Gilded Shrines – Busan, Aomori & Hakodate

About this cruise

This one leaves Yokohama on July 28, 2027 and spends 8 nights visiting Yatsushiro (Kumamoto), Busan, Aomori and Hakodate at a pace where every day has something going on but there's always time to just sit and watch the water too. Sea days bookend the port visits. You settle in, see the ports, then have time to wind down before heading home. Karaoke bars, hot springs, and temples draped in moss. East Asia does culture and chaos in equal measure. Most ports give you about 12 hours, so you can do more than just tick off the main sights. As for the ship itself, Diamond Princess takes the food seriously, with 12 restaurants to choose from. 7 are included, and the rest are worth the splurge. The sweet spot for most travellers: you get to know the ship, see the ports, and come home before the laundry piles up. Pro tip: fly in the day before. Yokohama has plenty to offer, and you'll board relaxed instead of rushed. It's peak season, so the weather is at its best and the ship will be full. That's part of the fun. Hard to ask for much more than that, honestly.