Japan is the ultimate bucket list destination. The country, which walks a tightrope between cutting-edge modernity and long-held traditions, is sure to pique the interest of the curious cruiser. It’s an easy crowd-pleaser, with abundant cultural heritage, thousands of temples and shrines, world-famous cuisine and breathtaking nature. Read on for highlights of the 10-Day Japan Explorer, on board the Diamond Princess, including picturesque Osaka, scenic Kanmon Straits, visits to Hiroshima and Nagasaki and incomparable views of Mount Fuji.
Sensoji Temple
Tokyo, Japan
While modern Tokyo is just over four centuries old, the city only became the capital of Japan in 1868. Home to 37 million people in its metro area, it’s a city of perfectly balanced opposites — chaotic and organized, modern and traditional, energizing and exhausting. It’s impossible to experience “the best” of this city within a single visit, let alone a single day. Luckily, you don’t need a big itinerary for Tokyo to have a big impact. Simple acts such as walking through the streets or riding the subway make for memorable activities and an easy way to immerse yourself in the city’s day-to-day life.
Traveling to Tokyo from Yokohama, where the sailing begins and ends, takes about 30 to 60 minutes by train. To take some of the planning off your plate, Princess Cruises offers a half-day, post-cruise departure tour to travelers with evening flights out of either Narita or Haneda Airport. Tours leave straight from the ship and drop off at the airport after visiting some of the essential tourist sites, including Tokyo Tower, Meiji Shrine and Tokyo’s oldest temple, Sensoji Temple, which first opened in AD 645.
Wild Sika Deer
Osaka, Japan
Once the short-lived imperial capital of Japan, Osaka is often considered a gateway to cities like Kyoto and Nara. Hop on the famous Shinkansen (bullet train) and travel at speeds up to 200 mph, getting you to Kyoto in 13 minutes or Nara in just 45.
Considered the country’s cultural heart, Kyoto offers a glimpse into old Japan. It’s home to over 1,600 temples and 400 shrines that make for excellent photo opportunities — from the iconic tunnel of 10,000 red torii gates at the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine to the gold-leaf-covered top floors of Kinkaku-ji (Temple of the Golden Pavilion). Combine a traditional geiko (geisha) performance with a tea ceremony in Gion, find tranquility within the 800-year-old Shorenin Temple’s garden grounds, and roam through halls of history in Kyoto’s largest and best-preserved castle, Nijo Castle.
In Nara, spend the afternoon with some of Japan’s cutest residents, the wild sika deer that roam freely throughout Nara Park. Considered sacred, these deer have been protected by the city for over 1,000 years. Continue the superlative sightseeing with a stop at Todaiji Temple, which, until 1998, was the world’s largest wooden building. It’s home to the largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana.
For those staying in Osaka, hunt down a DIY okonomiyaki restaurant, where mixing up ingredients and grilling at your table is half the fun. Melt away at Spa World, a multilevel complex broken up into different Japanese onsen experiences with around-the-world themes (just be aware, you’ll be completely in the buff). For family-friendly fun, one of the largest aquariums in the world, the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, is located within walking distance of the port. Come here to meet marine life found along the Pacific Rim, including penguins, whale sharks and dolphins.
Miyajima Island
Hiroshima, Japan
In August 2025, it will be 80 years since the U.S. dropped its first nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, killing tens of thousands of people and forcing the Japanese to surrender. Today, relics of the devastation, such as the Atomic Bomb Dome (the only structure remaining in the blast zone and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site) can be found throughout Hiroshima. Take a walk through Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park and Peace Memorial Museum, whose exhibits and artifacts are sobering reminders of the effects of war. After the bombing, many people were doubtful anything could ever grow in the city again. Head to the interior of Hiroshima Castle to witness the resiliency of life, courtesy of the castle’s hibakujumoku, three trees that inconceivably survived the nuclear blast and are still alive today.
Architecture buffs should take a trip to Kintaikyo Bridge in Iwakuni city. Built in 1673, this famous structure features a series of five connected wooden arches, originally constructed without the use of nails. Get out onto the water by boarding the ferry to Miyajima Island, sliding into a window seat for prime views of Itsukushima Shinto Shrine’s iconic “floating” torii gate. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the shrine was constructed in 1168 and remains the only one in Japan built over the water, giving it an ethereal quality as it appears to float in high tide. Back on dry land, explore Miyajima’s many other Shinto and Buddhist shrines, temples and pagodas; visit the Miyajima Traditional Crafts Center; try to spot as many of the 500 Buddhas as you can in the Daisho-In Temple; and take in a bird’s-eye view of the island with a ride on the Miyajima Ropeway.
