Name: East Asia Expedition: From the Wild North to Hiroshima's Heritage
Brand: Swan Hellenic
SKU: M1127100210

East Asia Expedition: From the Wild North to Hiroshima's Heritage

M1127100210

Otaru - Hiroshima

10.02.27-10.12.27

SH Minerva

Cruise Only

What`s included

Perfect for travellers who are independent and happy doing their own thing before and after their cruise.

Solo travelers: book via enquiries@swanhellenic.com

Price From

$ 10,500

Per Person

Lowest fare available

book your cruise

What’s INCLUDED:

Your selected stateroom;
All meals onboard;
Complimentary hot & cold beverages, beer, wine & spirits any time throughout your cruise;
24-hour room service;
Lecture programs by expedition team and guest speakers;
One selected shore excursion per port of call;
All expedition landings;
Entry level WI-FI (upgraded packages available);
Gym, sauna, pool;
24/7 self service laundry;
Waterproof backpack and refillable water bottle, yours to keep;
In polar regions: branded parka, yours to keep and use of rubber boot;
Memory Package;
Onboard gratuities & port taxes.

The following services are not included:

Charter flights to the port of embarkation/ disembarkation (Longyearbyen, Ushuaia, Kangerlussuaq, Nuuk);
Group return transfers from airport to cruise port and to the hotel (where included);
One night pre-cruise accommodation with breakfast in a 4/5-star hotel (exemptions apply).

Wave 2026 - Cruise Only

What`s included

The perfect way to start your next journey with added value.

Elevated Expeditions bring upgraded Wi-Fi and onboard credit to elevate every step of your voyage.

Solo travelers: book via enquiries@swanhellenic.com

Price From

$ 9,535

Per Person

Lowest fare available

book your cruise

What’s INCLUDED:

Discounted rate
Complimentary 300$ On Board Credit on Ocean View and Balcony staterooms, 500$ on Suites
Complimentary Gold Wi-fi on Ocean View and Balcony staterooms, Platinum Wi-fi on Suites
Your selected stateroom;
All meals onboard;
Complimentary hot & cold beverages, beer, wine & spirits any time throughout your cruise;
24-hour room service;
Lecture programs by expedition team and guest speakers;
One selected shore excursion per port of call;
All expedition landings;
Entry level WI-FI (upgraded packages available);
Gym, sauna, pool;
24/7 self service laundry;
Waterproof backpack and refillable water bottle, yours to keep;
In polar regions: branded parka, yours to keep and use of rubber boot;
Memory Package;
Onboard gratuities & port taxes.

The following services are not included:

Charter flights to the port of embarkation/ disembarkation (Longyearbyen, Ushuaia, Kangerlussuaq, Nuuk);
Group return transfers from airport to cruise port and to the hotel (where included);
One night pre-cruise accommodation with breakfast in a 4/5-star hotel (exemptions apply).

FURTHER INFORMATION ON PRICING

Please read these travel conditions carefully before booking your package tour, because you accept them as binding with your booking.
Learn more here

Trip Highlights

Sail Kanmon Strait, visit Sado Island’s gold mines, and explore Hokkaido’s wild landscapes.

Encounter welcoming locals in Busan’s art-filled alleys and traditional communities in Maizuru and Sakata.

Enjoy expert-led excursions to Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial, serene temples, and artisan workshops in Aomori.

Itinerary

An important port on Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, Otaru retains original architecture. Restored warehouses along its canal, lined with Victorian street lamps, house restaurants and boutiques selling sake, music boxes and renowned Otaru glass. Rooted in the herring industry, the town's trading history is evident from Hokkaido's first railway line terminal to the Herring Mansion on the outskirts, once owned by wealthy herring fishermen.

The city of Hakodate in Hokkaido is Japan's northernmost island and is well-known for its seafood, for sale daily at the morning market. Mount Hakodate, reached by gondola. watches over the bustling city. While the area is rich in hot springs, it is best known for the famous snow monkeys who bathe in the hot springs of Yunokawa Onsen at the Hakodate City Tropical Botanical Garden.

Sakata, a port city on the Mogami river, thrived on rice and safflower trade. The traditional 1893 Sankyo Rice Storehouses, shaded by zelkova trees, are now a cultural hub with shops. The city's quiet streets feature preserved, wealthy Edo-era homes, including the Honma Museum of Art with fine art and gardens. South of the river, The Ken Domon Museum honours the famed photographer’s powerful work, including images of Hiroshima survivors.

Wajima, a port town on the northern Noto Peninsula, is famed for its Wajima-nuri lacquerware, which is renowned for its durability and displayed at the Museum of Lacquer Art. The thousand-year-old daily Asaichi (Morning) Market is the primary hub, buzzing with locals selling fresh seafood, produce and the distinctive lacquerware. Nearby, Kiriko Hall displays huge illuminated festival floats, some 15 metres tall, used in summer celebrations

The port city of Maizuru in south-central Japan served as a major naval base and post-WWII repatriation port, where over 660,000 Japanese returned home - this history is remembered at the poignant Maizuru Repatriation Memorial Museum. Its scenic harbour, framed by forested hills, is overlooked by Goro Sky Tower atop Mt. Gorogatake. Brick Park evokes the city’s industrial past with Meiji-era warehouses housing the unique World Brick Museum.

Beppu is best known for Jigoku Meguri ("Boiling Hells") - seven vivid geothermal springs too hot for bathing but offering stunning colours, bubbling mud and soaring steam. Nearby, Mount Takasaki's 1,500 wild Japanese macaques can be seen up close at Takasakiyama Monkey Park. A short trip away, Usuki features 60 stone-carved Buddhist statues in peaceful park grounds with feudal castle ruins and 1,000 cherry trees.

Hiroshima is a city of peace and resilience. The Hiroshima Peace Park and Museum, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, vividly portrays the aftermath of the atomic bombing. Designed by Kenzō Tange and inaugurated in 1955, the museum serves as a global symbol of peace, featuring a solemn cenotaph bearing the victims' names and the Flame of Peace, lit in 1964. The Genbaku Dome stands as the sole original structure left at the blast site.

This itinerary provides general information about each destination. Also, please be aware that some of the venues and highlights mentioned may not be open or accessible on the day we visit. For the most accurate tour program, we recommend contacting your Swan Hellenic agent or travel agent closer to your departure date.

Choose

YOUR SUITE TYPE

View mode

Number of Guests:

Oceanview D4

20 m²

Oceanview Staterooms measure 20m2 (215ft2) and can accommodate two guests. They feature two single beds or a double bed, bedroom with living room area, a flame-effect fireplace and a luxurious bathroom.

Oceanview M4

20 m²

Balcony D5

25 m²

Balcony Staterooms measure 25m2 (269ft2) – including a 5m2 (54ft2) private balcony – and can accommodate two or three guests. They feature two single beds or a double bed, bedroom with living room area, a flame-effect fireplace and a luxurious bathroom.

Balcony M5

25 m²

Balcony D6

25 m²

Suite

40 m²

Suites feature a king size bed, and have a separate living room, with a flame-effect fireplace. There’s also a luxurious ensuite bathroom – with separate bath tub and walk-in shower – and a 10m2 (108ft2) private balcony.

Premium Suite

47 m²

Premium Suites have a king size bed, separate living room, and flame-effect fireplace. There’s also a luxurious ensuite bathroom – with separate bath tub and shower – walk-in wardrobe, and a 12m2 (129ft2) private balcony.