E-mail a friendShip: Odyssey
Itinerary: Treasures of Japan with a day in Kyongju, Korea
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Miyajima Island Shrine at sunset
cabins & deck plans | additional itineraries | cancellation policy
| Day 1 : | Arrive Osaka, Honshu, Japan / Kyoto |
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| Day 2 : | Kyoto |
| Day 3 : | Kyoto / Himeji / Embark Clipper Odyssey |
| Day 4 : | Okayama (Uno-Ko) / Bizen |
| Day 5 : | Hiroshima / Miyajima |
| Day 6 : | Hagi |
| Day 7 : | Tsushima Islands / Pusan, South Korea |
| Day 8 : | Kyongju |
| Day 9 : | Matsue, Honshu, Japan |
| Day 10 : | Kanazawa |
| Day 11 : | Sado Island / Niigata |
| Day 12 : | Niigata / Disembark Clipper Odyssey / Tokyo |
| Click for full itinerary |
| Days | Dates | Deck + Cabin Type | ||||||
| Category 1/ A-Deck | Category 2/ Main | Category 3/ Main | Category 4/ Lido | Category 5/ Bridge | Category 6/ Balcony Suite | Owners Suite | ||
| 12 | May 12, 2009 | $9,480 | $9,980 | $10,480 | $11,180 | $11,880 | $12,580 | $14,980 |
| Destinations : Asia, Japan, South Korea Activities : Nature Viewing, Photography |
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Discover the incomparable treasures of Japan as we cruise the Inland Sea, exploring the cultural highlights, natural attractions, and dramatic coastlines of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu Islands. From imposing castles and timeless villages to a moving exploration tour of Hiroshima, from elegant court dancers and sacred Shinto shrines to exquisite formal gardens, our voyage presents an intricate tapestry of Japanese riches. In addition, enjoy a full day excursion to Kyongju, Korea, a World Heritage Site encompassing hundreds of excavated monuments, temples, tombs, and pagodas. Begin your journey with a pre-voyage extension to charming Kyoto and to Nara, home to some of the most ancient Buddhist temples in Japan.
Day 1 : Arrive Osaka, Honshu, Japan / Kyoto
Cross the International Dateline and arrive in Osaka. Transfer to our hotel in Kyoto.
Day 2 : Kyoto
After breakfast enjoy a morning tour of Japan’s lovely cultural capital, Kyoto. Founded in the 7th century, Kyoto was the Emperor’s residence for more than one thousand years. Today, its historic shrines, monuments, art, and architectural landmarks represent nearly 20 percent of Japan’s national treasures. After lunch the afternoon is at leisure for independent exploration. Meet our staff and lecturers tonight during an orientation dinner. Overnight at our hotel.
Day 3 : Kyoto / Himeji / Embark Clipper Odyssey
We depart Kyoto this morning on board one of Japan’s famed shinkansen, bullet train, for a trip to the town of Himeji. Here we visit Himeji Castle, a designated World Heritage Site and national treasure. Completed in 1609 it has never been damaged by war, fire, or earthquake, and survives in its spectacular original form. Himeji means “white egret,” and, indeed, the gleaming white walls that soar high above the plains do resemble its namesake. Later this afternoon, we embark the Clipper Odyssey at Himeji Port and set sail this evening into the fabled Inland Sea for the port of Okayama.
Day 4 : Okayama (Uno-Ko) / Bizen
We disembark this morning in the town of Uno-Ko and drive to Bizen. The production of Bizen’s highly acclaimed pottery dates from the 9th century, when the region’s iron-rich clay was discovered to turn a lustrous deep brown when fired. After a visit to the Ceramic Museum, we have time to explore some of the exquisite shops. This afternoon’s highlight is our visit to one of Japan’s most beautiful gardens, Koraku-en, a 17th-century formal garden encompassing 28 acres of walking trails, ponds, pavilions, plum and cherry trees, and a classic teahouse. We reboard the ship in Uno-Ko.
