Japan/South Korea
A Voyage of Discovery Through Japan & South Korea
Program No. 25378RJ
Discover Japan and South Korea on this Floating Campus voyage, from iconic Tokyo to South Korea’s bustling markets and historic landmarks, with a scenic sail through the Kanmon Strait.
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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date.
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All itineraries and excursions are subject to change. Weather and water conditions may affect the progress of the ship, and we may miss ports if it is not safe to dock. The operators reserve the right to change the content and duration of excursions without prior notice and so the cruise itinerary should always be regarded as provisional. Whenever possible, Road Scholar’s published daily schedule will indicate port arrival and departure times. Prior to departure, if there is a major change, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
13 days
12 nights
What's Included
31 meals (
11B, 10L, 10D
)
6 expert-led lectures
8 expert-led field trips
An experienced Group Leader
11 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
In Transit to Program
Location:
In Flight
Day
2
Arrive, Check-in, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Location:
Tokyo
Meals:
D
Stay:
Shinagawa Prince Hotel
Activity Note
Check-in available from 3:00 PM.
Afternoon:
After arriving at the hotel, check-in and take some time to unpack and relax. Attend an orientation meeting. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the program theme, the up-to-date Daily Schedule and any changes, discuss safety guidelines, emergency procedures, roles and responsibilities, and answer any questions you may have. Indicated times are approximate. Program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible.
Dinner:
At the hotel, get to know your fellow participants with a welcome meal.
Evening:
Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Day
3
Tokyo Discovery
Location:
Tokyo
Meals:
B,L
Stay:
Shinagawa Prince Hotel
Activity Note
Boarding a motorcoach with 2-4 steps up/down. Walking up to 3 miles, standing up to 2 hours.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will board our motorcoach with our group leader and discover Tokyo, Japan's capital and the world's most populous city. We will visit the Imperial Palace, site of the Shogun’s castle. Our route will take us by other areas of historical importance and give us a feel for the scale of the metropolis.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
We will continue our exploration of Tokyo at the Tokyo National Museum. The oldest and largest in Japan, the museum houses over 110,000 objects including 600 Important Cultural Properties. The museum is located on the edge of Ueno Park, a very pleasant park to stroll through.
Dinner:
On your own.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
4
Check Out Hotel, Bullet Train to Osaka, Embark Ship
Location:
Osaka
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Heritage Adventurer
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach with 2-4 steps up/down.Bullet train ride from Tokyo to Osaka is approx. 2 hours 30 minutes.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will check out of the hotel and head to the train station to board the bullet train to Osaka. NOTE: The bullet train to Osaka is approximately 2 hours 30 minutes.
Lunch:
Boxed lunch on the bullet train.
Afternoon:
Upon arrival at the train station, we will board our coach and ride to the port in Osaka. After completing boarding procedures and getting your cabin, take some time to unpack, freshen up, and relax and start becoming familiar with the ship. There will be a mandatory passenger briefing and safety drill. Please note that your departure is part of our Floating Campus programs. All routes and excursions are subject to change – weather and sea conditions may affect the itinerary. Sea conditions affect the progress of the ship, making it run late and sometimes miss ports because it is not safe to dock. Because of this, the cruise itinerary should always be regarded as provisional. The operators reserve the right to change the content of excursions without prior notice.
Dinner:
Aboard ship. Included beverages are coffee, tea, water, house wine, beer, and soft drinks; other beverages available for purchase.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars and enjoy the amenities on board the ship.
Day
5
Uno Ko, Japan-Koraku-en Garden
Location:
At Sea
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Heritage Adventurer
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach with 4-5 steps up/down. Walking of about 3 miles; standing up to 2 hours.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
From the port of Uno-Ko we will board our motorcoach and visit one of Japan’s most famed gardens with a local expert. Koraku-en, which translates as ‘garden of pleasure after’. This 17th Century formal garden has 28 acres of walking trails, ponds, plum and cherry trees.
Lunch:
Aboard ship.
Afternoon:
Free time to explore the area near the port or enjoy the amenities on the ship.
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
6
Day At Sea, Road Scholar Lecture, Independent Activities
Location:
At Sea
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Heritage Adventurer
Activity Note
Full day at sea.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
We will gather with our lecturer for a Road Scholar exclusive lecture. Free time to enjoy the amenities aboard the ship.
Lunch:
Aboard ship.
Afternoon:
Free time to enjoy the amenities aboard the ship. Later in the afternoon, enjoy a lecture on topics relevant to our program.
