trip specifics

price

2010 Cruise Only

Superior	$6349
Majestic	$6849
Premium	$7249
Classic	$7849
Explorer	$9249
Grand Titan	$10249
Owners Suite	$15149

2010 Cruise plus land

Superior	$7949
Majestic	$8449
Premium	$8849
Classic	$9449
Explorer	$10849
Grand Titan	$11849
Owners Suite	$16749

From Ancient Traditions to Contemporary Culture Japan is a nation with a history, culture, and beauty unlike any other in the world. Tour ancient wooden castles where shoguns once ruled. Explore the ruins, tombs, temples and shrines of the Shilla kingdom in Kyongju. Visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Approach the famous red torii of Itsukushima Shrine at high tide, when the magical gates seem to float on the sea. Stroll through the famous gardens of Ritsurin Koen and Korakuen.

Each of the places you'll explore presents new insights into a realm that has fascinated travelers for millennia.
Breathtaking scenery. Mind-opening cultural experiences. Wonderful food and wine. Congenial companionship. Taken separately, each is a delightful experience. Combined onboard the 114-passenger, Spirit of Oceanus in Japan, they make each day a celebration, each evening a special occasion. Your voyage to Japan is filled with highlights. You'll visit stunning gardens and serene temples. You'll share a craftsman's delight in his work, and a child's pleasure in an ancient story. And, along the way, you'll form new friendships you'll treasure always.

15 Days/14 Nights, Kyoto to Kobe including land tour
or
12 Days/11 Nights, Kyoto to Kobe round trip from Kobe

As long as you've come this far, you should not miss some of the ancient treasures of Japan that are just a few hours inland from the sea - the mystical cities of Kyoto and Nara. This why more than half of our guests start with our land tour.

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Day 1 - Osaka / Kyoto

Arrive in Osaka, where you'll be met and transferred to Kyoto. Check into the deluxe Kyoto Hotel Okura.

Accommodations: Kyoto Okura Hotel
Included Meals: none

Day 2 - Kyoto

Spend the day exploring what the Japanese call Nihon no Furasato, meaning "The Heart of Japan." The capital of Japan for more than 11 centuries, it remains a living museum of Japan's artistic and cultural heritage. Visit Kiyomizu Temple, dedicated to the 11-faced Buddhist deity, Kannon. Built on stilts, this UNESCO World Heritage Site offers an outstanding view of the city. Stone steps lead down to the Otowa no taki (Sound of Feathers) Waterfall. Pilgrims often drink the water which is said to cure all illnesses.

Accommodations: Kyoto Okura Hotel
Included Meals: none

Day 3 - Sightseeing in Kyoto

Nijo Castle has thick outer walls, a moat, hidden rooms where the shogun's samurai could observe visitors, and corridors constructed with "nightingale floors" that squeak to warn of anyone approaching. Visit Kiyomizu Temple, dedicated to the 11 faced Buddhist deity, Kannon. Built on stilts this UNESCO World Heritage site boasts a spectacular view of the city.

Accommodations: Kyoto Okura Hotel
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - Sightseeing in Nara / Kobe

Todaiji Temple is famous for its mighty bronze Buddha, the Daibutsu - the largest bronze statue in the world. The seated giant weights 550 tons and incorporates 290 pounds of gold. A huge pillar to the right of the statue is thought to open the path of enlightenment to those who can crawl through the hole in its base. Horyuji Temple, founded in 607, is the oldest intact temple complex in Japan, and houses the world's oldest wooden buildings. This UNESCO World Heritage Site holds more than 2,300 items considered of historical importance, including a vast collection of Buddhist art. Following our sightseeing in Nara, transfer to Kobe and check into the deluxe Kobe Okura Hotel.

Accommodations: Kobe Okura Hotel
Included Meals: breakfast and lunch

Day 5 - Kobe

Perched between the coast and the mountains, Kobe is one of the most livable and attractive cities in Japan. Visit Himeji (White Egret) Castle, Japan’s most beautiful stronghold. Your adventure continues with the cruise portion of your cruise/land tour. Board the Spirit of Oceanus in the late afternoon.

