Circumnavigation of Japan: Icons, Traditions & Coastal Discovery

From Minami's neon-lighted Dotombori and historic Tenno-ji to the high-rise class and underground shopping labyrinths of Kita, Osaka is a city that pulses with its own unique rhythm. Though Osaka has no shortage of tourist sites, it is the city itself that is the greatest attraction. Home to some of Japan's best food, most unique fashions, and warmest locals, Osaka does not beg to be explored—it demands it. More than anywhere else in Japan, it rewards the impulsive turn down an interesting side street or the chat with a random stranger. People do not come here to see the city, they come to experience it.Excluded from the formal circles of power and aristocratic culture in 16th-century Edo (Tokyo), Osaka took advantage of its position as Japan's trading center, developing its own art forms such as Bunraku puppet theater and Rakugo comic storytelling. It was in Osaka that feudal Japan's famed Floating World—the dining, theater, and pleasure district—was at its strongest and most inventive. Wealthy merchants and common laborers alike squandered fortunes on culinary delights, turning Osaka into "Japan's Kitchen," a moniker the city still has today. Though the city suffered a blow when the Meiji government canceled all of the samurai class's outstanding debts to the merchants, it was quick to recover. At the turn of the 20th century, it had become Japan's largest and most prosperous city, a center of commerce and manufacturing.Today Osaka remains Japan's iconoclastic metropolis, refusing to fit Tokyo's norms and expectations. Unlike the hordes of Tokyo, Osakans are fiercely independent. As a contrast to the neon and concrete surroundings, the people of Osaka are known as Japan's friendliest and most outgoing. Ask someone on the street for directions in Tokyo and you are lucky to get so much as a glance. Ask someone in Osaka and you get a conversation.The main areas of the city, Kita (north) and Minami (south), are divided by two rivers: the Dojima-gawa and the Tosabori-gawa. Between Kita and Minami is Naka-no-shima, an island and the municipal center of Osaka. Kita (north of Chuo Dori) is Osaka's economic hub and contains Osaka's largest stations: JR Osaka and Hankyu Umeda. The area is crammed with shops, department stores, and restaurants. Nearby are a nightlife district, Kita-shinchi; Naka-no-shima and the Museum of Oriental Ceramics; Osaka-jo (Osaka Castle); and Osaka Koen (Osaka Park). Restaurants, bars, department stores, and boutiques attract Osaka's youth to Minami (south Chuo Dori); theatergoers head to the National Bunraku Theatre and electronics-lovers to Den Den Town. For a glimpse of old Osaka, visit Tenno-ji Temple and Shin Sekai. The main stations are Namba, Shin-sai-bashi, Namba Nankai, and Tenno-ji. There's easy access to the Municipal Museum of Fine Art and Sumiyoshi Taisha (Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine).The bay area, to the west of the city center, is home to the Osaka Aquarium and Universal Studios Japan. The Shinkansen stops at Shin-Osaka, three stops (about five minutes) north of Osaka Station on the Mido-suji subway line. To the north of Shin-Osaka is Senri Expo Park.

Welcome to Osaka, Japan's vibrant culinary capital and gateway to the treasures of the Kansai region. A city of contrasts, Osaka seamlessly blends the grandeur of its 16th-century castle with a dynamic street food scene that pulses through neighbourhoods like Dotonbori and Shinsekai. Nearby, the ancient capitals of Kyoto and Nara beckon with serene temples, sacred deer parks and centuries of imperial history.

Your Discovery Voyage begins with a warm greeting by the Captain and crew as you step on board Scenic Eclipse II, your ultra-luxury Scenic Discovery Yacht. Sip on a glass of Champagne as you explore your luxurious suite, then join fellow guests at the Sky Bar to toast the start of a remarkable voyage around Japan.

As evening falls, choose from a range of distinct culinary experiences, before settling into an evening of thoughtfully curated entertainment.

Please book your flight to arrive into Osaka prior to 02:00 PM.

