Day 1 - Wednesday - Sep 4, 2024
Depart on overnight flight to Osaka and embark National Geographic Resolution. (D)
Day 2 - Thursday - Sep 5, 2024
Dock in Okayama and head for our second of Japan's "three best landscape gardens": Korakuen. Wander paths that wind along forest streams and past traditional teahouses tucked amid maple and cherry trees. See the black-walled Okayama Castle, before continuing to the former shipping center of Kurashiki, where centuries-old rice granaries line a lovely canal. Browse local handicrafts, and visit the renowned Ohara Museum of Art and the 18th-century Ohashi House. (B,L,D)
Day 3 - Friday - Sep 6, 2024
The small island of Naoshima was transformed from a dwindling community to a vibrant art center by Benesse Holdings, which began inviting artists and architects to create a hub for the arts in the early 1990s. Discover the island's cutting-edge creations, from an underground museum designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando to the famous polka-dotted pumpkins of Yayoi Kusama. After lunch, cross to Takamatsu on Shikoku Island. Explore Shikoku Mura, an open-air museum that showcases traditional building styles. End the day at the Noguchi Garden Museum, which features the sculptures and workshop of Japanese American artist Isamu Noguchi. (B,L,D)
Day 4 - Saturday - Sep 7, 2024
Start the day on the island of Miyajima, home of Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its red torii gate that seems to float atop the water at high tide. In Hiroshima, visit the Peace Memorial Park. See the A-Bomb Dome, one of only a few buildings left standing after the attack, and learn about the city's dedication to peace following World War II. (B,L,D)
Day 5 - Sunday - Sep 8, 2024
Rise early for a morning hike to Uwajima Castle, one of just 12 original Edo-period castles that remain intact. Continue to Uchiko, once a center of wax production. Take a walk in the town's well preserved Yokaichi district, where beautifully crafted wooden merchant homes recall the prosperity of the Meiji period. (B,L,D)
Day 6 - Monday - Sep 9, 2024
The diverse ecology of Yakushima Island, including a subtropical coast and temperate rainforest in the interior, has earned this island UNESCO World Heritage status. On a hike, discover the island's ancient yakusugi cedar trees, many of which date back more than a thousand years. The ship turns north toward the island of Shikoku this evening. (B,L,D)
Day 7 - Tuesday - Sep 10, 2024
At the southern end of Kyushu, the city of Kagoshima sits just across the bay from the active volcano Sakurajima. Take a walk in Sengan-en Garden, designed by the city's ruling Shimadzu clan in 1658 to incorporate the bay and its simmering volcano. After lunch, travel along the Satsuma Peninsula to the village of Chiran, where the samurai designed gardens inspired by their travels. (B,L,D)
Day 8 - Wednesday - Sep 11, 2024
Long before World War II, Nagasaki was a cosmopolitan trading center, drawing merchants from Europe and China to its picturesque harbor as early as the 1500s. Visit Oura Cathedral, the oldest Christian church in Japan, and venture into Sofukuji, a 400-year-old Ming-style Zen Buddhist temple. Visit Nagasaki Peace Park, where a poignant exhibition illustrates the aftermath of the atomic bomb drop on the city, and see the somber monument erected at ground zero. (B,L,D)
Day 9 - Thursday - Sep 12, 2024
Dock in Ulsan, and travel to Gyeongju, the ancient capital of the Silla kingdom and the crown jewel of Korea's cultural heritage. Packed with the ruins of temples, pagodas, and palaces dating back more than a thousand years, the historic areas of the city have been collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit Bulguksa Temple, a masterpiece of Silla architecture originally built in 528 AD. At the Gyeongju National Museum, examine jewelry, weapons, and other Silla artifacts. See Cheomseongdae, a seventh-century observatory, and wander among towering royal burial mounds. (B,L,D)
Day 10 - Friday - Sep 13, 2024
In the castle town of Hagi, known for its fine ceramic arts, tour the historic district, once home to wealthy merchants and samurai. Stroll past serene rows of stone lanterns at the town's two Zen Buddhist temples, where the feudal lords of the powerful Mori clan were laid to rest. This afternoon, we chart our course for the Korean Peninsula. (B,L,D)
Day 11 - Saturday - Sep 14, 2024
Follow the coast west to Matsue, situated between a lake, a lagoon, and the sea. Tour the 17th-century Matsue Castle built as a defensive fortress, and discover its clever design elements intended to foil the enemy. Continue to the Adachi Museum of Art, which blends an impressive collection of 20th-century Japanese art with a gem-like traditional garden. (B,L,D)
Day 12 - Sunday - Sep 15, 2024
Step into Old Japan in Kanazawa, once a powerful city ruled by the Maeda clan. Stroll past the lovely wooden homes of the samurai in the Naga-machi district, where the streets are intentionally narrow and winding to confuse enemies. Then explore the geisha and teahouse district of Higashi Chaya-machi. Next, wander the pathways of Kenroku-en, one of Japan's designated "three best landscape gardens", established in 1676 by the Maeda family and developed over 150 years. (B,L,D)
Day 13 - Monday - Sep 16, 2024
Disembark National Geographic Resolution and zip north on Japan's famous bullet train to Tokyo. Transfer to your hotel, located steps from the lively Ginza district. Get to know this vibrant city, the capital of Japan since the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Visit Meiji Jingu, a Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji, who brought an end to Japan's long feudal period. Visit the Edo-Tokyo Museum, then meander through the historic Asakusa neighborhood around Tokyo's oldest temple, Senso-ji. (B,L,D)
Day 14 - Tuesday - Sep 17, 2024
Day 15 - Wednesday - Sep 18, 2024
Transfer to airport for flights home. (B)