Day 6 - Okayama / Kurashiki

The ancient castle town of Okayama, ruled by the Ikeda clan, is home to Korakuen Garden, one of the three most famous gardens in Japan and the first place in Japan where grass was used in landscaping. Indulge in Zen perfection as you stroll past the garden’s picturesque shrines, hills, tea fields and ponds, keeping an eye out for red-crested white cranes.

Kurashiki’s 300-year-old rice warehouses, Meiji-era factories and homes of samurai and wealthy merchants have been preserved and converted into museums, craft shops and art galleries. Visit the Ohara Museum, hosting an eclectic mix of classical European, Chinese and Japanese folk art, and tour the Ohashi House, once home to a Kurashiki merchant.

Accommodations: Spirit of Oceanus
Included Meals: breakfast and dinner

Day 7 - Uwajima

Situated deep inside the saw-toothed coast of Uwajima Bay, the city of Uwajima is emerging as the nation’s largest pearl cultivation center. Learn the process of implanting, harvesting, extracting and sorting pearls on a visit to a pearl farm and explore the beautiful and rarely visited Tenshaen Garden, boasting a colorful array of wild irises, wisteria and over 20 species of bamboo. Here you will also receive a warm welcome into the mountainside home of a 4th generation abbot, sip tea with his family and admire his beautiful gardens strewn with hand-carved stone lanterns.

Accommodations: Spirit of Oceanus
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 8 - Yakushima

This island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, is blanketed in nearly 2,000 Yakusugi, or Japanese cedar. In this well-protected and unique environment you’ll walk through the thick forest, take in the sweet fragrance of diverse flora and keep and eye out for Yakuzaru monkeys and the dwarfed Yakushima deer. Here you will also traverse a stretch of warm-temperate primeval forest, unique to the region and home to countless waterfalls

Accommodations: Spirit of Oceanus
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 9 - Kagoshima

Once the castle town of Lord Shimazu (and the movie set of The Last Samurai), Kagoshima is nestled in the crevasses of steep hills on the shore of beautiful Kinko Bay. Its mild climate, palm-tree-lined streets, easy-going attitude and impressive volcano, Sakurajima, have earned it the nickname of the “Naples of Japan.” Feel the rich texture of a piece of hand-woven silk and the smooth glaze of a piece of Satsuma, an earthenware pottery dating back to the 16th century. Explore a green-tea farm, the Kamikaze Museum and the coastal town of Ibusuki with optional visits to a pottery museum or geothermal spa.

Accommodations: Spirit of Oceanus
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 10 - Nagasaki

Receive a warm welcome in Nagasaki, one of the few ports open to foreign traders during Japan’s 250-year period of isolation. It has the highest Christian population in Japan and is the most westernized of all Japanese cities. It was also the second city to be destroyed by an atomic bomb in World War II. Tour the Atomic Bomb Museum and the Peace Memorial Park with its sculpture garden containing pieces from countries all over the world. Explore Nagasaki on your own or visit Glover Garden, an open-air museum exhibiting Victorian mansions and gardens built by an enterprising Scotsman. Back onboard you’ll be treated to a scarf folding performance.

Accommodations: Spirit of Oceanus
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 11 - Ulsan / Kyongju, South Korea

Ulsan is home to Hyundai Motors and is a big industrial town. Board buses there for Kyongju. Walking around Kyongju, capital of the Shilla Kingdom (and essentially a giant open-air museum) is to explore 1,000 years of history. Soak up Korea's sights, sounds, history and tastes alongside local guides as you explore colorful Korean Buddhist art, pagodas, temples like Bulguksa, a large Buddhist temple where worship ceremonies are always going on, palaces and markets. A Korean barbeque introduces you to culinary delights of the region and includes a Korean dance performance. You’ll also see Kyongju Market, an eclectic produce market of narrow alleys full of stalls, and Tumuli Park, a 7-story-tall burial park with replicas of jewelry and weapons.

Accommodations: Spirit of Oceanus
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 12 - Hagi

Japan’s revolution began here in Hagi. It is considered one of the most beautiful towns in Japan and is a pottery center. Your morning tour includes a samurai home and a walk through Hagi’s traditional streets and buildings that have survived for decades. Visit the Yoshida Shrine and the Tokoji Temple, a Buddhist temple and burial site of half the Mori daimyo (feudal lords) - each grave surrounded by 800-900 stone lanterns.

