Cruise WestJapan UnveiledBreathtaking scenery. Mind-opening cultural experiences. Wonderful food and wine. Congenial companionship. Taken separately, each is a delightful experience. Combined onboard the Spirit of Oceanus in Japan, they make each day a celebration, each evening a special occasion. Recommended for:
Cruise Highlights
The ShipCruise West's flagship, the all-suite 120-guest Spirit of Oceanus, features spacious guest suites (many with private teak-floored balconies), outside viewing areas on four of the five guest-level decks, as well as a beautifully appointed dining room, library and lounges. Guests enjoy spacious walk-in closets or wardrobes, marble vanities, and deluxe sitting rooms in all suites. Oceangoing stabilizers open new horizons for up-close small-ship cruising.Detailed ItineraryDay 1 DEPART FOR JAPANDay 2 ARRIVE IN JAPAN Transfer from Osaka airport to Kobe where you’ll spend the night at the Kobe Meriken Park Oriental. Day 3 KOBE Enjoy historic attractions of this port city, one of the first to begin accepting foreign traders following Japan’s two and a half centuries of isolation. The highlight of your visit: a trip to spectacular white Himeji Castle. Board the Spirit of Oceanus, and sail in the early evening. Day 4 OKAYAMA / KURASHIKI Indulge yourself in Zen perfection as you tour Korakuen Garden, one of Japan’s three most famous, and participate in an ancient tea ceremony. Visit the Ohara Museum, which hosts an eclectic mix of classical European, Chinese, and Japanese folk art. At Ohashi House, tour the home of wealthy merchants. And stroll the charming lanes of Kurashiki, along canals crisscrossed by humpbacked stone bridges and bordered by willow trees. Day 5 TAKAMATSU / CRUISING THE INLAND SEA Ritsurin Koen was designed at the bequest of an early 17th century feudal lord, who envisioned a fantastic garden set against the beautiful backdrop of Mt. Shiun. Shikokumura Village gives you a glimpse into peasant life in the Edo period. Spend the afternoon cruising the Inland Sea. Designated a national park, the Inland Sea is an area of great natural beauty with its emerald green waters dotted with thousands of islands. Day 6 MIYAJIMA / HIROSHIMA Itsukushima is one of the most important Shinto shrines. View the famous red torii gates as we anchor just offshore, and tour the shrine with a Shinto priest. In Hiroshima, a city now devoted to peace, tour the Peace Memorial Park, Atomic Bomb Dome, and Peace Memorial Museum. Day 7 BEPPU Go to Jigoku (The Hells) this morning, the supreme onsen (hot springs) in Japan. Here you can contemplate geysers, mud ponds, and pools dyed strange colors by minerals, or take the opportunity for a hot soak, Japanese style. Visit Yufuin, renowned for its traditional handicrafts, and its Folk Art Museum, where you can view indigo dying, glass blowing, and paper making. Sail for Nagasaki through the Shimonoseki Strait. Day 8 NAGASAKI In this second city destroyed by an A-bomb in World War II, tour the Atomic Bomb Museum, Glover Garden (built by an enterprising Scotsman who helped overthrow the shogunate), and Oura Catholic Church, which inspired Japan’s secret Christians to emerge from centuries in hiding. Day 9 ULSAN / KYONGJU Step into the world of Korea’s Shilla dynasty in the ruins of Kyongju. A thousand years ago, this open-air museum was their capital, sparkling with palaces and gardens. Today, the ruins and burial mounds bring to life memories of a 900-year rule that lasted from the time of Julius Caesar to Charlemagne. Day 10 HAGI Japan’s revolution began here in Jokamachi’s old samurai residential quarter, where you’ll tour a samurai’s home. Yoshida Shrine is a monument to one of the last of the samurai, killed by the shogun for attempting to ensure Japan’s survival by opening up to the West. Also visit Daisho Temple, the resting place of the two first Mori daimyo and all the even-numbered daimyo (odd-numbered daimyo were laid to rest on the other side of the Matsumoto river). Make an optional visit to a pottery studio for pastel-glazed pottery once reserved for the samurai. Day 11 IZUMO / MATSUE Anchor off Izumo for a visit to Izumo Taisha, Japan’s oldest and largest Shinto shrine. Be greeted by local dancers as we enter Matsue to tour the famous wooden Matsue Castle and the Hearn Museum, dedicated to Lafcadio Hearn, a distinguished author who introduced Japan to the rest of the world. Day 12 KANAZAWA Spend a full day exploring Kanazawa, including its traditional silk industry. Developed during the Edo period, Yuzen silk is characterized by its distinctive use of natural motifs, and is popular throughout Japan for formal kimonos. You’ll also visit Seisonkaku Villa, built by the 13th lord Maeda for his mother, and Omicho Market, a favorite destination for Kanazawa shoppers since the feudal period. Feast your eyes on breathtaking Kenrokuen Garden, known as one of the three most beautiful in Japan, and adjoining Gyokusenen Garden. Day 13 NIIGATA / TOKYO Disembark and transfer to the train station for your bullet train ride to Tokyo, complete with a traditional Bento Box lunch. Enjoy a city tour en route to your hotel, the historic Imperial Hotel, and spend the balance of the day at your leisure. Day 14 Tokyo Transfer to Narita Airport for your return flight home. Cost of This Trip13 Night tripThe least expensive cabin costs: $407 per person per night The most expensive stateroom costs: $1046 pp pn |