Discover Imabari, a maritime city on the island of Shikoku and the eastern gateway to the Shimanami Kaido, one of the world's most celebrated cycling and walking routes, linking a chain of small islands across the Seto Inland Sea via a series of graceful bridges. The city itself is steeped in heritage, home to a reconstructed castle with sweeping moat views, a distinguished shipbuilding tradition and a thriving towel-making industry renowned for its exceptional craftsmanship.

Wander the charming streets where local workshops have perfected the art of imabari towels, using the region's naturally soft water to produce textiles of remarkable quality. Along the waterfront, fishing boats and ferry terminals underscore the city's enduring connection to the sea, whilst nearby islands invite exploration of quiet beaches, citrus groves and panoramic coastal trails.

This evening, savour the flavours of Asia at Koko's Asian Fusion, where expertly crafted dishes from the Sushi & Saké Bar @ Koko’s or the vibrant Night Market @ Koko’s+ menu provide a refined counterpoint to your day spent in Japanese culture.

The small island of Miyajima (“The Shrine Island”) is known for the Floating Torii Gate, which is one of “The Three Most Beautiful Views” of Japan. Built in the water, the Torii Gate leads to the Itsukushima Shrine and at high tide it seems to float. The Torii Gate is one of the most photographed sites in all of Japan. There are many more shrines and paths on Miyajima that are inviting to walk. Mount Misen has a cable car leading partly up to the top with nice views and wild monkeys and deer roaming the trails.

Begin the morning at Miyajima, one of Japan's most revered and photographed islands. The World Heritage-listed Itsukushima Shrine, with its iconic vermillion torii gate appearing to float upon the water at high tide, has drawn pilgrims and travellers for centuries. Beyond the shrine, forested hillsides rise steeply, home to friendly wild deer that wander freely among visitors, whilst traditional streets offer local specialities including momiji manju, the island's signature maple-leaf-shaped cakes.

This afternoon, Scenic Eclipse II repositions to Hiroshima, a city defined by resilience and renewal. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial and surrounding park invite quiet reflection, whilst Hiroshima Castle and the tranquil Shukkeien Garden reveal layers of older tradition and refined landscape design. Tree-lined avenues, riverside paths and lively neighbourhoods round out an afternoon that balances remembrance with the energy of contemporary city life.

History buffs will want to write home Hiroshima. Despite being devastated in 1945, this Japanese city is known to all for its commitment peace – its ruin on the 6th August 1945 led to the end of the war and today, the Peace Memorial (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) , is a constant reminder of the destruction that war brings. A walk in the leafy boulevards of Peace Memorial Park brings quiet contemplation. The Flames of Peace – set in the park’s central feature pond – burn brightly and will continue to do so until all the nuclear bombs I the world have been destroyed. There are many other inspiring messages of hope around the city too; the Children’s’ Peace Monument just north of the park is a homage to little Sadako Sasaki, who was just two in 1945. When she developed leukemia in 1956, she believed that if she folded 1,000 paper cranes – a symbol of longevity and happiness in Japan – she would recover. Sadly she died before she finished her task but her classmates finished the rest. It is impossible to ignore the events of 1945 in Hiroshima, but this is far from a depressing place. The great efforts that have been made in rebuilding of the city over the years have given Hiroshima a vibrant, eclectic edge, with the downtown shopping area and street food stalls being well worth a visit. The proximity to Miyajima and its iconic, impressive, Torii gate should not be overlooked either. If you are lucky enough to visit during the unpredictable and short-lived Sakura (cherry blossom) season, then the extraordinary sight of the delicate pink blossom floating across the water to the red gate, means you can consider yourself one of the luckiest people on the planet.

Located at the western tip of Honshu, Shimonoseki commands the narrow Kanmon Strait, where the waters of the Seto Inland Sea meet the Sea of Japan. This storied port city is famed throughout the country as the capital of fugu, the prized and carefully prepared pufferfish, with the bustling Karato Fish Market offering a vivid introduction to the region's seafood traditions.

