Deal

Tokyo is a vast metropolis that somehow manages to feel ordered, clean, and navigable. The Shinkansen arrives with second-level precision, the food ranges from three-Michelin-star kaiseki to perfect ramen at 200 yen, and the view from Shibuya Sky or Tokyo Skytree reveals an urban landscape of staggering scale stretching to Mount Fuji on clear days.

Shimizu offers what may be Japan’s finest port arrival: the symmetrical cone of Mount Fuji rising above Suruga Bay on clear days, framed by pine groves and the Nihondaira plateau. The port is the gateway to Miho no Matsubara — a UNESCO World Heritage Site of pine-fringed beach with views of Fuji — and to some of Japan’s finest tuna and sushi culture.

Kobe is Japan’s seventh-largest city and a major historic port on the calm Inland Sea, mentioned in works including The Tale of Genji and the Taiheiki.

Home to 98 different nationalities, the city has one of Japan’s most diverse gastronomic cultures and a Sake Museum dedicated to the national spirit. Nearby Himeji Castle is widely considered to be Japan’s most beautiful feudal castle.

Komatsushima is a port city on the east coast of Shikoku in Tokushima Prefecture, where a port was built in 1899, enabling growth as a commercial centre. A ferry service to Honshu Island was established in 1913, and in 1923 a large spinning mill opened. The city has three temples and a shrine within reach.

Days at sea are an opportunity to relax, unwind, and pursue personal interests, whether visiting the gym, the spa, or simply watching for whales from deck. These blue sea days offer an ideal balance to busy days spent exploring ashore.

Kagoshima is dominated by Sakurajima, an active volcano whose most dramatic recent eruption took place in 1914, creating a new bridge of land into the sea. The elegant Senganen Garden, built in 1658 and owned by the Shimadzu family for 350 years, offers views of the volcano from its terraced grounds. A black sand bath, heated by geothermal activity, is one of the city’s most distinctive experiences.

Sasebo, in Nagasaki Prefecture, offers panoramic views of the Kujuku Islands, more than 200 islands despite the name suggesting 99. Elevated lookouts rise above a city with a complex dual legacy of naval history and American postwar influence. The Uragashira Repatriation Memorial Peace Park is one of Japan’s more moving tributes to those who returned from the Pacific War.

Fukuoka is the capital of Kyushu, Japan’s third-largest island province, and one of the country’s most strategic ports, closer to Seoul than to Tokyo. The city withstood two unsuccessful Mongol invasion attempts in the 13th century and was once home to the samurai, with samurai-related sites found across the city. A 2018 survey ranked Fukuoka 22nd on the world’s most liveable cities list.

South Korea’s second city, Busan cradles 3.5 million people between lush mountains and ocean scenery. Haedong Yonggung Temple, dating to 1376, perches on a dramatic cliffside above the East Sea, while Beomeosa Temple, established in AD 678, glitters with lanterns at the foot of Mount Geumjeongsan. Gamcheon Culture Village, transformed from a hillside shantytown of Korean war refugees into a canvas of flamingo-pink and lemon-yellow facades, is one of Asia’s most striking creative reinventions.

Jeju Island is a popular Korean destination with the extinct volcano Seongsan Illchulbong, known as Sunrise Peak, offering a huge grassy crater and famous sunrise views. Ancient carved statues called Dol Hareubang, or stone grandfathers, are dotted across the island and are said to have protective powers. The Haenyeo, women who free-dive daily to harvest shellfish, are a celebrated part of the island’s culture.