22 nightsFrom Tokyo19 ports of call
Grand Circle Japan
Princess Cruises · Sapphire Princess
Overview
A 22-night voyage aboard Sapphire Princess, departing Tokyo on 3 Jun 2028 and returning to the same port, calling at 19 destinations along the way.
TokyoHakodateNiigata, JapanBusan, South KoreaNagasakiKagoshimaKochi, JapanOsakaShimiju, japanTokyoToba, JapanKochi, JapanKagoshimaYatsushiroBusan, South KoreaKanmon Straits, JapanHiroshimaOsakaTokyo
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Itinerary
22 nights · 23 ports of call- 1
Day 1 ·TokyoEmbark
3 Jun 2028Depart 16:00 - 2
Day 2 ·At Sea
4 Jun 2028 - 3
Day 3 ·Hakodate
5 Jun 2028Arrive 07:30Depart 17:00It took Commodore Perry and American gunboat diplomacy to open Japan to the outside world after two centuries of self-imposed isolation. In 1859, the port of Hakodate became the first Japanese city fully opened to Westerners under the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. Foreigners soon flocked to Hakodate, and today visitors wandering the cobblestone streets of the city's Motomachi District can view their Western-style frame houses. Hakodate, once a fishing port famed for its high quality fish and shellfish, quickly became Hokkaido's largest city and one of Japan's most important ports. The Great Hakodate Fire of 1934 dealt the city a near fatal blow - a blow from which Hakodate was slow to recover. Today the city is Hokkaido's third largest - surpassed by Sapporo and Asahikawa - but retains its foremost position as the finest Japanese producer of sushi's raw product: the high quality seafood caught in Hokkaido's cold waters.
It may not compare to Tokyo's Tsukiji's Fish Market, but at Hakodate's four-block-long Morning Market, vendors offer a stunning array of fresh fish and shellfish prized for sushi including salmon roe, sea urchin, scallops and crab. Restaurants and food stands prepare a wide arrange of dishes including domburi topped with fresh seafood. - 4
Day 4 ·Niigata
6 Jun 2028Arrive 09:00Depart 18:00Traditionally famous for rice making and sake production, Niigata is the place for gourmet aficionados. It is also well known for the seafood caught from the Sea of Japan. With this variety of the commodity produced locally, Niigata developed from the wealth gained through shipping and trade by Kitamae-bune, which were cargo ships operated along the Sea of Japan between Hokkaido and Osaka from mid-18th century to the end of the 19th century.
To the south of Niigata is the Tsubame-Sanjo area famous today for metalworking. This derives from the production of Japanese nails used for Japanese traditional architecture. To discover Japanese craftsmanship, you will have the chance to visit the Suwada Open Factory. Also nearby is the religious center of Niigata in Yahiko. The Yahiko Shrine has gathered the devotion of the locals for more than a millennium. - 5
Day 5 ·At Sea
7 Jun 2028 - 6
Day 6 ·Busan
8 Jun 2028Arrive 07:00Depart 16:00The second largest city in South Korea, Busan is your gateway to a fascinating land whose culture is a unique amalgam of old and new. Modern high-rise towers dwarf ancient Buddhist temples. The city's bustling business district offers a stark contrast to the serene grounds of Yongdusan Park. In short, Busan is a microcosm of South Korea, a nation whose startling economic success often obscures one of Asia's most sophisticated and venerable cultures.
Busan was the scene of bitter fighting during the Korean War. The United Nations Memorial Cemetery marks the final resting place for the troops from 16 nations who gave their lives during the conflict. - 7
Day 7 ·Nagasaki
9 Jun 2028Arrive 07:00Depart 16:00For most travelers, Nagasaki is a symbol of the horror and the inhumanity of war. An estimated 75,000 people perished in 1945 when the city became the second target of a nuclear attack. Today, Nagasaki's Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum draw visitors from around the world.
But this beautiful city on Kyushu offers other sights. Often described as the San Francisco of Japan, the city occupies verdant hills surrounded by a deep-water bay. For three centuries, Nagasaki was Japan's sole window on the world. The city is also celebrated as the setting for Puccini's opera "Madame Butterfly." - 8
Day 8 ·Kagoshima
10 Jun 2028Arrive 07:00Depart 16:00From the 12th century to the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Kagoshima was the chief stronghold of the mighty Shimazu clan. The city lies at the top of the Satsuma Peninsula, a mountainous, geothermal wonderland of hot springs and geysers. The area is also rich in modern Japanese history: Saigo Takamori and the Satsuma samurai were leaders of the Meiji Restoration that toppled the shogun and restored the Emperor to power in 1868. In 1877, dissatisfied with the direction of the new government, Saigo led the Satsuma Rebellion, which ended in his death and the final defeat of the samurai.