Accommodations: Spirit of Oceanus
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 13 - Miyajima / Hiroshima

Bright orange torii (gates) welcome you to Miyajima as you approach the mountainous “island of the shrines,” a land once regarded as so sacred that people were forbidden to till the soil, give birth, or be buried there. Use inflatable excursion craft to transfer to the island where you’ll witness an exclusive Bugaku dance performance in front of the shrine. You’ll have free time to tour through the shrine and sample food there, like oysters.

Lunch is served onboard before the hour-long ride to Hiroshima. This once battered city is now thriving and devoted to peace. In memory of the 1945 atomic bomb explosion, a Peace Flame, never to be extinguished until all nuclear weapons are abolished, burns in front of the Memorial Cenotaph. Tour the Peace Park, Atomic Bomb Dome and Peace Memorial Museum. Back onboard ship you’ll be entertained with a kimono program and volunteers will be recruited to try on a full-dress kimono.

Accommodations: Spirit of Oceanus
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 14 - Takamatsu

Takamatsu served as the feudal capital of the powerful Matsudaira clan from 1642 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. The Matsudairas are responsible for Takamatsu’s most famous site, Ritsurin Koen, one of the most outstanding gardens in Japan, set against the beautiful backdrop of Mt. Shiun. This park covers 240 acres, and is over 300 years old. Stroll the garden and admire the bonsai. Choose to visit either Shikokumura Village or Yashima Temple after your trip to the garden.

Accommodations: Spirit of Oceanus
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 15 - Kobe

After a short tour of Kobe, transfer to Kansai International Airport for your return flight home.

Accommodations: n/a
Included Meals: breakfast


Cruise Only 12 Day / 11 Night Itinerary:
Day 1 Arrive Osaka/Kobe
Day 2 Kobe sightseeing. Embark Spirit of Oceanus
Day 3 Okayama/Kurashiki
Day 4 Uwajima
Day 5 Yakushima
Day 6 Kagoshima
Day 7 Nagasaki
Day 8 Ulsan/Kyongju, South Korea
Day 9 Hagi
Day 10 Miyajima/Hiroshima
Day 11 Takamatsu
Day 12 Arrive Kobe. Disembark Spirit of Oceanus. Transfer to airport.

Notes on Itinerary: We may occasionally alter itineraries slightly for safety, or to take advantage of weather, wildlife, and unplanned discoveries. Our ability to be spontaneous makes our style of cruising unique.


Land Cost Includes: One night hotel accommodations with breakfast included, $440 per person which covers all taxes, port charges, fees and on board services. On board gratuities are neither required nor expected. all airport/ hotel transfers, Japan cruise including all meals while aboard and an experienced naturalist guides.

Not Included: Airfare from US to Japan; excess baggage charges; items of a personal nature such as alcoholic beverages, laundry fees and insurance of any kind.

Payment and Cancellation Policy: A deposit of US$1000 per person is required to confirm a reservation, with final payment due 90 days prior to departure. Cancellations received prior to departure are subject to cancellation penalties per person. Please see AdventureSmith Explorations Terms and Conditions.

We highly recommend our travelers
protect their investment with comprehensive Trip Cancellation and Insurance

Accommodations Aboard: Your comfortable home-base throughout Japan is aboard the Spirit of Oceanus. This all-suite vessel accommodates 114 guests. Each suites feature view windows, ample closet space, large marble vanity and sink, a lounge area, bathrobes, spa bath amenities, in-room safe, a chilled refreshment center, and satellite telephone access. Several suites also feature sliding glass doors and private teak balconies. The Oceanus has a dining room, two lounges, sun deck, sports deck, hot tub, library and game room. There is elevator access to all passenger decks. Open dining features continental and regional cuisine.

Qualifications: This trip will be enjoyed by anyone. Some excursions from the boat to the shore will be made in zodiacs. On land, trip members will walk to specific areas to enjoy cultural interactions, photography and enjoying nature.

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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