkaido's largest city and one of Japan's most important ports. The Great Hakodate Fire of 1934 dealt the city a near fatal blow - a blow from which Hakodate was slow to recover. Today the city is Hokkaido's third largest - surpassed by Sapporo and Asahikawa - but retains its foremost position as the finest Japanese producer of sushi's raw product: the high quality seafood caught in Hokkaido's cold waters. It may not compare to Tokyo's Tsukiji's Fish Market, but at Hakodate's four-block-long Morning Market, vendors offer a stunning array of fresh fish and shellfish prized for sushi including salmon roe, sea urchin, scallops and crab. Restaurants and food stands prepare a wide arrange of dishes including domburi topped with fresh seafood.

Day 10 - Miyako,Iwate, Japan

Arrive: Fri 17 April 2026 at 07:00 / Depart: Fri 17 April 2026 at 17:00

A pretty prefecture located on the northeastern coast of Honshu, Japan's main island, Miyako, Iwate, is situated along the Pacific coast surrounded by stunning scenery of Sanriku Fukko National Park and a sandy coastline defined by dramatic rock formations carved by the pounding surf. This iconic landscape invokes images of the 'Pure Land,' a Buddhist concept of paradise, and is best appreciated from the deck of a cruise boat on the waters of Jodogahama. The city's natural wonders are woven within its cultural highlights, and a visit to Kamaishi Daikannon Statue, a towering statue of the Buddhist 'Goddess of Mercy,' showcases sparkling Kamaishi Bay, while the historic Rokando Cave, is home to "the waterfall of the heavenly cave," an underground cascade. No visit to Miyako's shores would be complete without paying reverence to the tragedy that occurred on March 11, 2011, when a powerful earthquake triggered a devastating 17-meterhigh tsunami. The Taro Kanko Hotel Tsunami Remains is a testament to the power of the community's resiliency and serves as commemorative site, an important destination for those lucky enough to visit the island as it blooms with renewal.

Day 11 - Nikko

Arrive: Sat 18 April 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 18 April 2026 at 17:00

Hitachinaka is a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. As of 1 July 2020, the city had an estimated population of 154,663 in 64,900 households and a population density of 1547 persons per km². The percentage of the population aged over 65 was 26.1%. The total area of the city is 99.96 square kilometres.

Day 12 - Tokyo

Arrive: Sun 19 April 2026 at 06:30 / Depart: Sun 19 April 2026

Yokohama and Edo began life as sleepy fishing villages. That changed in the early 17th century after Tokugawa Ieyasu became Shogun. Edo became the center of political power in Japan, a position the city retained even after the restoration of Imperial rule in 1866. Contemporary Tokyo may be the most astonishing city on earth. It's a paradoxical mix of ancient tradition and postmodern culture. The Ginza - an international shopping mecca - stands near the serene grounds of the Imperial Palace, and the hyper-speed of 21st century consumerism is mysteriously reconciled with the elegance and serenity of traditional culture. Tokyo provides the traveler with a dizzying experience. With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Edo was renamed Tokyo, the "Eastern Capital," to distinguish it from the old imperial capital at Kyoto, the "Western Capital."

Day 13 - At Sea

Day 14 - Nagasaki

Arrive: Tue 21 April 2026 at 10:00 / Depart: Tue 21 April 2026 at 19:00

For most travelers, Nagasaki is a symbol of the horror and the inhumanity of war. An estimated 75,000 people perished in 1945 when the city became the second target of a nuclear attack. Today, Nagasaki's Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum draw visitors from around the world. But this beautiful city on Kyushu offers other sights. Often described as the San Francisco of Japan, the city occupies verdant hills surrounded by a deep-water bay. For three centuries, Nagasaki was Japan's sole window on the world. The city is also celebrated as the setting for Puccini's opera "Madame Butterfly."

