Japan Highlights & Yangtze Delta

Day 1 Kobe, Japan

Prior to embarkation you have the option to purchase a coach transfer from hotels in Osaka and Kyoto or Kansai International Airport to the port in Kobe.

There are regular flights from Tokyo airport to Kobe airport.

Day 2 Hiroshima / Miyajima

Hiroshima is an intensely resilient city. Having suffered in recent history from atomic bomb destruction and severe typhoons, Hiroshima is now the center for international peace representations and a major automotive industry. During the 1870’s Hiroshima had one of only seven English speaking schools in Japan. Hiroshima also recently made it onto Lonely Planet’s list of the top cities in the world, with commuting times ranking amongst the shortest in Japan, and the cost of living lower than the other large cities.

Our visit to Hiroshima revolves around the Peace Park, Peace Museum and the A-Bomb Dome. The Peace Park, and the A-Bomb dome (being one of the only buildings to survive the horrific blast), stand in peaceful contrast to the images displayed inside the museum. No visit to Japan is truly complete without visiting the Peace Museum, which is quite an emotional experience for most. The Atomic detonation at Hiroshima forever changed the psyche of the Japanese people and the history of the entire world. One of the few remaining survivors of the actual bombing will talk to us about their personal experiences that day and their life since the bombing in Hiroshima (the lecture will be translated into English).

Itsukushima is the correct name for the island essentially known by all as Miyajima (Shrine Island), which is sacred within both Shintoism and Buddhism. It is one of the most revered locations for Japanese people and is a popular place for weddings. Orion II will slowly approach the island and it's holy mountain of Misen San from across an unusually misty sea. The large vermillion coloured O-Torii that symbolises the entrance gate to the shrine is one of the most recognisable images of Japan. Torii (literally "bird perch") are traditional Japanese gates most commonly found at the entrance of, or within, a Shinto shrine marking the transition from the sacred to the profane. The sprawling Itsukushima shrine appears to float on the water during high tides. Several other shrines and temples are dotted around the island. There is also a great shopping district beside the main shrine. Oysters are a favourite product of Miyajima and vendors sell freshly shucked oysters up and down the main street. Sika Deer wander freely not only through the forested areas but also through out the town and the grounds surrounding the shrine. (Visit to Miyajima will usually try to be timed on the high tide so may be either morning or afternoon)

Included Expeditions
The Itsukushima shrine, it's grand Torri gate and the general town area are accessed on foot after a short walk from the Zodiac landing beach. It is in the Itsukushima shrine, listed by UNESCO as World Heritage area, where our local guides will explain to us the significance of this location. After the performance you can take a guided hike through the forested area of Miyajima, explore more of the temples and shrines, or wander through the main street with it's shopping and eating establishments.

Optional Excursions: Traditional Flower Arrangements (Hiroshima), Sea Kayak the O-Torii Gate of Miyajima. Please contact us for rates.

PLEASE NOTE: DUE TO THE RECENT TRAGIC EVENTS IN JAPAN IT IS NO LONGER APPROPRIATE TO UDERTAKE THE SACRED KAGURA DANCE AND MUSIC PERFROMANCE IN THE SHRINE AT MIYAJIMA AS PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED. WE ARE WORKING TO HOLD THIS EVENT ONBPOARD THE SHIP AS AN ALTERNATIVE. WE APOLOGISE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THIS MAY PRESENT.

Day 3 Shimonoseki, Honshu Island

Shimonoseki sits on the scenic Kanmon Strait, on the tip of the island of Honshu, only a short distance from Kyushu. In fact the nearest city to Shimonoseki is Kitakyushu across the strait on Kyushu. There is in fact an undersea pedestrian tunnel linking the two cities. This strategic location on the Kanmon Strait has seen Shimonoseki take a leading role in many battles through out history. Today the port is a major gateway to and from Japan particularly for cargo traffic coming in and out of South Korea and Japan.

Shimonoseki is most well known today as the home of Fugu, the infamous Japanese Blowfish, edible only when the highly toxic parts have been removed by extremely skilled chefs who have trained for years in the art of Fugu preparation. Our included activities today will give you a great insight into Fugu cuisine in Japan.

From our berth in Shimonoseki, you will find it quite easy to access the township, and even the undersea pedestrian tunnel which opens on the Kyushu side in an area known as “Moji Retro Town”, an attractive shopping area with coffee shops and cafes, our you can join our included expedition to explore the local area.

