East Asia Cruise - from Tokyo - 121213

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.

Toba is situated on the Shima Peninsula. From here, a bridge measuring 63 m long leads to the Mikimoto Pearl Island, where Kokichi Mikimoto first succeeded in artificially cultivating a pearl in an oyster in 1893. The island has a Pearl Museum, where you can find out all about pearl farming. Divers demonstrate how they dive for pearls and seaweed. Another attraction is the aquarium with shows and several exotic sea creatures.

Kobe is the capital of the prefecture of Hyogo and one of the largest cities in Japan. It lies between a large lake and the Rokko mountains and is one of the most beautiful and most cosmopolitan of Japan's cities. For many centuries, Kobe was the most important port in Japan and was the first to be opened for overseas trade.

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.

Nagasaki is the only city in Japan with a European influence, since it was only here that some settlements were allowed during the 300 years of isolation. The city lies at the end of a bay between mountain ranges, from where you can enjoy an excellent view of the city, the islands just off the coast and the ocean. The old trams are the perfect way to get around the city and visit the sights. Nagasaki is a busy, colourful city whose early history of encounters with the Portuguese and Dutch has been overshadowed by its fate as the second target of an atomic bomb attack. Urakami, the centre of the atomic explosion is today an affluent and peaceful suburb. This is where visitors can find the nightmarish atomic bomb museum, a vivid reminder of the horrors of nuclear destruction. The Hypocentre Park is also located here. It has a black stone column marking the exact spot at which the bomb exploded, as well as remains and ruins. A bell sounds at 11.02 a.m. every day, the time of the explosion, at the turtle-shaped Zen temple Fukusai-ji.

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.

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.