destination
asia
z-Inland Sea of Japan- Discovery of an Ancient Culture
trip specifics
price
2012 - 11 Day
2012 - 9 Day
*Prices are per person based on double occupancy
|
Ctgy |
Type |
Price ($US) |
|
B | Ocean Suite |
$8425 |
|
A |
Ocean Suite |
$9820 |
|
AA |
Ocean Suite |
$10750 |
|
JS |
Junior Suite |
$11680 |
|
DS |
Deluxe Suite |
$13440 |
|
BS |
Balcony Suite | $15195 |
|
PHS |
Penthouse Suite |
$16955 |
|
Ctgy |
Type |
Price ($US) |
|
B | Ocean Suite |
$6740 |
|
A |
Ocean Suite |
$7855 |
|
AA |
Ocean Suite |
$8600 |
|
JS |
Junior Suite |
$9345 |
|
DS |
Deluxe Suite |
$10750 |
|
BS |
Balcony Suite | $12160 |
|
PHS |
Penthouse Suite |
$13565 |
duration
11 daystrip dates
Coming Soon!
trip level
view explanation
highlights
Kobe, JapanUno Ko, Honshu Island
Hiroshima, Honshu Island
Miyajima, Inland Sea
Uwajima, Shikoku Island
Nagasaki, Kyushu Island
Busan, South Korea
Sakai Ko, Honshu Island
Kanazawa, Honshu Island
Sea of Japan
Otaru, Hokkaido
accomm types
Small Ship
* 9 Day Inland Sea of Japan Highlights brief Itinerary is posted below this detailed itinerary.
Day 1 - Kobe
The city was briefly the capital of Japan in 1180 it became an important hub for trade with China and other countries. In the 13th century, the city came to be known by the name Hyōgo Port, as it is known today, it was founded on April 1, 1889, and was designated on September 1, 1956 by government ordinance. The history of the city is closely tied to that of the Ikuta Shrine, and the name "Kobe" derives from "kanbe" a name for those who supported the shrine. Kobe is sister city to Seattle USA and Brisbane Australia. From Kobi we cruise the inland sea to Hiroshima.
There are regular flights from Tokyo airport to Kobe airport.
Accommodations: Orion II
Included Meals: dinner
Day 2 - Cruise Inland Sea & Uno Ko (Honshu Island)
Hiroshima is an intensely resilient city. Having suffered in recent history from Atomic bomb destruction and severe typhoons’ Hiroshima is the center for international peace representations, major automotive industry and a high consumption of cabbage. During the 1870s Hiroshima had one of the 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.
Accommodations: Orion II
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 3 - Hiroshima (Honshu Island) & Miyajima Island
Hiroshima is an intensely resilient and fascinating city. Having suffered in recent history from Atomic bomb destruction and severe typhoons’ Hiroshima is the center for international peace representations, a big car industry and a high consumption of cabbage. During the 1870s Hiroshima had one of the only seven English speaking schools in Japan among a wealth of other fascinating observations, Hiroshima recently made it onto Lonely Planet's list of the top cities in the world. Commuting times rank amongst the shortest in Japan and the cost of living is lower than other large cities in Japan such as Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, or Fukuoka.
Miyajima is a sacred site of both Shintoism and Buddhism and one of the most enchanting places on Earth. Across the mist-enshrouded sea, we will slowly approaching the island and its holy mountain of Misen San. Long before Buddhism came to Japan in the 5th century AD, Shinto sages lived as hermits in the mountain’s forested hills. Today the small island of only 12 square miles and is visited by pilgrims retaining its extraordinary sense of serenity and magic.
Blanketed with primeval forests, Misen San is the highest peak on Miyajima Island, rising to 530 meters (1739 feet). From its summit the panoramic view of many other islands in the Seto Inland Sea and the distant mountain ranges of Shikoku is spectacular. Near the summit are a few small temples including the Gumonjido, a temple founded in the early 9th century AD. A flame burning within the temple has burned consistently from the time of the temple's dedication to the present. The forests of Misen San are also home to some two thousand domesticated deer.
Accommodations: Orion II
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 4 - Uwajima, Shikoku Island
Uwajima, Shikoku Island, is a window into Japan’s rural past. So much of life in Uwajima traditionally revolved around the spirit of the Bull Demon, Ushioni. A giant representation of Ushioni will greet us at the pier on arrival. Uwajima town area has a local gourmet shopping precinct highlighting local produce and also has the Uwajima Pearl Centre, showcasing several of the local pearl producing families and their work. The Japanese have long been known for their cultured pears and several of the famous Japanese pearl producing families are based in and around the Uwajima area.
Accommodations: Orion II
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 5 - Nagasaki
Nagasaki has five peninsulas, 971 islands and many exotic precincts. A diverse, exciting and energetic area of varied cultural and topographical differences. Almost half of the total land area of the prefecture consists of 971 inhabited and uninhabited islands. Kujuku-shima Islands is part of part of Saikai National Park, and Fugen-dake, the principal peak of the volcano Unzen-dake, which is situated right in the center of the Shimabara-hanto Peninsula. From here cross the sea of Japan.
Accommodations: Orion II
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 6 - Busan, South Korea
Busan's weather will be warm as the city is located on the South eastern most tip of the Korean Peninsula and faces the Korea Strait. In the fifteenth century, the Korean government designated Busan as 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 (near part of the very active port) is an area of narrow street stalls and is well known for its fish market.
Accommodations: Orion II
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 7 - Sakai Ko
Sakai Ko has a modernised port in Miho Bay known as Sakaiminato City with the main waterfront shielding the Nakaumi lake and the Modern Eshima bridge and Lake Shinji west of that. Once called the land of gods, this area is now an extreme mixture of very modern new city surrounded by lush mountainous parks and quaint harbours and shrines like the Miho shrine.
