Itinerary

Day 1 Tokyo, Japan

Upon arrival in Japan, enjoy a seamless start to your adventure with a private transfer to your centrally located Tokyo hotel.

Welcome to Japan'' cutting-edge capital, the world's largest city famed for its blazing neon, techno-gadgets, and serious fashion sense. Get a glimpse into Tokyo's glorious past while strolling the Imperial Palace gardens, or take a rickshaw ride through the Asakusa district with its ancient Sensoji Temple and colorful atmosphere that echoes Old Edo. Wander the Tsukiji Market - aka, 'Tokyo's Kitchen' - the world's largest fish and seafood market, and raise a glass of rice lager at the Philippe Starck-designed Asahi Beer Hall located near the 2,080-foot-high Skytree, the world's tallest tower. You can shop for fashion-forward trends in Shibuya before heading to the rooftop garden that crowns Shibuya Scramble Square for outstanding views of Mount Fuji. If you think Tokyo buzzes by day, wait until you see it at night, so take advantage of a late-evening departure to soak in all of Shinjuku's razzle dazzle, explore Akihabara's gadget shops and gaming arcades, or join in Japan's favorite pastime at one of Roppongi's karaoke bars

Day 2 Tokyo, Japan

Welcome to Japan'' cutting-edge capital, the world's largest city famed for its blazing neon, techno-gadgets, and serious fashion sense. Get a glimpse into Tokyo's glorious past while strolling the Imperial Palace gardens, or take a rickshaw ride through the Asakusa district with its ancient Sensoji Temple and colorful atmosphere that echoes Old Edo. Wander the Tsukiji Market - aka, 'Tokyo's Kitchen' - the world's largest fish and seafood market, and raise a glass of rice lager at the Philippe Starck-designed Asahi Beer Hall located near the 2,080-foot-high Skytree, the world's tallest tower. You can shop for fashion-forward trends in Shibuya before heading to the rooftop garden that crowns Shibuya Scramble Square for outstanding views of Mount Fuji. If you think Tokyo buzzes by day, wait until you see it at night, so take advantage of a late-evening departure to soak in all of Shinjuku's razzle dazzle, explore Akihabara's gadget shops and gaming arcades, or join in Japan's favorite pastime at one of Roppongi's karaoke bars

Day 3 Tokyo, Japan - Embarkation

After checking out of your hotel, you'll be transferred to the port to embark Seabourn Encore, where your luxurious Japan & Alaska cruise adventure begins.

Day 4 Hitachinaka, Japan

Get a glimpse of bygone Japan in the port city of Hitachinaka, located around 100 miles northeast of Tokyo on Honshu. Hitachi Seaside Park is considered one of the most beautiful places in the entire country, blanketed in millions of flowering plants; during late spring, the park is awash in a sea of vibrant blue nemophila blossoms. Follow the coast down to the 9th-century Oarai Isosaki Shrine; its revered Kamiiso-no-Torii gate is believed to be where the gods descended to earth. Ushiku Daibutsu, a 390-foot-high figure of Buddha, stands among the world's tallest statues; step inside to view some 3,000 golden buddha statuettes. For a fabulous hike, head to the remote hill town of Daigo and Fukuroda Falls, a dramatic, four-step waterfall that plunges nearly 400 feet. Be sure to try Hitachinaka-style takoyaki (grilled octopus), then wash it down with some rice wine at one of more than 40 sake breweries in the Ibaraki Prefecture.

Day 5 Ishinomaki, Japan

Sushi lovers, take note: Ishinomaki claims more sushi restaurants per capita than any other city in Japan. The busy port harvests outstanding seafood thanks to its plankton-rich waters, while the Miyagi Prefecture is one of Japan's top producers of rice. Genki Market is a great place to sample local specialties like yakisoba, Ishinomaki's famous stir-fried noodle dish. Matsushima Bay is sprinkled with some 260 pine-clad islands; take a scenic cruise, or soak in the view while visiting the spaceship-shaped Ishinomori Mangattan Museum, dedicated to influential manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. (Life-size statues, banners and colorful murals of his iconic characters line the main Manga Road.) Matsushima also boasts two 9th-century Buddhist temples that were reconstructed by the feudal lord Date Masamune: Godaido Temple enshrines five Buddha statues that are only displayed every 33 years, while Zuiganji Temple is noted for its ingenious 'nightingale floors,' which make a bird-like sound to warn against intruders.

