East Asia Cruise - from Incheon - Seoul - 106453

The main gateway to Korea with an international sea port. Above the port lies Chayu-Park, which commemorates General McArthur's landing in 1950, which signified the turn of events in favour of the South in the Korean War from 1950-53. The Bomunsa temple lies outside the city on the island of Seokmodo. Legend has it that it was founded in the 635 by Queen Seondeok of the Silla Dynasty. The most important attraction is the "sitting Buddha", carved ten metres high into the cliff-face. The island of Seokmodo has a beautiful sandy beach, often used in films. The Sorae fish market at the south-western harbour of Inchon is the traditional place to buy marinated fish. There are several small fish restaurants along even the first few metres of the fish market. The seafood market at Yonan-Pier and the Chinese quarter of Inchon are also worth a visit.

Tianjin, a city with a population of several million and the gateway to Peking, has been an important trading town by the great canal since the 13th century. In 1860, Tianjin was opened to foreigners and overseas trade. After Shanghai it is the most important coastal city in the Middle Kingdom, with a population of 9.5 million. "Food street" has a huge variety of regional dishes e.g. sweet meat, Zhang-style peanuts, filled and non-filled baked goods, deep fried food and much much more besides. In the "street of the old culture" you can find hand-made items and pretty souvenirs. Other sights include the Dabei Monastery, the fort at Dagukou and the large mosque.

Shanghai, the largest city in China with a population of 14 million is a unique paradise for shoppers and is sometimes also called the 'New York of the East'. Shanghai is a trading port, an industrial centre and cultural city in one. It has more than a thousand restaurants serving dishes from 16 Chinese regions as well as international cuisine. A long line of classical high-rise buildings give Shanghai its typical silhouette. In the old street you can still find buildings in the style of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The highest television tower in Asia, at 468 m, the "Pearl in the East", has a lift to transport tourists to the viewing platform offering a unique view of the city. Other sights include: the Chinese gardens with a teahouse, the zoo, the Jade Buddha temple, Nanjing shopping street and the Longhua temple.

Shanghai, the largest city in China with a population of 14 million is a unique paradise for shoppers and is sometimes also called the 'New York of the East'. Shanghai is a trading port, an industrial centre and cultural city in one. It has more than a thousand restaurants serving dishes from 16 Chinese regions as well as international cuisine. A long line of classical high-rise buildings give Shanghai its typical silhouette. In the old street you can still find buildings in the style of the Ming and Qing dynasties. The highest television tower in Asia, at 468 m, the "Pearl in the East", has a lift to transport tourists to the viewing platform offering a unique view of the city. Other sights include: the Chinese gardens with a teahouse, the zoo, the Jade Buddha temple, Nanjing shopping street and the Longhua temple.

Kagoshima is the prefecture capital of the Japanese island of Kyushu. Kagoshima is the most southerly city in Japan, and is not only tropically warm, but also has a relaxed, South-Seas atmosphere despite all of its modern amenities. Opposite the city rises the imposing backdrop of the volcano Sakurajima, which towers more than a thousand metres over the peninsula, its jagged crater smouldering unceasingly. The memory of the Jesuits is upheld and revered in Kagoshima by many monuments; it was the Jesuits who facilitated the first real contact with the West. Several of the museums are worth a visit, e.g. the new prefecture museum built on the grounds of the old castle. It shows exhibits relating to a wide range of issues of national importance.

Hiroshima is one of the most affluent cities in Japan, but its fame is attributable mainly to the atom bomb attack on August 6, 1945. The modern landmark of Hiroshima is "Genbaku domu", the "A-bomb cathedral". The ruins of the former Chamber of Industry and Commerce with its naked steel dome were left as a memorial and a warning to future generations. Close by "Genbaku domu" is the Children's Peace Monument, inspired by Sadako Sasaki, a little girl who died of leukaemia. The 'Peace Park "Heiwa koen" is home to the atom bomb museum and the memorial grave with the eternal flame.

Kochi is one of the few originally preserved castle towns in Japan and is located on the island of Shikoku. Alongside the Chikurin-ji temple, Kochi Castle is the city's most important tourist attraction. Kochi's diverse nature can be enjoyed on a walk through one of the impressive parks, for example, while the extensive caves in the surrounding area are also well worth a visit.

Nagoya is the fourth-largest city in Japan and the capital of Aichi. The city is an important centre of industry with a developed chemicals industry, car manufacturing and shipbuilding industries. The castle of Tokugawa leyasu, built in 1612, is a must see. It was destroyed during heavy bombing in 1945 and rebuilt in 1959. Not far from Nagoya, in Inazawa, is Kiyosu-jo castle, built in 1405. The red bridge Ootebashi over the Gojougawa river is also lovely. A large number of museums, such as the Maritime Museum or theTOYOTA Museum are worth a visit, as are the city gardens and the Nagoya No theatre.

Tokyo, the capital of Japan with a population of almost 8 million, combines tradition with progress. Buddhist temples stand side by side with Shinto cultural institutes and sky-scrapers. In the tiny streets you can find Kimonos, fans and miniature carvings, just a few streets away from the modern banking district and the grand architectural masterpieces. Visitors can relax in the Koraku Garden which has replicas of various features of the Japanese landscape. If it's a thrill you're after, a visit to the fish market is just the thing - and you could even bid on some fish!. More than 90,000 works of art are on display in the largest museum in Japan, the National Museum. In 1958 the Japanese built a replica of the Eiffel tower; At 333m high, 'Tokyo tower' would dwarf the original. Other sights include: the Meji shrine, the emperor's garden and palace, the town hall, the 'Capsule Hotel' where guests are accommodated in "drawers", Asakusa Kannon temple and the temple gardens in Kamakura.