Immersive Japanese Rail Adventure & Princess Cruise
From the temple-lined streets of ancient Kyoto to the timeless sophistication of a Princess Cruises voyage, this exceptional journey unites Japan’s storied heartland with the romance of the waves.
There is no finer way to discover Japan than by rail. Sleek bullet trains sweep you between the great cities, while characterful mountain lines like the Sagano Romantic Train carry you deep into forested valleys and along glittering rivers. Over 10 nights of escorted touring, the country unfolds at its own gentle pace: the hush of Arashiyama’s bamboo groves, a moment of reflection at Hiroshima, the snow-capped symmetry of Mount Fuji.
When the rails give way to the water, Sapphire Princess® becomes your elegant home from home. She traces a graceful loop from Tokyo, calling at lesser-known northern ports, crossing to lively Busan in South Korea, and pausing at poignant Nagasaki.
Rail Journeys
- Bullet Train from Osaka to Hiroshima
- Bullet Train from Hiroshima to Kyoto
- Sagano Romantic Train Journey
- Bullet Train from Nagoya to Shizuoka
- Southern Alps Abt Scenic Train
- Escorted Tours
- Osaka Castle half-day tour
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park half-day tour
- Miyajima Island half-day tour
- Fushimi Inari Shrine and Tea Ceremony
- Kyoto half-day tour including Nijo Castle and Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
- Reserved seat on the Bullet Train
- Kubota Itchiku Art Museum visit
- Views over Oishi Park with Mount Fuji
Full-Board Cruise
- 11 night full-board cruise on board Sapphire Princess®
Hotel Stays
- 2 night four-star stay in Osaka at the Osaka Excel Hotel Tokyu
- 2 night four-star stay in Hiroshima at the RIHGA Royal Hotel Hiroshima
- 2 night four-star stay in Kyoto at Kyoto Tokyu Hotel
- 2 night four-star stay in Shizuoka at the Hotel Associa Shizuoka
- 2 night four-star hotel stay in Tokyo at the Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba
- All hotel stays include breakfast
All Flights, Taxes & Transfers
- Overnight flights
Your fare excludes:
- Travel Insurance
Day 1: Fly Overnight to Osaka
Your holiday begins as you fly from Australia to your destination.
Day 2: Osaka: Hotel Stay
Touch down in Osaka and transfer to your hotel for a two-night stay. Japan’s spirited kitchen city greets you with neon-lit streets, canal-side bustle, and an easy, welcoming energy that sets the tone for the journey ahead.
- Overnight: Osaka Excel Hotel Tokyu
Day 3: Osaka: Tour & Hotel Stay
Spend the morning at leisure before an afternoon tour of Osaka Castle, the green-roofed fortress at the heart of the city. Its gilded turrets and sweeping grounds tell the story of feudal Japan’s most ambitious warlords.
- Overnight: Osaka Excel Hotel Tokyu
Day 4: Hiroshima: Tour & Hotel Stay
Board the bullet train and glide west to Hiroshima, checking in for two nights. A half-day tour introduces a city defined by resilience, where moving memorials and tranquil gardens stand as a quiet testament to peace.
- Meals Included: Breakfast
- Overnight: RIHGA Royal Hotel Hiroshima
Day 5: Hiroshima: Tour & Hotel Stay
Cross the water to sacred Miyajima Island, home to the famous Itsukushima Shrine and its great vermilion torii gate, appearing to float on the tide. Wander the wooded paths where tame deer roam freely.
- Meals Included: Breakfast
- Overnight: RIHGA Royal Hotel Hiroshima
Day 6: Kyoto: Tour & Hotel Stay
Transfer to the bullet train for Kyoto, your home for two nights. A half-day coach tour reveals Japan’s cultural soul, a city of imperial palaces, lantern-lit lanes, and more than a thousand temples and shrines.
- Meals Included: Breakfast
- Overnight: Kyoto Tokyu Hotel
Day 7: Kyoto: Tour & Hotel Stay
Today, walk the towering bamboo groves of Arashiyama, admire the raked Zen garden of Ryoanji and the gold-leaf splendour of Kinkakuji, and ride the Sagano Romantic Train through the scenic Hozugawa gorge.
