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

You will be met at either Tokyo Narita or Haneda airport and transferred to your hotel in Tokyo. Enjoy a Welcome Dinner this evening where you will meet your Botanical Guides and fellow travellers.

Explore the sites of Tokyo today with a morning spent at Ueno Park and Toshogu Shrine Peony Garden. Follow this with a visit to Nezu Shrine. Famed for its series of vermilion torii gates, it is also the site of the Azalea Festival during the month of April. The festival is a showcase of 3,000 azalea plants in 100 varieties, making it one of Tokyo’s most enchanting settings.

Travel by bullet train from Tokyo to Kanazawa this morning. This afternoon, we board our ship, the MS Island Sky, our home for the next ten nights.

This morning, we visit one of Japan’s premier highlights, the famed Kenroku-en Garden, which is ranked as one of the country’s top three gardens. Afterwards, walk across to Kanazawa Castle, originally built in the late 16th century as the stronghold of the Maeda clan. It served as a vital centre of political and military power, reflecting the architectural resilience and strategic importance of Japan's feudal era. 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.

Our vessel arrives today in 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.

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. 

Or perhaps visit Yuushien Garden, celebrated for its profusion of peonies. Carefully timed planting means that visitors can see the peonies here year-round, in dedicated indoor and outdoor displays.

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.  

You may prefer to visit the Jagalchi Fish Market and the impressive Gwangan Grand Bridge.

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 more than 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. 

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.

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, our ship arrives at Kyushu, docking in the port city of Kitakyushu. From here, we travel by coach to the impressive 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 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 CE and dedicated to three goddesses. The shrine is a designated World Heritage site. After lunch, continue to 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. 

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. Choose from two excursions today. Enjoy a half-day visit to Kinashi Bonsai Village before exploring Ritsurin Park, a 350-year-old garden famous for its spring colours and the Chrysanthemum Moon Scooping pavilion. Alternatively, spend a full day on Naoshima Island, celebrated for its remarkable contemporary art museums. Our journey coincides with the Setouchi Triennale art festival, held across the islands of the Seto Inland Sea once every three years. Explore the hillside Chichu Art Museum, home to Monet’s luminous Water Lilies, then continue to Benesse House Museum to experience its striking sculptures and installations. At Miyanoura Port, you’ll also encounter Yayoi Kusama’s iconic pumpkin sculpture, a vibrant symbol of the island’s creative spirit. Return to the ship for dinner this evening.

A brief northerly cruise brings us to the shores 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 featuring traditional black tiled roofs, line a canal framed by weeping willows. This evening, we enjoy a Farewell Dinner aboard our ship.

After disembarking the ship in Kobe, travel to Kyoto for a full day of touring. Enjoy a private lunch and maiko (apprentice geisha) performance, gaining insight into the life of maiko and geisha during this unique experience. After lunch we 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. This afternoon we make our way to Osaka.

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