Asia from Yokohama (Tokyo)

On its southern borders Tokyo merges with Yokohama, Japan’s second most populous city and a major international port. When you step aground from your MSC cruise you will find that Yokohama feels far more spacious and airy than the capital, thanks to its open harbour frontage and generally low-rise skyline.

When Commodore Perry sailed his “Black Ships” into Tokyo Bay in 1853, Yokohama was a mere fishing village of some eighty houses on the distant shore. But it was this harbour, well out of harm’s way as far as the Japanese were concerned, that the shogun designated one of the five treaty ports open to foreign trade in 1858. From the early 1860s until the first decades of the twentieth century, Yokohama flourished on the back of raw silk exports, a trade dominated by British merchants.

During this period the city provided the main conduit for new ideas and inventions into Japan: the first bakery, photographers’, ice-cream shop, brewery and – perhaps most importantly – the first railway line, which linked today’s Sakuragichō with Shimbashi in central Tokyo in 1872. The Great Earthquake levelled the city in 1923, and it was devastated again in air raids at the end of World War II; the rebuilt city is, however, among the world’s largest ports.

Locals are proud of their city’s international heritage, and there’s definitely a cosmopolitan flavour to the place, with its scattering of Western-style buildings, Chinese temples and world cuisines, and its sizeable foreign community. The upmarket suburb of Yamate (also known as “the Bluff”) is one of the city’s highlights and boasts a splendid museum; the area forms a pleasant contrast with the vibrant alleys, colourful trinket shops and bustling restaurants of nearby Chinatown. Near the seafront, Kannai boasts a few grand old Western edifices, in complete contrast to the Minato Mirai 21 development’s hi-tech skyscrapers in the distance.

With over 2,600,000 inhabitants, Taipei is the largest city on the island of Taiwan and its capital. It represents the fulcrum of the country: the headquarters of the government is located here and it is the cultural and commercial center of Taiwan. An MSC Cruise will take you inside this crossroads of Japanese and Chinese cultures, where the ancient and modern coexist with no distinction. One of the symbols of the city is the Taipei 101 Tower, named for the fact that there are 101 floors. First known as the Taipei World Financial Center, it is located in the Xinyi district. Reachable on an MSC excursion, this singular construction, built in 2004, is bamboo-shaped and its 509 meters in height made it the the tallest building in the world in 2004: today, it is in fifth place; first place is held by Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is also one of the destinations that can be reached with an excursion: a white building with a blue octagonal roof, whose colors also reflect the national flag, it is a symbol of freedom, equality and brotherhood. Consisting of 89 steps, one for each year of the leader’s life, it is surrounded by Chinese-style gardens and buildings housing examples of Taiwanese culture.
Considered one of the most important monuments of the 20th century, the Memorial Hall tells the story of the head of the Chinese nationalist government which was in charge from 1950 to 1975; the hall opened in 1980. More than 700 thousand pieces representing 8,000 years of Chinese history and art from the Neolithic to the present day are exhibited in the National Palace Museum which can be visited on an MSC excursion. The museum was once located inside the walls of the Forbidden City of Beijing. In 1949, it was moved to the Shilin district in Taipei, into the current building, after the government of the Republic of China was also transferred.

With over 2,600,000 inhabitants, Taipei is the largest city on the island of Taiwan and its capital. It represents the fulcrum of the country: the headquarters of the government is located here and it is the cultural and commercial center of Taiwan. An MSC Cruise will take you inside this crossroads of Japanese and Chinese cultures, where the ancient and modern coexist with no distinction. One of the symbols of the city is the Taipei 101 Tower, named for the fact that there are 101 floors. First known as the Taipei World Financial Center, it is located in the Xinyi district. Reachable on an MSC excursion, this singular construction, built in 2004, is bamboo-shaped and its 509 meters in height made it the the tallest building in the world in 2004: today, it is in fifth place; first place is held by Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is also one of the destinations that can be reached with an excursion: a white building with a blue octagonal roof, whose colors also reflect the national flag, it is a symbol of freedom, equality and brotherhood. Consisting of 89 steps, one for each year of the leader’s life, it is surrounded by Chinese-style gardens and buildings housing examples of Taiwanese culture.
Considered one of the most important monuments of the 20th century, the Memorial Hall tells the story of the head of the Chinese nationalist government which was in charge from 1950 to 1975; the hall opened in 1980. More than 700 thousand pieces representing 8,000 years of Chinese history and art from the Neolithic to the present day are exhibited in the National Palace Museum which can be visited on an MSC excursion. The museum was once located inside the walls of the Forbidden City of Beijing. In 1949, it was moved to the Shilin district in Taipei, into the current building, after the government of the Republic of China was also transferred.

Ishigaki Island is the commercial hub of the Yaeyama Islands, in Japan’s southwestern Okinawa Prefecture. It’s known for beaches and sites for snorkeling, diving and surfing. Within Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park lies the Shiraho Reef’s rare blue coral. In the interior is Mt. Omoto and other peaks. On the northern Hirakubo Peninsula is the Fukido River, a mangrove forest habitat.

The sophistication, elegance and ages-old culture of Japan. On an MSC Grand Voyages Cruise, you can discover the ancient beauty of the Okinawa islands. Belonging to the archipelago of Ryūkyū, their capital is Naha.

There are many attractions and monuments that can be visited. These include the Ryukyumura village and the UNESCO World Heritage site: Shikinaen Garden, where you can admire the characteristic wooden buildings with red tile roofs that overlook an artificial lake and vegetation that inspire meditation and peace.
Peace Memorial Park has a great emotional impact: near the end of World War II, Okinawa was the scene of a bloody battle between Japan and the US, which killed about 200,000 people, more than half of which were civilians.
The shopping and restaurant street in Naha isKokusai : two kilometers of bars, cafes, hotels and boutiques where you can linger and enjoy yourself sipping awamori , a typical liqueur from the island served with ice. The capital is also home to the museum of the former underground headquarters of the Japanese Navy and the Okinawa Prefectural Museum , where you can discover the history and culture of Okinawa. To understand how the inhabitants lived, you can also visit Ryukyumura Village , a small theme park that recreates a village where craftsmen shape pottery, weave clothing and blankets and where musicians play the sanshin guitar.
Located in front of the East China Sea, the cliff of Cape Manzamou is a true natural sculpture shaped by the ocean: a part of it looks like the trunk of an elephant. It is impossible to leave without taking a photograph.