Grand Circle Japan with Summer Festivals
21-night Japan cruise from TYO to TYO aboard Sapphire Princess
- 12 Aug 2028 – 02 Sep 2028
from $4,379 pp twin share *
Additional Pricing Information
- Interior from $4,379 pp twin share
- Balcony from $7,849 pp twin share
- Mini-Suite from $8,557.68 pp twin share
- Suite from $20,787.68 pp twin share
* Prices and category availability are subject to change without notice.
Itinerary
- Day 1 – Tokyo, Japan (depart 04:00 PM):
Contemporary Tokyo may be the most astonishing city on earth. It’s a paradoxical mix of ancient tradition and postmodern culture. The Ginza, an international shopping mecca, stands near the serene grounds of the Imperial Palace, and the hyper-speed of 21st century consumerism is mysteriously reconciled with the elegance and serenity of traditional culture. Tokyo provides the traveler with a dizzying experience. - Day 2 – Nagoya, Japan (arrive 08:00 AM, depart 04:00 PM):
Perched on Honshu’s central coast, Nagoya is the fourth largest urban center in Japan. It is also a perfect illustration of the Japanese national story. Japan’s colorful history and love for tradition are embodied in the mighty donjons of Nagoya Castle, built by the first Tokugawa shogun. Two celebrated shrines – one Shinto, the other Buddhist – are found in the city center. Yet Nagoya also embodies Japan’s love of modernity and its thirst for technological innovation. The city is home to the very model of a major multinational corporation – Toyota. Tradition and change. Esthetics and innovation. In its own quiet manner Nagoya embodies the essence of the Japanese way. Toyota’s corporate headquarters are located just outside Nagoya in Toyota City (23 miles), while the company’s excellent museums and factories are scattered about the city and environs. Toyota began life as a manufacturer of industrial looms. Toyota Motor Corporation was spun off from its parent company in 1937. - Day 3 – TKS (arrive 08:00 AM, depart 11:59 PM)
- Day 4 – Osaka (for Kyoto), Japan (arrive 08:00 AM, depart 11:00 PM):
For centuries, Osaka was Japan’s cultural and commercial gateway to Asia – the point of entry both for trade goods and, most importantly, cultural influences that shaped Japanese society. From tea to Zen, from art to science and philosophy, Osaka was Japan’s contact with the great East Asian cultures that flourished in China and Korea. The city reached its zenith in the late 16th century, when the great feudal lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi made Osaka his capital. Toyotomi was master of Japan, and an immense administrative and commercial center rapidly developed around Osaka Castle. After Toyotomi’s death, the nation’s seat of power shifted from Osaka to a sleepy little fishing village called Edo – modern Tokyo. While overshadowed by Tokyo, Osaka remains Japan’s second largest city and a vital commercial center.Modern Osaka is home to monuments from Japan’s past including Toyotomi’s immense castle and the Sumiyoshi Shrine. The city is also your gateway to Kyoto, Japan’s ancient imperial capital and the nation’s cultural and spiritual center. - Day 5 – At Sea:
Enjoy a relaxing day at sea with all the experiences and amenities of your ship. - Day 6 – Nagasaki, Japan (arrive 07:00 AM, depart 04:00 PM):
For most travelers, Nagasaki is a symbol of the horror and the inhumanity of war. An estimated 75,000 people perished in 1945 when the city became the second target of a nuclear attack. Today, Nagasaki’s Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum draw visitors from around the world.But this beautiful city on Kyushu offers other sights. Often described as the San Francisco of Japan, the city occupies verdant hills surrounded by a deep-water bay. For three centuries, Nagasaki was Japan’s sole window on the world. The city is also celebrated as the setting for Puccini’s opera “Madame Butterfly.” - Day 7 – Busan, South Korea (arrive 07:00 AM, depart 04:00 PM):
The second largest city in South Korea, Busan is your gateway to a fascinating land whose culture is a unique amalgam of old and new. Modern high-rise towers dwarf ancient Buddhist temples. The city’s bustling business district offers a stark contrast to the serene grounds of Yongdusan Park. In short, Busan is a microcosm of South Korea, a nation whose startling economic success often obscures one of Asia’s most sophisticated and venerable cultures.Busan was the scene of bitter fighting during the Korean War. The United Nations Memorial Cemetery marks the final resting place for the troops from 16 nations who gave their lives during the conflict. - Day 8 – At Sea:
