Ancient Traditions of Japan's Inland Sea
Including Gyeongju, South Korea
Date: Sun, May 16, 2021 - Thu, May 27, 2021
Trip Status: Waiting for the brochure
Price: From $6,595
Activity Level: Moderate
Region: Asia & the Far East
Arrangements: Gohagan & Co.
Experience the timeless splendor, architectural riches and bountiful landscapes of Japan and South Korea on this unique, custom-designed itinerary. Spend three nights in Japan’s spiritual capital, Kyoto, and cruise for seven-nights the 280-mile length of the serene Inland Sea from Himeji, including historic ports of Japan such as Miyajima, Uno and Hagi and Ulsan, South Korea. Enjoy breathtaking coastal scenery and excursions to seven UNESCO World Heritage sites on board the exclusively chartered, Five-Star small ship Le Lapérouse, featuring just 92 ocean-view Suites and Staterooms. In enchanting Kyoto, visit opulent temples and Nijo Castle, an imperial gem. Visit the poignant Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima and the Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima, with its awe-inspiring Great Torii Gate, and see the impressive Himeji Castle, feudal Japan’s best-preserved structure. Admire impressive Japanese artwork in the Adachi Museum of Art and experience Japan’s spiritual mystique in Zen gardens. In Gyeongju, South Korea, visit the Buddhist Bulguksa Temple and the ancient Silla Kingdom Royal Burial Mounds. Tokyo Pre‑Program Option and Osaka and Nara Post-Program Option.
Itinerary*
Itinerary*
Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Hagi, Matsue, Gyeongju (South Korea), Kurashiki, Okayama
Day 1: Depart the U.S. or Canada/Cross the International Date Line
Day 2: Osaka, Japan/Kyoto
Day 3: Kyoto
Day 4: Kyoto
Day 5: Kyoto/Himeji/EmbarkLe Lapérouse
Day 6: Hiroshima/Miyajima
Day 7: Hagi
Day 8: Sakaiminato for Matsue
Day 9: Ulsan, South Korea, for Gyeongju
Day 10: Moji, Japan, for Shimonoseki
Day 11: Uno for Kurashiki/Okayama
Day 12: Osaka/Disembark ship/Depart for the U.S. or Canada/Cross the International Date Line/Arrive in the U.S. or Canada
*Itinerary subject to change.
Included Features
In Kyoto, Japan
- Three nights in the deluxe Kyoto Hotel Okura.
- Full buffet breakfast each morning.
- Welcome Reception.
Transfer from Kyoto to Himeji, including lunch.
On Board the Exclusively Chartered, Five-Star Small Ship Le Lapérouse
- Seven-night cruise from Himeji, Japan, to Osaka, including Gyeongju, South Korea.
- Elegantly appointed, Five-Star Suite or Stateroom with a private balcony.
- Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Receptions.
- Complimentary alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages available throughout the cruise.
- All meals aboard ship.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi access (conditions permitting).
- Visit to the Hagi Uragami Museum to see the famous craftsmanship of original ukiyo‑e woodblock prints.
- Excursion to the Matsue’s acclaimedAdachi Museum of Art featuring modern Japanese works and the living art of perfectly landscaped gardens.
- Tour of Shimonoseki, featuring a visit to the Akama Shrine and a stop at the Karato Fish Market.
- Time to explore Kurashiki, celebrated for its willow‑lined canals and distinctive 17th‑century merchant buildings.
- Visit to the famous Japanese strolling garden Koraku-en,located beside Okayama Castle.
UNESCO World Heritage Site Highlights
- Visit to Kyoto’s renowned historic monuments of Kiyomizu-dera, Ryoan-ji and Kinkaku-ji Temples and the impressive Tokugawa-era Nijo Castle.
- Guided visit of the verdant grounds surrounding Himeji Castle, the world’s finest surviving example of 17th‑century Japanese castle architecture.
- Visit to Hiroshima’s compelling Genbaku Dome Peace Memorial, with a tour of the Peace Memorial Museum.
- Excursion on Miyajima (“Shrine Island”) to tour the site of sixth-century Itsukushima Shrine and see the iconic Great Torii Gate.
