Grand Japan with Gion, Tenjin & Nebuta Festivals Cruise

Day 1 - Tokyo

Arrive: Mon 19 July 2021 / Depart: Mon 19 July 2021 at 17:00

Yokohama and Edo began life as sleepy fishing villages. That changed in the early 17th century after Tokugawa Ieyasu became Shogun. Edo became the center of political power in Japan, a position the city retained even after the restoration of Imperial rule in 1866. Contemporary Tokyo may be the most astonishing city on earth. It's a paradoxical mix of ancient tradition and postmodern culture. The Ginza - an international shopping mecca - stands near the serene grounds of the Imperial Palace, and the hyper-speed of 21st century consumerism is mysteriously reconciled with the elegance and serenity of traditional culture. Tokyo provides the traveler with a dizzying experience. With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Edo was renamed Tokyo, the "Eastern Capital," to distinguish it from the old imperial capital at Kyoto, the "Western Capital."

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - Nagasaki

Arrive: Wed 21 July 2021 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 21 July 2021 at 18:00

The Peace Park is a poignant reminder of relatively recent times in this busy colourful city. Visit Glover Mansion, the setting for Puccini's 'Madame Butterfly', which looks out over the Chinese temples.

Day 4 - Busan, South Korea

Arrive: Thu 22 July 2021 at 07:00 / Depart: Thu 22 July 2021 at 17:00

The second largest city in South Korea, Busan is your gateway to a fascinating land whose culture is a unique amalgam of old and new. Modern high-rise towers dwarf ancient Buddhist temples. The city's bustling business district offers a stark contrast to the serene grounds of Yongdusan Park. In short, Busan is a microcosm of South Korea, a nation whose startling economic success often obscures one of Asia's most sophisticated and venerable cultures. Busan was the scene of bitter fighting during the Korean War. The United Nations Memorial Cemetery marks the final resting place for the troops from 16 nations who gave their lives during the conflict.

Day 5 - Kanmon Straits, Japan

Arrive: Fri 23 July 2021 at 05:00 / Depart: Fri 23 July 2021 at 07:00

Day 6 - Kobe

Arrive: Sat 24 July 2021 at 07:00 / Depart: Sat 24 July 2021 at 21:00

Kobe is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyogo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshu. Its name comes from "kanbe", an archaic title for supporters of the city's Ikuta Shrine. With a population of about 1.5 million, the city is part of the Keihanshin (Keihanshin) metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kyoto. The earliest written records regarding the region come from the Nihon Shoki, which describes the founding of the Ikuta Shrine by Empress Jing? in AD 201. For most of its history the area was never a single political entity, even during the Tokugawa Period, when the port was controlled directly by the Tokugawa Shogunate. Kobe did not exist in its current form until its founding in 1889.

Day 7 - Osaka

Arrive: Sun 25 July 2021 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 25 July 2021 at 21:00

For centuries, Osaka was Japan's cultural and commercial gateway to Asia - the point of entry both for trade goods and, most importantly, cultural influences that shaped Japanese society. From tea to Zen, from art to science and philosophy, Osaka was Japan's contact with the great East Asian cultures that flourished in China and Korea. The city reached its zenith in the late 16th century, when the great feudal lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi made Osaka his capital. Toyotomi was master of Japan, and an immense administrative and commercial center rapidly developed around Osaka Castle. After Toyotomi's death, the nation's seat of power shifted from Osaka to a sleepy little fishing village called Edo - modern Tokyo. While overshadowed by Tokyo, Osaka remains Japan's second largest city and a vital commercial center. Modern Osaka is home to monuments from Japan's past including Toyotomi's immense castle and the Sumiyoshi Shrine. The city is also your gateway to Kyoto, Japan's ancient imperial capital and the nation's cultural and spiritual center.

