Heritage Expeditions –
Japan Expedition Cruises: Explore Japan’s Ancient Sites and Culture
Cherry Blossoms of Japan Cruise: A 12-Day Spring Voyage From Tokyo To Osaka, Including Busan, South Korea
Heritage Expeditions’ Cherry Blossoms of Japan Cruise has been carefully curated to celebrate Japan’s iconic Sakura/Cherry Blossom Season and Hanami Parties as we sail from Tokyo to Osaka on this 12-day all-inclusive, small-ship expedition cruise. Combining a thrilling mix of Japan’s ancient culture, rich history and incomparable natural world, with a focus on Japan’s cherry blossoms, our authentic expedition cruise will see us exploring castles, serenely beautiful gardens and opulent temples and shrines combined with witnessing some of Japan’s stunning natural landscapes, wonders and enjoying world-famous cuisine and sake.
Setting sail from Tokyo, Japan’s neon-lit and frenetic capital, our Cherry Blossoms of Japan Cruise will explore some of Japan’s iconic highlights alongside lesser-known and rarely visited coastlines, accessible only by expedition ship, from Honshu to Shikoku, Kyushu and across to South Korea’s counterculture capital Busan.
| Date | Cruise | Days | Superior Deck 4 | Superior Deck 5 | Worsley Suite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Mar 26 *New* | Cherry Blossoms of Japan Cruise: Tokyo to Osaka Click here for more details | 12 | Standard $16325 Your Price $7830 | Standard $17430 Your Price $8316 | Standard $22660 Your Price $10617 |
| Itinerary: | Tokyo (overnight), Shizuoka, Mt Fuji, Nagoya, Owase, Kochi, Uwajima, Busan, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Tamano, Osaka. | ||||
Discover the Islands of Japan: A 11-day Voyage of Japan Between Tokyo & Osaka, Including South Korea
Made up of 6,852 islands, the perfect way to explore Japan’s seldom visited destinations is by sea and Heritage Adventurer is the ideal vessel for such a voyage. Combining a thrilling mix of culture, history and the natural world our authentic expedition cruise will see us exploring ancient castles, serenely beautiful gardens and opulent temples and shrines combined with witnessing some of Japan’s stunning natural landscapes.
Experience all-inclusive luxury cruise travel as we explore Japan’s frenetic, neon-lit capital Tokyo and venture to destinations such as the historic and serene castle town of Matsue, the ancient anachronistic town of Hagi, and experience the tranquillity of Yakushima Island, a world away from the hustle and bustle of Japan’s mega cities with its towering mountains and ancient forest. We’ll also moor at Uwajima, one of Japan’s premier pearl producers with the opportunity to visit one of the city’s traditional pearl farms.
| Date | Cruise | Days | Superior Deck 4 | Superior Deck 5 | Worsley Suite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Apr 26 *New* | Discover the Islands of Japan: Tokyo to Osaka Click here for more details | 11 | Standard $14965 Your Price $8726 | Standard $15975 Your Price $9281 | Standard $20770 Your Price $11919 |
| Itinerary: | Tokyo (overnight), Kanazawa (overnight), Matsue, Hagi, Busan, Nagasaki, Yakushima, Uwajima, Tamano, Osaka. | ||||
Sacred Japan & South Korea: A Voyage from Osaka to Niigata – Tokyo, Including South Korea
Historic highlights on our journey include the five-storey Pagoda of Miyajima; the 17th Century Matsue Castle; the sobering Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park with its eternal Flame of Peace; Kanazawa’s Teramachi District with its temples and shrines, including the famed ‘Ninja Temple’; Hagi’s Jokamachi District with its old Samurai houses, Hagi Castle ruins and beautiful Zen Buddhist Tokoji Temple featuring examples of Japan’s iconic Shinto Shrines and Torii Gates.