The symbol of Kagoshima is Sakura Jima - the volcanic island that sits just offshore. The volcano has erupted over 30 times in recorded history. - 9
Day 9 ·Kochi
11 Jun 2028Arrive 10:00Depart 18:00Kochi sits on the broad alluvial plain facing Urado Bay. This city in Shikoku takes its name from the great feudal castle that sits at its very heart. Completed in 1611, Kochi Castle was the seat of Yamauchi Kazutoyo, a noted warrior who supported Tokugawa Ieyasu in his successful quest to become Shogun. Tosa Province and Kochi Castle were Yamauchi's reward for faithful service. There is an historical irony here: 250 years later, a Kochi native son - a former low-ranked samurai and now ronin named Sakamoto Ryoma - played a pivotal role in bringing the Tokugawa Shogunate to an end and restoring the Emperor of Japan to political prominence. The prize once awarded for faithful service had become a hotbed of support for the Meiji Restoration.
Kochi is one of the wettest places in Japan - and a frequent target for cyclonic storms or typhoons. Southeast of the city, warm oceans currents washing against the Aki Mountains create a subtropical landscape of hibiscus, palm and ficus at Muroto-Anan Quasi-National Park. - 10
Day 10 ·Osaka
12 Jun 2028Arrive 07:00Depart 19:00For centuries, Osaka was Japan's cultural and commercial gateway to Asia - the point of entry both for trade goods and, most importantly, cultural influences that shaped Japanese society. From tea to Zen, from art to science and philosophy, Osaka was Japan's contact with the great East Asian cultures that flourished in China and Korea. The city reached its zenith in the late 16th century, when the great feudal lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi made Osaka his capital. Toyotomi was master of Japan, and an immense administrative and commercial center rapidly developed around Osaka Castle. After Toyotomi's death, the nation's seat of power shifted from Osaka to a sleepy little fishing village called Edo - modern Tokyo. While overshadowed by Tokyo, Osaka remains Japan's second largest city and a vital commercial center.
Modern Osaka is home to monuments from Japan's past including Toyotomi's immense castle and the Sumiyoshi Shrine. The city is also your gateway to Kyoto, Japan's ancient imperial capital and the nation's cultural and spiritual center. - 12
Day 12 ·Shimizu
13 Jun 2028Arrive 13:00Depart 19:00Sprawling, semi-rural Shimizu Ward is dominated by forested coastal mountains, with hiking trails and ropeway rides to dramatic viewpoints above Suruga Bay. Miho Beach Park is popular for swimming and water sports in summer, and there are baseball and soccer fields nearby, plus an aquarium at the Marine Science Center. - 12
Day 12 ·Tokyo
14 Jun 2028Arrive 06:00Depart 16:00 - 13
Day 13 ·Toba
15 Jun 2028Arrive 07:00Depart 16:00Toba, located at the northeastern end of the Shima-hanto Peninsula in Mie, flourished as the castle town of the Kuki family who ruled this region from the 16th century. It was also a landing spot for visitors on the sea route to Ise-jingu Shrine and belongs to Ise-Shima National Park. - 14
Day 14 ·Kochi
16 Jun 2028Arrive 08:00Depart 16:00Kochi sits on the broad alluvial plain facing Urado Bay. This city in Shikoku takes its name from the great feudal castle that sits at its very heart. Completed in 1611, Kochi Castle was the seat of Yamauchi Kazutoyo, a noted warrior who supported Tokugawa Ieyasu in his successful quest to become Shogun. Tosa Province and Kochi Castle were Yamauchi's reward for faithful service. There is an historical irony here: 250 years later, a Kochi native son - a former low-ranked samurai and now ronin named Sakamoto Ryoma - played a pivotal role in bringing the Tokugawa Shogunate to an end and restoring the Emperor of Japan to political prominence. The prize once awarded for faithful service had become a hotbed of support for the Meiji Restoration.
Kochi is one of the wettest places in Japan - and a frequent target for cyclonic storms or typhoons. Southeast of the city, warm oceans currents washing against the Aki Mountains create a subtropical landscape of hibiscus, palm and ficus at Muroto-Anan Quasi-National Park. - 15
Day 15 ·Kagoshima
17 Jun 2028Arrive 09:00Depart 18:00From the 12th century to the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Kagoshima was the chief stronghold of the mighty Shimazu clan. The city lies at the top of the Satsuma Peninsula, a mountainous, geothermal wonderland of hot springs and geysers. The area is also rich in modern Japanese history: Saigo Takamori and the Satsuma samurai were leaders of the Meiji Restoration that toppled the shogun and restored the Emperor to power in 1868. In 1877, dissatisfied with the direction of the new government, Saigo led the Satsuma Rebellion, which ended in his death and the final defeat of the samurai.