Day 6 Miyako, Iwate, Japan

Set along the east coast of the Iwate Prefecture, Miyako was Japan's main seaport for hundreds of years before a series of tsunamis took their toll. Yet what the city lacks in historical buildings, it more than makes up for in natural attractions such as Sanriku Fukko National Park. Stretching some 110 miles along the coast, the park showcases amazing flora, including Japanese red pine and a virgin forest of Tabu trees, while a variety of seabirds find refuge along its cliffs and beaches. Birders also flock to nearby Sanganjima Island, one of Japan's main nesting grounds for Swinhoe's storm petrels. Spend the day relaxing on Jodogahama Beach, which ranks among Japan's best, or head to Morioka, Iwate's largest city, to visit the 17th-century Hachimangu Shrine and sample rice wine on a tour of Asabiraki Sake Brewery, which dates from 1871. Just north of the city lies Ryusendo Cave, a massive subterranean network of towering stalagmites and translucent lakes.

Day 7 Hakodate, Japan

This important port on Japan's northern Hokkaido Island was the first to be opened to European and American trade. The result of this is a trove of Western-style buildings in the suburb of Motomachi that gives the impression of a movie set. The bell of the distinctive Haristo Greek Orthodox church is designated one of Japan's official treasured '100 soundscapes.' Hokkaido is famous for its hot springs, much beloved by the Japanese. Yunokawa Hot Spring enjoys a commanding view of the sea, and its botanical garden is home to the Japanese macaques called 'snow monkeys' because of their habit of soaking in the hot springs during the northern winter. Goryokaku is a 150-year old star fortress that holds the Magistrate's Office, an excellent example of traditional Japanese architecture. Get a panoramic view from the observation platform atop the Goryokaku Tower.

Day 8 Kushiro, Japan

Blessed by a protective range of mountains and a relatively warm ocean current, Kushiro gets less than a third of the winter snow of its Hokkaido neighbor Sapporo, and twice as much sunshine as the nearby Kuril Islands. Thus it is an important reliably ice-free port during the winter. Like all of Japan, it is riddled with semi-active geothermal features and occasionally rattled by tremors. Scenic Lake Akan is ringed by hot springs. It also has an Ainu Koten museum with a replica village and folklore performances of the indigenous Hokkaido people. The Japanese Crane Reserve is a good place to see breeding populations of these large and graceful birds, so respected by the Japanese. The city encompasses Japan's largest wetland, and the Kushiro City Marsh Observatory has a boardwalk to see it, as well as the Fureai Horse Park which offers equestrian tours into the forest.

Day 9 At Sea

Day 10 Cross International Dateline

Day 10 At Sea

Day 11 At Sea

Day 12 At Sea

Day 13 At Sea

Day 14 At Sea

Day 15 At Sea

Day 16 Kodiak, Alaska, US

The largest of the Aleutian Islands, Kodiak is also Alaska's largest island the second largest in the United States. Although occupied by native people for some 7,000 years, it languished in relative obscurity until the Second World War, when it housed as many as 25,000 troops. Fort Abercrombie, once the major center of North Pacific operations, today is a State Historic Park and a good place to learn the history. At the other end of the road system is the United States Coast Guard's largest base, with a fleet of orange and white watercraft and aircraft that serves the Alaskan fishing fleet and other shipping and maritime activities in the Pacific area. Kodiak harbour is seasonally home to a fleet of some 650 fishing vessels, including huge trawlers, long-line and crab boats. Fishing is also a popular draw for visitors, but they also are attracted by opportunities to view and photograph local birds and wildlife, including the island's massive brown bears, the males of which weigh as much as 1,500 pounds and stand ten feet tall. In the town, the fur warehouse originally built by the Russian American Company in 1808 is now the Baranov Museum, the oldest standing building in Alaska. 

Day 17 At Sea

Day 18 Glacier Bay, Alaska, US (scenic cruising)

Designated as an International World Heritage Site in 1992, Glacier Bay is also a National Monument, a National Park and a designated Biosphere Reserve. Over millennia, Glacier Bay has experienced many major advances of its glaciers. When first surveyed in 1794 by a team under the command of British captain George Vancouver on HMS Discovery, its vast glaciers extended well beyond present-day margins of the bay. Temperate, coniferous rainforest dominates its southern shores. Black and brown bears, wolves, moose, eagles and ravens all go about their daily routines, while harbor seals and whales frolic within the bay waters. Glacier Bay has two major arms, East and West, and over fifty named glaciers, some of which push forward at three to six feet per day. Combined with Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Canada's Kluane National Park and Alsek-Tatshenshini Park, Glacier Bay encompasses the largest protected wilderness area on earth. This is a truly a place of awe-inspiring beauty and an icon of wild Alaska. 

