East Asia Expedition: From the Wild North to Hiroshima's Heritage - Cruise in Japan

An important port on Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, Otaru retains original architecture. Restored warehouses along its canal, lined with Victorian street lamps, house restaurants and boutiques selling sake, music boxes and renowned Otaru glass. Rooted in the herring industry, the town's trading history is evident from Hokkaido's first railway line terminal to the Herring Mansion on the outskirts, once owned by wealthy herring fishermen.

The city of Hakodate in Hokkaido is Japan's northernmost island and is well-known for its seafood, for sale daily at the morning market. Mount Hakodate, reached by gondola. watches over the bustling city. While the area is rich in hot springs, it is best known for the famous snow monkeys who bathe in the hot springs of Yunokawa Onsen at the Hakodate City Tropical Botanical Garden.

Sado, Japan's sixth largest island, has a quaint port at Ogi known for tarai-bune, traditional wooden boats. The island is also famous for its world-renowned taiko drummers, continuing a rich cultural tradition. Once a place of exile for artists and academics, Sado now draws visitors to its rugged coasts, hidden beaches and lush terrain for outdoor activities.

Wajima, a port town on the northern Noto Peninsula, is famed for its Wajima-nuri lacquerware, which is renowned for its durability and displayed at the Museum of Lacquer Art. The thousand-year-old daily Asaichi (Morning) Market is the primary hub, buzzing with locals selling fresh seafood, produce and the distinctive lacquerware. Nearby, Kiriko Hall displays huge illuminated festival floats, some 15 metres tall, used in summer celebrations

A haven for seafood lovers, manga fans and nature enthusiasts, Sakaiminto’s offerings are fairly eclectic for the seemingly slow-paced port town. Fish markets and world-class seafood restaurants line the streets, offering delights including local delicacy, Matsuba snow crab. You can also feast on Pacific bluefin tuna, Sakaiminto salmon, Natsuki rock oysters, swordtip squid and plenty more. The city was also once home to local hero, Shigeru Mizuki, a celebrated manga comic artist. Visit the Mizuki Shingeru museum for a fascinating insight into his life and the world of manga. Stretch your legs and enjoy a hike up the volcanic Mount Daisen, the highest mountain in the region (1730m). Or you may wish to take a gentler trek though the tranquil and restorative beech and cedar forests whilst connecting with nature and indulging in the Japanese pastime of ‘forest bathing’.

Busan, South Korea's second city, blends beaches and mountains with boutiques, lively cafes and delicious seafood in food alleys. The 120m-tall Busan Tower offers a sense of the skyscraper cityscape. Six beaches, including Haeundae and Gwangalli, attract visitors year-round. Gamcheon Culture Village, previously a slum, is now a kaleidoscopic haven of art nestled on the coastal mountain foothills, affectionately dubbed the "Machu Picchu of Busan."

Famous for its fugu (also known as puffer or blowfish), Shimonoseki at the southwestern tip of Honsho, is surrounded on three sides by the ocean. The Japanese delicacy is available at Karato Ichiba fish market. Other attractions include Kozan-ji Buddhist temple, a ‘National Treasure of Japan’ that dates from 1327 and the photogenic 1,780-m-long Tsunoshima Bridge, which connects Tsunoshima island (part of Shimonoseki city) with Honshu.

Hiroshima is a city of peace and resilience. The Hiroshima Peace Park and Museum, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, vividly portrays the aftermath of the atomic bombing. Designed by Kenzō Tange and inaugurated in 1955, the museum serves as a global symbol of peace, featuring a solemn cenotaph bearing the victims' names and the Flame of Peace, lit in 1964. The Genbaku Dome stands as the sole original structure left at the blast site.

Itineraries are subject to change.