- Meals Included: Breakfast
- Overnight: Kyoto Tokyu Hotel
Day 8: Shizuoka: Hotel Stay
Take the bullet train east to Shizuoka, settling in for two nights. Set against tea-covered hills with Mount Fuji often on the horizon, this coastal prefecture offers a calmer, more rural side of Japan.
- Meals Included: Breakfast
- Overnight: Hotel Associa Shizuoka
Day 9: Shizuoka: Tour & Hotel Stay
Journey on board the nostalgic Oigawa Railway before connecting to the Southern Alps Abt Line, a charming mountain railway that climbs through dramatic gorges and emerald valleys deep in the heart of Japan’s high country.
- Meals Included: Breakfast
- Overnight: Hotel Associa Shizuoka
Day 10: Tokyo: Tour & Hotel Stay
Travel to Mount Fuji, Japan’s most sacred and revered peak, for an escorted tour of its lakes and lower slopes. Continue to Tokyo, your base for two nights in the dazzling capital.
- Meals Included: Breakfast
- Overnight: Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba
Day 11: Tokyo: Hotel Stay
Enjoy a free day to explore Tokyo at your own pace. Lose yourself in the energy of Shibuya, seek out serene shrines and pristine gardens, or browse the boutiques and backstreets of this endlessly surprising metropolis.
- Overnight: Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba
Day 12: Tokyo: Embark Ship
With an array of entertainment, great dining options, and fantastic activity programmes, it’s no wonder Sapphire Princess® is considered such a gem. The elegant lounges, beautifully designed public spaces, and spacious pool areas provide the perfect atmosphere.
- Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner
- Overnight: Sapphire Princess®
Day 13: Relax At Sea
Enjoy a leisurely day at sea aboard Sapphire Princess®, with plenty of opportunities to relax, explore the ship’s facilities, or enjoy its dining and entertainment.
Day 14: Akita
Discover Akita, a northern port framed by mountains and rice fields. Known for its samurai heritage and sake breweries, it offers a glimpse of a quieter, tradition-rich corner of Japan.
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Overnight: Sapphire Princess®
Day 15: Sakata
Once a thriving merchant port, Sakata charms with historic rice warehouses, elegant former geisha houses, and beautifully preserved gardens, all set beside the Mogami River as it meets the Sea of Japan.
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Overnight: Sapphire Princess®
Day 16: Relax At Sea
Take time to unwind aboard Sapphire Princess® as you sail towards your next destination.
Day 17: Kanazawa
Step ashore in Kanazawa, celebrated for Kenrokuen, one of Japan’s three great gardens. Gold-leaf workshops, a preserved samurai district, and atmospheric geisha quarters reward those who linger.
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Overnight: Sapphire Princess®
Day 18: Sakaiminato
Arrive in Sakaiminato, a lively fishing port on the San’in coast. Famed for its fresh seafood and quirky folklore-themed streets, it makes a colourful gateway to the surrounding region.
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Overnight: Sapphire Princess®
Day 19: Busan
Cross to South Korea and the energetic port of Busan. Hillside temples, bustling fish markets, and golden beaches sit side by side in the country’s spirited second city.
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Overnight: Sapphire Princess®
Day 20: Nagasaki
Return to Japan at Nagasaki, a city of poignant history and rich cultural crossover. Its hillside churches and tranquil peace memorial reflect a fascinating story of resilience and renewal.
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Overnight: Sapphire Princess®
Day 21: Kagoshima
Discover Kagoshima, watched over by the smouldering Sakurajima volcano across the bay. Often likened to Naples, this warm southern city pairs dramatic scenery with relaxed hospitality and natural hot springs.
- Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- Overnight: Sapphire Princess®
Day 22: Relax At Sea
Enjoy a final relaxing day at sea aboard Sapphire Princess®, making the most of the ship’s facilities before arriving back in Tokyo.
Days 23–24: Tokyo: Disembark Ship & Fly Home
Your holiday complete, today you’ll disembark your ship and head to the airport for your flight home.
