Sacred Japan & South Korea: A Voyage from Osaka to Niigata - Tokyo, Including South Korea
$1,250 USD off selected departures

DAYS 10 / SHIP Heritage Adventurer

DEPARTURES 8 May 2024

PLACES VISITED

PRICES FROM ~~$7,650~~ $6,400 USD (More Rates)

'The land of the Rising Sun', Japan is a fascinating combination of ancient heritage and traditional culture contrasting with the sprawling metropolises of the world's most advanced technological civilisation. Made up of 6,852 islands, the perfect way to explore these seldom visited destinations is by sea and the Heritage Adventurer is the ideal vessel for such a voyage.

Set sail on this authentic 10-day expedition cruise as our unique itinerary sees us exploring ancient castles, serenely beautiful gardens and opulent temples and shrines combined with witnessing some of Japan's stunning natural landscapes.

Experience all-inclusive luxury cruise travel as we venture to destinations such as the historic and serene castle town of Matsue, the ancient anachronistic town of Hagi, and experience the tranquillity of sacred Miyajima. Discover one of Japan's most famed memorials at historic Hiroshima, dedicated to remembering the lives lost from one of the most difining moments of World War II.

Although we will also visit Japan's awe-inspiring contemporary landscape, what makes our itinerary truly special is our visits to parts of Japan where relatively few tourists set foot such as Sado Island - widely considered a perfect miniature Japan and thriving cultural capital filled with performing arts, natural scenery, samurai history, and more.

Our exploration of Japan also takes us to the south eastern tip of South Korea where we will spend a day in Gyeongju, the 'Museum Without Walls' and also visit the Haeinsa Temple, considered one of the three great temples in South Korea. Such places invoke the strongest of memories and allow you to immerse yourself in the myth and mystique of these ancient lands while returning each evening to the peace and comfort of our vessel.

Helping us understand all we will see and experience, and travelling with us throughout the voyage, will be our expert Guest Speakers and Japanese guides who will add immeasurably to your enjoyment and understanding of this captivating country.

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ITINERARY

Sacred Japan & South Korea: A Voyage from Osaka to Niigata - Tokyo, Including South Korea

