All Inclusive Imperial Japan & Korean Highlights

Tokyo in mid-April has just passed the cherry blossom peak and the city is in the particular mood of spring settling in — the parks turning green, the outdoor terraces open and the city at full energy without the peak August and autumn tourist density. Your included 4-star hotel gives two nights to explore before Celebrity Millennium departs. Shinjuku Gyoen, one of the finest Japanese gardens in Tokyo, often holds late-blooming Kanzan cherry varieties into mid-April. The Shibuya Crossing, the Harajuku Takeshita Street and the Meiji Shrine are all within easy reach of any central Tokyo hotel.

A second full day in Tokyo before tomorrow’s embarkation. The city rewards those who move beyond the main tourist circuit into its quieter neighbourhoods. The Yanaka district, with its preserved Meiji-era streetscape, independent galleries and temple cemetery, gives a sense of Tokyo before the postwar rebuild. The TeamLab digital art immersive experience in Azabudai Hills and the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi give the afternoon a completely different register. Tonight is the last Tokyo evening before the voyage begins.

A final Tokyo morning before the transfer to Yokohama, where Celebrity Millennium is docked. April in Tokyo on the embarkation morning means the cherry blossoms may still be showing the last of the season’s late-blooming varieties in Shinjuku Gyoen before the transfer. Board and watch Tokyo Bay open ahead as the ship departs

A sea day heading southwest as Celebrity Millennium makes for Kobe. The Pacific coastline of Honshu is visible to starboard and the Sea of Japan opens ahead. Kobe arrives tomorrow and the overnight structure gives two full days for both the city and Kyoto. The Cellar Masters and the Tuscan Grill are both worth reserving for this first evening at sea.

Kobe is one of Japan’s most cosmopolitan and physically beautiful cities, its port district, the Kitano Ijinkan foreign residential district from the Meiji era and the mountain backdrop giving it a character unlike any other Japanese port city. The Meriken Park waterfront, the Kobe Harborland shopping and dining complex and the Kitano neighbourhood with its preserved European, American and Chinese villas give the first day its full urban range. Kobe beef is correctly the city’s most celebrated culinary export and the evening in Kobe is the right moment to experience it properly. The ship overnights here.

The overnight in Kobe means a full second day here, and for most guests today means Kyoto. The express train from Kobe Sannomiya to Kyoto takes approximately 30 minutes and the full day in Japan’s ancient imperial capital gives genuine time for both the Fushimi Inari Shrine with its thousands of vermilion torii gates and the Arashiyama bamboo grove and Tenryu-ji garden. Mid-April in Kyoto means the main Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms are finishing but the later-blooming mountain varieties and the weeping cherry at Maruyama Park may still be showing. The Nishiki Market, the Gion district and the machiya townhouse cafes of the old city give the afternoon a quieter, more intimate character.

You’ll find there’s plenty to see and do in Kochi, the approachable, friendly capital city of Japan’s Kochi prefecture. Kochi is an outdoorist’s paradise, where Pacific beaches and mountain views are easily accessible for tourists and locals alike to explore. Quieter than Tokyo and more outdoorsy than Kobe, a Kochi cruise is the perfect way to see a more relaxed, traditional Japan. One of Kochi’s best-known sites is the historic Kochi Castle, which dates back to the 1600s, or you can venture to the Niyodo River for a tour along Japan’s clearest, most peaceful waters.

Living like a local is the best way to experience Kochi. No rushing or speeding between excursions is necessary here. Shopping at Sunday Market is a must-do activity for weekenders looking to experience fresh produce and local goods in Kochi, plus there’s an entire shopping district along Harimayabashi Street where travelers can purchase clothing, handcrafted goods, and Japanese artwork. Take a break to see penguins and other marine species at the aquarium on Katsurahama Beach, then stop in at a restaurant to try the region’s signature katsuo no tataki, broiled bonito fish served with onion and garlic. While you’re on an Asia cruise, the small-town vibe of Kochi will make you feel right at home.

A sea day heading northeast from Kochi toward South Korea as Celebrity Millennium crosses the Korea Strait. The transition from Japan’s Pacific coast culture to the Korean peninsula is one of the most culturally distinct border crossings in East Asia. The destination briefing on Busan is worth attending today.

It is Busan’s premier trading port, adjacent to the Korean Straits and Japan, that makes it an international metropolis but its beautiful sea vistas that make it a charming place to unwind. Experience the serenity of Beomeo-sa Temple, climb the Busan Tower in Yongdusan Park and rejuvenate at Hushimchung Spa.

Historically rich Nagasaki features beautiful seaside scenery and fabulous nighttime views from its mountain slopes. Secluded hot springs, fascinating museums, and ornate temples live side by side in this exciting city. Ten natural parks grace the area, and unique festivals can be experienced throughout the year. Walk through streets influenced by both Chinese and European cultures in fascinating Nagasaki.

Sunny Kagoshima lives in the shadow of Sakurajima, an active volcano that last erupted in 2016. Kagoshima balances an air of mystery with a seaside approachability thanks to its location in Southern Japan along the coast and proximity to Sakurajima. In addition to being the capital of the Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan, the city is home to ancient castles and traditional Japanese Gardens that delight locals and visitors alike.

Vacationers on an Asia cruise to Kagoshima, Japan can relax at Ibusuki Onsen, the local hot springs, while adventurous travelers will be awed by the volcano’s peaks after a hike to one of the many observation points. There are plenty of experiences for foodies in Kagoshima, too, like taking a tour of Shochu Brewery for sake tastings or enjoying a traditional Japanese tea ceremony.

A sea day heading northeast as Celebrity Millennium rounds the Kii Peninsula toward Shimizu. The Pacific coastline of Honshu is to the east and Mt Fuji arrives tomorrow. The ship’s final sea day is worth a farewell dinner at Murano or the Tuscan Grill as the voyage draws toward its close.

Late April at Shimizu gives the finest conditions of the year for the view of Mt Fuji. The spring atmospheric clarity that arrives in late April and May makes clear-day sightings more reliable than in summer, and the cherry trees around the Fuji Five Lakes, while past peak in the city, still show late-blooming varieties on the higher slopes. The Miho no Matsubara pine grove, where the ancient pines frame Fuji’s perfect cone above Suruga Bay in the view that Hiroshige and Hokusai both painted, is the finest single landscape in the Shimizu day. The Fuji Five Lakes are accessible by organised coach for the mountain views, the Shimizu Seimon Street gives the finest local market experience in the port town and the departure from Shimizu, with Fuji visible behind the ship as it sails east, is one of the finest departures from any Japanese port.

Celebrity Millennium arrives back in Yokohama and the 12-night voyage concludes in the city where it began. The two Tokyo hotel nights open now and the city in late April, with Golden Week beginning on 29 April and the parks fully in spring flower, is the most festive version of Tokyo. The Ueno Park, the Shinjuku Gyoen and the Imperial Palace East Garden are all at their finest in the days around Golden Week.

A final day in Tokyo before heading home. Twelve nights have covered the Kobe overnight and two full days for Kyoto, the Shikoku coast at Kochi, South Korea at Busan, Nagasaki’s layered history, Kagoshima’s volcanic drama and Mt Fuji from Shimizu. Tokyo on Golden Week Day means the city is at full energy and entirely itself. Transfer to Narita or Haneda for your flights home, or ask your Cruiseabout specialist about extending your Tokyo stay into the Golden Week festival period.