Cherry Blossoms of Japan Cruise: A 12-Day Spring Voyage From Tokyo To Osaka, Including Busan, South Korea

This morning we 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. To allow time for disembarkation procedures and travel from Osaka, we do not recommend booking flights departing before 1300 hours. Note: During our voyage, circumstances may make it necessary or desirable to deviate from the proposed itinerary. This can include poor weather and opportunities for making unplanned excursions. Your Expedition Leader will keep you fully informed. This tour offers a variety of activities and excursions. Your personal interests will determine which of these you wish to join. Please note that some activities and excursions will run at similar times, and it will not be possible to participate in both. Accordingly, refunds for excursions and missed landings are not available. Voyages are planned and scheduled pending final regulatory approval.

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 studded with cherry blossom trees to explore and offers stunning views of the nearby towering Okayama Castle. This afternoon we will continue to Kurashiki, where we explore the old merchant quarter, and its fine 17th-Century wooden warehouses painted white with traditional black tiles along a canal framed with weeping willows and filled with koi. There will also be the opportunity to visit the Ohara Museum of Art which includes rare works by Matisse, Picasso and Renoir and collections from Japan’s renowned Mingei movement, including ceramics by Shōji Hamada. For those interested in art you may wish to travel to Naoshima Island – Japan’s stunning art island. Your time exploring Naoshima Island will have you admiring its architecture, art museums and Labyrinth of Cherry Blossoms, including Chichu Art Museum and Benesse House, featuring work by Japanese and international artists including the iconic pumpkins by Yayoi Kusama.

Despite its history, including being the site of the world’s first atomic bomb attack on 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, the permanently lit ‘Flame of Peace’ and 450 cherry blossom trees. We plan to time our visit to Miyajima Island to experience the floating Torii Gate. Considered one of Japan’s most scenic spots, it is also the location of the famed Daisho-in Buddhist temple and some 1,300 cherry blossom trees. Choose to indulge in fresh local oysters and ice cream, while native Sika deer wander the streets, and enjoy the views of the Shinto Shrine and Torri Gate.

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 our time here, peak cherry blossom season, 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.

Today we cross the Sea of Japan to South Korean metropolis Busan, known for its beautiful beaches, bustling city streets, Buddhist temples, cinematic legacy, mountains and the largest fish market in South Korea. Options today could include a visit to South Korea’s cherry blossom capital Jinhae, or exploring the labyrinthine streets of Gamcheon Culture Village, decorated with various murals and art pieces crafted by the locals themselves, its brightly coloured houses earning it the title ‘the Santorini of South Korea’, and wandering the endless isles of the Jagalchi Fish Market sampling some of the local delicacies. One of the few Buddhist temples by the sea, descend 108 steps to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple which promises to answer at least one wish through sincere prayers and has an impressive cherry blossom display. Enjoy a new perspective from 411 metres at BUSAN X the SKY tower and marvel at the engineering feat and city icon that is the Busan Gwangandaegyo Bridge.

This morning we explore Shikoku Island and the port of Uwajima situated deep inside the saw-toothed coast of Uwajima Bay. The city of Uwajima is emerging as the nation’s largest pearl cultivation centre and we will learn the process of implanting, harvesting, extracting and sorting pearls on a visit to a pearl farm. We will also see Uwajima Castle, amid a sea of pink and white cherry blossoms, which is built on top of a hill with panoramic views over the town and harbour and the Tenshaen Garden, built in the Samurai era. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure aboard Heritage Adventurer as we sail to Busan, South Korea.

Perched on the Pacific Ocean coastline, Kochi combines a variety of natural attractions and outdoor activities with a unique culture and historical towns featuring castles, ancient sake breweries and traditional markets. A national surfing hot spot, Kochi’s rugged coast has earned it UNESCO Global Geopark status while cherry blossoms abound at Kochi Castle, Mount Soda, Nishigawa Flower Park, and Nyuta. Our explorations here could include 8th Century Chikurin-ji Temple with its five-storied pagoda and stunning gardens registered as a National Place of Scenic Beauty, and Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden honouring the life’s work of botanist Dr. Tomitaro Makino, the father of Japanese botany. It features more than 3,000 plant and tree species including 40 different species of cherry blossoms. While Ryugado ‘Dragon River’ Cave, one of Japan’s three largest limestone caves, was formed over the course of 175 million years and features an 11-metre waterfall inside.

The coastal city of Owase, famous for its seafood and walking trails, is a lively Edo-period town and former post station (rest stop with accommodation, shopping and dining for travellers) on one of ancient Japan’s traditional travel routes. Our time here can be spent exploring the village and its local delicacies; Owase Shrine which is home to an ancient pair of Camphor trees, one of which is over 1,000 years old, and Tanemaki Gonbei-no-Sato garden. The latter, built in honour of the folk song legend, features Gonbei House exhibiting folklore materials and magnificent Japanese gardens featuring colourful Kawazu and Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms.

Famous for its castles, cars, and culinary delights, Nagoya is home to a vibrant culture and Japan’s fourth most populated city. Regarded as the nation’s leader in automotive, machine tooling, robotics, fine ceramics and aerospace industry, it is also Japan’s industrial powerhouse. Nagoya is home to cherry blossom hot spots Inuyama Castle, one of Japan’s 12 original castles and designated National Treasure; the Shikinomichi ‘Path of Four Seasons’, where hundreds of cherry trees line the Yamazaki River for almost a kilometre; 1,400 trees lining the banks of the Gojogawa River creating a pink arch during Iwakura Cherry Blossom Festival; and Tsuruma Park, a popular spot for cherry blossom viewing parties under the trees. Other destinations of interest include the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology which pays tribute to the iconic badge which helped shape Japan, Atsuta Jingu Shrine, one of Japan’s greatest centres of worship since ancient times and home of sacred sword Kusanagi-no-tsurugi, one of the three sacred treasures that symbolise the Imperial Throne.

This morning we sail into the Port of Shimizu, widely considered one of Japan’s most beautiful ports with sweeping views of Mount Fuji dominating the skyline. Home to Japan’s greatest Shogun Tokugawa Leyasu and Japan’s famed green tea heartland, Shizuoka has much to explore and experience. Options today could include a visit to Fujisan Sengen Shrine at the foothills of Mount Fuji and home to around 500 cherry blossom trees, Shimizu Funakoshi-zutsumi Park where 850 cherry blossom trees in bloom frame views of Mount Fuji, Obuchi Sasaba Tea Fields and their panoramic views of Mount Fuji and lush tea plantations. At Shiraito Falls, discover one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Japan, this 150-metre wide 20-metre high cascade was named after its resemblance to hanging threads of silk. Other options could include a visit to Mount Fuji World Heritage Center, a museum dedicated to Japan’s famous landmark, remote Kotokuji Temple surrounded by cherry blossom trees and offering stunning views of Mount Fuji surrounded by cherry blossoms, or stretch your legs at Japan’s first toll tunnel Meiji Utsunoya Tunnel, opened in 1876 under Utsunoya Pass to connect eastern Japan with the imperial capital of Kyoto.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before exploring the world’s most populous city as we celebrate cherry blossom season at some of the capital’s most iconic destinations. This afternoon we will make our way to the Port of Tokyo, where your Captain and Expedition Team will welcome you aboard Heritage Adventurer. This evening, join the expedition team in the Observation Lounge or up on the Observation Deck as we set sail for Shizuoka.

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 our group will spend the first night of the expedition. This evening meet your fellow voyagers and expedition guides over dinner at the hotel.

Itineraries are subject to change.