Enjoy a relaxing day at sea with all the experiences and amenities of your ship. - Day 9 – TR (arrive 07:00 AM, depart 04:00 PM)
- Day 10 – Niigata, Japan (arrive 09:00 AM, depart 06:00 PM):
Traditionally famous for rice making and sake production, Niigata is the place for gourmet aficionados. It is also well known for the seafood caught from the Sea of Japan. With this variety of the commodity produced locally, Niigata developed from the wealth gained through shipping and trade by Kitamae-bune, which were cargo ships operated along the Sea of Japan between Hokkaido and Osaka from mid-18th century to the end of the 19th century. To the south of Niigata is the Tsubame-Sanjo area famous today for metalworking. This derives from the production of Japanese nails used for Japanese traditional architecture. To discover Japanese craftsmanship, you will have the chance to visit the Suwada Open Factory. Also nearby is the religious center of Niigata in Yahiko. The Yahiko Shrine has gathered the devotion of the locals for more than a millennium. - Day 11 – Akita, Japan (arrive 07:00 AM, depart 05:00 PM):
There is a celebratory air in Akita, where year round festivals and street parades are colorfully integrated into daily life. A key city in the Tohoku region since medieval times, Akita was once a castle town of the Satake clan, but today is a vibrant, prosperous city that seamlessly honors its past but embraces its young energetic spirit. Noted for its burgeoning art community, there are several fine museums to explore including The Hirano Masakichi Art Musuem housing a collection of work by Western and Japanese artists, the Akita City Folklore Museum and the Kakunodate Samurai District, a living museum that showcases the samurai way of life. In the neighboring Oga Peninsula, the region’s most famous icon, the terrifying Namahage, has it’s won cultural center and festival ritual performed in his name. Surrounding the city, fertile farmland and rice fields produce some of the best sake in the country and nature lovers won’t know which way to turn – to the west is the picturesque Sea of Japan and to the north, south and east, majestic mountain ranges including the UNESCO World Heritage sight of Shirakami-Sanchi proudly stand. A trip to the revolving observation center Mt. Kanpuzan Observatory solves the dilemma. - Day 12 – Hakodate, Japan (arrive 07:30 AM, depart 04:00 PM):
It took Commodore Perry and American gunboat diplomacy to open Japan to the outside world after two centuries of self-imposed isolation. In 1859, the port of Hakodate became the first Japanese city fully opened to Westerners under the Treaty of Amity and Commerce. Foreigners soon flocked to Hakodate, and today visitors wandering the cobblestone streets of the city’s Motomachi District can view their Western-style frame houses. Hakodate, once a fishing port famed for its high quality fish and shellfish, quickly became Hokkaido’s largest city and one of Japan’s most important ports. The Great Hakodate Fire of 1934 dealt the city a near fatal blow – a blow from which Hakodate was slow to recover. Today the city is Hokkaido’s third largest – surpassed by Sapporo and Asahikawa – but retains its foremost position as the finest Japanese producer of sushi’s raw product: the high quality seafood caught in Hokkaido’s cold waters.It may not compare to Tokyo’s Tsukiji’s Fish Market, but at Hakodate’s four-block-long Morning Market, vendors offer a stunning array of fresh fish and shellfish prized for sushi including salmon roe, sea urchin, scallops and crab. Restaurants and food stands prepare a wide arrange of dishes including domburi topped with fresh seafood. - Day 13 – IS (arrive 10:00 AM, depart 07:00 PM)
- Day 14 – Hitachinaka (for Nikko), Japan (arrive 07:00 AM, depart 03:00 PM):
Extending from the Naka River to the Pacific Ocean, Hitachinaka offers pristine beaches, stellar views, and a charming mix of old and new attractions. Hitachinaka is steeped in traditional history which shines in such sites as the oceanside Oarai Isosaki-jinja Shrine, and the Kasama Inari Shrine, one of the most famous Inari shrines in the country. Gaze upon Hitachinaka’s nature’s wonders from the lookout point of the bronze Ushiku Buddha, one of the tallest Buddha statues in the world, and if flowers are your passion, you simply can’t miss Kairakuen Gardens, one of the “Three Great Gardens” in Japan, and Hitachi Seaside Park, which blooms with wildflowers, including the bright Kochia ball blooms and the delicate, baby-blue Nemophila. The color blue remains a theme at Aqua World Ibaraki Prefectural Oarai Aquarium, where huge tanks house over 68,000 sea creatures. For those looking to delve into Hitachinaka artistic heritage, the Tokugawa Art Museum displays almost 30,000 artifacts of the Mito Tokugawa family, offering a detailed glimpse into the lives of Japan’s daimyo feudal lords. And when hunger strikes, the stalls of Nakaminato Fish Market brim with the “fruits of the sea,” and restaurants serve the freshest sushi and local delicacies in town. - Day 15 – Tokyo, Japan (arrive 06:00 AM, depart 04:00 PM):
