Star Collector: Juxtapositions of Japan Hong Kong Star Breeze departing 4 Apr 2023

Hong Kong, officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, is a metropolitan area and special administrative region of the People’s Republic of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta of the South China Sea.

Keelung City is a port city near Taipei, in northern Taiwan. Surrounded by mountains, it’s known for its sheltered harbor. Near the waterfront, street-food stalls at Miaokou Night Market offer traditional snacks and seafood. Several forts around the area include hilltop Ershawan Fort, with cannons and a Chinese-style gate. Both Gongzi Liao Fort and Dawulun Fort offer views over the harbor and ocean.

Ishigaki Island is the commercial hub of the Yaeyama Islands, in Japan’s southwestern Okinawa Prefecture. It’s known for beaches and sites for snorkeling, diving and surfing. Within Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park lies the Shiraho Reef’s rare blue coral. In the interior is Mt. Omoto and other peaks. On the northern Hirakubo Peninsula is the Fukido River, a mangrove forest habitat

Miyako Island is the largest and the most populous island among the Miyako Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Miyako Island is administered as part of the City of Miyakojima, which includes not only Miyako Island, but also five other populated islands.

Okinawa City is the second-largest city in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, following Naha, the capital city. It is located in the central part of the island of Okinawa, about 20 kilometres north of Naha.

Nagasaki is a Japanese city on the northwest coast of the island of Kyushu. It’s set on a large natural harbor, with buildings on the terraces of surrounding hills. It is synonymous with a key moment during World War II, after suffering an Allied nuclear attack in August 1945. The event is memorialized at the city’s Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park.

Osaka is a large port city and commercial center on the Japanese island of Honshu. It’s known for its modern architecture, nightlife and hearty street food. The 16th-century shogunate Osaka Castle, which has undergone several restorations, is its main historical landmark. It’s surrounded by a moat and park with plum, peach and cherry-blossom trees. Sumiyoshi-taisha is among Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines.

Yokohama, a Japanese city south of Tokyo, was one of the first Japanese ports opened to foreign trade, in 1859. It contains a large Chinatown with hundreds of Chinese restaurants and shops. It’s also known for Sankei-en Garden, a botanical park containing preserved Japanese residences from different eras, and the seaside Minato Mirai district, site of the 296m Landmark Tower.

Shimizu-ku is the easternmost of the three wards of the city of Shizuoka in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan.

Karatsu is a coastal city on Japan’s Kyushu island. The reconstructed 17th-century Karatsu Castle offers bay views. Thousands of pine trees form the nearby Nijinomatsubara pine grove, first planted in the 1600s. The Kawamura Museum displays both Western and Japanese art, with a special focus on the early-20th-century painter Shigeru Aoki. To the north, at Nanatsugama, is a series of basalt caves carved by the ocean.

Busan, a large port city in South Korea, is known for its beaches, mountains and temples. Busy Haeundae Beach features the Sea Life Aquarium, plus a Folk Square with traditional games such as tug-of-war, while Gwangalli Beach has many bars and views of modern Diamond Bridge. Beomeosa Temple, a Buddhist shrine founded in 678 A.D., is at the base of Geumjeong Mountain, which has hiking trails. ― Google

Nagasaki is a Japanese city on the northwest coast of the island of Kyushu. It’s set on a large natural harbor, with buildings on the terraces of surrounding hills. It is synonymous with a key moment during World War II, after suffering an Allied nuclear attack in August 1945. The event is memorialized at the city’s Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park.

Kagoshima, a seaside city on Japan’s Kyushu Island, is the capital of Kagoshima Prefecture. It’s best known for Sakurajima, an active volcano that faces Kinko Bay. At its base, the Nagisa Lava Trail winds through lava fields filled with boulders. Once set on an isolated island, the volcano became connected to the Osumi Peninsula after an eruption in 1914.

Hiroshima, a modern city on Japan’s Honshu Island, was largely destroyed by an atomic bomb during World War II. Today, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park commemorates the 1945 event. In the park are the ruins of Genbaku Dome, one of the few buildings that was left standing near ground zero. Other prominent sites include Shukkei-en, a formal Japanese garden, and Hiroshima Castle, a fortress surrounded by a moat and a park.

Takamatsu is a port city on Japan’s Shikoku Island. It’s known for the sprawling Ritsurin Garden, with a teahouse, koi ponds, landscaped hills and pine forests. To the east, atop Mount Yashima, Yashima-ji Temple offers panoramic views over the Seto Inland Sea. Nearby, Shikoku Village is an open-air museum with a collection of historical buildings from around the island. To the south are the hot springs of Shionoe.

Kobe is a city on Osaka Bay in central Japan. It is known for its signature marbled beef and scenic setting of mountains framing the harbor. The Ikuta Shrine, dating to the 3rd century, is among Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines. Antique cable cars connect Kobe to Mt. Rokko, which offers panoramic views over the port. Beyond the Mount Rokko hills are the outdoor hot springs of Arima Onsen.