- Walking tour of Hagi’s old samurai quarter, one of the Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution, featuring visits to the early 17th‑century Toko-ji Temple and Kikuya House, a former merchant home.
- Excursion to historic Gyeongju, South Korea, the cradle of the Silla Kingdom, with visits to Bulguksa Temple and the Royal Burial Mounds at Tumuli Park.
Iconic Tokyo Pre-Program Option
Beneath Tokyo’s layers of thriving innovation and enthralling pop culture, you will find traditional wooden houses and secluded alleyway shrines—the cultural core of this picturesque capital city. Begin with a panoramic tour followed by a visit to the Tokyo National Museum, one of the largest art museums in the world with over 110,000 objects and 87 of Japan’s treasures. Enjoy a full‑day excursion to Hakone, home to iconic Mt. Fuji, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit vibrant Asakusa, the center of Tokyo’s historic shitamachi (downtown district), and tour the seventh‑century Senso‑ji Temple. Travel aboard the high‑speed shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto. Spend three nights in the Five‑Star ANA InterContinental Hotel Tokyo.
Osaka and Nara Post-Program Option
In dynamic Osaka, visit the Osaka History Museum to learn more about the city’s merchant past and enjoy sprawling aerial views of the city from the Floating Garden Observatory. Spend a day among UNESCO World Heritage‑designated monuments in serene Nara, Japan’s oldest capital, where gentle sika deer roam Nara Park’s rolling landscape. Visit the historically significant “Great Eastern Temple” of Todai-ji, rebuilt in the 12th century, and the Horyu‑ji Temple, where a seventh‑century, five‑storied pagoda—considered one of the world’s oldest extant wooden structures—stands as a proud testament to Japan’s history. Experience the ancient tradition of creating gripped sumi, or calligraphy inksticks, at the Kinko-en Workshop. Accommodations are for two nights in the Five‑Star InterContinental Hotel Osaka.
Pre- and Post-Program Options are available at additional cost. Details will be provided with your reservation confirmation.
Beneath Tokyo’s layers of thriving innovation and enthralling pop culture, you will find traditional wooden houses and secluded alleyway shrines—the cultural core of this picturesque capital city. Begin with a panoramic tour followed by a visit to the Tokyo National Museum, one of the largest art museums in the world with over 110,000 objects and 87 of Japan’s treasures. Enjoy a full‑day excursion to Hakone, home to iconic Mt. Fuji, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit vibrant Asakusa, the center of Tokyo’s historic shitamachi (downtown district), and tour the seventh‑century Senso‑ji Temple. Travel aboard the high‑speed shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto. Spend three nights in the Five‑Star ANA InterContinental Hotel Tokyo.
Osaka and Nara Post-Program Option
In dynamic Osaka, visit the Osaka History Museum to learn more about the city’s merchant past and enjoy sprawling aerial views of the city from the Floating Garden Observatory. Spend a day among UNESCO World Heritage‑designated monuments in serene Nara, Japan’s oldest capital, where gentle sika deer roam Nara Park’s rolling landscape. Visit the historically significant “Great Eastern Temple” of Todai-ji, rebuilt in the 12th century, and the Horyu‑ji Temple, where a seventh‑century, five‑storied pagoda—considered one of the world’s oldest extant wooden structures—stands as a proud testament to Japan’s history. Experience the ancient tradition of creating gripped sumi, or calligraphy inksticks, at the Kinko-en Workshop. Accommodations are for two nights in the Five‑Star InterContinental Hotel Osaka.
Pre- and Post-Program Options are available at additional cost. Details will be provided with your reservation confirmation.
Reservations and Information
To reserve, complete a registration form in the brochure and mail to Duke Travels, Box 90572, Durham, NC 27708, or call (919) 684-2988 to reserve conveniently over the phone and let us know you are mailing your reservation form to hold your space.
To learn more about our travel program or any of our upcoming trips, please contact us at duketravels@duke.edu or 919-684-2988
Duke Leaders
Mode of Travel
Ocean Cruise
