Spring Gardens, Culture and History of Japan & South Korea by Small Ship

You will be met at Osaka airport and transferred to your hotel in Kyoto. Enjoy a Welcome Dinner this evening where you will meet your Botanical Guide and fellow travellers.

Admire the exquisite rock garden at the Zen temple of Ryoan-ji. Continue to Kinkaku-ji Temple, also known as the Golden Pavilion. The grounds here are a fine example of Muromachi-period garden design. After lunch, visit the gardens of Ginkaku-ji, one of Kyoto’s most celebrated Zen temples. Tonight, enjoy a private dinner and maiko (apprentice geisha) performance. Gain insight into the life of maiko and geisha during this unique experience.

After breakfast, we visit the famous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, then enjoy free time in Kyoto to shop and explore before travelling from Kyoto to Osaka. This afternoon, we board our ship, the MS Island Sky, our home for the next eleven nights.

Having cruised westward along the shores of Japan’s main island, we arrive in the city of Okayama. After breakfast, we visit Koraku-en Garden, one of Japan's most significant gardens, whose name means 'Garden of Pleasure After'. After lunch, continue to Kurashiki, where we explore the old merchant quarter and its fine 17th-century wooden warehouses. These elegant edifices, with facades painted white and traditional black tiled roofs, line a canal framed by weeping willows.

Our ship traverses the Seto Inland Sea, bringing us to the island of Shikoku, the smallest of the four main Japanese islands. Here we tour the stunning city of Takamatsu. Continue to Kinashi Bonsai Village before exploring Ritsurin Park, a 350-year-old garden famous for its spring colours and Chrysanthemum Moon pavilion. Return to the ship for dinner this evening.

Arrive in Hiroshima and visit the compelling Peace Memorial Park. The park is dotted with memorials, including the cenotaph containing the names of all the known victims of the atomic bomb that was dropped on the city in 1945. After lunch, continue to Miyajima. Considered one of Japan's top scenic wonders, Miyajima provides postcard-perfect vistas of its scarlet torii gate, which stands before the Itsukushima Shrine. We go ashore by Zodiac to explore the shrine, founded in the sixth century AD and dedicated to three goddesses. The shrine is a designated World Heritage site.

Situated along the saw-toothed coast of Uwajima Bay is the city of Uwajima. Today you will have the option of choosing between two activities. You may like to visit Tensha-en Garden, which was built during the Samurai era. From here, continue to the Date Museum, which is home to a collection of samurai weapons and other artefacts that belonged to the Date Clan, who once governed this area. Alternatively, you may like to visit Uwajima Castle, whose strategic position atop a hill in the middle of the town provided for defence against the threat of an approaching enemy. From the castle, you can enjoy panoramic views of this small town.

Our ship arrives back at the island of Honshu, in whose westernmost city, Shimonoseki, we dock this morning. From here, we travel by coach across the Kanmon Bridge to the neighbouring island, Kyushu. At the Kawachi Wisteria Garden*, we witness a private paradise, boasting a spectacular display of cascading wisteria vines. The two alluring, 100-metre-long tunnels are each adorned with overflowing and vibrantly coloured blooms. The canopy of wisteria is comprised of several varieties, allowing it to enjoy a gradient fade, from deep purple to bright pink, and even a delicate white, making for a breathtaking spectacle overhead. Afterwards, we return to the ship to enjoy an afternoon at leisure.

Arrive in Nagasaki, the second Japanese city destroyed by an atomic bomb during World War II. Tour the Nagasaki Peace Park, Atomic Bomb Museum and Glover Garden, also known as Madame Butterfly House. Continue to Dejima Island, built during the Edo Period to accommodate Portuguese Christian missionaries and prevent the propagation of their religion. It was also once the residential quarters of the Dutch, the only foreigners allowed to trade in Japan for 200 years during the period of isolation known as Sakoku. Japan’s fear of outside influence kept the country secluded from the rest of the world during this time. It remained that way until, at the behest of US Navy Commodore Matthew Perry, Japan signed the 1854 Treaty of Kanagawa, which permitted American ships to dock in two of its ports.

This morning, arrive on South Korea’s Jeju Island, an area full of natural wonders. While here, you can choose to take a full-day tour taking in Camellia Hill Botanical Gardens, renowned for its stunning collection of over 500 camellia varieties and scenic walking paths. Visit the Spirited Garden, which is replete with hundreds of bonsai plants. The garden was created by a single farmer, upon what was previously a wasteland of rocks. Afterwards, visit Osulloc Tea Museum, where you’ll learn about the art and tradition of Korean tea. Alternatively, set off on a full-day visit to the Haenyeo Museum. Here you will learn about the legendary female free divers of Jeju. Then head to Sunrise Peak, a volcanic crater and one of Jeju’s most iconic landmarks. Finally, follow winding boardwalks across the Saryeoni Forest Path, a tranquil and enchanting woodland that offers a refreshing escape into nature. The forest is known for its dense canopy of Japanese cedars and cypress trees.

Reaching the South Korean mainland, our ship docks in the city of Ulsan. While here, you have the option of heading out on a full-day tour, which takes in the Gyeongju National Museum, Bulguksa Temple and the sprawling Taehwagang National Garden, which features the Hoes-Oudolf Ulsan Garden, the first Piet Oudolf garden in Asia. Alternatively, visit the Jagalchi Fish Market and the impressive Gwangan Grand Bridge.

Returning across the Korea Strait, we arrive back in Japan today. Visit the city of Matsue, known as the ‘City of Water’. Matsue is surrounded by the lakes Nakaumi and Shinji, as well as the Sea of Japan. Visit some of its cultural attractions, including Matsue Castle. The striking black and white castle is one of only a few wooden medieval castles remaining in Japan today. Admire its graceful exterior before heading inside, from where we can enjoy magnificent views of the city and Lake Shinji beyond. Afterwards, choose to delve into Japan’s modern art and culture at the highly regarded Adachi Museum of Art. The museum’s adjoining garden is a masterpiece of modern design which has won many awards and accolades. This work of ‘natural art’ has been designed not to be entered, however, but to be admired only from select vantage points. Alternatively, visit Yushi-en Garden, a real flower garden, full of colour and blossom, and famous for its ginseng and peonies.

This morning, we visit Kanazawa’s renowned Omicho Market. The market sells everything from flowers to fish and local handicrafts. Afterwards, take in one of Japan’s premier highlights at the famed Kenroku-en Garden, which is ranked as one of the country’s top three gardens. This afternoon, immerse yourself in Kanazawa’s culture with a visit to the Higashi Chaya-gai Geisha District. The town retains its traditional housing and layout, which reaches back to the Samurai era. While in Kanazawa, keep a lookout for some of the handcrafted items the region is famous for, including the kimono and gold leaf. This evening, we enjoy a Farewell Dinner aboard our ship.

Disembark the ship this morning and travel by bullet train from Kanazawa to Tokyo.

Explore the sites of Tokyo today with a morning spent at the Imperial Palace East Gardens, followed by a visit to Ueno Park and the Tokyo National Museum. Finish the day with a visit to the Roppongi Hills Mori Tower for panoramic views of Tokyo. Alternatively spend a full day in Tochigi prefecture outside of Tokyo and explore Ashikaga Flower Park’s annual Great Wisteria Festival. The biggest attraction is a 160-year-old plant whose canopy stretches over 1,000 square metres. In other areas, there are amazing flower tunnels created by trellises, including one that's 80 metres long. This evening, enjoy a Farewell Dinner.

After breakfast today you will be transferred to the airport as our journey concludes.