All-Inclusive Japan Spring Flowers

Your Japan adventure begins tonight in Tokyo, and the timing could not be better.
Late March in Tokyo means the cherry blossoms are at or near their peak, and the parks and riverside promenades are transformed into tunnels of soft pink and white. Settle into your hotel and spend the evening at your own pace. Shinjuku Gyoen, Ueno Park and the Chidorigafuchi moat are all famous blossom viewing spots within easy reach.

Time to board Celebrity Millennium at Yokohama.
If you have a morning before embarkation, the blossoms along the Meguro River or in the grounds of Shinjuku Gyoen are worth seeking out one last time before you sail. Then board the ship and find your stateroom as Tokyo Bay opens up ahead. Japan’s coastline will reveal itself at every port for the next twelve nights.

Kyoto is Japan’s ancient soul, and two days here is a rare luxury that most visitors never get.
The former imperial capital holds more UNESCO World Heritage sites than any other city in Japan. Today your first full day takes you to the highlights: Fushimi Inari Shrine, with its thousands of vermilion torii gates climbing the hillside in an almost surreal procession; the gold-leaf perfection of Kinkaku-ji; and the bamboo groves of Arashiyama. Late March means cherry blossoms frame every temple gate and castle wall. It is Japan at its most extraordinary.

A second day in Kyoto reveals the city’s quieter, deeper character.
Yesterday’s famous landmarks give way today to neighbourhood temples that appear with no fanfare on side streets, the covered markets of Nishiki where every vendor offers something you have never tasted, and the ancient machiya townhouse cafes of Gion where you can sit and watch the most preserved streetscape in Japan pass by the window. Kyoto rewards slowness, and today you have the time to give it that.

Kochi is Japan without the crowds, and all the better for it.
The relaxed capital of Shikoku Island rewards slow travel. The historic Kochi Castle, dating to the 1600s, is one of Japan’s few original remaining fortresses. The Sunday Market along Otesuji Street is the longest-running market in Japan, stretching for nearly a kilometre with fresh produce, local crafts and street food. And the region’s signature katsuo no tataki, lightly seared bonito with garlic and ginger, is reason enough to come ashore.

Busan is South Korea’s second city and one of the most vibrant port cities in Asia.
Its dramatic setting, where steep hills plunge directly into the sea, gives it a character entirely distinct from Seoul. The ancient Beomeo-sa Temple sits in a forested mountain valley above the city, a world away from the neon and noise below. Gamcheon Culture Village, a labyrinth of pastel-painted houses on a hillside, is one of the most photographed streets in Korea. And the Jagalchi fish market, the largest in the country, is an experience for every sense.

Nagasaki is one of the most historically layered cities in Japan, and a day here stays with you.
The Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum bear witness to the events of 9 August 1945 with quiet dignity, and to visit them is to understand something profound about both Japan and the world. Nagasaki also carries centuries of Chinese and Portuguese influence in its architecture, food and culture, visible in the Chinatown district, the Dutch-era Dejima island and the extraordinary Glover Garden overlooking the harbour. The panoramic view from Mount Inasa at night is one of Japan’s three great night views.

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Kagoshima is Japan’s most dramatic port, presided over by Sakurajima, an active volcano that dusts the city with ash and reminds everyone that Japan sits on one of the most geologically active places on earth.
The volcano is visible from every corner of the city and accessible by a short ferry from the port. Back ashore, the Sengan-en garden, built by the Shimazu clan in 1658 with Sakurajima as its borrowed landscape, is one of Japan’s finest. The Ibusuki sand baths, where you are buried up to your neck in naturally heated volcanic sand, are unlike anything else in the country.

Late March is one of the finest times to see Mount Fuji, when cherry blossoms frame the perfect volcanic cone in layers of pink and white below the snow line.
From Shimizu on a clear morning the view of Fuji-san rising above the coast is one of the great sights in Japan. From the port you can travel inland to the Fuji Five Lakes, walk the ancient Miho no Matsubara pine grove with its framed views of the mountain, or simply stand on deck as the ship docks and let the moment happen.

Celebrity Millennium returns to Yokohama and the lights of Tokyo appear on the horizon.
Twelve nights of Japan, from the cherry blossoms of the first morning to the sacred cone of Fuji, have built to this arrival. For those with a day or two in Tokyo before flying home, the city rewards one last wander. For those heading straight to the airport, it is the perfect final view.

After breakfast it is time to disembark and say farewell to Celebrity Millennium.
Your transfer to the airport or onward Tokyo accommodation departs from Yokohama. Japan has a way of leaving a deep impression, and the cherry blossoms, the ancient temples and the warmth of the people tend to ensure that most visitors start planning their return before they have even left.