Day 19 Sitka, Alaska, US

Story and soul await in the history and lush scenery of this remote city on Baranof Island. As the oldest city in Alaska, only accessible by air and sea, Sitka is the perfect place to relish in the unbridled beauty of the Last Frontier. Nicknamed the 'Paris of the Pacific' for the growing wealth acquired during its logging, gold, and fur trade booms, Sitka was sold to the United States by Russia in 1867. Picturesque remnants of Russia's architectural influence are still present; one of the most intriguing structures is the Cathedral of Saint Michael, built in 1848 to honor a Russian Orthodox bishop. The mix of Tlingit tradition runs heavily through Sitka's streets as well, making for a unique blend of history and culture. From salmon fishing, hikes in the Tongass rainforest, exploring the coastline by private vessel, or even a round of golf in some of the toughest and most beautiful holes in all of Alaska… one visit to Sitka is never enough because of the infinite ways to connect with its culture, wildlife, and people.

Day 20 Klawock, Alaska, US

The Tlingit village of Klawock sits midway along the western coast of Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska, otherwise known as the state's 'panhandle.' Prince of Wales - call it 'P.O.W.' - is the fourth largest island in the United States, a vast, wildlife-rich wilderness of more than 2,500 square miles; yet fewer than 6,000 people live there, around 800 of whom reside in Klawock. The village, site of Alaska's first salmon cannery, is currently building its tourism industry, and the dramatic approach alone, sailing through one of two fjord entrances, with scenic views of jagged mountains and lush islands, makes Klawock a worthwhile destination. Visitors discover one of the state's most impressive totem parks, its 21 masterfully carved poles standing atop a hill that overlooks the harbor. You can meet the carvers and watch them work at the carving shed in the park's heritage center, which also features an authentic longhouse. Outdoor adventures include paddling a canoe along the rugged coast, hiking through old-growth forest, and fishing for king, sockeye and coho salmon.

Day 21 Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada

Prince Rupert, set amongst the coastal mountains, is the jumping-off point for travelers joining the coastal ferries to Haida Gwaii, Vancouver or north to Alaska. Highlights include the quaint Cow Bay with its shops and restaurants, the Museum of Northern British Columbia, the totem carving house or the stunning sunken gardens. Prince Rupert certainly has abundant wildlife. Whether you join a local boat for whale-watching, hike along the Butze Rapids or take a scenic flight, you are sure to be pleased. The region is home to the highest concentration of grizzly bears in North America. The Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary, established in 1994, was the first area in Canada to be protected specifically for grizzlies and their habitat. Founded in 1910, the town was named for Prince Rupert, who was a governor of the Hudson's Bay Company in 1670. Prince Rupert is the northern terminus of the Canadian National Railway and an important port for goods moving towards Alaska.

Day 22 Inside Passage

The upper latitudes of North America's Pacific Coast are blessed with a long strand of islands scattered just offshore of the mainland. These islands provide shelter from the swells generated across the expanse of the world's largest ocean, and offer one of the most scenic passages for ships to be found anywhere on the globe. Stretching from Washington State's Puget Sound northward through British Columbia, Canada onward to the Panhandle of Southeast Alaska, it threads between forested islands and coastal mountain ranges, encompassing a total of over 45,000 miles of coastline, thousands of islands and innumerable coves. It is comprised of the Strait of Georgia, Johnstone Strait, the more open Hecate Strait near the Haida Gwai (formerly Queen Charlotte Islands), Fitz Hugh Sound, and the Princess Royal and Grenville Channels. These waterways are subject to tidal currents with variable velocity resulting from their restricted channels. At the northern end, diurnal tides can change the sea level by as much as 30 feet (9 meters), underlining the importance of using knowledgeable pilots during any passage. A wide variety of vessels pass through the Inside Passage in both directions. People on board enjoy the scenic land- and seascapes, as well as frequent sightings of wildlife including whales, seals, birds and occasionally bears. 

Day 23 Vancouver, B.c., Ca

Upon disembarkation, enjoy a smooth conclusion to your journey with a private transfer to Vancouver airport. Speak to your travel advisor about extending your stay in Canada to discover more, such as Lake Louise, Banff via RockyMountaineer!

Vancouver is a city blessed with unparalleled natural beauty. Surrounded by mountains and water, the cityscape is a stunning juxtaposition of modern architecture against a backdrop of majestic peaks and the Pacific Ocean. Stanley Park, an urban oasis, offers a haven of lush forests, seawalls, and beaches, providing a perfect escape into nature without leaving the city. From skiing and snowboarding in the nearby mountains during the winter to hiking, biking, and kayaking in the warmer months, outdoor enthusiasts will find a paradise here. Grouse Mountain, a short drive from downtown, transforms into a winter wonderland, and the extensive network of trails in and around the city provides endless opportunities for exploration. Vancouver's multicultural population has resulted in a rich tapestry of cultures and cuisines. The city's diverse neighborhoods showcase a vibrant mix of art, music, and culinary experiences. Food lovers can indulge in a world of flavours, from Asian street food to Pacific Northwest seafood, making Vancouver a true epicenter of cultural fusion and gastronomic delights.

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