Beyond the waterfront, the historic Chofu district preserves the atmosphere of the feudal era, with samurai residences, moss-covered temple grounds and quiet lanes that evoke an earlier Japan. The Kanmon Strait itself is spanned by an undersea pedestrian tunnel, linking Honshu to Kyushu, and the surrounding parklands offer sweeping views of ships navigating this busy maritime passage.

Return on board this evening for a cocktail at the Scenic Lounge Bar, where over 130 whiskies await, or choose from the expertly crafted menu at Elements, featuring Italian, steak and seafood prepared with locally sourced ingredients.

White-sand city beaches and hot-spring resorts may not be everyone's first image of Korea, but these are what Koreans flock to Busan for all year. And there are plenty of opportunities for rest, relaxation, retail therapy, and even a touch of glamour every October with the Busan International Film Festival. Busan's beaches are the big summertime draw but there is plenty to be seen year round. Quintessential experiences include taking some rest and relaxation at a local spa and exploring the Beomeosa temple complex.

Cross the Korea Strait to discover Busan, South Korea's dynamic coastal metropolis. Stretched along a dramatic shoreline of beaches, cliffs and wooded hillsides, the city reveals a distinctive character quite unlike any Japanese port on this voyage. The bustling Jagalchi Fish Market, one of the largest in Asia, hums with energy as vendors display the morning's catch, whilst nearby Gamcheon Culture Village cascades down a hillside in a mosaic of pastel-coloured houses and street art.

Along the coast, Haedong Yonggungsa Temple overlooks the East Sea from a striking clifftop setting, its ornate architecture framed by coastal pines and the steady movement of the sea. Historic Beomeosa Temple, set in the forested slopes of Mount Geumjeongsan, offers a more contemplative setting, with its ancient halls nestled among towering trees and mountain streams.

Sakaiminato is a small city almost totally surrounded by water: the Sea of Japan to the east, the Sakai Channel to the north and Lake Nakaumi to the west. Across the lake the towns of Matsue and Yasugi offer interesting experiences. Matsue is known as the “Town of Water” next to scenic Lake Shinji and Lake Nakaumi. It has one of the very few wooden castles that still remain in Japan. Touring the castle and boat rides on the Horikawa River and the castle’s moat are popular. Yasugi has the Adachi Museum of Art, a private museum that houses one of the finest collections of contemporary Japanese paintings, but also has a 165,000 square metres garden –with plants and rocks collected by the museum’s founder. Six different gardens show different scenarios depending on the season. These gardens have been selected as “Japan’s best garden” for several years.

After a morning at sea, arrive at Sakaiminato on the coast of western Honshu, a charming fishing port that serves as the gateway to a region of quiet beauty and cultural depth. Nearby

Matsue, the capital of Shimane Prefecture, is home to one of Japan's few remaining original castles, its dark, brooding keep reflected in the surrounding moat. The city's literary heritage is closely tied to Lafcadio Hearn, the 19th-century writer who found inspiration in its ghost stories and local traditions.

A short journey to Daikonshima reveals Yuushien Garden, celebrated for its extraordinary seasonal peony displays, with hundreds of varieties blooming across immaculately landscaped grounds that overlook a tranquil lagoon. Sakaiminato itself is known for its playful connection to manga culture, with character statues lining the streets near the harbour.

Be sure to check your Daily Program for the Discovery Team lecture times, where you can deepen your understanding of the region with insightful presentations.

The capital of the Ishikawa Prefecture, Kanazawa once rivalled Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo) as a town rich in cultural achievements. Kanazawa escaped destruction during World War II and accordingly has been able to preserve many of the old districts in good shape. The city is famous because of Kenrokuen. Located next to Kanazawa Castle, Kenrokuen is classified as “One of the Three Gardens of Japan”. The garden has an artificial pond, and hills and houses are dotted within the 11.4 hectares. It has Japan’s oldest fountain using natural water pressure and a tea-house dating back to 1774. Close by is the Higashi Chaya Gai Geisha District, designated a National Cultural Asset and the biggest of the Geisha districts of Kanazawa. Some of the houses not only retain the original structure, but still are used as Geisha houses. Some of the streets have traditional shops creating a nostalgic atmosphere. Kanazawa is also known for its lacquer ware, Kutani-style pottery, gold-leaf workmanship and delicately painted silk kimonos.

