Your Itinerary
Day 1 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - Tokyo Arrival
Today you arrive in Tokyo, the dynamic capital of Japan. Please note that flights from Australia or New Zealand typically depart the day prior in order to arrive on Day 1. Upon arrival, please make your own way to your hotel and check in. Take the rest of the day to relax and recover from your long-haul flight - and to take in your first glimpses of Tokyo in autumn, when the ginkgo trees turn brilliant gold across the city.Arrival & Check-in informationThe easiest and most convenient way to travel from Tokyo's airport (Haneda HND or Narita NRT) to your hotel is to book airport transfers using your Traveller Hub (booked 7+ days in advance). Alternatively, both airports are well served by Limousine Bus, train and taxi services into central Tokyo. Hotel check-in time is at 3pm; early arrivals can leave luggage with reception.
Day 2 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - Pre-stay at Tokyo
Today is yours to explore Tokyo at your own pace. November sees the city's parks at their autumn best - Shinjuku Gyoen, Yoyogi Park and the Meiji Shrine gardens are all within easy reach of the hotel. The Shinjuku district around your hotel is one of the city's busiest hubs, with the towering Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building offering free observation deck views over the city and, on a clear day, all the way to Mount Fuji.
Further afield, the historic Asakusa district is home to the iconic Senso-ji Temple, while the youthful Harajuku and high-end Ginza districts showcase Tokyo's fashion and dining scenes. The Imperial Palace East Gardens and the Shibuya Crossing are all within easy reach by Tokyo's efficient metro and rail network.
Day 3 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 14 night Diamond Princess Cruise Tokyo Round-Trip
After breakfast, check out of the hotel and make your own way to the Osanbashi Yokohama International Cruise Terminal, around 30 to 45 minutes south of central Tokyo by train. Welcome aboard Diamond Princess, your home for the next 14 nights on Princess's Grand Japan with Fall Foliage voyage. Take time to explore the ship, settle into your stateroom and enjoy lunch onboard. The ship sails from Yokohama at 3:00 PM, with views of the historic Yokohama waterfront as you head north into open Pacific waters.Special InformationCheck-in at Osanbashi Yokohama International Cruise Terminal starts at 12:00 PM. Departure from Yokohama at 3:00 PM. Cruise terminal transfers are not included.
Day 4 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 14 night Diamond Princess Cruise Tokyo Round-Trip
A full day at sea as the ship sails north along the Honshu coastline towards Aomori. Settle into the rhythms of life onboard with breakfast in one of the complimentary dining venues, a turn around the open deck, and time to explore the ship's bars, lounges and entertainment programme.
Day 5 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 14 night Diamond Princess Cruise Tokyo Round-Trip
Welcome to Aomori, the gateway to northern Honshu. The city is best known for its colourful Nebuta summer festival, with the year-round Nebuta Warasse museum showcasing the enormous illuminated floats that parade through the city each August. Aomori is also Japan's apple country, with surrounding orchards stretching towards the Hakkoda mountains - a celebrated autumn foliage destination, when the slopes turn vivid red and gold in mid-November. Optional excursions visit the UNESCO-listed Hirosaki Castle area, the deep volcanic Lake Towada, and the atmospheric Oirase Stream, all at their seasonal best.Special InformationIn port from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Day 6 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 14 night Diamond Princess Cruise Tokyo Round-Trip
The ship arrives in Sakata, a working port in Yamagata Prefecture known historically as a major rice-shipping hub. The Sankyo Warehouses, a row of black-walled wooden storehouses lined with zelkova trees, are the town's most photographed sight and now house a museum and shops - particularly striking in November when the zelkova canopy turns deep autumn gold. On a clear day, the symmetrical cone of Mount Chokai dominates the skyline to the north. Sakata also offers a small but well-preserved geisha district and the traditional Honma Family Old Residence.Special InformationIn port from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Day 7 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 14 night Diamond Princess Cruise Tokyo Round-Trip
Kanazawa is one of Japan's most rewarding cultural destinations and one of the great fall foliage stops on this voyage. The city escaped wartime damage and retains beautifully preserved samurai and geisha districts, with the elegant Higashi Chaya teahouse quarter a particular highlight. Kenroku-en is widely considered one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan and reaches peak autumn colour in mid-November, with the famed yukitsuri rope supports being installed against the soon-to-arrive snow. The adjacent Kanazawa Castle and the contemporary 21st Century Museum offer striking contrasts. Kanazawa is also Japan's centre of gold-leaf production, with workshops and ice creams sprinkled with edible gold leaf for the curious.Special InformationIn port from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Day 8 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 14 night Diamond Princess Cruise Tokyo Round-Trip
The ship docks in Sakaiminato, a Tottori Prefecture fishing port best known as the home town of manga artist Shigeru Mizuki. Mizuki Shigeru Road, the street leading from the station to the town centre, is lined with more than 170 bronze statues of the spirits and yokai (supernatural creatures) from his celebrated GeGeGe no Kitaro series. The port itself is one of the busiest fishing ports on the Sea of Japan coast, and the surrounding Tottori region is famed for its dramatic sand dunes (around 90 minutes away) and traditional crab cuisine.Special InformationIn port from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Guests must clear immigration today in preparation for entry to South Korea tomorrow.
