Destinations > Asia > Hidden Treasures of Japan
Hidden Treasures of Japan
Highlights of the 11-night Hidden Treasures of Japan, round trip Kobe, include:
The ancient castle town of Okayama; relaxing in a geothermal warm sand bath at Ibusuki; Uwajima, the nation's largest pearl cultivation center; UNESCO World Heritage Site Yakushima; a Ceremonial Shinto dance at Miyajimas astonishing temple complex; Nagasaki, the most westernized of all Japanese cities; a Korean barbeque lunch at Kyongju, South Korea; Hiroshima, and a visit to Takamatsu.
Surrounded by sea, the island nation of Japan has long been a stopping place for ocean voyages, absorbing itinerant cultural influences and making them uniquely Japanese. The port cities were often home to samurai, the clan chieftains, and the great feudal lords, who, while fending off foreign rule, were trading with the outside world. These ports then formed the filter through which external influences passed to the interior.
While other visitors make long overland journeys, we will anchor right offshore many places we visit, including Izumo Taisha, the most important Shinto shrine in Japan. We will also cruise right past the red torii at Miyajima at high tide, giving you an unforgettable view of the famous "floating" gates. Our journeys are exclusively for those who believe, as we do, that the best way to experience an island nation is not by land, but by sea. Come with us as we explore the rich historical and cultural tapestry that is Japan in the same way its adopted influences arrived - by ship.
| Day 1- Arrive In Japan Arrive in Osaka where you'll be met and transferred to Kobe where you'll spend the night at a luxurious Kobe Hotel. |
| Day 2- Kobe Perched between the coast and the mountains, Kobe is one of the most livable and attractive cities in Japan. Enjoy historic attractions of this port city, one of the first to begin accepting foreign traders following Japan's 2-1/2 centuries of isolation. The highlight of your visit: a trip to spectacular Himeji (White Egret) Castle, Japan's most beautiful stronghold. Board the Spirit of Oceanus in the late afternoon and sail in the early evening. BD |
| Day 3- Okayama / Kurashiki The ancient castle town of Okayama, ruled by the Ikeda clan, is home to Korakuen Garden, 1 of the 3 most famous gardens in Japan and the first place in Japan where grass was used in landscaping. Indulge in Zen perfection as you stroll past the garden’s picturesque shrines, hills, tea fields and ponds, keeping an eye out for red-crested white cranes. Kurashiki’s 300-year-old rice warehouses, Meiji-era factories and homes of samurai and wealthy merchants have been preserved and converted into museums, craft shops and art galleries. You will have time to explore Canal Street on your own. Visit the Ohara Museum, hosting an eclectic mix of classical European, Chinese and Japanese folk art, but whose highlight is their Western art collection. Enjoy a Bento box lunch and tour the Ohashi House, once home to a Kurashiki merchant. BLD |
| Day 4- Uwajima Situated deep inside the saw-toothed coast of Uwajima Bay, the city of Uwajima is emerging as the nation's largest pearl cultivation center. Learn the process of implanting, harvesting, extracting and sorting pearls on a visit to a pearl farm and explore the beautiful and rarely visited Tenshaen Garden, boasting a colorful array of wild irises, wisteria and over 20 species of bamboo. Here you will also receive a warm welcome into the small mountainside home of a 4th generation abbot, sip tea with his family and admire his beautiful gardens strewn with hand-carved stone lanterns. BLD |
| Day 5- Yakushima This island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, is blanketed in nearly 2,000 sugi, or Japanese cedar, that are at least 1,000 years old. In this well-protected and unique environment you’ll walk through the thick forest, take in the sweet fragrance of diverse flora and be on the lookout for Yakuzaru monkeys and the dwarfed Yakushima deer that are the size of Shetland ponies. Here we will also traverse a stretch of warm-temperate primeval forest, unique to the region and home to countless waterfalls. BLD |
