The Spirit of Japan and South Korea Cruise

Itinerary

• Day 1 - Fly from the UK to Tokyo, Japan
  Fly overnight from the UK to Tokyo.
• Day 2-3 - Tokyo, Japan
  Transfer to central Tokyo for two night's hotel stay. Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world home to over 33 million residents covering 844 square miles and is located centrally on the south coast of Honshu Island. Ginza is the popular shopping and entertainment district, featuring numerous department stores, boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, night clubs and cafes. Tokyo Tower at 333 metres is the world's tallest self-supporting steel tower and one of the most recognisable landmarks in Tokyo - it is rather like a red version of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The Odaiba area can be best compared to Canary Wharf in London - but bigger. This is a another popular shopping and entertainment district on a man-made island in Tokyo Bay. It is home to some of Tokyo's boldest architectural creations, such as the Fuji TV Building, Telecom Centre and Tokyo Big Sight.
• Day 4 - Yokohama, Japan
  Transfer to the cruise port in Yokohama and embark the ship.
• Day 5 - Shimizu, Japan
  Ideal for a visit to Mount Fuji and the Hakone Lakes region.
• Day 6 - Nagoya, Japan
  Nagoya is the capital of Japan's Aichi Prefecture in central Honshu – Japan's main island. Here you will find shopping malls, casinos, museums and the Sakae entertainment district which features the Sky-Boat Ferris wheel. Perhaps visit Nagoya Castle, a partly reconstructed 1612 royal home displaying Edo-era artefacts.
• Day 7 - Osaka, Japan
  The gateway to Kyoto - the ancient capital of Japan until 1868. Visit Nijo Castle constructed in 1603, enjoy quiet contemplation at the imposing Todaiji Temple - Japan's largest wooden Buddhist temple and look out for tame deer in beautiful Nara Park. Nothing is as symbolic of Kyoto as Kinkaku-ji's golden reflection shimmering across the rippled surface of the pond before it. The current gold leaf-coated reconstructed temple was unveiled in 1955, five years after the 14th-century original was torched by one of the temple's monks. It is set on the water amid a garden complex in Muromachi period garden design - the most classical of Japanese gardens.
• Day 8 - Himeji, Japan
  Himeji is a city in the Kansai region of Japan. It's known for the sprawling, centuries-old, white Himeji Castle, one of the few original castles from Japan's feudal period. The top floor of the 6-story main keep offers views over the extensive castle grounds. The Nishi-no-Maru section of the complex contains royal residential quarters. Next to the castle, Kōko-en is a traditional Edo-style garden.
• Day 9 - Hiroshima, Japan
  When the first atomic bomb was dropped over Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, the city became known worldwide. The destructive power of the bomb obliterated nearly everything within a two kilometre radius. Destroyed monuments of Hiroshima's historical heritage, like Hiroshima Castle and Shukkeien Garden, were reconstructed. Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park is one of the most prominent features of the city. At over 120,000 square meters. its trees, lawns and paths are in stark contrast to the modern surrounding downtown area. Before the bomb, this area was the political and commercial heart of the city. For this reason, it was chosen as the pilot's target. It was decided that the area would not be redeveloped but instead devoted to peace memorial facilities. Visit the A-Bomb Dome (known as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial) when the bomb exploded - it was one of the few buildings to remain standing. It has been preserved in in its bombed state making it a UNESCO World Heritage Site providing a tangible link to Hiroshima's unique past.
• Day 10 - Kagoshima, Japan
  Located on the southern tip of Kyushu, Kagoshima provides spectacular scenery - from rugged mountains and rivers to bubbling hot springs, as well as a wide variety of flora and fauna.
• Day 11 - Nagasaki, Japan
  Nagasaki became the target of the second atomic bomb ever detonated on a populated area (9 Aug 1945); about 75,000 people were killed or wounded, and more than one third of the city was devastated. Among Nagasaki's landmarks is Glover Mansion, scene of Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly. A visit to the Atomic bomb museum and peace Park in Nagasaki are well worth it.