Kanazawa is one of Japan's most beautifully preserved castle towns, a city that escaped wartime destruction and retains an extraordinary concentration of Edo-era heritage. At its heart lies Kenrokuen, ranked among the country's three finest landscape gardens, where meticulously pruned pines, winding streams and seasonal blooms create a composition of timeless elegance.

The Higashi Chaya district transports visitors to the world of the geisha, with graceful wooden tea houses lining cobblestone lanes, whilst the lively Omicho Market teems with fresh seafood, local produce and artisan crafts. Beyond the city, the World Heritage-listed village of Shirakawa-go preserves a mountain hamlet of steep-roofed farmhouses, their distinctive thatched gassho-zukuri architecture a testament to generations of rural ingenuity.

Sado is Japan’s sixth-largest island and depends mainly on fishing and agriculture. The island’s Tori Forest Park had been selected for the successful reintroduction of Crested Ibises into Japan –a bird that was down to what was believed to be a total world population of 12 birds in 1981. At that time the last five wild ibises found in Japan were taken into captivity on Sado and both Japan and China cooperated in a breeding programme for these birds. Fortunately the work has paid off and released Crested Ibises successfully nested in the wild again in 2012. Another attraction is the Sado Gold Mine. The adventurous can descend into the deep tunnels to see the conditions under which gold was extracted for almost 400 years.

Venture to Sado Island, a rugged and richly storied island set in the Sea of Japan off the coast of Niigata. Once a place of exile for disgraced aristocrats and a centre of gold mining that fuelled the Tokugawa shogunate, Sado carries layers of history that few Japanese destinations can match. The island's gold and silver mines, which operated for nearly four centuries, have been recognised for their historical significance and remain among Sado's most compelling landmarks.

Beyond its mining heritage, Sado is celebrated for its traditional performing arts, including the thunderous Ondeko drumming and the refined movements of Noh theatre, which flourished here during the island's years as a cultural crossroads. Dramatic coastal scenery unfolds along rocky headlands, hidden coves and rice terraces that cascade to the sea, whilst the island's slower pace of life offers a welcome contrast to the busier mainland.

Niigata city is the capital of Niigata prefecture and faces the Japan Sea on the island of Honshu, the largest of the four islands that comprise Japan. With a population of 810,000, Niigata is the largest Honshu city along the Japan Sea coast. The city is located at 300 km northwest of Tokyo and the bullet train would take you there in only two hours. Niigata offers four distinct seasons throughout the year, and people may find the winter season to be the best time to visit as many people would come for winter sports such as skiing or snowboarding. However, you will find the place abundantly beautiful throughout the year as well. Niigata is famous for growing rice as well as fresh seafood. If you try white rice without any seasonings, you would be able to taste the difference and appreciate its flavour. Thanks to the quality of the rice, they produce great Sake in the area. If you have time, why don’t you extend your journey to one of the famous Sake Brewery?

Discover Niigata, a prosperous port city on Honshu's Sea of Japan coast, renowned for producing some of the country's finest rice and, by extension, its most celebrated saké. The Niigata region is home to an extraordinary concentration of saké breweries, many with histories stretching back generations, where master brewers draw on pure mountain water and locally grown Koshihikari rice to craft beverages of exceptional quality.

The city's historic port quarter reflects centuries of maritime trade, with handsome merchant residences and warehouses that speak to Niigata's importance as a gateway between Japan and the Asian mainland. Fertile plains stretch inland, their patchwork of rice paddies providing the foundation of the region's agricultural identity, whilst the nearby coastline offers quiet stretches of sand and views across the sea toward Sado Island.

