Islands of Japan 12 Days
Set sail and explore some of Japan’s iconic highlights alongside lesser-known and rarely-visited islands and destinations on one, unforgettable all-inclusive voyage.
Made up of 6,852 islands, the perfect way to explore Japan’s seldom visited destinations is by sea. Combining a thrilling mix of culture, history and the natural world, this authentic expedition cruise will see you exploring ancient castles, serenely beautiful gardens and opulent temples and shrines combined with witnessing some of Japan’s stunning natural landscapes.
ITINERARY SUMMARY
This itinerary also operates in reverse for select voyages.
DAY 1 TOKYO, JAPAN
Arrive at Japan’s famed neon-lit capital Tokyo, where tradition meets ultramodern and towering skyscrapers sit alongside ancient temples, and make your way to the hotel where your group will spend the first night of the expedition. This evening meet your fellow voyagers and expedition guides over dinner at the hotel.
DAY 2 TOKYO / KANAZAWA
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and travel by Shinkansen, ‘bullet train’, to Kanazawa. This afternoon you will board Heritage Adventurer and settle into life on board. Receive an introduction to your expedition team and voyage plans as you moor overnight with the evening free to explore.
DAY 3 KANAZAWA
Options today include exploring the historic mountain settlement and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go, high in the remote mountains of the Shogawa River Valley in Hakusan National Park. Take in the sights on mountain walks and experience the unique cultural traditions including the region’s iconic Gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which are more than 250 years old, designed to withstand the heavy snow in winter and provide a large attic space for cultivating silkworms. Alternatively explore the rich art centre of Kanazawa discovering some of the unique styles of Japanese art. Kanazawa is rightly famous for its Kutani-style pottery, exquisite lacquerware, gold-leaf workmanship, hand painted silk, and classical Noh dance-drama performed since the 14th Century. Wander winding cobblestone streets, elegant restaurants, craft galleries and visit the impressive Edo-period Kenrokuen Garden, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, and explore the Omicho Market boasting everything from flowers, to crafts and food. This evening, join the expedition team in the Bridge, Observation Lounge or up on the Observation Deck as you set sail for Matsue.
DAY 4 MATSUE
This morning, arrive at the port of Sakaiminato, entry point to Matsue, known as ‘the town of water’ due to being situated between Lake Shinji and Lake Nakaumi. Visit Matsue Castle, a national treasure and one of Japan’s few largely intact 17th Century castles. Other options today may include exploring Daisen-Oki National Park, steeped in beauty and history it’s also the home of rare flora and fauna including the giant salamander, visiting the picturesque Yuushien Garden which coincides with the iconic annual Yuushien Peony Festival, the Adachi Museum of Art, learning about the art of Japanese paper making at the Yakumo-mura village, or perhaps you may wish to spend some time exploring the picturesque streets and local canals.
DAY 5 HAGI
Hagi was a minor fishing port until Mori Terumoto fortified it in 1604 and it was Mori Samurai that helped spark off the anti-Tokugawa revolt in the mid-19th century. Today it is better known for its traditional pottery making. This morning, explore the Teramachi District with its temples and shrines, the Jokamachi District, where you will find the old Samurai houses and also take time to explore Hagi Castle, Shizuki Park and Tokoji Temple. This afternoon travel to the outskirts of the city and the Yoshika Taibi Memorial Museum which is dedicated to a large collection of Hagiyaki pottery which was highly prized in the Edo period as wares for tea ceremonies. Alternatively, discover the natural wonders of 300 million year old limestone Akiyoshido Cave.
DAY 6 ULSAN, SOUTH KOREA
Today, cross the Sea of Japan to Ulsan in South Korea to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Gyeongju. The capital of the Silla Dynasty and dating back to the first millennium, Gyeongju is known as ‘the museum without walls’ and is full of ancient Korean history and Buddhist culture. Enjoy strolling through hundreds of excavated monuments, temples, tombs and pagodas, and experience Korean delicacies, cultural performances, and visit the National Museum with its gold jewellery, metal weapons, and distinctive pottery. Today provides a perfect taste of the best South Korea has to offer.
DAY 7 FUKUOKA, JAPAN
The largest city on the island of Kyushu, Fukuoka is the union of the castle town of Fukuoka on the west bank of the Naka River and the merchant town of Hakata on the east bank. This buzzy metropolis combines an effortless blend of trendy yatai food stalls (which made Lonely Planet and The New York Times 2023 travel lists) with vibrant art installations, historic ruins and colourful coastal parks. During your time here there may be opportunities to explore the northern city of Kitakyushu and famed Kokura Castle, TOTO Museum and Kawachi Wisteria Garden or Nanzoin Temple with its reclining bronze Buddha (thought to be the world’s largest bronze statue) and the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, which is built on the gravesite of poet and scholar Sugawara no Michizane and surrounded by beautiful gardens, ponds and bridges with more than 6,000 plum trees.
DAY 8 NAGASAKI
Arrive this morning in Nagasaki, the second city destroyed by an atomic bomb in World War II. Tour the Peace Memorial Park, Atomic Bomb Museum and Dejima Island which was built during the Edo period to accommodate Portuguese Christian missionaries and prevent the propagation of their religion. It was also the residential quarters of the Dutch, the only foreigners allowed to trade in Japan during the Sakoku (isolation) period. For 200 years, until Japan reopened the country in the 19th Century, Dejima was its only window to the world. With the reopening of the port to Westerners in the latter half of the 19th Century, Nagasaki blossomed as a prosperous and sophisticated international city. Suitable housing was required for the sudden influx of foreigners who made their homes here and many of the stone and clapboard residences that were built during this period survive today and are preserved in Glover Garden which we will visit this afternoon. The best known European-style residence here is Glover House, built in 1863, was the setting for Puccini’s opera Madame Butterfly.
DAY 9 YAKUSHIMA
During your morning at sea you will sail to the very south of Kyushu and the island of Yakushima which became Japan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 and has a particularly diverse flora. Spend the afternoon on a choice of nature walks in Yakusugi Land in Yakushima National Park, home of the endemic Yakushima Macaque, and populated by a number of the island’s ancient cedar trees, such as the Buddha Sugi, Futago Sugi and Sennen Sugi, which are over 3,000 years old.
DAY 10 UWAJIMA
This morning, explore Shikoku Island and the port of Uwajima situated deep inside the sawtoothed coast of Uwajima Bay. The city of Uwajima is emerging as the nation’s largest pearl cultivation centre and you will learn the process of implanting, harvesting, extracting and sorting pearls on a visit to a pearl farm. You will also see Uwajima Castle which is built on top of the hill with panoramic views over the town and harbour and the Tenshaen Garden, built in the Samurai era. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure.
DAY 11 KORAKU-EN AND KURASHIKI
From the port of Uno-Ko, you will visit one of Japan’s most famed gardens, Koraku-en, which translates as ‘garden of pleasure after’. This 17th Century formal garden has 28 acres of walking trails, ponds, plum and cherry trees. This afternoon you will continue to Kurashiki where you will explore the old merchant quarter and its 17th Century wooden warehouses painted white with traditional black tiles, along a canal framed with weeping willows and filled with koi. There is also a chance to visit the Ohara Museum of Art which includes rare works by Matisse, Picasso and Renoir as well as collections from Japan’s famous Mingei movement including ceramics by Hamada Shoji.
DAY 12 OSAKA
This morning, sail into Honshu’s largest port city Osaka where modern architecture and a vibrant dining scene are nestled alongside the 16th Century shogunate Osaka Castle. After breakfast there will be a complimentary coach to a central hotel or the Kansai International Airport.
