10 nights · Kyoto, Japan · Departs Kobe-Osaka (Japan) · Visiting Hiroshima City, Hakata-Fukuoka City, Busan, Sakaiminato-Matsue, Maizuru, Kanazawa, Akita City, Aomori City, Tokyo · Aboard Azamara Cruises on the Azamara Pursuit
Image courtesy of Azamara Cruises ©
| Cruise line | Azamara Cruises |
|---|---|
| Ship | Azamara Pursuit |
| Duration | 10 nights |
| Port calls | 10 |
| Departures | 1 sailings |
| From fare | $3,449 per person |
| Year built | 2001 |
| Guests | 774 |
| Cabins | 352 |
| Crew | 400 |
| Length | 181 m |
| Beam | 25 m |
| Cruising speed | 18.0 kn |
Osaka rewards travellers who look beyond its famous appetite. Japan’s third-largest city blends merchant heritage, bold architecture and everyday energy. At Osaka Castle, stone walls and broad moats frame a defining chapter of the city’s past. Follow locals to Dotonbori, where neon reflects on the canal and takoyaki comes hot from the grill. Excellent rail links make Osaka a practical gateway to Kyoto, Nara and Kobe.
Hiroshima is a modern city with a history that reaches far beyond the events of 1945. At Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome and museum offer a moving, carefully documented account of the bombing. Across the city, local trams make it easy to reach Shukkeien Garden, lively Hondori and the riverside. A short train and ferry journey reaches Miyajima, famed for Itsukushima Shrine and its great torii gate.
Fukuoka is Kyushu’s largest city, a compact gateway where old Hakata meets modern Japan. Hakata’s shrines, covered shopping arcades and lively yatai food stalls reveal its character. Try famed tonkotsu ramen, then visit Ohori Park, where a broad lake lies beside Fukuoka Castle’s ruins. Efficient buses and subway connections make it easy to balance heritage, waterfront walks and contemporary city life.
Busan pairs the scale of a modern port city with easy access to temples, markets and broad beaches. Visit Gamcheon Culture Village, browse Jagalchi Fish Market or ride Songdo’s cable car over the sea. The city’s best-known sights are spread across several districts, so plan your day around one area. For a quieter pause, visit Beomeosa Temple on the forested slopes of Geumjeongsan.
Your arrival at Sakaiminato opens a quieter side of Japan, where fishing-town character meets samurai history. Follow Mizuki Shigeru Road past bronze figures from the manga artist’s supernatural world, then sample fresh crab and seafood. Matsue lies about 40 kilometres away, its original castle among Japan’s National Treasures, with canals and Lake Shinji nearby. A day ashore can move from lively local flavour to the measured elegance of old Japan.
Maizuru brings you to Kyoto Prefecture’s Sea of Japan coast, far from the crowds around Kyoto’s temples. Its naval past is tangible in the red-brick warehouses, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Several now house museums, shops and cafés. Visit the Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Museum, or travel onward to Amanohashidate, one of Japan’s celebrated scenic sites.
Kanazawa rewards visitors who look beyond Japan’s best-known cities. On the Sea of Japan, it preserves a samurai quarter, historic castle and teahouse district. Stroll Kenrokuen, one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens, then explore Omicho Market for seafood from nearby waters. The 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art and gold-leaf workshops reveal a modern city with a rich craft tradition.
Akita offers a quieter, distinctly Japanese day ashore, with samurai-era history and celebrated regional food. Senshu Park occupies the former grounds of Kubota Castle. At the Akita Museum of Art, a striking mural by local-born painter Tsuguharu Foujita commands attention. Try kiritanpo, rice mashed, shaped around cedar skewers and grilled, alongside local sake. In August, the Kanto Festival brings towering lantern poles into the streets, carried with remarkable balance.
Aomori brings Japan’s northern frontier within easy reach, with the Tsugaru Strait beyond its harbor and mountains on the horizon. The city is known for crisp apples, fresh seafood and Nebuta, its dramatic summer festival of illuminated warrior floats. At Wa Rasse museum, the floats command attention year-round. Travelers can visit the Sannai-Maruyama archaeological site or journey to Hirosaki for its castle and celebrated cherry trees.
Tokyo is a city of contrasts best explored one neighborhood at a time. In Asakusa, Senso-ji’s lantern gates lead to a centuries-old Buddhist temple; nearby, the Sumida River frames the skyline. Ride the efficient rail network to sleek Ginza, quiet Meiji Shrine, or the high-rise streets of Shinjuku. Come hungry: sushi counters, ramen shops, and department-store food halls make eating well remarkably easy. Tokyo’s scale is immense, but its details reward curiosity.
Published September 30, 2026
Last updated October 3, 2026
Author: J. Richard
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