Japan Circumnavigation

The wide ocean, the harbour with its special atmosphere, the hill which stands in a row of steep slopes, a Chinatown which is full of exotic moods – there are so many “postcard scenes” in Yokohama. Not surprisingly, many movies have been made here. Visit Kamakura with its temples and 35-foot-high Great Buddha. Take a bullet train to see Mount Fiji, or pack an overnight bag and set out for the ancient cities of Japan: Kyoto and Hakone.

Capital of the Akita Prefecture, Akita City is located in the north of the Tohoku Region of Japan. Its Jizōden ruins are a major archaeological site, with artefacts dating from up to 40,000 years ago.
The city is known best for its Kanto Matsuri festival at the beginning of August, where performers balance bamboo poles up to 12 metres long, with 50 paper lanterns attached, lit by real candles.

If you’re in search of historic Japan, look no further than Kanazawa. A UNESCO recognised City of Crafts and Folk Art, Kanazawa emerged from World War II largely unscathed, and the city is now one of the best surviving examples of Edo-era architecture in Japan. Consequently, Kanazawa evokes a feeling of stepping back in time and it’s this connection to the Geishas and Samurais past that fascinates and delights in equal measure. Step ashore for a vision of the way things were, savour tea in an authentic 19th Century teahouse, and feast on Japan’s finest delicacies, fresh from one of the country’s oldest markets.

Busan is South Korea’s second largest city and seaport, and it’s a laid-back, metropolitan destination. Its pace is slower, and its diversity more pronounced, than the country’s capital city of Seoul.
Busan has an intriguing medley of culture and history, beautiful natural settings and exciting adventures. It’s also near South Korea’s cultural capital, Gyeongju, and the fortress of Jinju.

Japan’s first real contact with the West was through Portuguese explorers and Jesuit missionaries, and then Dutch merchants. Apprehensive Shoguns thus closed Japan to foreign trade except at Nagasaki.
Stop by Peace Park for a moment of serenity, or visit the Confucian Shrine to see the influence that the Chinese community has on Nagasaki.

Shimizu is a bustling modern port with ancient roots and many a revered shrine to visit. You’ll no doubt find your gaze repeatedly drawn to the beautiful snow-capped cone of nearby Mount Fuji.
A fitting starting point here is Sumpu Castle, where you can contemplate the moats, remaining stone walls and restored buildings dotted around this 400-year-old site. After all, this is the building that, to some degree, put Shimizu on the map. In becoming shogun, or supreme military dictator in 1603, Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate which would last until the Meiji Restoration of 1868; this was known as the Edo Period. Tokugawa Ieyasu himself built Sumpu Castle, then retired there in 1605, even though he remained leader of Japan until his death in 1616.

The wide ocean, the harbour with its special atmosphere, the hill which stands in a row of steep slopes, a Chinatown which is full of exotic moods – there are so many “postcard scenes” in Yokohama. Not surprisingly, many movies have been made here. Visit Kamakura with its temples and 35-foot-high Great Buddha. Take a bullet train to see Mount Fiji, or pack an overnight bag and set out for the ancient cities of Japan: Kyoto and Hakone.