Japan's National Parks, Art & Culture

Japan's National Parks, Art & Culture 16 Days

Prices From £8,498pp
May Only | 15 nights

Up To 20% Discount!

Single Cabins Available

Japan's National Parks, Art & Culture 16 Days

Aboard: Heritage Adventurer

Circle Japan by sea on an expedition-style voyage that pairs blockbuster cities with remote coastlines, wildlife-rich islands and a surprising side-trip to South Korea. From Osaka’s neon energy and castle history to Hiroshima’s moving Peace Memorials and the floating torii of Miyajima, this journey is designed to reveal Japan’s extraordinary contrasts of ancient traditions lived in the present, and ultramodern life set against timeless landscapes.

Along the way, explore sacred Shinto heartlands at Ise Jingū, wander preserved villages and elegant gardens, and step into a world-class arts scene that ranges from contemporary museums in Hachinohe and Towada to Kanazawa’s heritage crafts and Naoshima’s celebrated art installations. Natural highlights are just as compelling, with caldera lakes, bamboo forests, volcanic valleys, rugged national-park shorelines and geopark terrain on Izu Ōshima and Sado Island. All of this and more is brought to life by expert guest speakers and Japanese guides who deepen every landing with context, stories and local insight.

Highlights

  • Experience Japan by sea on an expedition-style voyage linking iconic cities with remote coastlines and island communities
  • Discover sacred traditions and timeless heritage, from revered shrines and temples to historic castles and preserved villages
  • Enjoy Japan’s celebrated arts and creativity, from contemporary museums and design-led galleries to traditional crafts and performing arts
  • Explore dramatic national parks and volcanic landscapes, with caldera lakes, geothermal valleys, forest trails and scenic lookouts
  • Encounter distinctive wildlife and island nature, including protected species and coastal habitats
  • Savour regional flavours and local food culture
  • Step into moving modern history, with meaningful visits that illuminate Japan’s 20th-century story
  • Add a taste of South Korea, including a UNESCO-listed cultural heartland and vibrant local streetscapes

What's Included

  • Transfers to and from ship for arrival and departure
  • One night's hotel stay in Osaka pre-voyage
  • All meals on board ship, with wine, beer & soft drinks with lunch & dinner
  • All excursions shown in itinerary
  • Programme of expert lectures and talks

Up To 20% Discount!

Book select departures by 30th June and receive a 20% discount! Price shown includes discount.

Offer applicable when booked before 1st July 2026

Full terms & conditions apply. New bookings only, subject to availability. Discount applies to voyage cost only and does not apply to landing fees that are included in the trip cost. / Available on selected dates/vessels.

Single Cabins Available

This vessel offers single occupancy cabins, which is a perfect option for solo travellers. Travelling alone is often the best way to see the world. No responsibilities, no difficult choices and no trying to please anyone else…just you, your itinerary and your adventurous spirit!

Our popularitinerary Suggestions

All our itinerary holidays are fully customisable

Osaka
1Day

Osaka

Arrive independently to Osaka, Honshu’s bustling port city where bold modern design and an outstanding food culture sit side-by-side with the storied Osaka Castle, a legacy of Japan’s shogunate era. Settle into your included hotel and take time to unwind after your journey, ahead of the adventure to come.

This evening, meet your expedition team and fellow travellers for a welcome dinner at the hotel, where you’ll be introduced to your guides and the journey ahead.

Osaka - Embark
2Day

Osaka - Embark

After breakfast at the hotel, head out to discover the many faces of Osaka. The options may include a visit to Minoh Park, a compact but wildlife-rich national park best known for its graceful 33-metre Minoh Waterfall. Keep watch for local highlights such as the protected Minoh monkeys, and in the wider area, species like the elusive Japanese giant salamander.

Later, step into history at Osaka Castle, one of Japan’s most celebrated landmarks. Walk the castle grounds, soak up panoramic views from the Main Tower, and hear tales of powerful warlords and the city’s turbulent past. For lunch, we plan to stop in Dotonbori, Osaka’s lively district of neon-lit streets and legendary street food. This afternoon, meet your Captain and Expedition Team as you board your ship, ready to begin the voyage.

Ise-Shima National Park
3Day

Ise-Shima National Park

Today is dedicated to the remarkable landscapes and living traditions of Ise–Shima National Park. Often described as a “living museum,” the Shima Peninsula blends coastal scenery with some of Japan’s most important sacred sites. Wander the atmospheric precincts of Ise Jingū, Japan’s most revered Shinto shrine complex, where around 125 shrines are tucked among ancient trees, moss-covered stonework, and quiet pathways.

