Arrive in Osaka and embark on Le Laperouse between 6 pm to 7 pm. 

Like its big sister Tokyo, Osaka is the product of ancestral traditions and amazing technological innovations. And despite its size, its location on the Pacific Ocean gives it a sense of serenity. The main historic landmark is the 16th-century Osaka Castle, which stands proudly in the midst of majestic skyscrapers. The lively streets of Dotomburi and the bizarre Shinsekai district attract thousands of locals and visitors. A multitude of restaurants offer menus full of regional specialties: takoyaki, made with octopus, and other succulent dishes such as kushikatsu kebabs.

A former fortified city ruled over by the Matsudaira clan from the Tamamo castle with its seawater moats, the city is home to one of the most beautiful classic gardens in Japan, the Ritsurin. It was created by the barons of the city at the start of the Edo period, during which time gardening became a profession in its own right. Its landscape incorporates Mount Shiun in the background, an example of what is known as the shakkei technique, which uses the surrounding landscapes to increase the beauty of the gardens.

Optional Excursions

RITSURIN GARDENS & FOLK HOUSES

From the pier, embark your coach for the short drive to the Ritsurin Garden. One of Japan's finest gardens, Ritsurin Park is a world-class cultural heritage property that encompasses 185 acres and includes six ponds, 15 bridges and 13 hills in a park design of great variety. The Edo Period park has been designated a spot of special scenic beauty and there are said to be more than sixty separate views within the park, which took over one hundred years to construct. The name “Ritsurin” means “chestnut woods” and shows that the entire park area was once covered with chestnuts in past years.

Before leaving the garden, you will enjoy a tea ceremony led by the tea master.

Next, you will visit Shikokumura, which features traditional Japanese folk houses embodying the old, nostalgic lifestyle in Japan. At the bottom of Yashima Hill is an excellent village museum with old buildings brought from all over Shikoku and neighboring islands. Scattered through the sprawling forest are 27 houses, such as a Country Kabuki theatre, a sugar-making house, a salt refinery house, and a papermaking house.

TAKAMATSU HIGHLIGHTS

Depart from Takamatsu Port to enjoy the rich culture of the area. A 20-minute drive will bring you to Shikokumura, which features traditional Japanese folk houses embodying the old, nostalgic lifestyle in Japan. At the bottom of Yashima Hill is an excellent village museum with old buildings brought from all over Shikoku and neighboring islands. Scattered through the sprawling forest are 27 houses, such as a Country Kabuki theatre, a sugar-making house, a salt refinery house, and a papermaking house.

Your next visit will be at the Ritsurin Garden. One of Japan's finest gardens, Ritsurin Park is a world-class cultural heritage property that encompasses 185 acres and includes six ponds, 15 bridges and 13 hills in a park design of great variety. The Edo Period park has been designated a spot of special scenic beauty and there are said to be more than sixty separate views within the park, which took over one hundred years to construct. The name “Ritsurin” means “chestnut woods” and shows that the entire park area was once covered with chestnuts in past years.
 
After lunch, visit the Nakano Udon school. Here you will have a chance to make your own udon, a type of noodle for which the area is so well known for. After making your own udon, you will be able to eat it for yourself. There is also time for shopping at the store. This is a great introduction to the local gastronomy.

Your last visit of the day is to Yamaji Sansho-en, where you will marvel at the various masterpieces of bonsai, an art form using potted trees. There are many products on sale at the garden which you are eligible to purchase and send to your home country without bringing them back to the ship.

After your time at the bonsai garden, you will make your return to the ship.

Visiting Hiroshima is a moving experience. The town spreads along Honshu Island, along the inside coast of Seto. While firmly focused on the future, Hiroshima doesn’t forget its past, and a visit to the Peace Memorial Park and Genbaku Dome is a must. You’ll enjoy the city's modern, cosmopolitan atmosphere and effervescent nightlife just as much as the peaceful stillness of its natural parkland areas such as splendid Shukkei-en, the town’s historic garden.

Optional Excursions

A TRIP TO MIYAJIMA

Travel by coach following the route to Miyajima-Guchi, here you will board the local ferry for the 10-minute cruise to the lovely island of Miyajima. This picturesque island, considered one of Japan's most scenic destinations, is the location of the Itsukushima Shrine and its famous large red torii gate that rises up out of the ocean.

