27 August

Japan: Shimizu

Shimizu is one of the most spectacular ports in Japan, a sweeping bay in the shadow of the iconic Mount Fuji. You can spend some time admiring the views and wandering through peaceful pine groves, or visit the unique Shimizu Sushi Museum at the S-Pulse Dream Plaza shopping mall.

28 August

Japan: Nagoya

Nagoya is Japan’s fourth largest city, though it remains well off the radar of most tourists, overshadowed by nearby Tokyo and Kyoto. The city is an important manufacturing hub, home to companies including Toyota and Lexus, and sights include a fascinating railway museum featuring maglev and ‘shinkansen’ bullet trains.

29 August to 30 August

Japan: Osaka

Osaka, Japan’s third largest city, is a pulsating commercial hub, famous for its food, and the cityscape rivals Tokyo for neon-lit futurism. If you need respite from the urban sprawl seek out Osaka Castle and the surrounding Nishinomaru Garden, a particularly pretty spot during the cherry blossom season.

31 August

Japan: Hiroshima

On 6 August 1945 the world witnessed the terrifying power of nuclear weapons for the first time, unleashed on the unsuspecting Japanese city of Hiroshima. The modern city's sobering Peace Memorial Park commemorates that fateful day, which left more than 140,000 dead.

1 September

Japan: Kita-Kyushu

2 September

South Korea: Busan

Busan is South Korea’s second biggest city and one of the world’s busiest container ports, but it’s an easygoing place with a discernibly different character to Seoul. Haeundae beach is a popular summer holiday destination for Koreans, while the pungent Jagalchi market sells every type of fish and sea creature imaginable.

3 September

Japan: Sakaiminato

The port of Sakaiminato is known for its fishing industry and superb seafood, and it’s a short drive from Matsue and its famous medieval ‘Black Castle’. Sakaiminato is also the home of the popular Japanese manga artist Mizuki Shigeru, and the town is full of statues celebrating his work.

4 September

Japan: Kanazawa

Kanazawa rivals Kyoto for historical significance, though the city is far less overrun with tourists. The 17th-century Kenroku-en garden is the jewel in Kanazawa’s crown, filled with pretty ponds and waterfalls, and the city is also home to exceptionally well preserved samurai and geisha districts.

5 September

Japan: Niigata

Set amongst snowy mountains on the west coast of Honshu, the city of Niigata is known for its ski resorts, seafood and hot springs, and produces some of the finest sake in Japan. Other attractions nearby include Shibata’s impressive castle and the town of Murakami, renowned for its traditional wind-dried salmon.

6 September

Japan: Akita

7 September

Japan: Aomori

The city of Aomori, at the northern tip of Honshu island, is best known for its summer Nebuta Matsuri festival, which lights up the streets every August. There is still plenty to see during the rest of the year, including elegant Hirosaki Castle, pretty Lake Towada and the Seiryu-ji Temple, home of the largest Buddha statue in Japan.

8 September - At sea

9 September

Arriving in Tokyo

In a state of constant renewal and forever looking to the future, densely populated Tokyo is a dazzling introduction to Japan and its utterly unique culture. With more neon than Las Vegas and more Michelin stars than Paris, it’s a real assault on the senses.