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Peregrine Travel Centre

Sacred Japan & South Korea: A Voyage from Osaka to Osaka, Including South Korea

Sacred Japan & South Korea: A Voyage from Osaka to Osaka, Including South Korea

From AUD $12,300

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Description

Experience all-inclusive luxury cruise travel on an unforgettable 10-day exploration of Japan, ‘the Land of the Rising Sun’ with Heritage Expeditions, pioneers in authentic small ship expedition cruising. Our voyage Sacred Japan & South Korea has been carefully curated to showcase Japan’s seamless blend of ancient customs and ultramodern living, culinary creativity, arts and gardens. We will cruise from iconic cities to seldom visited remote coastlines and islands best explored by sea aboard our purpose-built expedition flagship Heritage Adventurer.
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’. We will also discover Fukuoka’s trendy yatai food stalls, vibrant art installations, historic ruins and colourful coastal parks. We also plan to explore Japan’s traditional and contemporary art as we visit galleries and meet local artists. One option includes a visit to Japan’s ‘art island’ Naoshima, and a day in South Korea’s Ulsan. Here we will explore UNESCO World Heritage Site Gyeongju – the ‘museum without walls’ alongside a visit to Haeinsa Temple, considered one of South Korea’s three great temples.
Our voyage also visits parts of Japan where relatively few tourists set foot such as Sado Island. Sado Island is widely considered a perfect miniature Japan and thriving cultural capital filled with performing arts, natural scenery, samurai history, and more.
For those with a passion for nature, we plan to visit Daisen-Oki and Hakusan National Parks, Kenrokuen Garden – one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan alongside one of Japan’s most famed gardens, the 28-acre formal 17th Century Koraku-en Garden. Explore one of Japan’s main bonsai centres at Kinashi Garden and discover the wonders of Japanese circuit-style Yuushien Garden home to more than 250 types of Japanese Peony.
Helping us understand all we will see and experience, and travelling with us throughout the voyage, will be our expert Guest Speakers and Japanese guides. They will add immeasurably to your enjoyment and understanding of this captivating country.
We hope you can join us on this in-depth exploration around the coastline and islands of Japan, as we discover the unspoiled nature, primeval wilderness, incredible gardens, cultural treasures, traditional villages and futuristic cities resplendent with their unique charms.

Trip Name
Sacred Japan & South Korea: A Voyage from Osaka to Osaka, Including South Korea
Days
10
Overview
Vessel Type: Expedition Ship Length: 124 metres Passenger Capacity: 140 Built: 1991 Heritage Adventurer, built in 1991 at Finland's Rauma shipyard, is a pioneering expedition vessel purpose-designed for Polar exploration. Renowned as the "Grande Dame of Expedition Cruising," she holds the highest passenger ship ice-class rating (1A Super) and has set records for both northern and southern Arctic and Antarctic navigations, including traversing the Northwest and Northeast Passages. Originally accommodating 184 guests, she now carries 140 expeditioners for more spacious and comfortable voyages, supported by a fleet of 14 Zodiacs for immersive expedition experiences. Measuring 124 m in length with an 18 m beam and 4.97 m draft, Heritage Adventurer has a gross tonnage of 8,378 gt and is powered by twin 3,940 hp engines, reaching a maximum speed of 15 knots and cruising at 12 knots over a range of 8,600 nautical miles. As Heritage Expeditions’ flagship, she continues to deliver personalised, authentic expedition travel with a focus on comfort, style, and unparalleled access to remote polar regions. Read About Our Experience on Board Heritage Adventurer  

