30 June

Japan: Mitarai

1 July

Japan: Miyajima

Miyajima island, officially known as Itsukushima, is famous for its incredibly photogenic torii (shrine gates) which seem to float above the water. Renovation work beginning in June 2019 means that the gates will be obscured by scaffolding for a couple of years, but the shrine itself will remain open.

2 July

Japan: Moji (Kitakyushu)

Moji is one of five cities that merged to form Kitakyushu in 1963, and has been an important international trading port since the 19th century. A number of Western-style buildings survive from this period, and the port is home to plenty of restaurants, cafés, museums and galleries.

3 July

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 July

South Korea: Kyongju

4 July

Japan: Matsue

5 July

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.

6 July

Japan: Toyama

7 July

Japan: Sado Island

Remote Sado Island is rarely visited by foreign tourists, and for many years served as a penal colony for political exiles. Take a ride in one of the unique tarai bune ‘tub boats’, search for the endangered Japanese ibis and learn about the art of taiko drumming in Kodo village.

8 July

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.

9 July

Japan: Sakata

10 July

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.

11 July - At sea

12 July

Japan: Otaru

The charming port town of Otaru has a notable history, playing an important role in the herring trade during the 19th century, and this is reflected in the stone warehouses alongside the picturesque canal.

12 July

Japan: Sapporo

13 July

Arriving in Otaru

The charming port town of Otaru has a notable history, playing an important role in the herring trade during the 19th century, and this is reflected in the stone warehouses alongside the picturesque canal.