Heritage Adventurer, 10 Night Sacred Japan & South Korea ex Osaka, Japan to Tokyo, Japan

This departure is from Osaka to Niigata-Tokyo.

Historic highlights on our journey include the five-storey Pagoda of Miyajima; the 17th Century Matsue Castle; the sobering Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park with its eternal Flame of Peace; Kanazawa’s Teramachi District with its temples and shrines, including the famed ‘Ninja Temple’; Hagi’s Jokamachi District with its old Samurai houses, Hagi Castle ruins and beautiful Zen Buddhist Tokoji Temple featuring examples of Japan’s iconic Shinto Shrines and Torii Gates. During our expedition, we will also explore Japan’s traditional and contemporary art as we visit galleries and meet local artists including an option to visit Japan’s ‘art island’ Naoshima, and a day in South Korea’s Ulsan exploring UNESCO World Heritage Site Gyeongju - the ‘museum without walls’ alongside a visit to Haeinsa Temple, considered one of the three great temples in South Korea. Our voyage also visits parts of Japan where relatively few tourists set foot such as Sado Island - widely considered a perfect miniature Japan and thriving cultural capital filled with performing arts, natural scenery, samurai history, and more. 
For those with a passion for nature, we plan to visit Daisen-Oki and Hakusan National Parks, Kenrokuen Garden – one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan alongside one of Japan’s most famed gardens, the 28-acre formal 17th Century Koraku-en Garden. Explore one of Japan’s main bonsai centres at Kinashi Garden and discover the wonders of Japanese circuit-style Yuushien Garden home to more than 250 types of Japanese Peony.
Helping us understand all we will see and experience, and travelling with us throughout the voyage, will be our expert Guest Speakers and Japanese guides who will add immeasurably to your enjoyment and understanding of this captivating country. We hope you can join us on this in-depth exploration around the coastline and islands of Japan, as we discover the unspoiled nature, primeval wilderness, incredible gardens, cultural treasures, traditional villages and futuristic cities resplendent with their unique charms.  

***Note: Some voyages will operate the itinerary in reverse.***

Heritage Adventurer is a true pioneering expedition vessel of exceptional pedigree. Often referred to as the 'Grande Dame of Polar Exploration' due to her celebrated history and refined design, she was purposebuilt for adventure in 1991 at Finland's Rauma shipyard and specifically designed for Polar exploration.

Setting a peerless standard in authentic expedition travel, Heritage Adventurer (formerly known as MS Hanseatic) combines the highest passenger ship iceclass rating (1A Super) with an impressive history of Polar exploration. Having held records for the most northern and southern Arctic and Antarctic navigations, and for traversing both the Northwest and Northeast Passages, makes Heritage Adventurer perfect for pioneering New Zealand-based Heritage Expeditions signature experiential expedition travel.

Originally designed to accommodate 184 guests, Heritage Adventurer now welcomes just 140 expeditioners ensuring spacious, stylish and comfortable voyages, while a fleet of 14 Zodiacs ensures all guests are able to maximise their expedition adventure. Heritage Adventurer proudly continues our traditions of exceptional, personalised expedition experiences as Heritage Expeditions flagship.

Every year Heritage Expeditions voyages with small groups of between 18 and 140 intrepid travellers to some of the most unique and remote islands, coasts and shorelines on earth aboard their expedition ships Heritage Adventurer and Heritage Explorer on voyages ranging from 5 – 28 days.

Founded in 1985 by the Russ family in Christchurch, New Zealand, Heritage Expeditions is still proudly family-owned and operated. Contributing to conservation through experiential learning and providing funds for research and management, they are pioneers in environmentally-responsible expedition travel offering intimate group excursions to Antarctica and the Subantarctic Islands, through the Pacific, and around New Zealand on their purpose built expedition ships.

Each expedition is meticulously planned and led by a team of botanists, ornithologists, naturalists and experts in their field, ensuring guests maximise every opportunity to learn, discover and experience as much as possible, while minimising the impact of their visit and returning as ambassadors for these very special places.