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
7
Hagi, Japan-Teramachi District Discovery
Location:
At Sea
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Heritage Adventurer
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach with 4-5 steps up/down. Walking of about 3 miles; standing up to 2 hours.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
Hagi was a minor fishing port until Mori Terumoto fortified it in 1604 and it was Mori Samurai that helped spark off the anti-Tokugawa revolt in the mid-19th century. Today it is better known for its traditional pottery making. This morning we will board our motorcoach and with a local expert head off to the Teramachi District with its temples and shrines, and the Jokamachi District, where we find the old Samurai houses.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Free time in Hagi or enjoy the amenities of your choice aboard ship.
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
8
Busan (Pusan),Haedong Yonggunsa Temple
Location:
At Sea
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Heritage Adventurer
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach with 4-5 steps up/down.The drive from the port to Busan City is approximately 50 minutes. Walking of about 3 miles; standing up to 3 hours. Many stone steps to the Haedong Yonggunsa Temple. Walking up/down hills and steps on uneven terrain.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
Depart the pier for the scenic, approximately 50 minute drive through Busan City en route to the magnificent Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, one of the most visited and revered Buddhist temples in Busan. Founded in 1376 and restored in 1970, this Buddhist Temple is located atop a huge rock emerging from the ocean. This spectacular site houses a number of temples along the shoreline, along with dozens of statues and sculptures.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Relaxed and refreshed, continue with a visit to Busan's buzzing markets. As a seaport, the Busan fish market offers a variety of fresh seafood.Enjoy some free time to explore the markets independently before re-boarding the coach to return to the ship.
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
9
Fukuoka, Japan-Hakata Discovery
Location:
At Sea
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Heritage Adventurer
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach with 4-5 steps up/down. Walking of about 3 miles; standing up to 2 hours.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
We will board our motorcoach and head to Hakata. Known as Fukuoka's business hub, home to some of Japan's most delicious cuisine, we will discover this city with a local expert.
Lunch:
Enjoy Hakata's famous ramen at a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Free time in Fukuoka or enjoy the amenities of your choice aboard ship. Later in the afternoon, enjoy a lecture on topics relevant to our program.
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
10
Nagasaki, Japan-Atomic Bomb Museum
Location:
At Sea
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Heritage Adventurer
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach with 4-5 steps up/down. Walking of about 3 miles; standing up to 2 hours.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
Discover the fascinating tapestry of history, culture, and resilience on our discovery of Nagasaki, a city that has risen from the ashes to become a vibrant symbol of peace and international harmony. Our journey begins at the Atomic Bomb Museum, a solemn reminder of the city's tragic past. Here, gain profound insights into the devastating events of 1945, understanding the resilience of the Nagasaki people and the global call for peace that echoes through the museum's halls.
Lunch:
Aboard ship.
Afternoon:
Free time in Nagasaki or enjoy the amenities of your choice aboard ship. Later in the afternoon, enjoy a lecture on topics relevant to our program.
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
11
Yakushima, Japan- Nature Walk
Location:
At Sea
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Heritage Adventurer
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach with 4-5 steps up/down. Walking of about 3 miles; standing up to 2 hours.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
This morning explore the island of Yakushima, which became Japan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 and has a particularly diverse flora. We will spend the morning on nature walks in Yakusugi Land in Yakushima National Park, home of the endemic Yakushima Macaque, and populated by a number of the island’s ancient cedar trees, such as the Buddha Sugi, Futago Sugi and Sennen Sugi, which are over 3,000 years old.
Lunch:
Aboard ship.
Afternoon:
Free time to enjoy the amenities aboard the ship. The ship is scheduled to depart Yakushima at 1:00 p.m. Later in the afternoon, enjoy a lecture on topics relevant to our program.
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
12
Kochi,Japan- Kochi Castle
Location:
At Sea
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Heritage Adventurer
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach with 4-5 steps up/down. Walking of about 3 miles; standing up to 2 hours
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
This morning we will board our motorcoach with a local expert to explore the magnificent Kochi Castle, an architectural marvel steeped in samurai heritage. Delve into the inspirational legacy of Sakamoto Ryoma at the museum dedicated to his life, gaining insights into Japan's transformative Meiji era.
Lunch:
Aboard ship.
Afternoon:
Free time in Kochi or enjoy the amenities of your choice aboard ship. Later in the afternoon, enjoy a lecture on topics relevant to our program.
Dinner:
Aboard ship.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
13
Osaka, Japan, Program Concludes
Location:
Osaka
Meals:
B
Activity Note
This concludes our program.
Breakfast:
Aboard ship.
Morning:
This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