Visit Kotai Jingū, the grand inner shrine built entirely from Japanese cypress using traditional joinery, with no metal nails or screws, and rebuilt every 20 years in keeping with Shinto practice to maintain spiritual purity (the current structure is the 62nd, most recently renewed in 2013). Shima’s connection to the sea is just as deep. It has supplied seafood to Japan’s imperial household since the 5th century. From Ago Bay, admire a striking seascape of more than 60 islands scattered across the water, and see the sacred Meoto Iwa (Wedded Rocks), linked by a shimenawa rope near Futami-Okitama Shrine. Rounding out the day, enjoy a visit to the Ise Contemporary Art Museum to view an eclectic mix of Japanese and international works, including a sculpture garden featuring pieces by Atsuo Okamoto.

Izu Oshima Island
4Day

Izu Oshima Island

Arrive on Izu Ōshima, the largest of the Izu Islands, often called “Tokyo’s Treasure Islands”, a remote chain south of the mainland with its own distinct blend of nature, culture, and volcanic history. Almost completely cloaked in forest, Ōshima has been recognised for its outstanding geology, earning Japan Geopark status in September 2010.

If conditions allow, you’ll have the chance to hike Mount Mihara, known locally as “Ōshima Fuji”, rising from the island’s centre. From here, the landscape reveals its dramatic contrasts of sheer coastal cliffs to the east plunging into the ocean, and broad, gently rolling plains stretching west. We also aim to visit the Great Road Cut Geological Site, where 700-metre-long cliffs expose rippling layers of volcanic deposits. Nicknamed “Baumkuchen” for its cake-like bands, it’s one of the island’s most memorable natural features.

Ishinomaki
5Day

Ishinomaki

Spend the morning at sea enjoying talks and insights from your onboard experts before arriving in the lively port city of Ishinomaki. Once ashore, you can dive into the local food scene at the Shiogama Seafood Wholesale Market, then explore a colourful downtown shaped by Japan’s “manga” tradition. Ishinomaki is closely linked to legendary comic artist Shotaro Ishinomori, creator of the Kamen Rider series, and a visit to the Ishinomori Manga Museum brings his influence to life. Around the city, keep an eye out for murals and statues celebrating his work, and if time allows you may also visit the 2011 Iwate Tsunami Memorial Museum. There may also be an opportunity to try painting traditional Kokeshi dolls, a regional craft with a long history.

For a nature-focused alternative, head into Sanriku Fukko National Park, renowned for rugged coastal scenery and rich wildlife. The park was expanded and renamed in 2013 as part of the region’s recovery following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and today it protects a striking mix of jagged cliffs, white-sand bays, fishing villages and walking trails. Birdlife can be excellent here, with species such as black-tailed gull, streaked shearwater, peregrine falcon and osprey, while plant lovers can search for seasonal blooms including Thunberg lily and beach morning glory.

Hachinohe
6Day

Hachinohe

Framed by a wild Pacific coastline and rich regional heritage, Hachinohe and the wider Aomori region offer a rewarding mix of culture and scenery. Today, delve into Japan’s contemporary art scene with visits to two standout institutions. These are the newly opened Hachinohe Art Museum and the celebrated Towada Art Center. Hachinohe’s museum embraces a fresh, community-focused concept, sometimes described as an “art farm”, with an innovative design that rethinks how art is made, shared and experienced.

At the Towada Art Center, one of Japan’s leading contemporary art destinations, the striking building by architect Ryue Nishizawa provides a dramatic setting for works by major international and Japanese artists, including Leandro Erlich, Yayoi Kusama and Ron Mueck. Prefer more time outdoors? Opt for an excursion to Lake Towada in Towada-Hachimantai National Park, a 2,000-year-old double-caldera lake set around 400 metres above sea level and the largest of its kind on Honshu. Enjoy sweeping viewpoints from Hakka Pass Observatory, stroll around the serene Tsuta Numa area, and follow the famed Oirase Stream, where a forest walk reveals a beautiful chain of around 30 waterfalls.

Muroran
7Day

Muroran

Today brings a choice of memorable experiences in and around Shikotsu–Toya National Park, famed for its twin caldera lakes and a landscape shaped by volcanic forces. Expect classic Hokkaido scenery of shimmering lakes, hot springs, and dramatic geothermal terrain, with a range of easy walks and more active hikes available. One option is to take the cable car up Mount Usu for sweeping views over Lake Tōya, followed by a visit to Jigokudani (“Hell Valley”), where steaming vents, bubbling mud pools and sulphur-scented streams create a truly otherworldly scene.

You may also have the opportunity to learn about the Indigenous Ainu people at Upopoy National Ainu Museum on the shores of Lake Poroto, exploring traditions through cuisine, music and crafts. Later, spend time in Muroran, with possibilities such as soaking in the restorative waters of Noboribetsu Onsen or heading out to a scenic cape and lighthouse for coastal views.