Depending on the tide, the view of the torii gate will be totally different. At high tide the Torii seems to be floating while at low tide, visitors can walk up to the gate.

The sight of the torii in the background with Mount Misen is designated as one of the “Three most famous views of Japan” with the Amanohashidate sandbar and Matsushima Bay.

The shrine was established in 593, the first year of the reign of Empress Suiko, and is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The current torii was erected in 1875 after the original one was destroyed. The shrine's torii rises 48 feet above the sea, its columns, made of camphor are 30 feet in circumference and supported by smaller pillars, which are buried in the seabed.

The construction of the sanctuary, consisting of structures on piles and pontoons, is due to the sacred status of the island. The visitors had indeed no right to dismount; when they arrived by boat, they passed under the Torii and floating dock on the pontoons. A scene from Noh theatre, also on stilts, is close to the temple.

After your visit to the shrine, you will enjoy a free time to discover the numerous shops located in the narrow streets.

Finally, you will walk back to the ferry terminal for the trip back to Miyajima-Guchi, where your coach awaits to transfer you to the pier in Hiroshima.


HIGHLIGHTS OF HIROSHIMA

In the years just following the atomic bomb blast on 6 August 1945, scientists doubted if Hiroshima could ever live again. Yet modern Hiroshima rose like a phoenix from its own ashes, and less than five decades since its obliteration, it is a vital city with a population of one million and growing.

From the pier, you will reach the poignant Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and its powerful museum. Following the bomb attack, only a few concrete buildings remained standing. Though unusable, one of these ruins is now a symbol of the city and the Memorial Park: the Hiroshima Prefecture Industrial Promotion Hall, now known as the Atomic Bomb Dome, located near the epicenter of the blast. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996, the Dome remains a stark and powerful symbol of the destructive force created by humankind. See the Cenotaph, shaped like an ancient tomb and holding the names of the dead, as well as the Flame of Peace, visited daily by monks offering prayers and burning incense.

Continue to the serene Shukkeien Garden, modeled after the famous West Lake of Hangzhou in China. Shukkeien Garden is a quiet respite from the bustle of Hiroshima's busy streets. Plum trees, azaleas, cherry trees and other plants guarantee a blooming landscape, regardless of the season, and its sculpted gardens, paths, ponds, bridges, waterfalls and bamboo groves make the garden an extremely pleasant and photogenic place for a stroll.

Optional Excursions

SCENERY OF KARATSU

Karatsu is a coastal city on the island of Kyushu. In the past, Karatsu was a major stop for ships making the journey towards Korea and China because it is one of the closest Japanese cities to the Korean Peninsula.

From the pier, board your coach for the drive to the port of Yobuko. On the way, drive past the Karatsu Castle and through the Niji Pine Grove, one of Japan's largest pine groves with approximately 100,000 black pine trees.

On arrival, board a local tour boat for the 40-minute cruise which will allow you to see the 7 caves of Nanatsugama. Thousands of years of continuous wave erosion have formed these unusual and beautiful cliffs today.

It is here that, as a child, Jacques Mayol (the French free-diver) learned to dive and trained in those caves.

Lastly, you will visit Cape Hado which is known as a lovers’ sanctuary. Enjoy a leisurely stroll and see the heart-shaped monument. Walk down the underwater observation tower, located at the confluence of the Japan Current and Tsushima Current, the number and variety of fish you might observe is important. In a nearby hut, you will have a chance to taste the local "grilled turban shells".

TRADITIONS OF KARATSU

On this half-day tour, discover the traditions of puppetry, ceramic ware, and tea ceremony.

From the pier, board your coach for the 15-minute drive to the traditional hotel Yoyokakuy, rated as one of Japan’s top 100 ryokan (traditional Japanese inn). Here, you will experience a traditional “Ningyo Joruri” puppet show, where live performers, dolls, and puppets are mixed to form an artistic theatrical performance.

In the 16th century, Karatsu ceramics were mass produced and sent to areas all over Japan. It is now considered one of the main types of Japanese ceramics. It tends to be sturdier than other types of ceramics and was originally used in daily life. Ceramics, in general, have also been referred to at times as Karatsu ware, due to widespread use around Japan.