Kanmon Straits from Hinoyama Park
Kanmon Straits between Japan and South Korea
Created around 6,000 years ago following a shift in the Earth’s crust that caused Honshu (Japan’s largest island) to split in two, the Kanmon Straits acts as a shipping shortcut between Japan and South Korea and is a popular way to travel between Honshu and Kyushu (the third-largest island). Perhaps the most interesting route is via Kanmon Tunnel, located 90 feet underwater. Traversing the 850-yard pedestrian walkway between the islands gives you the opportunity to take a photo with one foot on Honshu and the other on Kyushu.
Crossing the straits on Diamond Princess takes about two hours and offers incredible, panoramic views. Watch the moving slideshow of seaside village landscapes from the top deck or the privacy of your balcony, and don’t forget to look up as you glide under the Kanmon Bridge, the world’s 34th-longest suspension bridge.
As the ship makes its way from Japan to South Korea, take advantage of a day at sea (it’s the only one in the itinerary) — and, if you haven’t already, consider booking the chef’s table experience. This includes a multi-course dinner and wine experience for up to 12 guests. Alternatively, book a session in the ship’s onboard onsen-inspired Izumi Japanese Baths — it does wonders for aches, pains and weary limbs.
Haeundae Beach
Busan, South Korea
Busan is South Korea’s second-most populous city — home to 3.4 million residents, just one-third the number of the capital city. While Seoul is more of a cosmopolitan metropolis, Busan has fewer international visitors and exhibits the more relaxed and laid-back feel of a beachfront city. Its landscape is a contrasting mix of traditional temples, skyscrapers, rocky cliffs and sandy beaches.
Peruse the stalls in one of Busan’s markets, such as Jagalchi Market, near the Nampo area; Haeundae Traditional Market, next to Haeundae Beach; or Gukje Market, the city’s largest. Adventurous eaters can try beondegi, a boiled or steamed snack made with silkworm pupae, or sannakji, a dish of sliced live octopus served still wiggling on the plate. Other, more tame Korean specialties include Korean barbecue (the meat is cooked on a tableside grill) and tteokbokki, chewy rice cakes served in a spicy red sauce.
When it comes to temples, Busan has several worth exploring. This includes one of only 10 Hwaeomsa temples in Korea, the Beomeosa Temple, built in AD 678. There’s also the Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, which occupies a dramatic location, perched against a cliff on the rocky coastline. Visitors can also compare the panoramic views from the observation deck of Yongdusan Park’s Busan Tower and the Skyway Observatory to see which offers the best in town. The latter has views of Busan Port Bridge and Jagalchi Market.
Suwa Shrine
Nagasaki, Japan
For over two centuries, Nagasaki was Japan’s only window on the outside world. During the Sakoku period (1639 to 1853), the nation closed its borders and Nagasaki served as its sole port for foreign trade. However, these days it’s better known for being the target for the U.S.’s second nuclear bomb dropped on the country during the Second World War.
Starting from the Nagasaki Peace Park in Urakami, it’s possible to visit several memorial sites dedicated to the bombing on foot, including Nagasaki’s ground zero, Hypocenter Park. Next to this, the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum explores the timeline of sociopolitical events before and after the bombing, as well as the development of the nuclear weapon. It also shines a light on Nagasaki before the bomb, and its slow progress toward reconstruction afterward.
Elsewhere, take a cable-car ride up 1,100 feet for sweeping city views atop Mount Inasa. If you’d rather keep your feet on the ground, take a trip to Teramachi Street at the foot of Mount Kazagashira for an unconventional collection of 14 temples and two shrines, among which Sofukuji and Kofukuji Temples are the most revered. A short walk from here is Suwa Shrine, the major Shinto shrine in Nagasaki, built in the 1600s on a tree-covered hilltop. Walk the 270 steps to the top for sweeping views over the city. The shrine comes alive every October during the Kunchi Matsuri, the city’s main festival.
Mount Fuji
Shimizu, Japan
Shimizu is the gateway port to Mount Fuji, the most-climbed mountain in the world. No need to break a sweat to catch a great view, though — Shimizu Port has some of the best in town. Rising 12,388 feet above sea level, Japan’s tallest mountain is also an active volcano with a perfect volcanic cone, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Inspired by the beauty of Mount Fuji, head into town to the Tokaido Hiroshige Art Museum for an in-depth look at Edo-period woodblock printing and painting (made famous by artist Housaki’s works The Great Wave off Kanagawa and Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji). If shrine fatigue has yet to set in, catch a ride on the ropeway or climb a zigzag of 1,000 stone steps up to the ornate complex of Japan’s oldest Tosho-gu Shinto shrine, the Kunozan Tosho-gu, built in 1618 as a mausoleum for Japan’s first Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu.
For foodies looking to explore beyond their plate, Princess Cruises offers a unique tour visiting local trout and wasabi farms. This immerses visitors in rural farm life and is a must for travelers interested in first-hand cultural experiences and a homecooked community meal.
By Katherine Alex Beaven