Akita
8Day

Akita

Arrive in Akita, an important hub of the Tōhoku region since medieval times and once a Satake clan castle town. Today the city balances heritage and modern energy, with a growing creative scene and a range of engaging museums. Art lovers can visit the Akita Museum of Art to see works by both Western and Japanese artists, while the Akita City Folklore Museum offers insight into everyday traditions and local history.

For something uniquely Akita, head to Oga to explore the Namahage Museum, which introduces the region’s famous ogre folklore. The costumed Namahage are said to appear on New Year’s Eve to admonish the lazy and keep households in line. For a slower pace, seek out the peaceful Suishin-en Garden, a lesser-known kaiyū-style (strolling) Japanese garden. Follow winding paths over bridges and past koi-filled ponds, waterfalls and a skunk cabbage garden, beneath the canopy of tall trees planted by the then Crown Prince and Princess.

Sado Island
9Day

Sado Island

Your next stop of your wonderful Japan cruise will see you explore Sado Island, a rugged and lesser-visited gem off the coast of Niigata. Shaped by the Osado and Kasado mountain ranges with the Kokunaka Plain between them, Sado was once used as a place of political exile, and this legacy helped cultivate a distinctive cultural and spiritual identity. Traditions here include Okesa folk songs, puppet theatre, Ondeko drumming and demon dances, and even Noh theatre introduced by notable exiles.

Sado is also celebrated for wildlife and striking coastal scenery, from the dramatic views of Senkakuwan Bay to the Ogi Peninsula. Keep an eye out for the Japanese crested ibis, now absent from the mainland, and don’t miss the chance to ride in the island’s iconic taraibune tub boats. Alongside natural beauty, the island’s story includes gold and silver mining, samurai-era influences, and unique agricultural and aquaculture practices, earning it a reputation as a “miniature Japan.” Today’s visits include the beautifully preserved Shukunegi Village (a National Important Preservation Area) and the Sado Island Taiko Centre, where you’ll learn more about the power and precision of traditional taiko drumming.

Kanazawa
10Day

Kanazawa

Choose how you’d like to spend today, with two standout options on offer. One is an excursion to Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed mountain village tucked deep in the Shogawa River Valley within Hakusan National Park. Enjoy easy walks in the surrounding landscape and discover the area’s distinctive culture, including its famous gassho-zukuri thatched farmhouses, some more than 250 years old, engineered to shed heavy winter snow and traditionally built with large attic spaces once used for silkworm farming.

Alternatively, immerse yourself in Kanazawa, a celebrated centre for Japanese arts and refined craftsmanship. The city is known for Kutani porcelain, exquisite lacquerware, gold-leaf artistry, hand-painted silk and the tradition of Noh theatre dating back centuries. Wander cobbled lanes and craft galleries, visit the superb Edo-period Kenrokuen Garden (counted among Japan’s Three Great Gardens), and browse Omicho Market with its colourful mix of fresh produce, flowers, local foods and handmade goods.

Sakaiminato / Matsue
11Day

Sakaiminato / Matsue

Arrive this afternoon into Sakaiminato, the gateway to Matsue, often called “the town of water,” thanks to its setting between Lake Shinji and Lake Nakaumi. From here, we plan to visit Matsue Castle, a designated national treasure and one of the few mostly original castles from the 17th century still standing in Japan.

There are also several enticing alternatives today. Head into Daisen-Oki National Park to explore Mount Daisen, long associated with Buddhist culture and once linked to thousands of warrior monks. Weather permitting, enjoy sweeping views from the Ogamiyama Shrine area before visiting the impressive Daisenji Temple. Garden lovers may prefer Yuushien Garden, a classic circuit-style landscape of ponds, streams, waterfalls and stone lanterns, famed for seasonal blooms including more than 250 varieties of Japanese peony. Art enthusiasts can opt for the Adachi Museum of Art, renowned for its meticulously designed gardens and outstanding collection of modern Japanese paintings.

Ulsan, South Korea
12Day

Ulsan, South Korea

Cross the Sea of Japan today to Ulsan, then travel onwards to Gyeongju, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed treasure and former capital of the Silla Dynasty. With roots stretching back to the first millennium, Gyeongju is often described as a “museum without walls,” where Korea’s ancient past and Buddhist heritage are woven into the landscape.

Stroll among historic sites such as Tumuli Park with its royal tombs and excavated monuments, and visit the celebrated Bulguksa Temple with its exquisite stonework and serene setting. If time allows, see the striking Woljeonggyo Bridge, then switch gears to modern-day local life by sampling Korean flavours along Hwanglidangil Road, a stylish, traditional-inspired street lined with eateries, cafés and shops. Round out the day with a peaceful walk through the Taehwagang Bamboo Forest for a refreshing dose of green calm.