For those joining our included expedition today we will begin a short distance from our berth at the Shimonoseki Fish Markets. Whilst many varieties of seafood are traded at the markets, it’s Fugu that is the most famous. From the market wee progress to one of the major Fugu traders where we will learn more about the process of preparing the fish for consumption, and where we will ourselves learn the basic skills of the fine art of preparing Fugu sashimi. Fugu sashimi is traditionally ultra thin and whilst we will have the opportunity to try our skills, we will all no doubt appreciate the years of training that goes into producing a true Fugu master chef.

We then proceed to the dramatic Shuhodo cave system, the largest limestone cave system in Japan. The caves complete with flowing underground rivers are easy to explore with wide structured paths and guiding handrails and stairways, making this experience accessible to most. The dramatic limestone structures underground are enhanced with additional lighting to improve your viewing experience and several of the limestone features have been given names based on the forms they resemble.

Optional Excursion: Fabulous Fugu Feast. Please contact us for rates.

Day 4 Nagasaki, Kyushu Island

Nagasaki City, makes up almost half of the total land area of the prefecture with the same name. The prefecture also consists of 971 islands. It has the dubious honour of being the site of the second atomic bomb explosion, after Hiroshima. The Nagasaki Peace Park has been established beside "ground zero" to remind the world of the horrors of atomic weapons and to encourage future peace. Nagasaki has had a long history of European contact with missionaries arriving as early as 1542. St Francis Xavier is believed to visited the area in 1549. As such it is essentially the centre of Japanese Christianity, the Ouru Church of 26 Japanese martyrs (built by the French in 1864) commemorates the killing of 26 missionaries in 1596 by the Shogun of the time. Portuguese and later Dutch and British traders have also had a long history in Nagasaki.

Today we will use the local street cars to transport us to the Nagasaki Peace Park and Ground Zero and also to Dejima, a designated Japanese history site. During Japan's self imposed period of isolation, Dejima was created as a man made island to "contain" Portuguese traders in 1634. From 1641 to 1851 it became a Dutch trading base up until the point it was integrated into the rest of the city as the isolationist period came to an end. Today we also visit Glover Garden, the one time home of Thomas Glover, a Scottish business man who helped to establish ship building and other industries in Nagasaki, and to the Ouru Catholic Church of the 26 Martyrs. A complimentary shuttle into the city area will also be available today.(Guests will be split into different groups to participate in the included activities at different time throughout the day)

Optional Excursion: Unzen Park & Shimabara Explorer. Please contact us for rates.

Day 5 Busan, South Korea

Busan, South Korea, is located on the South easternmost tip of the Korean Peninsula, and faces the Korea Strait. In the 15th century, the Korean government designated Busan to be a trading port with the Japanese. Busan is now the fifth busiest seaport in the world. Some of the restaurants in this district are locally famous, with family recipes passed down the generations. Jagalchi Market is an area of narrow street stalls and is well known for its fish market. Nearby crowded Haeundae beach has to be seen to be believed as thousands of beach goers flock here every day in summer.

A shuttle bus from the port to the central shopping area and fish markets will be available all day in Busan as well as an included expedition visiting several local attractions. The inclusive tour will visit Tongdosa Temple, a colourful Korean Buddhist temple where we can participate in a Korean tea ceremony with the Monks. We will briefly stop at Haeundae beach to witness the spectacle of colour and sound as thousands of Koreans pack themselves onto the beach strip. We then progress to the UN Memorial Cemetery to pay our respects to those who served and lost their lives during the Korean War. As no visit to Busan is complete without a visit to the Jalgachi Fish Market, arguably the best of its kind in the world, where every kind of edible sea creature is on sale, the inclusive tour will also visit here. (Guests will be split into different groups to participate in the included activities at different time throughout the day)

Day 6 Jeju Island, South Korea

This lucky island enjoys warm weather for much of the year so visitors flock to the beaches. A magnet for hikers and scuba divers and those who want to explore Korean culture in one of the many museums.

Day 7 At Sea

At sea

Day 8 Yangtze River

The Yangtze River winds 6,300 kilometres from Quinghai Province to Shanghai - a wonderful way to discover some of the most beautiful landscapes and memorable scenes of Chinese life as we cruise 200 nautical miles up the Yangtze to Nanjing for 3 full days and two night stop overs.

Days 9-10 Nanjing

Nanjing is a rich repository of Chinese history as the capital city of six ancient dynasties. There is much to see here including some of China’s most stunning pagodas and palaces.

Day 11 Shanghai, China

The Shanghai skyline is full of extraordinary architecture and the streets a multicultural mix where Western customs and Chinese traditions create an energetic, colourful culture.

Day 12 Shanghai / Return home

Depart Shanghai this morning for your return journey home.