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Day 1: Osaka: Arrive at Honshu’s largest port city Osaka where modern architecture and a vibrant dining scene are nestled alongside the 16th Century shogunate Osaka Castle, and make your way to your hotel where you will spend the first night of the expedition. This evening meet your fellow voyagers and expedition guides over dinner at the hotel.
Day 2: Osaka: Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before exploring Osaka, opportunities here include visiting Minoh Park and Osaka Castle. With an area of just 9.6 square kilometres (963 hectares) Minoh Park is one of Japan’s smallest National Parks and home to iconic 33-metre high Minoh Waterfall and diverse wildlife including Japanese Salamander and protected Mino Monkeys. Explore Osaka Castle, one of Japan’s most famous landmarks, take in the views from Osaka Castle Main Tower and relive dramatic stories of warlords and Osaka’s fascinating history. Board Heritage Adventurer for lunch as your Captain and Expedition Team welcome you aboard and we set sail for Miyajima.
Day 3: Uno Ko/Naoshima: Departing from the pier of Uno Ko, we will drive to Okayama City, the capital of Okayama Prefecture, to visit Korakuen Garden, one of Japan’s most significant gardens. ln Kurashiki explore the old merchant quarter featuring historic 17th-century houses that are painted white with traditional black tiles and are situated along a scenic canal framed with weeping willows. Visit Ohara Museum in Kurashiki, which was built in 1930 and expanded its original collection of Western paintings and sculptures after the war. For those interested in history and art you may wish to travel to Naoshima Island for a full-day excursion. Known for its art, Naoshima will have you admiring its architecture and art museums, including Chichu Art Museum and Benesse House, featuring work by Japanese and international artists.
Day 4: Hiroshima/Miyajima: Despite its history including being the site of the world’s first atomic bomb attack on the 6 August 1945, Hiroshima is a vibrant and thriving cosmopolitan community. We plan to visit the beautiful Peace Park and Museum, with its sombre cenotaph containing names of atomic bomb victims, and the permanently lit ‘Flame of Peace’. After visiting the Peace Park we will travel to Miyajima Island, considered one of Japan’s most scenic spots and the location of the Torii Gate and the Daisho-in Buddhist temple.
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 we will explore the Teramachi District with its temples and shrines, the Jokamachi District, where we find the old Samurai houses and also take time to explore Hagi Castle, Shizuki Park and Tokoji Temple. Return to the vessel for lunch and this afternoon is free to relax or perhaps 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.
Day 6: Ulsan, South Korea: Crossing over to South Korea we embark on a full day excursion to magnificent Gyeongju, a World Heritage Site which is often described as the world’s finest open-air museum embracing ancient Korean history and Buddhist culture. As the ancient capital of the Shilla Dynasty, Gyeongju’s cultural heritage dates back to the first millennium. Today, as we stroll through some of the hundreds of excavated monuments, temples, tombs and pagodas, there will be time to explore the National Museum with its exceptional collection of finely worked gold jewellery, metal weapons and distinctive pottery. For lunch, we will sample Korean delicacies and enjoy a cultural performance of traditional dance.
Day 7: Matsue: From the port of Sakaiminato we visit Matsue, the ‘town of water,’ which nestles between a scenic lake and a large lagoon. We will visit the cultural attractions of the town including the 17th century Matsue Castle before enjoying a boat ride along the local canals. After lunch on board spend the afternoon at leisure or visit the Adachi Museum of Art which is set in a beautiful natural environment. The museum is reknown for its superb Japanese gardens and collection of contemporary Japanese paintings, comprising some 1,500 of the country’s most highly regarded paintings produced after the Meiji period.
Day 8: Kanazawa: Kanazawa is a thriving centre of the arts, long known for its lacquerware, outstanding collectable pottery of the Kutani style, gold-leaf workmanship, delicate hand painting of silk for kimonos and painted silk, and classical Noh theatre dramas. The narrow and winding cobblestone streets have a quaint photogenic charm with old fashioned streetlamps and wooden lattice windows hiding elegant restaurants and craft galleries. Around each bend is a traditional house, museum, art gallery, craft shop, historic Samurai residence and even a Geisha house to explore. The fascinating open air market displays a vast variety of items from flowers to fish and local handicrafts and next to the Kanazawa Castle ruins is one of Japan’s premier highlights, the famed Kenroku-en Garden, ranked among the country’s top three gardens.
Day 9: Sado Island: Today we plan to explore remote Sado Island off the coast of Niigata. Comprising the mountain ranges of Osado and Kosado flanking the Kokunaka Plain, Sado was once a destination of political exile. It now boasts its own rich cultural and religious life incorporating puppet theatre, Okesa folk songs, Ondeko drumming and demon dances, and Noh theatre thanks to some of its more famous displaced figures. Home to the Japanese Crested Ibis, extinct on the Mainland, and the iconic taraibune tub boats, this island off the beaten path combines stunning natural scenery including Senkakuwan Bay and Ogi Peninsula, and wilderness and wildlife with a rich history including gold and silver mining, Samurai warrior culture and unique agri- and aqua-culture practices. Sado Island is widely considered a perfect, miniature version of Japan.
Day 10: Niigata to Tokyo: Sailing into the bustling port town of Niigata this morning, famous for snow, rice, sake and hot springs. Enjoy breakfast before disembarking and travelling by Shinkansen, ‘bullet train’, to Tokyo Station where you can continue to Tokyo (Haneda) or Narita International Airports, or continue your travels in Japan’s neon-lit capital.