Fukuoka, Japan
13Day

Fukuoka, Japan

Arrive in Fukuoka, Kyushu’s largest city, where two historic centres meet across the Naka River. The former castle town of Fukuoka to the west and the mercantile heart of Hakata to the east. Today’s visit showcases a lively, modern city with a strong sense of place, from creative public art and atmospheric ruins to breezy coastal parks and the much-loved yatai (open-air) food stalls that light up the streets after dark.

There may also be opportunities to venture further afield. Options can include Kitakyushu and handsome Kokura Castle, a visit to the TOTO Museum, or the beautifully photogenic Kawachi Wisteria Garden when in season. Alternatively, see Nanzoin Temple with its enormous reclining bronze Buddha, and visit Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, set among ponds, bridges and gardens famous for their plum trees and deep links to Japanese scholarship and culture.

Hiroshima & Miyajima
14Day

Hiroshima & Miyajima

Arrive in Hiroshima, a city that carries the weight of its past yet feels unmistakably forward-looking, vibrant, welcoming, and full of life. Today we plan to visit the Peace Memorial Park and Museum, where moving exhibits and memorials honour those affected by the atomic bombing on 6 August 1945, including the cenotaph and the ever-burning Flame of Peace.

Later, travel to Miyajima Island and, where possible, time our visit for high tide to see the famous torii gate appear to “float” on the water. Often regarded as one of Japan’s most scenic places, Miyajima is also home to the atmospheric Daisho-in Buddhist temple. Wander the shoreline and village streets, sample local treats such as freshly prepared oysters and ice cream, and enjoy the views as native sika deer roam freely near the shrine and waterfront.

Takamatsu
15Day

Takamatsu

Arrive in Takamatsu, a historic port city on Shikoku long known as the “Gateway to Shikoku” and affectionately nicknamed “Udon Kingdom” thanks to its beloved noodle culture. Garden lovers can spend time at Ritsurin Park, widely regarded as one of Japan’s most beautiful landscape gardens, with scenic ponds, manicured pines and carefully composed viewpoints.

Continue to Kinashi, one of Japan’s key bonsai-growing areas, to learn about traditional cultivation techniques from local specialists. You may also visit Mount Yashima, a strategically important site during the late-12th-century Genpei War, before exploring Shikoku-mura, an open-air museum showcasing traditional architecture and regional heritage. Art enthusiasts might choose a full-day excursion to nearby Naoshima, Japan’s famed “art island”, to admire its striking modern architecture and world-class galleries such as the Chichu Art Museum and Benesse House, including celebrated works like Yayoi Kusama’s iconic pumpkins.

Osaka - Disembark
16Day

Osaka - Disembark

This morning you return to Osaka. After breakfast and disembarkation, a complimentary coach transfer will be provided to a central hotel or onward to Kansai International Airport or Osaka Itami (Osaka International) Airport.

A view from Above

All Aboard

Heritage Adventurer
Mid range vessel

Heritage Adventurer

Previously known as the MS Hanseatic, the Heritage Adventurer is a renowned authentic expedition ship. Purpose-built with ice-strengthened hull, the vessel combines the highest passenger ship iceclass rating (1A Super) with an impressive history of Polar exploration. Designed to match Heritage’s signature experiential expedition travel, the ship accommodates up to 140 guests in welcoming and spacious cabins that feature outside views, separate lounge areas, TVs, en-suite bathrooms and double or twin beds.

Communal areas include a lounge, two restaurant areas including an al-fresco bistro, gym and spa, lecture theatre, library, passenger lifts and outdoor swimming pool and jacuzzi.

Too much to choose from? This is where we come in

Take advantage of our vast experience, passion and expertise to help you hand craft the perfect Japan adventure for you.

Sheena Ogley Senior Travel Expert

With countless travel experiences and an enduring hunger for adventure, Sheena knows exactly what’s needed to craft a holiday of a lifetime. Her experience and generosity of spirit are legendary and she’ll help you build an itinerary that will make all your dreams come true.

Simon Rowland Senior Travel Expert

Simon’s deep passion for and first-hand knowledge of a vast range of destinations all over the world gives him the ideal skills to help you create a truly unforgettable wildlife inspired adventure to the most exciting places on the planet.

Michael Gardiner Senior Travel Expert

Mike has more than fifteen years hands-on experience in the industry, travelling to some of the most incredible wild places on the planet. His far-reaching knowledge and invaluable skills will ensure that your wildlife travel adventure is a dream come true.

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Ready to start planning youronce in a lifetime trip?

Call us - 0800 195 3385
Outside the uk? + 44 1625 5811 43
+ 44 1625 5811 43 Call us - 0800 195 3385

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Enquiry form

Book Consultation

Book a
Consultation

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