- Meals Included: Breakfast
* Please note that cruise itineraries are subject to change at any time by the cruise company and are not guaranteed
Departs on 24 July 2027
- Interior from $9,999 pp twin share*
- Oceanview from $10,999 pp twin share*
- Balcony from $12,499 pp twin share*
- Mini Suite from $13,999 pp twin share*
* Please note: prices are subject to availability at the time of booking and may change or be withdrawn at any time without notice.
Sapphire Princess
Offering a variety of accommodation options, including Oceanview staterooms, Sapphire Princess® provides the ultimate means by which to travel with ease and comfort across the ocean. Your appetite will most certainly be satisfied, too, as this Gem-class ship offers a variety of restaurants and bars to indulge in on your cruise.
This is without even considering the breadth of entertainment Sapphire Princess® has to offer, including live music and theatre shows, all of which will give you a spectacular experience on board before you have even reached your first destination.
There are so many places to unwind on board Sapphire Princess®, from its range of swimming pools and hot tubs to the peaceful spa. With 18 decks to explore on board this wondrous ship, your voyage will be filled with enchantment and excitement.
Interior - Interior cabins are sleek in their aesthetic, formidably equipped, and utterly comfortable, while still being the most affordable accommodation option on board Sapphire Princess®. That’s quite the combination.
- Television
- Refrigerator
- Desk and chair
- Queen bed or twin beds
- Digital safe
- Bathroom with shower
- 24-hour room service
Oceanview - An Oceanview cabin could be the ideal stateroom for you, particularly thanks to the natural light and inspiring views of the sea that it provides through a picture window or porthole.
- Television
- Refrigerator
- Desk and chair
- Queen bed or twin beds
- Digital safe
- Bathroom with shower
- 24-hour room service
Balcony - Sapphire Princess®’ Balcony staterooms offer outdoor space and views of the ocean that will inspire you for the duration of your cruise.
Choosing this stateroom means benefitting from:
- Television
- Refrigerator
- Desk and chair
- Queen bed or twin beds
- Digital safe
- Bathroom with shower
- Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors
- Balcony with two chairs and a table
- 24-hour room service
Mini-Suite - Substantially larger than a Balcony stateroom, a Mini-Suite offers everything that the traveller would be able to expect from the aforementioned type of cabin, and a lot more.
The benefits of a Mini-Suite on board Sapphire Princess® include:
- Two televisions
- Refrigerator
- Desk and chair
- Queen bed or twin beds
- Digital safe
- Bathroom with bathtub and shower head
- Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors
- Balcony with two to four chairs, an ottoman, and a table*
- Separate sitting area
- Sofa bed
- 24-hour room service
*Some suites have windows rather than balconies (labelled Mini-Suite No Balcony).
What destinations are included in this Japan holiday?
The journey includes Osaka, Hiroshima, Miyajima, Kyoto, Shizuoka, Mount Fuji, Tokyo, Akita, Sakata, Kanazawa, Sakaiminato, Busan, Nagasaki and Kagoshima.
How long is the holiday?
The holiday is 23 nights, departing on 24 July 2027 and ending on 16 August 2027.
Does the holiday include a cruise?
Yes. After exploring Japan by rail and staying in hotels, you’ll board Sapphire Princess® in Tokyo for a cruise around Japan and South Korea.
Which cities are explored by train?
The itinerary includes bullet train journeys between Osaka, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Shizuoka and Tokyo, as well as scenic journeys on the Oigawa Railway and Southern Alps Abt Line.
Is accommodation included?
Yes. The holiday includes hotel stays in Osaka, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Shizuoka and Tokyo, followed by your cruise accommodation aboard Sapphire Princess®.
Are meals included?
Breakfast is included during the touring portion of the holiday, with lunch and dinner included on the cruise days as specified in the itinerary.
Will I visit Mount Fuji?
Yes. The itinerary includes an escorted visit to Mount Fuji, including its lakes and lower slopes.
Does the itinerary include South Korea?
Yes. The cruise calls at Busan, South Korea, giving you the opportunity to experience one of the country’s most vibrant coastal cities.
What ship will I sail on?
You’ll sail aboard Sapphire Princess®, offering a range of dining, entertainment, leisure facilities and onboard activities.
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