Itinerary



Day 1 - Day 1: Osaka
Arrive at Honshu’s largest port city Osaka where modern architecture and a vibrant dining scene are nestled alongside the 16th Century shogunate Osaka Castle. Make your way to your hotel where you will spend the first night of the expedition. This evening meet your fellow voyagers and expedition guides over dinner at the hotel.
Day 2 - Day 2: Osaka/Niigata
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before boarding your flight to the bustling port town of Niigata. Famous for snow, rice, sake, hot springs and the six-arched, granite-sided stone Bandai Bridge which was designated as a Nationally Important Cultural Property in 2004, and one of the most scenic spots in the city. This afternoon your captain and expedition team will welcome you aboard Heritage Adventurer.
Day 3 - Day 3: Sado Island
Today we will explore remote Sado Island off the coast of Niigata. Comprising the mountain ranges of Osado and Kosado flanking the Kokunaka Plain, Sado was once a destination of political exile. It now boasts its own rich cultural and eligious life incorporating puppet theatre, Okesa folk songs, Ondeko drumming, demon dances, and Noh theatre thanks to some of its more famous displaced figures. Home to the Japanese Crested Ibis, extinct on the mainland, and the iconic Taraibune Tub Boats, which we will have the opportunity to experience. This island off the beaten path combines stunning natural scenery including Senkakuwan Bay and Ogi Peninsula, and wilderness and wildlife with a rich history including gold and silver mining, Samurai warrior culture and unique agri- and aqua-culture practices. Sado Island is widely considered a perfect miniature version of Japan. Here, we will visit the Shukunegi Village National Important Preservation Area and learn more about traditional taiko drumming at the Sado Island Taiko Centre.
Day 4 - Day 4: Kanazawa
Options today include exploring the historic mountain settlement and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go, high in the remote mountains of the Shogawa River Valley in Hakusan National Park. Take in the sights on mountain walks and experience the unique cultural traditions including the region’s iconic Gassho-zukuri farmhouses. Some of which are more than 250 years old, designed to withstand the heavy snow in winter and provide a large attic space for cultivating silkworms. Alternatively explore the rich art centre of Kanazawa discovering some of the unique styles of Japanese art. Kanazawa is rightly famous for its Kutani-style pottery, exquisite lacquerware, gold-leaf workmanship, hand painted silk, and classical Noh dance-drama performed since the 14th Century. Wander the winding cobblestone streets of Kanazawa’s Geisha district Higashi Chaya. Explore elegant restaurants and craft galleries and visit the impressive Edo-period Kenroku-en Garden, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan.
Day 5 - Day 5: Matsue
Arrive at the port of Sakaiminato, entry point to Matsue, known as ‘the town of water’ due to being situated between Lake Shinji and Lake Nakaumi. We plan to visit Matsue Castle, a national treasure and one of Japan’s few largely intact 17th Century castles. Other options today may include exploring Daisen-Oki National Park and Mount Daisen with its rich Buddhist culture. It was once home to 3,000 soldier monks and offers panoramic views from the summit at the Ogamiyama Shrine before visiting the breathtaking Daisenji Temple. Visit the Japanese circuit-style Yuushien Garden combining the traditional elements of a pond, waterfalls, streams, stone lanterns, rock garden and a variety of seasonal flowers. These include more than 250 types of Japanese Peony, or visit the Adachi Museum of Art renowned for its superb Japanese gardens and collection of contemporary Japanese paintings, comprising some 1,500 of the country’s most highly regarded paintings produced after the Meiji period.
Day 6 - Day 6: Ulsan, South Korea
Today we cross the Sea of Japan to Ulsan in South Korea where we plan to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Gyeongju. The capital of the Silla Dynasty and dating back to the first millennium, Gyeongju is known as ‘the museum without walls’ and is full of ancient Korean history and Buddhist culture. Stroll among excavated monuments, temples, tombs and pagodas at Tumuli Park and the Bulguksa Buddhist Temple. We may also visit the iconic Woljeonggyo Bridge. Savour Korean delicaciesand explore Hwanglidangil Road, South Korea’s trendy yet traditional Korean-style food, pub, and shopping street and walk in the beautiful Taehwagang Bamboo Forest. Today is a perfect taste of South Korea.