Day 9 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 14 night Diamond Princess Cruise Tokyo Round-Trip
Today the ship arrives in Busan, South Korea's second-largest city and busiest port. Set between mountains and the sea, Busan offers a different rhythm to the Japanese ports of call. Highlights include the colourful Gamcheon Culture Village, the lively Jagalchi Fish Market, the seaside Haedong Yonggungsa Temple perched on the cliffs, and the wide sweep of Haeundae Beach. The hilltop Beomeosa Temple offers a quieter cultural experience, while shoppers will find Nampo-dong and the BIFF Square area lively and engaging.Special InformationIn port from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Guests must clear immigration on arrival in South Korea.
Day 10 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 14 night Diamond Princess Cruise Tokyo Round-Trip
Nagasaki is one of Japan's most intercultural cities, having spent centuries as the country's sole window to the outside world during the Edo period. The hillside city is shaped by its layered Portuguese, Dutch, Chinese and Japanese heritage. The Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum offer a moving reflection on the events of 1945, while Dejima Island reconstructs the Dutch trading post that operated here for over 200 years. The Glover Garden preserves the homes of 19th-century foreign merchants, and the small Chinatown offers a different flavour of the city's mixed heritage.Special InformationIn port from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Guests must clear immigration on return to Japan.
Day 11 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 14 night Diamond Princess Cruise Tokyo Round-Trip
Kagoshima sits at the southern tip of Kyushu in the shadow of Sakurajima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes. The volcano regularly puffs smoke and ash across the bay, and a short ferry crossing reaches the volcano's flank where lookouts and a footbath allow closer views. In the city itself, the Sengan-en Garden combines a former feudal residence with views across the bay to Sakurajima, while the Reimeikan Museum and the historic Tenmonkan shopping district reward a leisurely walk. Kagoshima is also the home of authentic shochu spirit, with distilleries open to visitors.Special InformationIn port from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Day 12 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 14 night Diamond Princess Cruise Tokyo Round-Trip
Beppu is Japan's hot spring capital, producing more thermal water than any other location in the country. The town's signature attraction is the Hells of Beppu, a circuit of eight dramatic thermal springs ranging from cobalt-blue mineral pools to bubbling red mud and a geyser that erupts on a regular schedule. Many of the town's traditional ryokan inns and public bath houses are open to day visitors. Beyond the hot springs, the nearby Mount Tsurumi cable car offers sweeping views across the bay, with the surrounding slopes at peak autumn colour in late November.Special InformationIn port from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Day 13 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 14 night Diamond Princess Cruise Tokyo Round-Trip
Kochi is the capital of Kochi Prefecture on the rugged southern coast of Shikoku Island. The town is dominated by Kochi Castle, one of only twelve original Japanese castles to survive with its main keep intact. The streets near the castle host a 300-year-old market tradition that continues on weekends with local produce, crafts and food stalls. The Katsurahama beach to the south of the city offers wide Pacific views and a famous statue of local hero Sakamoto Ryoma, a key figure in modern Japanese history.Special InformationIn port from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Day 14 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 14 night Diamond Princess Cruise Tokyo Round-Trip
A long port call in Osaka gives full-day access to Japan's Kansai region at the peak of fall foliage season. Osaka itself offers the formidable Osaka Castle, the buzzing Dotonbori canal district lined with neon and street food, and Japan's culinary heart - tako-yaki, okonomiyaki and kushikatsu all have strong claims to the city. Many guests use the day to take an optional Princess shore excursion to Kyoto, around 60 to 90 minutes away by train or coach. Kyoto's temples, including the celebrated Kiyomizu-dera and the Arashiyama district, are at their most photographed during the koyo season in late November. Nara, with its tame deer and Great Buddha at Todai-ji Temple, is also within reach.Special InformationIn port from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Optional Princess shore excursions to Kyoto and Nara are available.
Day 15 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 14 night Diamond Princess Cruise Tokyo Round-Trip
A relaxed day at sea as the ship sails east along the Pacific coast of Honshu towards Shimizu. Use the day to reflect on the busy port itinerary, attend an onboard talk or activity, treat yourself to a spa session, or settle into a comfortable spot on deck to watch the Pacific roll by.
Day 16 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - 14 night Diamond Princess Cruise Tokyo Round-Trip
The ship calls at Shimizu, a Suruga Bay port best known as the gateway to Mount Fuji. On a clear day, Japan's iconic peak rises dramatically from the bay, with the Miho no Matsubara pine grove offering one of the most celebrated views of the mountain. The surrounding foothills are dotted with autumn colour at this time of year, including the maples of Kunozan and the gardens around Lake Tanuki. The town itself is famed for green tea production, sushi-grade tuna and the historic Seikenji Temple. Optional excursions venture closer to the Mount Fuji foothills, with stops at the Fuji Visitor Centre or the Lake Kawaguchi area.Special InformationIn port from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Mount Fuji visibility is weather-dependent.
Day 17 - FSC - 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - Arrival in Yokohama
Arrive in Yokohama in the early morning. After a final breakfast onboard, disembark Diamond Princess at the cruise terminal. Make your own way back to your hotel in central Tokyo for the night. The afternoon and evening are yours to enjoy any final Tokyo experiences - the ginkgo avenues of Meiji-Jingu Gaien are at their golden peak in late November, or settle in for a quiet izakaya dinner to mark the end of your journey.
Special InformationShip arrives Yokohama at 6:30 AM. Transfers from the cruise terminal to your hotel are not included.
Day 18 - FSC- 18 Day Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage - Flight Day
After breakfast, check out of the hotel and make your way to the airport for your return flight home. Thank you for travelling with Inspiring Vacations. We hope your Grand Japan & South Korea Autumn Foliage Voyage has been a memorable one.Special InformationAirport transfers from your hotel to Haneda Airport (HND) or Narita Airport (NRT) are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book this transfer for an easier departure experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.