The symbol of Kagoshima is Sakura Jima - the volcanic island that sits just offshore. The volcano has erupted over 30 times in recorded history. - 16
Day 16 ·Yatsushiro, Japan
18 Jun 2028Arrive 07:00Depart 16:00Yatsushiro city was developed around a beautiful Shinto shrine, built during the Heian era (794–1185). Situated along the delta of the Kuma River, facing Yatsushiro Bay, this castle town and its ruins still showcase the spirit of the city. A visit to the ruins of Yatsushiro Castle (now part of a Shinto shrine) is a good place to begin your day. Another fun and scenic landmark is the flight of 777 stairs cut into the nearby mountains. Visitors are rewarded with panoramic views from the top – there are benches to rest on along the way! Yatsushiro is famous for its 16th century pottery designed with a distinctive blue-gray crackled glaze with white inlay. Craft enthusiast and collectors can visit three Kodayaki kilns in the area. Shopping enthusiasts will also enjoy the honmachi, a covered arcade that runs the length of several city blocks, and adventurous foodies can partake in some of the city's most exotic local fare, including Basashi, raw horse meat served with soy and garlic, a delicacy of the area. For those with a more traditional palate, the light green Rush ice cream is a treat, as is the banpeiyu fruit, the largest citrus fruit in Japan which is in season from December to January. - 17
Day 17 ·Busan
19 Jun 2028Arrive 08:00Depart 17:00The second largest city in South Korea, Busan is your gateway to a fascinating land whose culture is a unique amalgam of old and new. Modern high-rise towers dwarf ancient Buddhist temples. The city's bustling business district offers a stark contrast to the serene grounds of Yongdusan Park. In short, Busan is a microcosm of South Korea, a nation whose startling economic success often obscures one of Asia's most sophisticated and venerable cultures.
Busan was the scene of bitter fighting during the Korean War. The United Nations Memorial Cemetery marks the final resting place for the troops from 16 nations who gave their lives during the conflict. - 18
Day 18 ·Kanmon Straits, Japan
20 Jun 2028Arrive 08:00Depart 10:00The Kanmon Straits or the Straits of Shimonoseki is the stretch of water separating Honshu and Kyushu, two of Japan's four main islands. On the Honshu side of the strait is Shimonoseki and on the Kyushu side is Kitakyushu, whose former city and present ward, Moji, gave the strait its "mon". - 19
Day 19 ·Hiroshima
21 Jun 2028Arrive 07:00Depart 21:00On August 6, 1945, human history was irrevocably altered when the American bomber Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The bomb was code-named "Little Boy," but its detonation left half the city in ruins and aflame. Today, Hiroshima is a monument not only to the destructive forces harnessed by men but also to the indomitable will of the human spirit to overcome tragedy. At the heart of the city lies Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome. The gutted walls of the city's old Industry Promotion Hall and the skeletal frame that supported its copper dome, vaporized in the blast, are instantly recognizable symbols of Hiroshima.
Travelers to Hiroshima will discover a more serene note at nearby Miyajima Island. One of the top-three scenic spots of Japan, the island is home to ancient Itsukushima Shrine, a designated National Treasure. - 20
Day 20 ·At Sea
22 Jun 2028 - 21
Day 21 ·Osaka
23 Jun 2028Arrive 07:00Depart 23:00For centuries, Osaka was Japan's cultural and commercial gateway to Asia - the point of entry both for trade goods and, most importantly, cultural influences that shaped Japanese society. From tea to Zen, from art to science and philosophy, Osaka was Japan's contact with the great East Asian cultures that flourished in China and Korea. The city reached its zenith in the late 16th century, when the great feudal lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi made Osaka his capital. Toyotomi was master of Japan, and an immense administrative and commercial center rapidly developed around Osaka Castle. After Toyotomi's death, the nation's seat of power shifted from Osaka to a sleepy little fishing village called Edo - modern Tokyo. While overshadowed by Tokyo, Osaka remains Japan's second largest city and a vital commercial center.
Modern Osaka is home to monuments from Japan's past including Toyotomi's immense castle and the Sumiyoshi Shrine. The city is also your gateway to Kyoto, Japan's ancient imperial capital and the nation's cultural and spiritual center. - 22
Day 22 ·At Sea
24 Jun 2028 - 23
Day 23 ·TokyoDisembark
25 Jun 2028Arrive 06:00
Your ship: Sapphire Princess
Explore Sapphire Princess's cabins, dining and onboard facilities.