Day 7 - Day 7: Fukuoka, Japan
The largest city on the island of Kyushu, Fukuoka is the union of the castle town of Fukuoka on the west bank of the Naka River and the merchant town of Hakata on the east bank. This buzzy metropolis combines an effortless blend of trendy yatai food stalls (which made Lonely Planet and The New York Times 2023 travel lists) with vibrant art installations, historic ruins and colourful coastal parks. During our time here there may be opportunities to explore the northern city of Kitakyushu and famed Kokura Castle, TOTO Museum and Kawachi Wisteria Garden or Nanzoin Temple with its reclining bronze Buddha (thought to be the world’s largest bronze statue) and the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, which is built on the grave site of poet and scholar Sugawara no Michizane and surrounded by beautiful gardens, ponds and bridges with more than 6,000 plum trees.
Day 8 - Day 8: Hiroshima & Miyajima
Despite its history, including being the site of the world’s first atomic bomb attack on 6 August 1945, Hiroshima is a vibrant and thriving cosmopolitan community. We plan to visit the beautiful Peace Park and Museum, with its sombre cenotaph containing names of atomic bomb victims, and the permanently lit ‘Flame of Peace’. We plan to time our visit to Miyajima Island during high tide, where possible, to experience the floating Torii Gate. Considered one of Japan’s most scenic spots it is also the location of the famed Daisho-in Buddhist temple. Choose to indulge in fresh local oysters and ice cream, while native Sika deer wander the streets, and enjoy the views of the Shinto Shrine and Torri Gate.
Day 9 - Day 9: Tomano/Uno-Ko
From the port of Uno-Ko, we will visit one of Japan’s most famedgardens, Koraku-en, which translates as ‘garden of pleasure after’. This 17th-Century formal garden has 28 acres to explore and offers stunning views of the nearby towering Okayama Castle. This afternoon we will continue to Kurashiki. Here we plan to explore the old merchant quarter, and its fine 17th-Century wooden warehouses painted white with traditional black tiles along a canal framed with weeping willows and filled with koi. There will also be the opportunity to visit the Ohara Museum of Art, which includes rare works by Matisse, Picasso and Renoir and collections from Japan’s renowned Mingei movement, including ceramics by Shōji Hamada. For those interested in art you may wish to travel to Naoshima Island –Japan’s art island – for a full-day excursion. Your day on Naoshima Island will have you admiring its architecture and art museums, including Chichu Art Museum and Benesse House, featuring work by Japanese and international artists including the iconic pumpkins by Yayoi Kusama.
Day 10 - Day 10: Osaka
This morning sail back into Osaka, after breakfast there will be a complimentary coach to a central hotel or either Kansai or Osaka International Airports. To allow time for disembarkation procedures and travel from Osaka, we do not recommend booking flights departing before 1300 hours. Note: During our voyage, circumstances may make it necessary or desirable to deviate from the proposed itinerary. This can include poor weather and opportunities for making unplanned excursions. Your Expedition Leader will keep you fully informed. This tour offers a variety of activities and excursions. Your personal interests will determine which of these you wish to join. Please note that some activities and excursions will run at similar times, and it will not be possible to participate in both. Accordingly, refunds for excursions and missed landings are not available. Voyages are planned and scheduled pending final regulatory approval.
Day 11 - Please note:
Itineraries are subject to change.
Day 12 - Please note:
Itineraries are subject to change.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
05-05-202714-05-2027AUD $12,300Main Deck Triple
05-05-202714-05-2027AUD $12,600Superior Triple
05-05-202714-05-2027AUD $13,900Deck 4 Superior
05-05-202714-05-2027AUD $14,800Deck 5 Superior
05-05-202714-05-2027AUD $16,750Main Deck Single
05-05-202714-05-2027AUD $19,250Superior Single
05-05-202714-05-2027AUD $19,250Worsley Suite
05-05-202714-05-2027AUD $22,300Heritage Suite

Inclusions

    • Visit the iconic Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Miyajima’s five-storey Pagoda.
    • Explore the art haven of Naoshima and South Korea’s UNESCO-listed Gyeongju.
    • Discover Japan’s cultural gems, including Sado Island and breathtaking Kenrokuen Garden.

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