14-Day Sea of Japan & Plum Blossoms Cruise

Day 1 - Tokyo

Arrive: Sat 27 February 2027 / Depart: Sat 27 February 2027

Day 2 - At Sea

Day 3 - Osaka

Arrive: Mon 01 March 2027 / Depart: Mon 01 March 2027

Day 4 - At Sea

Day 5 - Busan, South Korea

Arrive: Wed 03 March 2027 / Depart: Wed 03 March 2027

Busan is the second largest city in South Korea, and the country's seaside connection to Japan and the West. Lovely urban scenery, the Pusan International Film Festival, and near-by hot springs has made Busan a popular leisure destination. Busan has the sophistication of a major city, as well as famous beaches that lure visitors from all over the world. The city is a microcosm of South Korea, a nation whose economic success often obscures, to Westerners, one of Asia's most sophisticated and venerable cultures.

Day 6 - Sakaiminato

Arrive: Thu 04 March 2027 / Depart: Thu 04 March 2027

Renowned for its bounty of fresh seafood, Sakaiminato is a fishing town backed by mountains in the Honshu region. Izumo Grand Shrine is one of Japan’s most important Shinto temples, and the six-story, black Matsue Castle is one of the oldest surviving Tokugawa Samurai castles. View the snow-capped Mount Daisen, the vermilion, elaborately carved Hinomisaki temples or soak in the Kaike Onsen hot springs by the sea. The Adachi Museum holds a collection of modern Japanese art, while the Tottori Flower Road is a 124-acre flower garden. On the streets, a number of statues commemorate the Yokai figures created by the locally-born manga artist Mizuki Shigeru.

Day 7 - Kanazawa

Arrive: Fri 05 March 2027

One of Japan’s best-preserved cities, Kanazawa escaped war damage and natural disasters to reward visitors with a wealth of architecture as an important clan castle town from the mid-17th century until the middle of the 19th. The mighty Kanazawa Castle did not survive intact, but its famous Ishikawa Gate, the Sunjikken Longhouse and lavish Kenrokuen Garden hint at the grandeur. Of special note are the surviving Higashi Geisha District and Samurai District streets. The Temple area holds the Myoryuji Temple with its hidden passages and secret doors giving it the nickname the Ninja Temple. The Oyamajinja Shrine is a later addition, its three-story gate with impressive stained glass windows reveal a Dutch influence. Museums worth exploring include the Kanazawa Yasue Gold Leaf Museum, with examples of the arts and crafts using the pure gold decoration for which the region is famous. Another museum celebrates the Buddhist philosopher D. T. Suzuki, credited with introducing Zen philosophy to the West, and a striking 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. Nearby Mt. Utatsu is renowned for its Three Shrines. VIEW CRUISES

Day 8 - Kanazawa

Depart: Sat 06 March 2027

One of Japan’s best-preserved cities, Kanazawa escaped war damage and natural disasters to reward visitors with a wealth of architecture as an important clan castle town from the mid-17th century until the middle of the 19th. The mighty Kanazawa Castle did not survive intact, but its famous Ishikawa Gate, the Sunjikken Longhouse and lavish Kenrokuen Garden hint at the grandeur. Of special note are the surviving Higashi Geisha District and Samurai District streets. The Temple area holds the Myoryuji Temple with its hidden passages and secret doors giving it the nickname the Ninja Temple. The Oyamajinja Shrine is a later addition, its three-story gate with impressive stained glass windows reveal a Dutch influence. Museums worth exploring include the Kanazawa Yasue Gold Leaf Museum, with examples of the arts and crafts using the pure gold decoration for which the region is famous. Another museum celebrates the Buddhist philosopher D. T. Suzuki, credited with introducing Zen philosophy to the West, and a striking 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art. Nearby Mt. Utatsu is renowned for its Three Shrines. VIEW CRUISES

Day 9 - Niigata, Japan

Arrive: Sun 07 March 2027 / Depart: Sun 07 March 2027

Day 10 - Akita, Japan

Arrive: Mon 08 March 2027 / Depart: Mon 08 March 2027

Day 11 - Aomori

Arrive: Tue 09 March 2027 / Depart: Tue 09 March 2027

Located on the northernmost harbor of Japan’s main island of Honshu, Aomori is the traditional departure point for Hokkaido Island. It is famous for its summer Nebuta Matsuri festival, and has a museum that recaptures the color and pageantry for those who visit in other seasons. Explore the earliest prehistoric cultures of Japan at the Sannai Maruyama archaeological site, or visit the Aomori Museum of Art for a look at more contemporary works. Nearby Hirosaki boasts a 17th Century castle. Visit either the Auga or the Furukawa public fish market, where you can create your own version of a donburi rice bowl with pristinely fresh local seafood.

Day 12 - Miyako,Iwate, Japan

Arrive: Wed 10 March 2027 / Depart: Wed 10 March 2027

Day 13 - Ishinomaki, Japan

Arrive: Thu 11 March 2027 / Depart: Thu 11 March 2027

Ishinomaki is a city on Japan’s Honshu mainland. Housed in a striking spaceship-shaped building, the Mangattan Museum is dedicated to the work of manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. Along the coast, San Juan Bautista is a replica of a 17th-century Japanese galleon. Offshore, Kinkasan Island is home to wild deer and the 8th-century Koganeyama-jinja Shrine. Trails lead to the island’s summit for panoramic city views.

Day 14 - Hitachinaka, Japan

Arrive: Fri 12 March 2027 / Depart: Fri 12 March 2027

Day 15 - Tokyo

Arrive: Sat 13 March 2027 / Depart: Sat 13 March 2027