Day 15 - Jeju

Arrive: Wed 22 April 2026 at 07:00 / Depart: Wed 22 April 2026 at 16:00

Jeju-do lying off the south coast of Korea is the warmest and wettest place in the entire country. The island is at its most beautiful in spring when the azalea blooms in a riot of delicate colours and the wooded areas display the most fascinating shades of green. In Jeju the seasons determine the changing hues of color through the island. In the autumn the color that dominates is brown and orange due to the falling leaves, in summer the aqua blue waters of the sea and golden beaches take over as in spring the brilliant yellow flowers cover the landscape. Jeju Island, also known as the "Island of the Gods," is a popular vacation spot for Koreans and many Japanese. It remains one of the top honeymoon destinations for Korean newlyweds. The island's mixture of volcanic rock, frequent rains, and temperate climate, make it very similar to the Hawaiian Islands in the U.S. The island offers visitors a wide range of activities: hiking on Halla-san (South Korea's highest peak), catching sunrises and sunsets over the ocean, viewing majestic waterfalls, riding horses, or just lying around on the sandy beaches. One of the most outstanding features of the island is a regular maze of tunnels, caves and pillars formed by the cooling of lava flows from ancient volcanoes. Jeju-do is basically an island composed of extinct volcanoes formed by volcanic matter such as basalt and trachyte and layered with sedimentary rock. It still has a volcano- an extinct one, called Mt Hallasan, which, at 1950 m also doubles up as the island's main mountain. The main city on the island is Jeju City, the main base for trekking, sightseeing and exploring the rest of the island.

Day 16 - At Sea

Day 17 - At Sea

Day 18 - Otaru, Japan

Arrive: Sat 25 April 2026 at 07:00 / Depart: Sat 25 April 2026

In 1880, the first railroad line on the island of Hokkaido connected Sapporo, the prefectural capital, with the important port city of Otaru. Indeed, for most of the 19th and much of the 20th centuries, Otaru outshone Sapporo in importance. The city was home to a thriving herring fleet. Ships regularly plied the waters between the port and the then Japanese island of Sakhalin. Coal was mined in the hills, and Otaru even won a reputation for producing fine music boxes. It was the island's industrial heart. Closure of coal mine in Hokkaido and downturn in demand of coal initiated a long decline that lasted into the 1950s. But Otaru survived - and has thrived. Japanese travelers discovered the city, drawn to its winter sports, its fine sushi, and its historic architecture. Otaru seemed like a portrait frozen in time. Today, international travelers have flocked to experience Otaru's charms - including the scenic beauty of Hokkaido's rugged west coast and its nearby national parks. The vast wealth accumulated by Otaru's herring tycoons is displayed at their so-called "Herring Mansions." One, the Nishin Goten, built in 1897, amply illustrates the state of 19th century society: the sumptuous ground floor housed the family while as many as 120 workers lived in squalor upstairs.

Day 19 - Aomori

Arrive: Sun 26 April 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 26 April 2026 at 18:00

The capital of the Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan, Aomori derives much of its beauty from the apple orchards and cherry blossoms that encompass its landscape and the snow-covered Hakkoda Mountains that look on from a distance. Throughout its history, the city has been stricken with misfortune time and time again - in 1910, a fire destroyed Aomori, and during World War II, the city was left in ruins following an air raid - yet it always prevails. Aomori is cherished by many who believe a local legend that the grave of Jesus Christ lies within the southern part of Aomori prefecture. However, Aomori is perhaps best known for its renowned Nebuta Festival, an elaborate yearly event in which participants illuminate giant paper representations of samurai warriors, animals, and popular cartoon characters while parading them through the streets.

Day 20 - Muroran

Arrive: Mon 27 April 2026 at 07:00 / Depart: Mon 27 April 2026 at 17:00

Located on the southwest part of the island of Hokkaido, Muroran is a major industrial center and your gateway to Hokkaido's natural beauty. This island's unhurried pace is a welcome contrast from the hustle and bustle of Honshu and Kyushu. Relatively uncrowded and unspoiled, Hokkaido offers dramatic landscapes ranging from dense forests and hot springs to active volcanoes and calm lakes nestled in calderas.

Day 21 - At Sea

Day 22 - Tokyo

Arrive: Wed 29 April 2026 at 06:30 / Depart: Wed 29 April 2026

Yokohama and Edo began life as sleepy fishing villages. That changed in the early 17th century after Tokugawa Ieyasu became Shogun. Edo became the center of political power in Japan, a position the city retained even after the restoration of Imperial rule in 1866. Contemporary Tokyo may be the most astonishing city on earth. It's a paradoxical mix of ancient tradition and postmodern culture. The Ginza - an international shopping mecca - stands near the serene grounds of the Imperial Palace, and the hyper-speed of 21st century consumerism is mysteriously reconciled with the elegance and serenity of traditional culture. Tokyo provides the traveler with a dizzying experience. With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Edo was renamed Tokyo, the "Eastern Capital," to distinguish it from the old imperial capital at Kyoto, the "Western Capital."