This evening, perhaps enjoy contemporary French fine dining at Lumière+, where each dish is paired with an exquisite selection of Champagne.

Aomori's main event is its Nebuta Matsuri Festival,held August 2 to 7. People come to see illuminated floats of gigantic samurai figures paraded through the streets at night. Aomori's festival is one of Japan's largest, and is said to celebrate the euphoria of post-battle victory, and is thus encouraged to be noisier and livelier than you may have been exposed to in other Japanese festivals. Dancers, called heneto, run alongside the floats, dancing crazily, and you're encouraged to join in. Throughout the year you can enjoy delicious seafood from Aomori Bay, including Oma no Maguro (tuna of Oma), as well as delicious fruits and vegetables (particularly garlic). And come every summer, the town cuts loose to throw the decidedly wild Nebuta Matsuri festival, a frenzied, utterly unaccountable period when normal gets thrown to the wind.

Arrive in Aomori, the northernmost city on Honshu, where the landscapes take on a wilder, more dramatic character. This is a region of deep cultural heritage, celebrated for the spectacular Nebuta Festival and its towering illuminated floats, and for apple orchards that produce some of Japan's most prized fruit. While the festival takes place in August, the city's waterfront Nebuta Museum brings the festival to life year-round, with full-scale floats on display in a striking contemporary building.

Beyond the city, the Shirakami Mountains, a World Heritage-listed site, preserve one of the last remaining virgin beech forests in East Asia. Closer at hand, Hirosaki Castle presides over extensive grounds that are among the most celebrated cherry blossom viewing spots in all of Japan, with thousands of sakura trees creating a breathtaking canopy of pink and white during the spring season. The surrounding moat, carpeted with fallen petals, is one of the country's most iconic seasonal images.

Facing out on two bays, Hakodate is a 19th-century port town, with clapboard buildings on sloping streets, a dockside tourist zone, streetcars, and fresh fish on every menu. In the downtown historic quarter, a mountain rises 1,100 feet above the city on the southern point of the narrow peninsula. Russians, Americans, Chinese, and Europeans have all left their mark; this was one of the first three Japanese ports the Meiji government opened up to international trade in 1859. The main sights around the foot of Mt. Hakodate can be done in a day, but the city is best appreciated with an overnight stay for the illumination in the historic area, the night views from either the mountain or the fort tower, and the fish market at dawn. City transport is easy to navigate and English information is readily available. Evening departure trains from Tokyo arrive here at dawn—perfect for fish-market breakfasts.

Cross the Tsugaru Strait to Hakodate, a port city at the southern tip of Hokkaido with a distinctive cosmopolitan heritage. Among the first Japanese cities to open to international trade in the mid-19th century, Hakodate retains a fascinating blend of Western and Japanese architectural influences, particularly in the Motomachi district, where European-style churches, former consulates and elegant merchant houses line hillside streets overlooking the harbour.

The star-shaped Fort Goryokaku, Japan's first Western-style citadel, is beautifully set amidst parkland that transforms into a sea of cherry blossoms each spring. The sweeping panorama from Mount Hakodate is considered one of Japan's three finest vistas, with the city's twinkling lights tracing the narrow isthmus between two bays as evening falls. The bustling morning market near the waterfront is a feast for the senses, with vendors offering the freshest Hokkaido seafood, from glistening uni to succulent crab.

Turning south along the Pacific coast, arrive at Miyako, gateway to the dramatic Sanriku coastline. This stretch of northeastern Japan is defined by its raw, untamed beauty, where rugged cliffs plunge into the ocean and forested headlands frame sheltered bays of remarkable clarity. Jodogahama Beach, with its striking white rock formations and emerald waters, has been admired for centuries and remains one of the Tohoku region's most captivating coastal landscapes.

The surrounding coastline reveals a succession of sea caves, natural arches and wave-sculpted promontories, shaped over millennia by the powerful Pacific currents. Miyako's resilient fishing communities maintain a deep connection to the sea, and the area's maritime traditions continue to define daily life along these shores.

