Alaska & Japan Transpacific Cruise: Tokyo, Oarai & Seward

Lights, sushi, manga! Sprawling, frenetic, and endlessly fascinating, Japan’s capital is a city of contrasts. Shrines and gardens are pockets of calm between famously crowded streets and soaring office buildings. Mom-and-pop noodle houses share street space with Western-style chain restaurants and exquisite fine dining. Shopping yields lovely folk arts as well as the newest electronics. And nightlife kicks off with karaoke or sake and continues with techno clubs and more. Whether you seek the traditional or the cutting edge, Tokyo will provide it.

As the largest metropolitan area in the world, Tokyo is an exciting city where a seemingly unlimited choice of shops, restaurants and museums sit in contrast with an array of temples, shrines and gardens.

Miyako, located in Japan's Iwate Prefecture, is renowned for the dramatic cliffs and scenic coastline of Jodogahama Beach, offering stunning views and crystal-clear waters ideal for boat tours or swimming. The port is also a gateway to Rikuchu Kaigan National Park, where visitors can hike and admire the rugged beauty of Japan's northern coast.

Today, commercial fishing is king in Kodiak. Despite its small population—about 6,475 people scattered among the several islands in the Kodiak group—the city is among the busiest fishing ports in the United States. The harbor is also an important supply point for small communities on the Aleutian Islands and the Alaska Peninsula.Visitors to the island tend to follow one of two agendas: either immediately fly out to a remote lodge for fishing, kayaking, or bear viewing; or stay in town and access whatever pursuits they can reach from the limited road system. If the former is too pricey an option, consider combining the two: drive the road system to see what can be seen inexpensively, then add a fly-out or charter-boat excursion to a remote lodge or wilderness access point.Floatplane and boat charters are available from Kodiak to many remote attractions, chief among them the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge , which covers four islands in the Gulf of Alaska: Kodiak, Afognak, Ban, and Uganik.

Kodiak, Alaska, is renowned for its stunning landscapes and rich wildlife, making it a prime destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Visitors can explore the rugged beauty of Kodiak Island by hiking the trails of the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, home to the famous Kodiak brown bears. The town also boasts a vibrant fishing culture, and the local seafood is celebrated at the annual Kodiak Crab Festival, highlighting the community's deep connection to the ocean.

It is hard to believe that a place as beautiful as Seward exists. Surrounded on all sides by Kenai Fjords National Park, Chugach National Forest, and Resurrection Bay, Seward offers all the quaint realities of a small railroad town with the bonus of jaw-dropping scenery. This little town of about 2,750 citizens was founded in 1903, when survey crews arrived at the ice-free port and began planning a railroad to the Interior. Since its inception, Seward has relied heavily on tourism and commercial fishing. It is also the launching point for excursions into Kenai Fjords National Park, where it is quite common to see marine life and calving glaciers.

Seward, Alaska, serves as a gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park, where stunning glaciers and diverse marine life await exploration. Visitors can embark on scenic boat tours to witness calving glaciers and spot playful sea otters, seals, and even humpback whales.