Small Ship Cruise with Heritage Expeditions in Japan

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SMALL SHIP CRUISE WITH HERITAGE EXPEDITIONS IN JAPAN
By Rose Palmer

 

On my first trip to Japan in 2015, I fell in love with this unique Asian country. I discovered that as a tourist, it was one of the easiest and most pleasant destinations to visit. It was very safe. People were friendly, polite, respectful, and extremely helpful. And, Japan has a deeply rooted ancient culture that has not been overshadowed by Western ways.

 

 

In subsequent years, I returned to Japan two more times, exploring Tokyo, Kyoto, and other sights nearby in more depth and in different seasons. But I yearned to return and discover more of Japan off the typical tourist route. That’s why I chose a small ship cruise with Heritage Expeditions.

Heritage Expeditions was established by New Zealand natives Rodney and Shirley Russ in 1984. The company continues to be a family-run business with sons Nathan and Rodney now at the helm.  Based in New Zealand, their cruises focus on the less traveled destinations in and around that side of the Pacific: Antarctica via the Ross Sea, the Subantarctic Islands, off-the-beaten-path South Pacific Islands, Australia, and Japan.

It was this small, family-run company business model that attracted me to their cruises, along with the small ship experience, and their unique Japan itineraries. I chose the Sacred Japan and South Korea route because it offered an interesting blend of unique ports and historic sightseeing options.

My cruise was on the company’s flagship, the Heritage Adventurer. Heritage Expeditions recently took over the management of this vessel, and they started by completely refurbishing the inside to meet their high standards and reducing the guest capacity from 184 to a maximum of 140.

When I walked into my cabin for the first time, I was amazed at how large the space was, especially on an expedition ship. This was their standard cabin size, and there was plenty of room for a king-sized bed and a full-sized sofa and coffee table. A roomy desk also stored a fully stocked mini fridge. And the closet had three sections and plenty of shelves. The bathroom was equally spacious with a marble and glass shower that I would have been happy with in my house. I was also quite happy with the provided soap, shampoo, and conditioner, and with the very comfy robe. Since this was built as an expedition ship, there were no balconies, but my cabin did have a large window which made the room very bright and let me admire the scenery as we cruised.

The Heritage Adventure also had an abundance of public spaces, so even though this was a small ship, it never felt crowded. The two main gathering spots were the bar and lounge on deck 5 and the library and observation lounge on deck 7. We gathered here each evening for drinks while the expedition staff reviewed our day and provided updates on the next day’s activities. Throughout the cruise, we also had short lectures on different topics related to Japanese culture.

The ship also had two different eating areas. The more formal and quite refined dining room offered extensive buffets for breakfast and lunch and an a la carte menu at dinner that changed daily. The smaller bistro dining area at the back of deck 6 was a more informal option for meals that could be enjoyed either inside or outside on the open deck. I thought the food was all very good with lots of choices and plenty of locally inspired dishes throughout the cruise.

 

I was pleasantly surprised to also find a small pool and open deck area with sun loungers and umbrellas located on the top deck. After a hot day of sightseeing, this was a great place to “chill out”. I imagine the nearby solarium and hot tub are also a pleasant spot when the ship cruises in colder climates. There was also a small gym for those who like to get in some extra workouts besides all the walking we did each day.

The highlight of the cruise for me was the itinerary and the many unique port stops that we had during our 10-day journey. The tour started in Osaka, and even in Japan’s second-largest city, Heritage Expeditions organized a unique hiking experience to the beautiful Minoh Waterfall on the outskirts of the city.

From the port of Uno, we toured Korakuen Garden, designated as one of the three great gardens of Japan. From the same port, we also visited the Kurashiki Historical Quarter with its photogenic canal and restored rice storage houses that now hold boutique shops and cute restaurants.

Learning about the aftermath of the first atomic bomb at the Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park was an informative and moving experience and is something that should be on everyone’s Japan travel itinerary. The nearby sacred island of Miyajima with the UNESCO-listed Itsukushima Shrine and iconic floating torii gate was also interesting to explore.

I also finally had the chance to visit the art island of Naoshima. The island is known for its contemporary art installations and museums, and especially for the polka dot pumpkin sculptures which are a trademark of the world-famous Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.

Our tour took us to Ulsan, South Korea for a day as well. On my first introduction to this country, I discovered the one-thousand-year-old burial mounds of the Silla dynasty that ruled this region from 57 BCE – 935 CE ) another UNESCO site). The nearby museum displayed the stunning gold artifacts found in the open tomb that we walked through.

However, my favorite port was our last day on Sado Island. We were greeted by dancers in traditional local dress and then took a short “cruise” around the bay in their traditional tub-like boats. After touring a well-preserved historic village, we ended the day with a big bang as our group had a private session learning how to do Taiko drumming.

Japan has recently become an extremely popular travel destination. With the weaker Yen, Americans and Europeans have been flocking to Japan this summer, stressing the tourism infrastructures in the typical sightseeing spots around Tokyo and Kyoto.

In contrast, on my cruise stops, we were often the only tourists in sight. As a result, I had the chance to experience authentic Japan in a way that I could not easily have done on my own. My small ship cruise with Heritage Expeditions gave me the perfect, memorable off-the-beaten-path Japanese experiences I was looking for.

Plan your Small Ship Cruise in Japan here: https://www.heritage-expeditions.com/small-ship-japan-cruises/

Rose Palmer believes that life is a patchwork of experiences. Traveling the world is one of her deepest passions which continues to add to her ever-growing quilt of life experiences. She likes to focus her traveling lens on art, architecture, history, nature, and soft adventure with a touch of luxury. Rose shares her award-winning stories and photos on her blog www.Quiltripping.com

 

 

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About the Author:

Rose Palmer believes that life is a patchwork of experiences. Traveling the world is one of her deepest passions which continues to add to her ever-growing quilt of life experiences.

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On my first trip to Japan in 2015, I fell in love with this unique Asian country.

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