Contemporary Tokyo may be the most astonishing city on earth. It’s a paradoxical mix of ancient tradition and postmodern culture. The Ginza, an international shopping mecca, stands near the serene grounds of the Imperial Palace, and the hyper-speed of 21st century consumerism is mysteriously reconciled with the elegance and serenity of traditional culture. Tokyo provides the traveler with a dizzying experience. - Day 16 – Toba, Japan (arrive 07:00 AM, depart 04:00 PM):
Toba, located at the northeastern end of the Shima-hanto Peninsula in Mie, flourished as the castle town of the Kuki family who ruled this region from the 16th century. It was also a landing spot for visitors on the sea route to Ise-jingu Shrine and belongs to Ise-Shima National Park. - Day 17 – Kochi, Japan (arrive 09:00 AM, depart 05:00 PM):
Kochi sits on the broad alluvial plain facing Urado Bay. This city in Shikoku takes its name from the great feudal castle that sits at its very heart. Completed in 1611, Kochi Castle was the seat of Yamauchi Kazutoyo, a noted warrior who supported Tokugawa Ieyasu in his successful quest to become Shogun. Tosa Province and Kochi Castle were Yamauchi’s reward for faithful service. There is an historical irony here: 250 years later, a Kochi native son – a former low-ranked samurai and now ronin named Sakamoto Ryoma – played a pivotal role in bringing the Tokugawa Shogunate to an end and restoring the Emperor of Japan to political prominence. The prize once awarded for faithful service had become a hotbed of support for the Meiji Restoration.Kochi is one of the wettest places in Japan – and a frequent target for cyclonic storms or typhoons. Southeast of the city, warm oceans currents washing against the Aki Mountains create a subtropical landscape of hibiscus, palm and ficus at Muroto-Anan Quasi-National Park. - Day 18 – At Sea:
Enjoy a relaxing day at sea with all the experiences and amenities of your ship. - Day 19 – JJ (arrive 07:00 AM, depart 04:00 PM)
- Day 20 – Nagasaki, Japan (arrive 07:00 AM, depart 03:00 PM):
For most travelers, Nagasaki is a symbol of the horror and the inhumanity of war. An estimated 75,000 people perished in 1945 when the city became the second target of a nuclear attack. Today, Nagasaki’s Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum draw visitors from around the world.But this beautiful city on Kyushu offers other sights. Often described as the San Francisco of Japan, the city occupies verdant hills surrounded by a deep-water bay. For three centuries, Nagasaki was Japan’s sole window on the world. The city is also celebrated as the setting for Puccini’s opera “Madame Butterfly.” - Day 21 – At Sea:
Enjoy a relaxing day at sea with all the experiences and amenities of your ship. - Day 22 – Tokyo, Japan (arrive 06:00 AM):
Contemporary Tokyo may be the most astonishing city on earth. It’s a paradoxical mix of ancient tradition and postmodern culture. The Ginza, an international shopping mecca, stands near the serene grounds of the Imperial Palace, and the hyper-speed of 21st century consumerism is mysteriously reconciled with the elegance and serenity of traditional culture. Tokyo provides the traveler with a dizzying experience.
Highlights
- Sail aboard the elegant Sapphire Princess, visiting 15 ports across Japan and South Korea.
- Experience the energy and traditions of Japan’s summer festivals, from fireworks displays to vibrant parades.
- Enjoy included sightseeing in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and other must-see destinations.
21-night Japan cruise from TYO to TYO aboard Sapphire Princess
Inclusions
- MedallionClass® experience
- Broadway-style entertainment
- Multicourse dining and casual venues
- Fitness facilities
- Youth and teen clubs (ages 3–17)
FAQs
How long is this journey?
This itinerary runs for 22 days and 21 nights.
When can I travel?
Departures are currently scheduled between 12 Aug 2028 and 02 Sep 2028, subject to live availability.
What is generally included?
Inclusions typically cover guided touring and selected experiences, with exact details listed in the itinerary.
Provided by: Princess CruisesFine Print
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