14-night Jewels of Japan & Korea Voyage

Kobe, located in Japan, is capital of Hyogo Prefecture, southwestern Honshu Island, on Osaka Bay, near the city of Osaka. Since the 1890s several adjoining cities, including Hyogo, have been absorbed by Kobe. Behind the narrow coastal site of the city are mountains on which suburban residences and hotels have been built. Many Christian churches, Shinto and Buddhist temples and shrines, two famous statues of Buddha, a fine arts museum, and a municipal museum with a collection on Western cultural contact are in Kobe. From here you can also visit Kyoto, Nara and Sorakuen Garden.

Kobe, located in Japan, is capital of Hyogo Prefecture, southwestern Honshu Island, on Osaka Bay, near the city of Osaka. Since the 1890s several adjoining cities, including Hyogo, have been absorbed by Kobe. Behind the narrow coastal site of the city are mountains on which suburban residences and hotels have been built. Many Christian churches, Shinto and Buddhist temples and shrines, two famous statues of Buddha, a fine arts museum, and a municipal museum with a collection on Western cultural contact are in Kobe. From here you can also visit Kyoto, Nara and Sorakuen Garden.

Hiroshima in southwestern Honshu has grown rapidly as a commercial city, and after 1868 it was developed as a military base. Every August 6 since 1947, thousands participate in multidenominational services in the Peace Memorial Park built on the site where the bomb exploded. After the war the city was largely rebuilt, and commercial activity gradually resumed. Visit the Peace Park but also explore Miyajima Island and its colourful shrines and mysterious forests.

Korea's "museum without walls" is akin only to China in its depth and cultural wonder. From Pusan, you can journey to the ancient Silla capital of Kyongju, a dynasty which reigned in Korea for almost a thousand years. Today this small provincial town is virtually a museum without walls, dotted with many splendid ruins. Nearby, the forested mountains and valleys shelter hundreds of beautiful Buddhist shrines including the renowned Sokkuram Grotto, and Tongdosa and Pulguksa Temples. Pusan is also a shopper's mecca and Korea's vital southern link to Japanese and American trade.

Seoul, capital of South Korea, lies in the northwest of the country on the Han River 37 miles from the coast. Landmarks in Seoul include the National Museum, featuring collections of Korean art and artefacts; the National Science Museum; Ch'anggyong, Ch'angdok, Kyongbok, and Toksu palaces; Chong-myo Shrine; a Roman Catholic cathedral; and zoological and botanical gardens. Other sights include the bell tower, which contains a large bronze bell inscribed with the date 1468, and the remains of the ancient stone wall that once encircled the city.

Cheju Island is known as a place of fantasy or mystery and is highlighted for its uniqueness. In the center of this island, there is Halla Mountain which was a volcano once rising 6,397 feet above sea level. About 1,800 kinds of plants find home in this island. It holds rich underground resources, and every kind of fish and corals in the clean blue sea area. Cheju is a tourist resort due to the many guests visiting this blessed island from around the world.

One of Japan's most historic cities, Nagasaki was a major port, trading with the Portuguese and Dutch in the 16th century. You can still see this colonial legacy in the brick buildings, old forts, canals and curving cobblestone streets. On a hill overlooking the bay, beautiful Glover Mansion, the setting of Madame Butterfly, is typical of the fine homes built by wealthy foreign residents. But Nagasaki's ties with Korea and China are equally apparent in the famous Chinese temple, a large Chinese colony and the numerous fine Korean and Chinese restaurants.

Kagoshima, a seaport on Kyushu Island, Japan, is sheltered within Kagoshima Bay and is the commercial and cultural center of southern Kyushu. Products manufactured here include a famous type of earthenware known as Satsumaware. Sights of interest include the Iso Garden and the local Theatre.

Beppu is one of Japan's most famous and most touristy hot spring resorts. It is a good place to try out different types of hot springs including sand baths. In addition, there are a few spectacular hot springs, called the "Hells of Beppu", which are for viewing rather than bathing.

Kochi has beautiful lagoons and lakes and offers travelers an extraordinary setting for a stay of a few nights.

Nagoya is located at the head of Ise Bay on the south eastern coast of central Honshu. Sights of interest include Nagoya Castle (1610 rebuilt 1959), one of the largest of the Edo period, Tokugawa Art Museum, Citizen Hall, Aichi Cultural Centre, Chunichi Hall, and Misono Theatre. You can also visit the zoological and botanical gardens in Higashiyama Park. Further afield, the Atsuta Shrine and the Grand Shrine of Ise are the oldest and most highly esteemed Shinto shrines in Japan.

Shimizu is located on the northwest coast of Suruga Bay on the island of Honshu. Protected by a sandspit, it is a major commercial port and fishing centre. Places of scenic and historic interest include the Pine Groves of Miho, the Ryuge Temple, containing a fern palm believed to be more than 1,000 years old, and the nearby Nippon-Daira plateau.

Tokyo, Japan, presents a different view at every turn. It's one of the world's main economic centers and its most populous agglomeration. The business of Tokyo is business, but you can still find harmony and small-scale gardens on back streets. Around the corner from neon and concrete, you may find the bonsai-lined courtyard of a traditional inn.

Tokyo was nearly destroyed by bombs and fires during World War II, and by earthquakes at other times, but it has always rebuilt itself. As a result, there is little left of Old Japan in the city, but there's plenty of New Japan to take its place.

The streets are a confusing maze, so a map is essential. The transit system is excellent, however, and there are kobans (police boxes) throughout the metropolis, as well as a populace generally willing to answer questions.

Visitors to Tokyo represent both business and leisure travelers. And despite its past reputation, Tokyo is no longer fearsomely expensive. It's relatively easy to visit Tokyo on a budget.

Tokyo, Japan, presents a different view at every turn. It's one of the world's main economic centers and its most populous agglomeration. The business of Tokyo is business, but you can still find harmony and small-scale gardens on back streets. Around the corner from neon and concrete, you may find the bonsai-lined courtyard of a traditional inn.

Tokyo was nearly destroyed by bombs and fires during World War II, and by earthquakes at other times, but it has always rebuilt itself. As a result, there is little left of Old Japan in the city, but there's plenty of New Japan to take its place.

The streets are a confusing maze, so a map is essential. The transit system is excellent, however, and there are kobans (police boxes) throughout the metropolis, as well as a populace generally willing to answer questions.

Visitors to Tokyo represent both business and leisure travelers. And despite its past reputation, Tokyo is no longer fearsomely expensive. It's relatively easy to visit Tokyo on a budget.