Day 8 - At Sea

Day 9 - Tokyo

Arrive: Tue 27 July 2021 at 06:30 / Depart: Tue 27 July 2021 at 17:00

Yokohama and Edo began life as sleepy fishing villages. That changed in the early 17th century after Tokugawa Ieyasu became Shogun. Edo became the center of political power in Japan, a position the city retained even after the restoration of Imperial rule in 1866. Contemporary Tokyo may be the most astonishing city on earth. It's a paradoxical mix of ancient tradition and postmodern culture. The Ginza - an international shopping mecca - stands near the serene grounds of the Imperial Palace, and the hyper-speed of 21st century consumerism is mysteriously reconciled with the elegance and serenity of traditional culture. Tokyo provides the traveler with a dizzying experience. With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Edo was renamed Tokyo, the "Eastern Capital," to distinguish it from the old imperial capital at Kyoto, the "Western Capital."

Day 10 - Ishinomaki, Japan

Arrive: Wed 28 July 2021 at 10:00 / Depart: Wed 28 July 2021 at 18:00

Day 11 - Hakodate

Arrive: Thu 29 July 2021 at 12:00 / Depart: Thu 29 July 2021 at 23:00

It took Commodore Perry and American gunboat diplomacy to open Japan to the outside world after two centuries of self-imposed isolation. In 1859, the port of Hakodate became the first Japanese city fully opened to Westerners under the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. Foreigners soon flocked to Hakodate, and today visitors wandering the cobblestone streets of the city's Motomachi District can view their Western-style frame houses. Hakodate, once a fishing port famed for its high quality fish and shellfish, quickly became Hokkaido's largest city and one of Japan's most important ports. The Great Hakodate Fire of 1934 dealt the city a near fatal blow - a blow from which Hakodate was slow to recover. Today the city is Hokkaido's third largest - surpassed by Sapporo and Asahikawa - but retains its foremost position as the finest Japanese producer of sushi's raw product: the high quality seafood caught in Hokkaido's cold waters.

Day 12 - At Sea

Day 13 - Vladivostok

Arrive: Sat 31 July 2021 / Depart: Sat 31 July 2021

The capital of Primorsky Territory, Vladivostok has served as Russia's bastion in the Far East since Czarist times. Located on the hills above Golden Horn Bay, the city is the terminus for the fabled Trans-Siberian Railroad, the longest continuous rail line in the world. The homeport of Russia's Pacific Fleet, Vladivostok was closed to the outside world until 1992.

Day 14 - At Sea

Day 15 - Aomori

Arrive: Mon 02 August 2021 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 02 August 2021 at 23:00

The capital of the Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan, Aomori derives much of its beauty from the apple orchards and cherry blossoms that encompass its landscape and the snow-covered Hakkoda Mountains that look on from a distance. Throughout its history, the city has been stricken with misfortune time and time again - in 1910, a fire destroyed Aomori, and during World War II, the city was left in ruins following an air raid - yet it always prevails. Aomori is cherished by many who believe a local legend that the grave of Jesus Christ lies within the southern part of Aomori prefecture. However, Aomori is perhaps best known for its renowned Nebuta Festival, an elaborate yearly event in which participants illuminate giant paper representations of samurai warriors, animals, and popular cartoon characters while parading them through the streets.

Day 16 - At Sea

Day 17 - Tokyo

Arrive: Wed 04 August 2021 at 06:30 / Depart: Wed 04 August 2021

Yokohama and Edo began life as sleepy fishing villages. That changed in the early 17th century after Tokugawa Ieyasu became Shogun. Edo became the center of political power in Japan, a position the city retained even after the restoration of Imperial rule in 1866. Contemporary Tokyo may be the most astonishing city on earth. It's a paradoxical mix of ancient tradition and postmodern culture. The Ginza - an international shopping mecca - stands near the serene grounds of the Imperial Palace, and the hyper-speed of 21st century consumerism is mysteriously reconciled with the elegance and serenity of traditional culture. Tokyo provides the traveler with a dizzying experience. With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Edo was renamed Tokyo, the "Eastern Capital," to distinguish it from the old imperial capital at Kyoto, the "Western Capital."