Treasures of Japan & South Korea Cruise

Fly by scheduled flight to Tokyo.

Arrive and transfer to our central hotel for an overnight stay. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

After breakfast in the hotel, a morning city tour will include the Meiji Shrine and Sensoji Temple. Continue to the train station to join the bullet train to Kanazawa where, on arrival, we will transfer to the MS Island Sky.

Kanazawa is a thriving centre of the arts, long known for its lacquer ware, outstanding collectable pottery of the Kutani style, gold leaf workmanship, delicate hand painting of silk for kimonos and 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 openair market displays a vast variety of items from flowers to fish and local handicrafts. Next to the Kanazawa Castle ruins, we will visit one of Japan’s premier highlights, the famed Kenroku-en Garden, ranked among the country’s top three gardens. Alternatively, you can choose to head towards the mountains and explore the town of Inami, built by expert wood carvers, whose magnificent craftsmanship can be seen in Zuisenji Temple. Today the town is home to 120 woodworking studios, with craftsmen keeping the traditional practice alive. From here we will drive to Gokayama where we will see the traditional gassho-zukuri style houses, which are still used today as homes. Walking through the village here we will experience the history and heritage of Japan.

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 on the local canals. Alternatively visit the Adachi Museum of Art which is set in a beautiful natural environment and well known for both its superb Japanese gardens and its collection of contemporary Japanese paintings, comprising approximately 1,500 of the country’s most highly regarded paintings produced after the Meiji period. Return to the ship for lunch as we sail for South Korea this afternoon.

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. At lunchtime, we will sample Korean delicacies and enjoy a cultural performance of traditional dance.

From our berth in Masan we head inland to the Haeinsa Temple. Regarded as one of the three great temples in Korea, it was first settled in 802 AD and its name derives from a verse in a Buddhist Sutra as ‘reflections on a smooth sea’. In the 13th century when Korea was at war with the Mongols, the government commissioned the Triptaka Koreana, a complete copy of Buddhist scriptures, in the hope of Buddha’s intervention in the war. They were carved onto 81,258 double sided wooden blocks and stored on floor to ceiling shelves in the Janggyeong Panjeon building. After a traditional Korean lunch we will visit the Hapcheon Museum. On our way back to Masan we will stop in Okjeon to explore the ancient tombs that give an insight into Korea’s early history and customs.

This morning, we arrive into Yeosu whose name means ‘beautiful (Yeo) waters (su)’ and this picturesque coastal city lives up to the name. The city and surrounding area has a rich history paired with beautiful scenery and coastline. We will use Yeosu as our base to explore the local area with a choice of tours this morning. You can choose to visit the historic Naganeupseong Walled Town which contains a fortress town of over 59,504 square metres in size. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is considered the best preserved fortress town in the country. We will walk through this preserved town learning of its history, witness the traditional craftsmen at work and see the traditional houses, some of which are still occupied. Many families have lived in the village for generations keeping this traditional lifestyle alive. Alternatively we will delve into the natural beauty of the area with a visit to Suncheon. We will start at Suncheon Bay National Garden, a stunning landscape of themed gardens, flower fields and ecofriendly design showcasing Korea’s commitment to sustainability. From here we will travel by Skycube (a driverless electric train) to Suncheon Bay Wetland Reserve, one of South Korea’s most important ecological sites, home to reed fields, mudflats and migratory birds. We will walk along the boardwalks taking in this stunning setting hoping to catch sight of some of the wildlife that inhabits the area. After lunch on board the afternoon is free to explore Yeosu and a shuttle bus will run from the ship to a central point in the city.

After a morning at sea sailing back to Japan, we arrive into the city of Kitakyushu, located on the island of Kyushu. Here we will visit the Kokura Castle, which was originally built in 1602 but rebuilt in 1959 and is surrounded by a beautiful Japanese Garden. From here we will stop at the Moji Port Retro Area which is home to a number of historic buildings from the 19th century. The port was designated a special trade port due to its proximity to China and flourished with financial institutions and merchant companies. The architecture is a mix including western style buildings which always come as a bit of a surprise. There will also be the chance to visit the TOTO Museum which showcases the company’s products, the most famous being its electronic toilets which are hard to miss when visiting Japan, and Japan’s passion and drive for electronics.

Arrive this morning in Hiroshima for our visit to the compelling Peace Memorial Park. The park is dotted with memorials, including the Cenotaph which contains the names of all the known victims of the atomic bomb and the permanently lit “Flame of Peace”. Just outside the park, the Atomic Bomb Dome is a haunting reminder of the destructive forces that were unleashed on the city being one of the few original buildings to survive. In the museum we will see photos, videos and victim’s personal effects relating to the bomb. Over lunch we sail to Miyajima. Considered one of Japan’s top scenic wonders, Miyajima provides a picture postcard vista of the scarlet Torii gate, the giant camphor wood gates at the entrance to the Shinto Shrine. We will use the vessel’s Zodiacs to go ashore and explore the Itsukushima Jinja Shrine, founded in the 6th century and dedicated to three sea goddesses.

From the port of Uno-Ko we 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. After a Japanese lunch in a local restaurant, we will continue to the former residence of the Nozaki family. This mansion was built by Nozaki Buzaemon during the Edo period and is famed for his ‘Salt Farm Kingdom’. This huge estate is split into the family’s living area, different gardens as well as storehouses and tea ceremony pavilions. The residence takes you back to the Edo period with its exquisite architecture and decorations.

Arriving during the night we awake in Takamatsu, located on Shikoku Island on the northern shores of the Seto Inland Sea. This morning we visit the small town of Kinashi which has a rich history of producing bonsai for 250 years. We will explore the town, visit a Bonsai nursery and make our way to Ritsurin Garden, recognised as one of the most beautiful in Japan and built by feudal lords in the early Edo Period. With a backdrop against the wooded Mount Shiun, we will wander along the paths of this historic landscape garden dotted with ponds, historic trees and pavilions. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure exploring Takamatsu town.

We will disembark this morning and transfer to Kansai Airport for the scheduled flight to London.

Arrive today.

Itineraries are subject to change.