Land of the Rising Sun Cruise with Denis Walter OAM

DAY 1 Monday 31 March 2025 Departure/Kyoto, Japan
This morning, we board our flight to Osaka via Tokyo. Upon arrival we are transferred to our hotel.

DAY 2 Tuesday 1 April 2025 Kyoto, Japan
Today our sightseeing tour of Kyoto commences at Kinkakuji, better known as the Golden Pavilion, a Zen temple in northern Kyoto who’s top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. Formally known as Rokuonji, the temple was the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and according to his will, it became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect after his death in 1408. We then visit the Ryoanji Temple, the site of Japan’s most famous rock garden. Originally an aristocrat’s villa during the Heian Period, the site was converted into a Zen temple in 1450 and belongs to the Myoshinji School of the Rinzai sect of Zen Buddhism. Later we visit Gion, Kyoto’s most famous geisha district made famous from the novel and film Memoirs of a Geisha. It is filled with shops, restaurants and ochaya (teahouses), where geisha and maiko (geisha apprentices) entertain. This evening, we will enjoy a Welcome Dinner.

DAY 3 Wednesday 2 April 2025 Kyoto
Today we will visit Ginkakuji, consisting of the famous Silver Pavilion and Nanzenji Temple, whose spacious grounds are located at the base of Kyoto’s forested Higashiyama Mountains, and is one of the most important Zen temples in all of Japan. In 1482, shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa built his retirement villa on the grounds of today’s temple, modelling it after Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion), his grandfather’s retirement villa. The villa was converted into a Zen temple after Yoshimasa’s death in 1490. After visiting Ginkakuji, we travel to Nanzenji. Later we visit the Imperial Palace, which was the residence of the Imperial family until the capital was moved to Tokyo in 1869. Within the Imperial Palace grounds, which are enclosed by a roofed earthen wall, are the Seiryo-den (Palace Hall) and the Kogosho (Minor Palace) – reminiscent of the dynastic age.

DAY 4 Thursday 3 April 2025 Tokyo, Japan
This morning, we will visit the Philosopher’s Path, a pleasant stone path through the northern part of Kyoto’s Higashiyama district that follows a canal, lined by hundreds of cherry trees (cherry trees bloom in April). We are then transferred to the railway station for our exciting “Bullet train ride” on the famous Shinkansen train to Tokyo traveling up to 270 kmph. On the way we pass Mt Fuji and if the weather is good, we will see it. Upon arrival we are transferred to our hotel

DAY 5 Friday 4 April 2025 Tokyo
This morning, we enjoy a sightseeing tour of Tokyo. We visit the famous Ginza shopping district, renowned as the most expensive real estate in the world. We then visit the Imperial Palace East Gardens, which is part of the Royal residence, and a superb example of traditional Japanese landscape design.

DAY 6 Saturday 5 April 2025 Embarkation
The morning is free for individual sightseeing and shopping. Early afternoon we are transferred to the port of Yokohama to board the Diamond Princess. Make sure you’re up on deck as the Diamond Princess slips her moorings and we start our cruise around Japan.

DAY 7 Sunday 6 April 2025 At Sea
Our first day at sea to explore the fabulous facilities of this magnificent ship. This afternoon we have a fun session of Trivial Pursuit with Denis as the host. You will be divided into groups, with prizes for the winners!

DAY 8 Monday 7 April 2025 Nagasaki, Japan
Today we arrive in the city of Nagasaki, best known as the site of the second nuclear attack on Japan during WWII. On our sightseeing tour today, we will see the Peace Memorial Park, located near Ground Zero, the centre of the blast, which is home to a beautiful memorial fountain and the 9 metre-high Statue of Peace. In the afternoon we take a walk to the nearby Glover Gardens, to see early European settlers’ houses surrounded by attractive gardens.

DAY 9 Tuesday 8 April 2025 Busan, South Korea
We call into the port of Busan, South Korea where we have a sightseeing tour and visit the ancient Silla capital, Gyeong-Ju, a place UNESCO designated as one of the world’s top 10 historic sites. We explore the royal tombs at Tumuli Park and then experience the serenity of an 8th-century Bulguksa Temple.

