Description
The ports of call on this voyage from China to Japan introduce us to the rich historical and cultural diversity of the western Pacific. 5,000 years of Chinese history collected in the National Palace Museum in Taipei; the unique crafts and music of the people of Ishigaki; the legacy of the Ryuku kingdom represented in the UNESCO World Heritage Shuri Castle on Okinawa; the samurai houses of Chiran; the Fujisan Sengen shrine in the foothills of Mt. Fuji; the Kumano Shinto shrines near Shingu – these are just some of the fascinating places you may visit along our way from Hong Kong to Osaka.
As we explore the natural and cultural heritage of the distant past of islands we visit, we will also attend to a more recent chapter in their history. Word War II was without doubt the defining event of the 20th century – realigning the balance of power both in Europe and in Asia, and establishing the United States as a global superpower. As we sail – metaphorically – in the wake of General Douglas MacArthur on his way to accept Japanese surrender in 1945, our guest lecturers, James Bradley and Philip Hurst, will guide us in an exploration of the origins and conduct of the war and consider with us how the war has shaped the world in which we live.