Day 5 : Hiroshima / Miyajima
This morning we arrive in Hiroshima to visit the compelling Peace Memorial Park located in the heart of the city. A World Heritage Site, the park and its monuments are dedicated to the hope for world peace; an arch-shaped cenotaph includes the names of all the known victims of the atomic bomb. We return to the ship for lunch and make our way to Miyajima.
Considered one of Japan’s premier scenic wonders, Miyajima, “shrine island,” offers a superb vista of the scarlet Torii, the giant camphor wood gate at the entrance to the Itsukushima Shrine, a sacred site of pilgrimage. At high tide it appears to float in the surrounding waters. We go ashore to explore the World Heritage Site shrine, sacred both to Shintoism and Buddhism. Founded in the 6th century and dedicated to three sea goddesses, the temple complex is connected by bridges and walkways.
Day 6 : Hagi
We disembark in Hagi this morning, on the western tip of Honshu, to visit this exquisite medieval samurai town which served as the capital of the local daimyo, feudal lords, between 1603 and 1868. A castle, perfectly preserved 17th-century wooden samurai houses, a network of small canals teeming with koi, and famous working pottery kilns combine to present a look back into quintessential Japan.
Day 7 : Tsushima Islands / Pusan, South Korea
Today, we enjoy an expedition stop—Japanese-style. The island of Tsushima, renowned for its rugged beauty, was blasted apart in 1896 by the Japanese navy to create a ship canal. Today, an 80-meter arched bridge connects the two island segments.
Conditions permitting, we board Zodiacs to visit some of the small towns and sites here. On the northern island, Kami, we visit Watazumi Jiniya, built in A.D. 895 as a shrine to the god of the sea. The Mt. Eboshi Observatory offers beautiful views of the coast and Aso-wan Bay. In the afternoon we sail for Korea, arriving in Pusan in the late evening. An overnight in port allows for an early start to Kyongju in the morning.
Day 8 : Kyongju
We disembark for our full-day excursion to magnificent Kyongju, considered by UNESCO as one of the world’s ten most historically significant sites, and often described as a “museum without walls.” As the ancient capital of the Shilla Dynasty, Kyongju’s cultural heritage dates back to the first millennium when the dynasty began its rule of Korea after conquering and uniting divergent monarchies. The cultural flowering of Kyongju reached its artistic pinnacle in the 8th century as craftsmen created masterpieces in wood, metal, stone, and pottery.
Today, as we stroll among some of the hundreds of excavated monuments, temples, tombs, and pagodas, our cultural historian provides enlightening discussions of the social, political, and cultural impact of the brilliant Shilla dynasty. We have time to explore the National Museum with its exceptional collection of finely worked gold jewelry, metal weapons, and distinctive pottery. At lunch we sample Korean delicacies and enjoy a cultural performance of traditional dance.
Day 9 : Matsue, Honshu, Japan
The San-In coastline along the north shore of Honshu offers splendid views of craggy rock faces and rugged shores sculpted by waves. We cruise inland to explore this very traditional region set in the stunning natural landscape of the Izumu Plain— serene lakes, clear rivers, and a backdrop of high mountains. Matsue, the “town of water,” nestles between a scenic lake and a large lagoon. Here you may choose to visit the cultural attractions of the town which include the Matsue Castle and a 250-year-old samurai house complete with tatami rooms, or explore the richly varied countryside.
Day 10 : Kanazawa
Kanazawa is a thriving center of the arts, long renowned for its lacquerware, superb collectible Kutani-style pottery, gold-leaf workmanship, delicate hand-painted kimono silks, and Noh theater dramas. The narrow and winding cobblestone streets have a quaint photogenic charm—around each bend is a traditional house, museum, art gallery, crafts shop, historic samurai residence, or even a geisha house to explore. And the fascinating open-air market displays a vast variety of items from flowers to fish to local handicrafts.