Discover Oarai, a seaside town on the Ibaraki coast where spiritual tradition meets natural splendour. The Oarai Isosaki Shrine, perched dramatically on rocky outcrops above the Pacific, features a torii gate that rises directly from the sea, creating a striking tableau at sunrise as waves crash around its base. This sacred site has drawn visitors for centuries, its ocean setting imbuing it with a sense of elemental power.

Inland, the Ibaraki countryside reveals a gentler landscape of wooded valleys and flowing rivers. Fukuroda Falls, one of Japan's three great waterfalls, cascades over a series of rocky tiers surrounded by dense forest that blazes with colour in autumn and frames the tumbling water in fresh green during spring. The region's quieter character offers a contemplative pause between the dramatic coastlines further north and the iconic vistas that lie ahead.

The salt and pepper cone of Japan's most famous natural landmark won’t fail to take your breath away, as it soars into the sky in a vision of spectacular symmetry. Make sure your camera is fully prepared before you dock in Shimizu’s port, where unparalleled views of the extraordinary Mount Fuji’s dramatic peak await. Take your time to soak up one of Japan's most iconic views, before dipping your toes into the rest of what this destination of tranquil temples has to offer. While there’s a bustling fish market, and a charming amusement park waiting close to the port, most new arrivals immediately set off in pursuit of the best views of Mount Fuji, or to see the stunning panorama on offer from the heights of the Kunozan Toshogu Shrine. Take the cable car up to the top, to experience the tranquillity around the forested shrine, and to enjoy its stunning architecture of deep scarlets and gleaming golds. You can also enjoy heart-stopping views out over the Bay of Suruga, and the tea plantations below.

Shimizu offers one of the most celebrated vistas in all of Japan: the commanding presence of Mount Fuji, its symmetrical snow-capped cone rising above Suruga Bay in a scene that has inspired artists and poets for centuries. On clear days, the sacred mountain dominates the horizon with a majesty that transcends every photograph.

Ashore, the Nihondaira plateau provides an elevated vantage point encompassing Mount Fuji, the bay and the surrounding tea plantations that carpet the hillsides in vivid green. Nearby, the ornate Kunozan Toshogu Shrine, a forerunner to the more famous Nikko shrine, honours Tokugawa Ieyasu and stands resplendent with lacquered woodwork and gilded detailing amid forested slopes. Further afield, the World Heritage-listed Shiraito Falls presents a curtain of delicate cascades fed by snowmelt filtering through ancient lava, creating an ethereal scene of mist and light.

Return to Scenic Eclipse II and unwind with a cocktail at the Sky Bar on Deck 10 with panoramic sea vistas, or step into the thermal loungers of Senses Spa to recharge after your day ashore.

Arrive in Toba, a quiet port city on the Shima Peninsula that holds an outsized place in Japanese cultural history. It was here, in the sheltered waters of Ago Bay, that Mikimoto Kokichi pioneered the technique of cultivating pearls in the late 19th century, transforming a local fishing tradition into a global industry. The legacy of pearl cultivation remains woven into the fabric of the city, and the traditions of the ama, the free-diving women who have harvested shellfish and seaweed along these shores for over two thousand years, endure as a living connection to the region's maritime past.

Nearby, the Ise Grand Shrine, Japan's most sacred Shinto site, stands in a forest of towering ancient cryptomeria trees. Rebuilt every 20 years in an unbroken cycle of renewal stretching back centuries, the shrine complex embodies the essence of Japanese spiritual tradition. The forested slopes of Mount Asama and the surrounding pilgrimage trails offer a contemplative counterpoint to the coastal pleasures of Toba.

This evening, perhaps enjoy one final dinner at Lumière+, where contemporary French fine dining is paired with an exquisite selection of Champagne, or celebrate your journey with the tantalising street-food inspired dishes at Night Market @ Koko's+.

