Tokyo To Tokyo (Yokohama) - EXP230411 Seven Seas Explorer departing 11 Apr 2023

Yokohama is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture and, with a population of 3.6 million, is Japan’s largest city after Tokyo. It is centered on an inlet on the western side of Tokyo Bay, to which it is connected by a half-dozen railway lines as well as expressways and surface streets via Kawasaki. A major industrial zone known as the Keihin Industrial Area stretches along the reclaimed coastline to the north of the central area towards Kawasaki and Tokyo beyond.

This centrally located city at the crossroads of the country offers the international visitor an excellent look at both modern and traditional Japan. It features wide boulevards, a dynamic shopping district in the heart of downtown, and easy access to nearby mountains and beaches for day trips. The main visitor destination here is Nagoya Castle, featuring the samurai armor and treasures of the Tokugawa clan. Other visitor favorites include the Atsuta Shrine & Technology Museum, highlighting the city’s past and present; nearby Inuyama Castle, believed to be the oldest castle in Japan; Noritake Garden and its Craft Center; and Toyokuni Shrine where you can see the large torii (Shinto Shrine gate).

Visit the breathtaking temples and shrines of Japan’s old imperial capital, Kyoto, or visit ancient Nara, the cradle of Japanese arts, literature and crafts, with its magnificent shrines and temples that pre-date Kyoto’s. Stroll through Nara Park, famed for its deer and impressive Kasuga Grand Shrine. Then travel on to Osaka and its famed castle. In Kobe visit historic Himeji Castle, a huge, amazing edifice built entirely of wood and tile! Take home silks, ceramic teapots, paper parasols, superb artworks and pottery among other beautiful objects. Enjoy traditional Japanese fare or indulge in a wonderful dinner of Kobe beef. Everything will be exquisitely prepared and served.

Visit the breathtaking temples and shrines of Japan’s old imperial capital, Kyoto, or visit ancient Nara, the cradle of Japanese arts, literature and crafts, with its magnificent shrines and temples that pre-date Kyoto’s. Stroll through Nara Park, famed for its deer and impressive Kasuga Grand Shrine. Then travel on to Osaka and its famed castle. In Kobe visit historic Himeji Castle, a huge, amazing edifice built entirely of wood and tile! Take home silks, ceramic teapots, paper parasols, superb artworks and pottery among other beautiful objects. Enjoy traditional Japanese fare or indulge in a wonderful dinner of Kobe beef. Everything will be exquisitely prepared and served.

Beppu is a city and spa resort on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. Set between Beppu Bay and volcanic mountains, it’s home to more than 2,000 onsen (hot springs). Kannawa Onsen district has facilities for bathing in nutrient-rich water, mud and sand. The 8 Hells of Beppu—6 in Kannawa, 2 in outlying Shibaseki—are dramatic landscapes of thermal pools. To the west is Mount Tsurumi, accessible by cable car.

Located on the southeastern tip of the Korean Peninsula just two-and-a-half hours from Seoul, Busan is South Korea’s second-largest city. With its deep harbor, it’s also one of the largest commercial ports in the world. Often referred to as “the summer capital of South Korea,” Busan is known for its exceptional beaches, scenic cliffs and ancient temples high in the mountains.

Jeju Island is often called the “Island of the Gods,” for its breathtaking landscape. UNESCO deemed the island’s dormant volcano Hallasan as a Biosphere Reserve because of the abundance and diversity of plant and animal species. Enjoy delicious fare, such as fresh fish, squid, octopus and sea cucumber, as well as its famous Shitake mushrooms and honey, which has a distinct taste.

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.

Call it concentrated paradise. Between Okinawa and Japan’s mainland sits Amami Oshima, an island of lush hills ringed in white beaches boasting verdant coral reefs, mangroves, virgin forests and a collection of fauna and flora that invite comparisons to Galapagos (keep an eye out for Amamino-kurousagi hare, a rare black hare). Swim, dive, fish and snorkel in Amami Oshima’s turquoise waters or take a kayak tour of Kuroshio no Mori Mangrove Park, Japan’s second-largest mangrove forest. Indulge on local favorite keihan, a comforting chicken rice dish, and miki, a drink fermented from rice, sugar and sweet potatoes. Bring home a piece of Oshima Tsumugi, a silk that that’s been locally produced for 1,300 years.

Explore this beautiful island and visit imposing Shuri Castle, home of the Ryukyu royal family for 400 years. Enjoy the scenic countryside, the WWII memorials, the magnificent limestone caves and a reconstructed Ryukyu village where the island’s heritage and crafts are on display.

Kochi boasts beautiful and abundant natural landscapes, from an expansive coastline running with the Kuroshio Current to the clear Shimanto River and the deep green forests that surround it. Located in the south of Shikoku, Kochi is ringed by rugged mountains to the north, and its arc-like southern coastline traces the outline of Tosa Bay. To the east is Cape Muroto, and to the west, Cape Ashizuri, with gently undulating sandy beaches stretching between these two extreme points. The prefecture also boasts the mystical limestone caves of Ryu-ga-do, and the beautiful sands and green pines of Katsura-hama Beach.

On a clear day, you can see magnificent Mount Fuji from the lively Port of Shimizu. Visit The S-Pulse Dream Plaza to tour the Shimizu Sushi Museum with informative displays and models that show the history and variations of Japan’s most famous fare. Stroll through the Kashi-no-Ichi Market, where some of the port’s fresh seafood is sold and be sure to enjoy a delicious cup of tea.

Yokohama is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture and, with a population of 3.6 million, is Japan’s largest city after Tokyo. It is centered on an inlet on the western side of Tokyo Bay, to which it is connected by a half-dozen railway lines as well as expressways and surface streets via Kawasaki. A major industrial zone known as the Keihin Industrial Area stretches along the reclaimed coastline to the north of the central area towards Kawasaki and Tokyo beyond.