Next to the Kanazawa Castle ruins is one of Japan’s premier botanical highlights—the famed Kenroku-en Garden. Sophisticated, centuries-old designs create an artful aura of seclusion and contemplation. A serene teahouse perches on a small peninsula in the middle of a pond, while carved stone lanterns line the footpaths. Kanazawa’s ponds have their own residents—spot-billed ducks, gray herons, and other waterfowl, while along the ocean shore, birders may spot grebes, eastern reef herons, and ancient murrelets.
Day 11 : Sado Island / Niigata
Well off the beaten path of most travelers, Sado Island possesses both the pastoral charm of verdant rice paddies and bamboo groves, and the dramatic beauty of surf-pounded seacoasts. We go ashore on the western side of Japan’s fifth largest island and traverse the island via a scenic skyline drive, passing tiny fishing villages, temples, and shrines, to Sado, once the home of political exiles—deposed emperors, Buddhist priests, and intellectuals who were condemned to live in this isolated setting of great natural beauty. Along the way we visit a sake brewery to learn about the venerable process, then explore the Sado Kinzan Gold Mine in Aikawa which operated for 400 years, closing down only about 12 years ago. We arrive in the town of Ryotsu where we board our ship and sail for Niigata to overnight pierside.
Day 12 : Niigata / Disembark Clipper Odyssey / Tokyo
After breakfast we disembark the ship and transfer to a bullet train headed for Tokyo. On arrival, transfer to the airport where you will board your independent flight home
NOTE: Due to rising fuel costs, a $20/night fuel surcharge will be assessed to your shipboard account onboard for departures starting in July 2008.
Prices are based on a 3% cash discount.
Ship Description: Odyssey
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Odyssey
The Odyssey was built in 1989 in Tsu, Japan, by Japanese craftsmen to the design of a master Dutch yacht designer, Studio Acht, and is eminently suited for the year-round itineraries in the Pacific. These range from as far south as New Zealand and Australia's Great Barrier Reef, to as far north as Japan, the Kuril Islands, and the Russian Far East, including the Kamchatka Peninsula.
The Odyssey measures 340 feet long, 51 feet wide, and has a draft of 14 feet. Staterooms are all outside and average a generous 186 square feet in size, and are furnished with either twin or queen-size beds and a sitting area with a sofa. Each cabin features a spacious bathroom with tub baths and shower, individually controlled air-conditioning, in-room music system, ample wardrobe space, three-sided mirrors, personal safe, refrigerator, and television.
A fleet of Zodiac landing craft can be launched in minutes to take passengers ashore in places where no infrastructure exists. The vessel is equipped with state-of-the-art satellite navigation and communication equipment including telephone, fax, and email.
An outdoor swimming pool, dedicated jogging track, and two sun decks offer ample opportunities for outdoor recreation. Inside, the spacious public areas of the ship include two lounges, a small library, and a single seating dining room.
An experienced cruise staff, physician, and onboard lecturers accompany all voyages to enhance the passengers’ enjoyment of the places visited.
All meals are prepared to order on board. The ship's chefs, graduates of the finest American culinary schools, combine the highest quality American ingredients with the influences and spices of the places the Odyssey visits. The resulting "fusion cuisine" provides a taste of the destinations visited.
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Category 1/ A-Deck A Deck Outside Double Cabin with sitting area, portholes Approx. 185 sqft |
Category 2/ Main Forward Main Deck Outside Double Cabin with sitting area and a window Approx. 175 sqft |
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Category 3/ Main Main Deck Outside Double Cabin with sitting area and a window Approx. 175 sqft |
Category 4/ Lido Lido Deck Outside Double Cabin with sitting area and a window Approx. 175 sqft |
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Category 5/ Bridge Bridge Deck Outside Double Cabin with sitting area and a window Approx. 230 sqft |
Category 6/ Balcony Suite Bridge Deck Outside Suite with private veranda Approx. 230 sqft |
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Owners Suite Bridge Deck Outside Suite with separate bedroom and private veranda Approx. 310 sqft |