| Day 6- Kagoshima Once the castle town of Lord Shimazu (and the movie set of The Last Samurai), Kagoshima is nestled in the crevasses of steep hills on the shore of beautiful Kinko Bay. Its mild climate, palm-tree-lined streets, easy-going attitude and impressive volcano, Sakurajima, have earned it the nickname of the “Naples of Japan.” Feel the rich texture of a piece of hand-woven silk and the smooth glaze of a piece of Satsuma, an earthenware pottery dating back to the 16th century. Explore a green-tea farm, the Kamikaze Museum and the coastal town of Ibusuki with optional visits to a pottery museum or geothermal spa. BLD |
| Day 7- Nagasaki Receive a warm welcome in Nagasaki, one of the few ports open to foreign traders during Japan’s 250-year period of isolation. It has the highest Christian population in Japan and is the most westernized of all Japanese cities. It was also the 2nd city to be destroyed by an atomic bomb in World War II. Tour the Atomic Bomb Museum and the Peace Memorial Park with its sculpture garden containing pieces from countries all over the world. Explore Nagasaki on your own or visit Glover Garden, an open-air museum exhibiting Victorian mansions and gardens built by an enterprising Scotsman. Back onboard you’ll be treated to a scarf folding performance. BLD |
| Day 8- Ulsan / Kyongju, South Korea Ulsan is home to Hyundai Motors and is a big industrial town. Board buses there for Kyongju. Walking around Kyongju, capital of the Shilla Kingdom (and essentially a giant open-air museum) is to explore 1,000 years of history. Soak up Korea's sights, sounds, history and tastes alongside local guides as you explore colorful Korean Buddhist art, pagodas, temples like Bulguksa, a large Buddhist temple where worship ceremonies are always going on, palaces and markets. A Korean barbeque lunch introduces you to culinary delights of the region and includes a Korean dance performance. You’ll also see Kyongju Market, an eclectic produce market of narrow alleys full of stalls, and Tumuli Park, a 7-story-tall burial park with replicas of jewelry and weapons. BLD |
| Day 9- Hagi Japan’s revolution began here in Hagi. It is considered one of the most beautiful towns in Japan and is a pottery center. Your morning tour includes a samurai home and a walk through Hagi’s traditional streets and buildings that have survived for decades. Visit the Yoshida Shrine and the Tokoji Temple, a Buddhist temple and burial site of half the Mori daimyo (feudal lords) - each grave surrounded by 800-900 stone lanterns. BLD |
| Day 10- Miyajima / Hiroshima Bright orange torii (gates) welcome you to Miyajima as you approach the mountainous “island of the shrines,” a land once regarded as so sacred that people were forbidden to till the soil, give birth, or be buried there. Use inflatable excursion craft to transfer to the island where you’ll witness an exclusive Bugaku dance performance in front of the shrine. You’ll have free time to tour through the shrine and sample food there, like oysters. Lunch is served onboard before the hour-long ride to Hiroshima. This once battered city is now thriving and devoted to peace. In memory of the 1945 atomic bomb explosion, a Peace Flame, never to be extinguished until all nuclear weapons are abolished, burns in front of the Memorial Cenotaph. Tour the Peace Park, Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Museum. Back onboard ship you’ll be entertained with a kimono program and volunteers will be recruited to try on a full-dress kimono. BLD |
| Day 11- Takamatsu Takamatsu served as the feudal capital of the powerful Matsudaira clan from 1642 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. The Matsudairas are responsible for Takamatsu’s most famous site, Ritsurin Koen, one of the most outstanding gardens in Japan, set against the beautiful backdrop of Mt. Shiun. This park covers 240 acres, and is over 300 years old. Stroll the garden and admire the bonsai. Choose to visit either Shikokumura Village or Yashima Temple after your trip to the garden. BLD |
| Day 12- Kobe After a short tour of Kobe, transfer to Kansai International Airport for your return flight home. B |