From Minami's neon-lighted Dotombori and historic Tenno-ji to the high-rise class and underground shopping labyrinths of Kita, Osaka is a city that pulses with its own unique rhythm. Though Osaka has no shortage of tourist sites, it is the city itself that is the greatest attraction. Home to some of Japan's best food, most unique fashions, and warmest locals, Osaka does not beg to be explored—it demands it. More than anywhere else in Japan, it rewards the impulsive turn down an interesting side street or the chat with a random stranger. People do not come here to see the city, they come to experience it.Excluded from the formal circles of power and aristocratic culture in 16th-century Edo (Tokyo), Osaka took advantage of its position as Japan's trading center, developing its own art forms such as Bunraku puppet theater and Rakugo comic storytelling. It was in Osaka that feudal Japan's famed Floating World—the dining, theater, and pleasure district—was at its strongest and most inventive. Wealthy merchants and common laborers alike squandered fortunes on culinary delights, turning Osaka into "Japan's Kitchen," a moniker the city still has today. Though the city suffered a blow when the Meiji government canceled all of the samurai class's outstanding debts to the merchants, it was quick to recover. At the turn of the 20th century, it had become Japan's largest and most prosperous city, a center of commerce and manufacturing.Today Osaka remains Japan's iconoclastic metropolis, refusing to fit Tokyo's norms and expectations. Unlike the hordes of Tokyo, Osakans are fiercely independent. As a contrast to the neon and concrete surroundings, the people of Osaka are known as Japan's friendliest and most outgoing. Ask someone on the street for directions in Tokyo and you are lucky to get so much as a glance. Ask someone in Osaka and you get a conversation.The main areas of the city, Kita (north) and Minami (south), are divided by two rivers: the Dojima-gawa and the Tosabori-gawa. Between Kita and Minami is Naka-no-shima, an island and the municipal center of Osaka. Kita (north of Chuo Dori) is Osaka's economic hub and contains Osaka's largest stations: JR Osaka and Hankyu Umeda. The area is crammed with shops, department stores, and restaurants. Nearby are a nightlife district, Kita-shinchi; Naka-no-shima and the Museum of Oriental Ceramics; Osaka-jo (Osaka Castle); and Osaka Koen (Osaka Park). Restaurants, bars, department stores, and boutiques attract Osaka's youth to Minami (south Chuo Dori); theatergoers head to the National Bunraku Theatre and electronics-lovers to Den Den Town. For a glimpse of old Osaka, visit Tenno-ji Temple and Shin Sekai. The main stations are Namba, Shin-sai-bashi, Namba Nankai, and Tenno-ji. There's easy access to the Municipal Museum of Fine Art and Sumiyoshi Taisha (Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine).The bay area, to the west of the city center, is home to the Osaka Aquarium and Universal Studios Japan. The Shinkansen stops at Shin-Osaka, three stops (about five minutes) north of Osaka Station on the Mido-suji subway line. To the north of Shin-Osaka is Senri Expo Park.

Today, it is time to farewell Scenic Eclipse II after 17 remarkable days on board. Be sure to fit in one last indulgent breakfast at the Yacht Club or ask your butler to deliver coffee to your suite so you can take your time packing. Then disembark in Osaka, carrying with you memories of an unforgettable Discovery Voyage around Japan during its most magical season.

Please book your flight to depart out of Osaka after 12:00 PM.

#Spa treatments and services at additional cost. Daily activities may be subject to change; please consult your Daily Wonder for updates.
+All drinks on board, including those stocked in your mini bar, are included, except for a very small number of rare, fine and vintage wines, Champagnes and spirits. Specialty restaurants require a reservation, enquire on board.
^Experiences on board our two helicopters and submersible are at additional cost, subject to regulatory approval, availability, weight restrictions, medical approval and weather conditions.
~Kayak and stand-up paddleboard not available in all locations.

Helicopter and submersible not in operation in Japan.

The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such, Scenic cannot guarantee the voyage will operate unaltered from the itinerary stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information. Hotels are indicative and subject to change.