Our ship: Heritage Adventurer

Heritage Adventurer is a true pioneering expedition vessel of exceptional pedigree. Often referred to as the 'Grande Dame of Exploration Cruising' due to her celebrated history and refined design, she was purposebuilt for adventure in 1991 at Finland's Rauma shipyard and specifically designed for Polar exploration. Setting a peerless standard in authentic expedition travel, Heritage Adventurer (…

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Pricing

8 May 2024

Sacred Japan & South Korea - 8 May 2024 to 17 May 2024 - Heritage Adventurer

A Voyage from Osaka to Niigata - Tokyo, Including South Korea

Osaka → Niigata - Tokyo

$1,250 USD off selected departures

Cabin Category	Price Per Person	Description	Availablity
Main Deck Triple	~~$7,650~~ $6,400 USD	Main Deck Triple Cabins on Deck 3 are a spacious 22m2 and feature two porthole windows, two single beds and one Pullman bed which folds down from the wall, comfortable lounge, writing desk, private en-suite with shower, ample storage and a flat screen entertainment system.	Waitlisted
Superior Triple	~~$7,895~~ $6,645 USD	Superior Triple Cabins on Deck 5 are a spacious 22m2 and feature large panoramic windows, two single beds and one Pullman bed which folds down from the wall, comfortable lounge, writing desk, private en-suite with shower, ample storage and a flat screen entertainment system.	Available
Deck 4 Superior	~~$8,700~~ $7,450 USD	Superior Cabins on Deck 4 are a spacious 22m2 and feature large panoramic windows, king or two single beds, comfortable lounge, writing desk, private en-suite with shower, ample storage and a flat screen entertainment system.	Available
Deck 5 Superior	~~$9,250~~ $8,000 USD	Superior Cabins on Deck 5 are a spacious 22m2 and feature large panoramic windows, king or two single beds, comfortable lounge, writing desk, private en-suite with shower, ample storage and a flat screen entertainment system.	Available
Main Deck Single	~~$10,550~~ $9,300 USD	Main Deck Single Cabins on Deck 3 are a spacious 22m2 and feature two porthole windows, king bed, comfortable lounge, writing desk, private en-suite with shower, ample storage and a flat screen entertainment system.	Waitlisted
Superior Single	~~$11,350~~ $10,100 USD	Superior Single Cabins on Deck 5 are a spacious 22m2 and feature large panoramic windows, king bed, comfortable lounge, writing desk, private en-suite with shower, ample storage and a flat screen entertainment system.	Available
Worsley Suite	~~$11,995~~ $10,745 USD	Located on Deck 6, Worsley Suites are a spacious 22m2 and feature large panoramic windows, king or two single beds, comfortable chaise-style lounge suite, writing desk, private en-suite with shower, ample storage and a flat screen entertainment system. Receive complimentary in-room dining, minibar replenished daily, Heritage Expeditions keep cup, notebook and pen.	Available
Heritage Suite	~~$14,000~~ $12,750 USD	Located on Deck 6, Heritage Suites are an expansive 44m2 and feature large double panoramic windows, king bed, large living area with a sofa, coffee table and chairs and grand marble bathroom with a double basin, bathtub and shower, large writing desk, floor to ceiling cabinetry for storage and a flat screen entertainment system. Receive complimentary in-room dining, minibar replenished daily, free laundry, US$100.00 per person SPA credit, Heritage Expeditions keep cup, notebook and pen.	Limited

$1,250 USD off selected departures

Book before 31 May 2024 and SAVE with a flight credit plus enjoy a BONUS Suite Upgrade when you book a Superior Deck 5 or Worsley Suite.

T&C's apply, new bookings only made on Sacred Japan and South Korea departing 8 May 2024, excludes landing fees and optional extras, book Deck 5 travel in a Worsley Suite, book a Worsley Suite and upgrade to a Heritage Suite cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Includes:

Landing fees, one night hotel accommodation equivalent to your on board accommodation (incl. dinner/breakfast), pre cruise transfer and post cruise bullet train transfer, all on board ship accommodation with meals, house beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, and all shore excursions and activities. Programme of lectures by noted naturalists.

Excludes:

All items of a personal nature, laundry, drinks, gratuities. International/domestic flights, visas and travel insurance.

Trip Reports

Looking for a taste of what you can expect on our expeditions or want to relive your voyage? Our Trip Reports offer a detailed, day-by-day account of all of our previous expeditions tracking the voyage route and highlighting the numerous wildlife and cultural encounters experienced along the way.