DAY 10 Wednesday 9 April 2025 Sakaiminato, Japan
We begin our sightseeing tour at the Adachi Museum of Art, which displays a variety of Japanese paintings, ceramics and art through the ages. The surrounding gardens are considered the most beautiful in Japan. We continue on to the 500-year-old Matsue Castle built by Yoshiharu Horio, founder of Matsue city, and tour the extensive grounds. We return to the ship via Mizuki Shigeru Road, devoted to statues of ghouls and goblins that appear in local author Shigeru Mizuki’s beloved ghost stories and cartoons.

DAY 11 Thursday 10 April 2025 Maizuru, Japan
The gentle seaside city of Maizuru will win you over with its quaint collection of mountainside temples, pristine beaches and historical museums. We begin with a visit to Maizuru Red Brick Park, a series of warehouses that today serve as a museum and be transported to a Cold War-era spy thriller. We continue on to see the nearby Amanohashidate sandbar, a 3-kilometer-long isthmus that connects the bay in a picturesque stretch of white sand and pine trees. Known as the ‘Bridge of Heaven’, it is one of Japan’s top-three scenic views on what is considered one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

DAY 12 Friday 11 April 2025 Kanazawa, Japan
Kanazawa, which means ‘marsh of gold’, draws its name from an old legend in which a Japanese peasant, digging for potatoes, found flakes of gold in the ground. Today, gold leaf is a major art form synonymous with the city. We will enjoy a sightseeing tour of the city, known for its intricate kaga-nui embroidery and delicate kutani porcelain, among other handicrafts, making it a shopper’s paradise. Once boasting geisha houses and a labyrinthine samurai village, the city was built around Kanazawa Castle. Fire destroyed all but a few small 16th-century castle structures such as the elegant Ishikawa Gate. Just outside the castle park we visit the enchanting Kenroku-en Garden, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, and the home of the country’s oldest fountain.

DAY 13 Saturday 12 April 2025 Sakata, Japan
Journey into the heart of Mount Haguro, one of the three sacred mountains in the ancient province of Dewa. Our tour begins at the Go-jyu-No-Toh pagoda. This designated National Treasure, constructed from 931 to 937, is a five-tiered architectural marvel and tribute to Taira no Masakado, a samurai during the Heian period of Japan. Admire its graceful exterior and look for the 1,000-year-old Japanese cedar called Jijisugi, a symbol of longevity in the natural world. Next, visit Sanjin Gosaiden, which enshrines the deities of all the three scared mountains. We continue to the Chido Museum, displaying folklore artifacts and traditional gardens. Conclude at the Zenpoji Temple, including a memorial tower, dedicated to fish and beloved by fishermen.

DAY 14 Sunday 13 April 2025 Akita, Japan
Our sightseeing tour begins with a visit to the mesmerizing Lake Tazawa. Formed eons ago by a volcanic explosion, the sapphire blue lake is Japan’s deepest at 423 metres. The picture-perfect setting of tree-covered mountains is reflected in the water, giving the lake a mythical atmosphere. We explore Akita’s deep culture and rich history with a visit to Kakunodate Samurai District, untouched since its founding in 1620. Learn about these historic warriors of the Edo Period as you stroll along wide streets, step inside beautifully preserved samurai homes, and glimpse into the lives of these wealthy families.

DAY 15 Monday 14 April 2025 Aomori, Japan
This morning, we arrive in Aomori, in the northernmost prefecture on Japan’s main island Honshu. On our tour today, we will visit Hirosaki, once the political and cultural capital of the Tsugaru Region, the western section of present-day Aomori Prefecture. The city remains one of the culturally richest cities in the northern Tohoku Region. We visit Hirosaki Castle, built in 1611 with its three storey keep the only one in the Tohoku Region that was not rebuilt in the modern era, amongst only a handful in all of Japan.

DAY 16 Tuesday 15 April 2025 At Sea
Another day at sea to explore the fabulous facilities of this magnificent ship. This afternoon we have a fun session of Bingo with Denis calling the numbers.

DAY 17 Wednesday 16 April 2025 Tokyo, Japan/Departure
This morning, we arrive back into Yokohama and disembark the ship. We travel to Tokyo and visit Meiji Shrine, dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shoken, the shrine is a popular place for traditional Japanese weddings. We’ll also visit the famous Tokyo Tower. Inspired by the Eiffel Tower, the Tokyo Tower stands at 333metres tall is the second-tallest structure in Japan. Late afternoon we are transferred to the airport for our flights back to Australia.

DAY 18 Thursday 17 April 2025 Arrive Australia
Tour members arrive in Australia and tour arrangements conclude.