Visit the “Nakazato Tarouemon Toubou” gallery – featuring works from the Nakazato family, one of the most famous producers of Karatsu ceramics. The Nakazato family have been making Karatsu ceramics for 14 generations, and is the only family that actually dates all the way back to the origins of this ware. This gallery is located in a traditional style wooden house with a beautiful garden and a koi pond.

Just a couple of minutes walk from the Nakazato gallery, you will see a climbing kiln which was originally used to make the ceramics. No longer in use, the kiln is covered with grass and situated in a peaceful corner of the town. This kind of climbing kiln is still used in the ceramic making: fire burns in the lower chamber of the kiln, and the heat rises through the upper chambers to fire the ceramics. Please note that you will not see this process.

After this visit, you will also visit the Kinsho temple and experience a tea ceremony, before returning to your ship.

HIGHLIGHTS OF KARATSU

Karatsu is a coastal city on the island of Kyushu that in the past was a major stop for ships making the voyage towards Korea and China because it is one of the closest Japanese cities to the Korean Peninsula.

A short drive will bring you to the Karatsu Castle, which was built in 1608 and renewed in 2017. The castle faces the sea and houses a museum about the castle's history and Karatsu ceramics. The top floor offers views of the bay, the city, and the pine grove. To get to the castle tower, you will need to walk up stone steps and take an elevator.

Next, visit the Hikiyama Festival Float Exhibition Hall, which stores and displays the 14 large floats of the Karatsu Kunchi Festival which takes place annually in November.

Your last visit will be Kyu-Takatori-Tei, the former home of Koreyoshi Takatori (1850-1927), a successful coal baron.

This well-restored late Meiji Period villa of a local trader is built in a mix of Japanese and Western styles, with lantern-filled gardens, a Buddhist altar room, a wealth of paintings on cedar boards and an indoor nō stage.

Located on the north-west coast of Kyushu, Nagasaki will impress you with its rich heritage. Despite the destruction in 1945, you can visit several ancient sites, including the beautiful 19th-century Catholic Church of Oura and its garden, the sanctuary of Suwa Shrine as well as several Buddhist temples. A visit to the Atomic Bomb Museum gives you insight into the extent of the damage caused by the nuclear attack. Close by, a walk in the Memorial Peace Park leads you to a collection of objects dﾒart offered as a gift from Japan to the world.

Optional Excursions

NAGASAKI HISTORICAL TOUR

Explore the city of Nagasaki during this remarkable introduction.

First, you will visit the Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture, which is one of the few museums in Japan with the theme of "Overseas Exchange". The museum holds approx. 48,000 precious collections including historical documents and arts & crafts that tell the story of how Nagasaki developed as the sole window opened to foreign countries during the period of national isolation.

Next, continue to Dejima Island; a Dutch outpost that served as Japan's only contact point with the Western world for over 200 years.  Dejima Museum of History portrays the history of Dejima, the manner of daily life for the Dutch who lived there, and how the trading system worked between Japan and the Netherlands.

The Oura Catholic Church is both the oldest Gothic-style wooden building and oldest church in Japan and is the only Western artifact designated a national treasure. The church was founded by French priest Bernard Petitjean, who soon dedicated it to the martyrdom of the 26 saints in Japan in 1597. Though Christianity had been banned in Japan from even before that time, in 1865 Petitjean was approached by local farmers whose families had kept their faith alive in secret through the centuries. The white marble statue of the Holy Mother at the entrance of Oura Catholic Church was placed there in commemoration of these hidden Christians.

Afterward, you will visit Glover Garden: situated on a picturesque hillside looking over Nagasaki Port, you will find a number of late 19th and early 20th-century Western-style buildings gathered together. These gardens are said to be the setting for the opera "Madame Butterfly". 

GROUND ZERO & ATOMIC BOMB MUSEUM

From the pier, take your coach for a short drive to the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Park, commemorating the city's destruction by the atomic bomb dropped on 9 August 1945. Although "Fat Man", the name given to the second bomb dropped on Japan, missed its target by over a mile and a half, it leveled nearly half the city. The park's main attraction is its collection of statues and sculptures donated by countries and groups all over the world. This includes the massive Peace Memorial Statue depicting a man with his right arm pointing to the sky to indicate the continued threat of nuclear destruction.