During our expedition, we will also explore Japan’s traditional and contemporary art as we visit galleries and meet local artists including an option to visit Japan’s ‘art island’ Naoshima, and a day in South Korea’s Ulsan exploring UNESCO World Heritage Site Gyeongju – the ‘museum without walls’ alongside a visit to Haeinsa Temple, considered one of the three great temples in South Korea. Our voyage also visits parts of Japan where relatively few tourists set foot such as Sado Island – widely considered a perfect miniature Japan and thriving cultural capital filled with performing arts, natural scenery, samurai history, and more.
| Date | Cruise | Days | Superior Deck 4 | Superior Deck 5 | Worsley Suite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06 May 26 *New* | Sacred Japan & South Korea: Osaka to Tokyo Click here for more details | 11 | Standard $14350 Your Price $6842 | Standard $15275 Your Price $7249 | Standard $19625 Your Price $9163 |
| Itinerary: | Osaka (overnight), Tomano, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Hagi, Ulsan, Matsue, Kanazawa, Sado Island, Niigata, Tokyo. | ||||
Japan’s National Parks, Art & Culture: A Circumnavigation of Honshu, Osaka to Osaka, including South Korea
This voyage has been specially designed to explore and experience Japan’s seamless blend of ancient customs with ultramodern living, incredible wilderness, wildlife and renowned arts as we cruise from iconic cities to remote coastlines and islands. Highlights include Kanazawa’s thriving centre of the arts, long known for its lacquerware, outstanding collectable pottery of the Kutani style, gold-leaf workmanship, delicate hand painting of silk for kimonos and classical Noh theatre dramas performed since the 14th Century, and Naoshima Island – Japan’s Art Island. Visit two of Japan’s best contemporary art museums – the recently-opened Hachinohe Art Museum and the Towada Art Center, celebrate Japan’s internationally-renowned magna culture at Ishinomaki, explore the living museum Ise-Shima National Park and Japan’s most sacred shrine complex Ise Jingū.
| Date | Cruise | Days | Superior Deck 4 | Superior Deck 5 | Worsley Suite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 May 26 *New* | Japan's National Parks, Art & Culture: Osaka to Osaka Click here for more details | 16 | Standard $21755 Your Price $14908 | Standard $23230 Your Price $15882 | Standard $30180 Your Price $18816 |
| Itinerary: | Osaka (overnight), Ise-Shima National Park, Izu Oshima Island, Ishinomaki, Hachinohen Lake Towada, Muroran, Akita, Niigata, Kanazawa, Matsue, Ulsan, Shimonoseki, Hiroshima, Miyajima Island, Takamatsu, Osaka. | ||||
Heritage Adventurer is a true pioneering expedition vessel of exceptional pedigree. Often referred to as the ‘Grande Dame of Expedition Cruising’ due to her celebrated history and refined design, she was purpose-built for adventure in 1991 at Finland’s Rauma shipyard and specifically designed for Polar exploration.
Setting a peerless standard in authentic expedition travel, Heritage Adventurer (formerly known as MS Hanseatic) combines the highest passenger ship iceclass rating (1A Super) with an impressive history of Polar exploration. Having held records for the most northern and southern Arctic and Antarctic navigations, and for traversing both the Northwest and Northeast Passages, makes Heritage Adventurer perfect for pioneering New Zealand-based Heritage Expeditions signature experiential expedition travel.
Originally designed to accommodate 184 guests, Heritage Adventurer now welcomes just 140 expeditioners ensuring spacious, stylish and comfortable voyages, while a fleet of 14 Zodiacs ensures all guests are able to maximise their expedition adventure. Heritage Adventurer proudly continues our traditions of exceptional, personalised expedition experiences as Heritage Expeditions flagship.
Accommodation Details –
Superior Cabins on Deck 4 and 5 are a spacious 22m2 and feature large panoramic windows, king or two single beds, comfortable lounge, writing desk, private en-suite with shower, ample storage and a flat screen entertainment system.
Located on Deck 6, Worsley Suites are a spacious 22m2 and feature large panoramic windows, king or two single beds, comfortable chaise-style lounge suite, writing desk, private en-suite with shower, ample storage and a flat screen entertainment system. Receive complimentary in-room dining, minibar replenished daily, Heritage Expeditions keep cup, notebook and pen
Price Includes:
Landing fees, one night hotel accommodation equivalent to your on board accommodation (incl. dinner/breakfast), pre cruise transfer and post cruise bullet train transfer, all on board ship accommodation with meals, house beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, and all shore excursions and activities. Programme of lectures by noted naturalists.
Single & Triple Supplement cabins available-Contact us for pricing
Prices are per person twin share in Australian Dollars and include all port charges and taxes and are subject to limited availability.
These are based on lead available staterooms at time of publication.
A booking fee of $100 per person will apply.
Eligibility: Travel Industry Club members
Please Note: Prices are an indication only, subject to availability, eligibility and change without notice. Terms and conditions apply to upgrades.