We will be greeted by a great welcome performance involving live eels. Guests will go up the coast to Matsue, with its old Samurai quarter, and the home of Lafcadio Hearne.
Accommodations: Orion II
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 8 - Kanazawa, Honshu Island
Kanazawa "marsh of gold": the name derived from the legend of a peasant who washed gold dust from potatoes into a well (known as Kinjo Reitaku). Kanazawa was once ruled by the Maeda family from 1583 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
The city is famous for tea with gold flakes, which is considered by the Japanese people to be good for health and vitality. Gold leaf plays a prominent part in the city's cultural crafts, to the extent that there is a gold leaf museum (Kanazawa Yasue Gold Leaf Museum). Kenrokuen Garden is by far the most famous part of Kanazawa. Originally built as the outer garden of Ishikawa castle, it was opened to the public in 1875. It is considered one of the "three most beautiful gardens in Japan". The original castle was destroyed by fire but rebuilt in 2001.
Kanazawa also boasts a 100 year old former geisha house in one of the most photographed streets in Japan. It retains, almost completely, the look and feel of nineteenth century Japan.
Accommodations: Orion II
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 9 - Cruise Sea of Japan
Marvel at the beauty and cultural sights from the relaxing comfort of the Orion II.
Accommodations: Orion II
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 10 - Otaru, Hokkaido (overnight onboard)
We will have an afternoon to explore the quaint township of Otaru, with an overnight aboard before disembarking the following day with complimentary transfers to the main city on Hokkaido, Sapporo. Like the Kuril Islands we have just visited, Otaru was originally inhabited by the Ainu people, and the name Otaru is believed to be a derivation of the Ainu name for the area, loosely translated as “a river running through a sandy beach”….apparently. The town is regularly noted as one of the most picturesque in Japan, it has a central canal lined with Victorian style lamps and the town is famous for its glasswork, with several showrooms of glass products produced in the area. It’s also known to have some of the freshest sushi in Japan. Another famous product from Otaru is cheesecakes! The local double cheesecakes are known all around Japan for their quality.
The town has one of the worlds few working steam clocks, which uses steam to play its chimes on the hour every hour, arguably worth waiting for.
Accommodations: Orion II
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 11 - Otaru, Hokkaido
Disembarkation will take place in Sapporo where Orion will be offering a complimentary transfer to/from Otaru. Otaru is one of Hokkaido's key ports, primarily servicing the nearby city of Sapporo. Otaru is famous, amongst other things, for its Sushi, although it is noted as being some of the most expensive Sushi in Japan! The city is centered around a picturesque canal which was once a central part of the city's busy harbor in the first half of the 20th century. Large vessels offshore would unload their cargo onto smaller boats, which then transported the goods to warehouses along the canal.
Accommodations: n/a
Included Meals: breakfast
Inland Sea of Japan Highlights Itinerary
Day 1 - Kobe, Japan
Day 2 - Uno Ko, Honshu Island
Day 3 - Hiroshima & Miyajima, Inland Sea
Day 4 - Uwajima, Shikoku Island
Day 5 - Nagasaki, Kyushu Island
Day 6 - Busan, South Korea
Day 7 - Sakai Ko, Honshu Island
Day 8 - Sado Island, Sea of Japan
Day 9 - Niigata, Japan
Deposit and Final Payment: To secure your reservation a deposit of 25% of the fare is required. The deposit must be accompanied by a completed and signed Guest Booking Form and is due within 7 days of booking. Final payment must be received no later than 90 days before sailing. Separate conditions apply to the Cancellation Protection Plan.
Cancellation Policy: The following cancellation fees will apply to all reservations. The day on which written notice is received will determine the applicable penalties.
Day on Which Notice is received Penalty
121 days and over - 50% of deposit
120 - 91 days prior 100% of deposit
90 days or less 100% of fare
No show - no written notice 100% of fare
Travel Insurance: We highly recommend our travelers protect their investment with Travel Insurance. Please note that you must purchase your Travel Insurance policy within 14 days of booking your trip for it to cover pre-existing medical conditions.
Shoreside Expeditions: We include a number of complimentary shore experiences utilizing our Zodiacs. In addition we offer an exciting and diverse selection of optional shore experiences which can be either booked for in advance or reserved on board and charged to your on board account. Due to limited numbers on some experiences we recommend you pre-register to avoid disappointment. Details will be provided with your ticket.
Arrival/Departure: The Inland Sea of Japan cruise begins in Kobe and ends in Otaru, Hokkaido or reverse. Embarkation time is between 3:00 – 4:00pm on day of departure. Disembarkation is after breakfast on final day between 9:00 – 10:30am. Please schedule flights based on these time frames.
Qualifications: This trip will be enjoyed by anyone who is in good health and leads an active life. Any medical condition, advanced pregnancy or disability must be advised to AdventureSmith Explorations when a request for accommodation is made. On every Orion voyage extensive use of the ship’s Zodiacs will be made transporting guests between ship and shore. It is anticipated this travel may be physically demanding from time to time. In order for the crew to determine if safe passage can be offered, guests may be asked to provide additional information, such as a medical assessment of their fitness for expeditionary travel. All guests must sign a disclaimer on board to participate in offship activities. Guests should be sure to bring on board sufficient supplies of any prescription medication they may require.
General Information: This trip is subject to AdventureSmith Explorations Terms & Conditions:. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A packing list, extensive pre-departure and travel insurance information is sent upon confirmation. We strongly recommend the purchase of Trip Insurance through AdventureSmith Explorations. If purchased within 14 days of sign-up, the pre-existing condition exclusion is waived.
We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Call today.
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