After a short walk, you will reach Ground Zero, the hypocentre of the catastrophe marked by a sober black pillar. Then visit the Atomic Bomb Museum, with over 900 artifacts indicative of the city's devastation. But more than just a commemoration, the museum promotes peace by denouncing the abomination of war and by tracing the evolution of the use of atomic weapons.

After the Peace memorial sites, you will have some time at leisure at Hamanomachi Arcade, which is a central shopping area of Nagasaki. See the craft shops, restaurants, and local foods stalls.

Enjoy the scenic drive through Dejima, a man-made island created to serve as the only trading post with foreign countries during the Edo era when Japan was closed to the outside world, and completed in 1635. Dutch who were permitted to trade at that time lived on the island. Driving by the China town, you will see the Chinese-style gate, architecture, and decorations from the coach (no stop included).

During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observer marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

Optional Excursions

CHINESE ACROBATIC SHOW

Witness the incredible skills and agility of a truly unique group of artists during this unforgettable demonstration of Chinese acrobatics.
Ancient stone carvings, earthen pottery, and early written works trace the ancestry of today's Chinese acrobats back to 700 B.C. Confucius' father was an acrobat and strongman of unrivaled strength and is reputed to have once lifted 1,000-pound city gates to permit an army to storm through.

During the Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago, the first Chinese acrobats, magicians, and jugglers sprang forth from the annual village harvest celebrations.  With relatively little to do over the long winter, Chinese farmers and village craftsmen decided to spend their idle time improving their social position by becoming acrobats.  They practiced the art form with items found around the house and farm, using cups, saucers, tables, chairs, plates, and even their own bodies to form human walls and pyramids.

Depart the pier for the drive to the Shanghai Center Theater to see a spectacular performance of incredible balance and amazing displays of strength by highly-skilled and trained Chinese acrobats.  Building on the traditional performances, today's artists have added new techniques and spectacular stunts designed to thrill and amaze audiences all around the globe.

Following the show, you will rejoin your coach for the return drive to the pier and ship.

Set in the most amazing geographic location, Shanghai has fast become the largest economic and commercial hub in China. Although this futuristic megalopolis is the capital of excess, it still has soul. See for yourself as you stroll around the Bund district, emblematic of old Shanghai. From here, you can reach People’s Square, a must-see vast and luminous space bordered by historical monuments. In the former French concession, you’ll be able to appreciate the charm of the most Westernised of Chinese cities: a haven of peace in the heart of an urban jungle! 

During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observer marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

Hong Kong, known as the “Fragrant Harbor”, bordered by the South China Sea, is a heady place attracting tourists from the world over. This former British colony today combines ultramodern shopping malls and authentic markets like the Ladies Market or the night market on Temple Street. At first sight, you’ll be overwhelmed by the city’s architecture which, because of lack of ground space, reaches skywards, with its 1,250 skyscrapers and other towers. Believing is seeing, so if you go up to Victoria Peak, the highest point on the island, you’ll see a dizzying and unforgettable view of the bay

During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observer marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

Located 170 kilometers east of Hanoi, in the Gulf of Tonkin, Halong Bay is a marvel of marvels. A must for all who wish to soak up the spirit of Vietnam, at once peaceful and mysterious. You’ll sail into the heart of this legendary natural beauty, not surprisingly listed as UNESCO World Heritage. Over approximately 1,500 square kilometers, the famous bay offers an infinite quasi-supernatural and ghostly spectacle of limestone pillars rising from the sea in all shapes and sizes, sculpted by nature for centuries. This exceptional scenic beauty of this site includes myriad creeks, caves and other interior lakes to feast your eyes on.

Disembark at 7 in the morning

On the banks of the Red River Delta, Haiphong is one of Vietnam's three major ports. Contemporary and outward-looking, the city also has a rich past. One stunning example of its old colonial town is the Du Hang Pagoda, the gateway to Hanoi, the county's capital and a symbol of its anti-colonial struggle. Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam's independence here in 1945, where his body rests in the middle of the Ba Dinh square in his mausoleum. A few hundred meters away is the wrought-iron fence that surrounds the Presidential Palace and the delicate One Pillar Pagoda. Further south, kick back in the peace and quiet of the Confucian Temple of Literature.