Le Laperouse, The Best of Japan ex Osaka to Maizuru

Details

8 Night Cruise sailing from Osaka to Maizuru aboard Le Laperouse.

8 Night Cruise sailing from Osaka to Maizuru aboard Le Laperouse.

Through this exceptional itinerary, PONANT invites you to discover the Land of the Rising Sun, where the history of the samurai and the daintiness of the geishas exist side by side.

In Osaka, you will board the Le Lapérouse for a 9-day cruise to the heart of Japan.

At the start of your trip, you will discover the small Japanese city of Tamano, a former feudal domain with a unique cultural heritage. Among its sites, you will be able to admire its famous Korakuen Garden, one of the country’s three must-see landscaped gardens.

We will call at Hiroshima, the gateway to Miyajima, home to the majestic Shinto shrine whose entrance is guarded by a magnificent vermillion Torii listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Le Lapérouse will then take you to Busan, a warm and welcoming city where you will enjoy a spectacular view of the port. This ancient city full of contrasts presents numerous vestiges that speak of its prestigious past.

When your ship calls at Sakaiminato, you will set off to discover medieval Japan and the ancient dwellings of the samurai, who had lavish homes and castles built.

Highlights of this cruise:

Osaka
Like its big sister Tokyo, Osaka is the product of ancestral traditions and amazing technological innovations. And despite its size, its location on the Pacific Ocean give it a sense of serenity.ﾠ The main historic landmark is the 16th-century Osaka Castle, which stands proud in the midst of majestic skyscrapers. The lively streets of Dotomburi and the bizarre Shinsekai district attract thousands of locals and visitors. A multitude of restaurants offer menus full of regional specialities: takoyaki, made with octopus, and other succulent dishes such as kushikatsu kebabs.

Uwajima
Located on the west coast of Shikoku island, Uwajima will delight lovers of history and traditional customs. The magnificent Uwajima Castle was built in the 17th-century by the powerful Date clan and has a beautiful ornamental garden and bridge. The much-visited Taga Shrine is dedicated to fertility and is full of phalluses. Another interesting tradition is togyu, a Japanese variant of bull-fighting where two bulls are pitted against each other without a toreador. As for eating, you must taste jakoten, a local delicacy based on fried fish.

Kagoshima
The seaside city of Kagoshima, at the south of Kyushu Island, ﾠis best known for Sakurajima, an active volcano that faces Kinko Bay. A visit to this busy metropolis will remind you just how much the volcano is part of the inhabitantsﾒ everyday life: in the wake of the almost daily eruptions, a delicate layer of ash settles on everything. The top of a buried torii (traditional Japanese gate) measuring three metres that was ﾓswallowed upﾔ by a giant lava flow in 1914 can still be seen. The power of nature will send a shiver down your spine.

Sakaiminato
Located on the south-west coast of Honshu Island, the busy fishing port of Sakaiminato celebrates the comic writer and artist Shigeru Mizuki, who was born here. As well as a museum a dedicated tourist route leads through streets and squares that feature 134 bronze statues representing his beloved characters. This isnﾒt the only thing Sakaiminato has to offer; try some local seafood specialities and enjoy the stunning views of Mt Daisen and the Yumigahama peninsula.

Maizuru
Located on the western coast of Honshu island, in the province of Kyoto, the charming town of Maizuru boasts one of Japan’s most exquisite closed bays. A climb to the observatory will allow you to appreciate the splendour of this inlet scattered with tiny wild islands. You can also admire the treasures of traditional architecture by visiting the temple of Enryu-ji or the Tanabe-jo castle. The town also bears traces of a rich military past, which you can see in the old arsenals of the navy, red brick buildings that today house a museum.