21 nights · Kyoto, Japan · Departs Kobe-Osaka (Japan) · Visiting Takamatsu, Tomonoura-Fukuyama, Hiroshima City, Karatsu, Busan, Nagasaki City, Kagoshima City, Shimizu, Tokyo, Seward · Aboard Windstar Cruises on the Star Seeker
Image courtesy of Windstar Cruises ©
| Cruise line | Windstar Cruises |
|---|---|
| Ship | Star Seeker |
| Duration | 21 nights |
| Port calls | 11 |
| Departures | 2 sailings |
| From fare | $8,234 per person |
| Year built | 2025 |
| Guests | 224 |
| Cabins | 112 |
| Crew | 110 |
| Length | 126 m |
| Beam | 19 m |
| Cruising speed | 16.0 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.
Takamatsu is the gateway to Shikoku, Japan’s smallest main island, and a city with an unexpectedly graceful pace. From the harbour, reach Ritsurin Garden, a celebrated landscape garden shaped over more than a century. Its ponds, pine groves and teahouses reward an unhurried visit. The city is also known for sanuki udon, the region’s springy wheat noodles. Take the ferry to Naoshima for contemporary art, or stay to explore the waterfront and castle ruins.
Fukuyama is a gateway to the Seto Inland Sea, pairing castle history with a working port city. Fukuyama Castle stands beside the railway station, making its grounds an easy first stop. For a memorable excursion, head to Tomonoura, a historic harbor of narrow lanes and old merchant houses. From Fukuzenji Temple’s Taichoro hall, the view reaches across the water to Sensuijima, a small island accessible by ferry.
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.
Karatsu sits on Kyushu’s coast, where the Genkai Sea meets a town shaped by ceramics, fishing, and centuries of trade. At Karatsu Castle, rebuilt in 1966, broad views take in the harbor and pine-fringed shore. Nearby, Niji no Matsubara is a celebrated coastal pine grove stretching nearly five kilometres. Karatsu-yaki pottery rewards a closer look, with glazes shaped by a long local tradition. For a change of pace, Yobuko’s morning market serves the catch, including the region’s prized squid.
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.
Few Japanese cities combine harbor scenery and layered history as compellingly as Nagasaki. Its steep streets rise above a sheltered harbor that once linked Japan with Dutch and Chinese traders. At Dejima, the former Dutch trading post, exhibits trace the city’s unusual role during centuries of restricted foreign contact. The Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum offer a moving, carefully documented account of 1945. Come for the history; stay to see how a resilient port city lives beside its past.
Kagoshima sits at the southern end of Kyushu, with Sakurajima rising across its sheltered bay. Ferries cross to the active volcano, where lava fields and walking trails reveal a landscape still shaped by fire. Sengan-en, a former Shimazu estate, combines traditional gardens with striking views of Sakurajima. Kagoshima’s food is equally distinctive: tender kurobuta pork and local sweet-potato shochu give the region its own character.
Shimizu offers a memorable arrival: on clear days, Mount Fuji rises beyond the blue waters of Suruga Bay. Shimizu is a working harbor famed for tuna. Across the bay, Miho-no-Matsubara’s pines frame a celebrated view of Fuji. At Nihondaira, take in the panorama, then ride the ropeway to Kunozan Toshogu, a richly decorated shrine honoring Tokugawa Ieyasu.
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.
Set between the Kenai Mountains and Resurrection Bay, Seward brings Alaska’s wild coast within easy reach. Tour boats reach Kenai Fjords National Park, where glaciers meet the sea and whales, otters, and seabirds thrive. The Alaska SeaLife Center brings marine life into view; nearby, Exit Glacier shows the forces shaping this landscape. Seward rewards a day outdoors, with time left to explore its historic waterfront.
Published August 2, 2026
Last updated October 3, 2026
Author: J. Richard
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