Discovering Hidden Corners of Japan with Ponant Expedition Cruises

In April of this year I had the amazing opportunity offered to me by Travel+Leisure to experience a brand-new expedition cruise itinerary to Japan crafted by Ponant Cruises. The designer of this trip, Ryo, the Japan Coordinator for Ponant, spent 3 years traveling to these very remote locations to meet with village leaders and councils to make sure that not only could these villages host travelers, but that they would actually enjoy having them. It was this mutual partnership between Ponant and the tiny villages of these remote regions that made for a beautifully immersive, cohesive, and delightful experience. It is the perfect itinerary for travelers who like a little adventure and exploring off-the-beaten-path corners of the world.  

The ship was beautiful and the staff phenomenal. Everyone was so welcoming and warm and very knowledgeable about the regions. Each night our excursion leaders would prep us for the next day’s excursion when we would arrive to the villages via Zodiacs. It was a great way to prepare and get familiar with the sites we would see that day. I’m sure some of us didn’t sleep from the excitement! 

We kicked off the trip in Osaka and I will admit: I did not expect to like Osaka as much as I did! I would not mind going back there one day. One of my favorite spots was Dotonbori District, which is this super vibrant, very lively section of the city with neon lights, street vendors, people taking photos and selfies, and just a lot of joy. I was also surprised to discover it was not a tourist trap. It was full of both tourists and locals, enjoying the night out. In cities where over tourism can be a problem, it was lovely to be in a spot that the locals flock to so that we could also feel like locals. Make sure when you are in Dotonbori District to get a photo with the Glico Running Man! Is is an iconic photo op no to be missed. 

While in Osaka, we also stopped at Osaka Castle, which is so beautiful. We were lucky enough to be there when the cherry blossoms were in bloom. I originally thought I would miss it because we were late in the season for cherry blossoms, but lo and behold, there were cherry blossoms blooming all around us. It was stunning – and on my birthday, no less! 

Our first stop was Tomonoura. This beautiful little town is quiet and serene. After we disembarked the zodiacs that took us into town, we were given maps and told to just wander around. The streets were narrow and all around us were Edo-era buildings. Even though we were surrounded by ancient architecture, every now and then a modern car would zip along behind us, which was a very fun juxtaposition. There were temples and shrines, cherry blossoms, gardens, historic houses, so picturesque. 

Mitarai was our next stop. We were delighted to discover that the locals had put together small experiences for us scattered all over town. We were treated to music being played on a traditional stringed instrument and a flower arranging class. We found out it is traditional to put flowers up on doors to welcome visitors, so all over town we saw flowers on people’s doors, welcoming us. It was very sweet. What’s even more charming is when we all returned to the ship later that day, many of the passengers took their flowers from the class and put them above their cabin doors! It was like the hospitality of the village came back with us on to the ship, such a lovely thing to see. 

That same day, we visited Shimokamagari, which is a beautiful little town filled with gardens and museums. Villagers welcomed us wearing their fine kimonos and offered us delicious tea and cookies. We had a wonderful time walking through raked gardens with evergreen trees and sculptures. We also explored some museums, like the Pottery Museum, but the most bizarre and fun was the Insect Museum! 

After making a stop in Buson, South Korea, where we saw a large temple and a bustling fish market, we arrived in Nagasaki. This excursion was obviously very impactful and emotional for everyone on the ship. It did not matter where we were from – we had people from Italy, Australia, China, the USA, France… no matter where anyone was from, visiting the site was just as affecting. The museum showed relics of the bombing. It had a mockup of the actual bomb, burned remnants of clothing, and twisted metal. None of us could speak. The weight was felt by all of us. Then we went to the Memorial Peace Park, which had gardens, sculptures, and fountains as well as the hypocenter, the exact place where the bomb exploded in the air. What hit me hardest was the fact that Nagasaki was not the initial target; due to weather and cloud cover, the bomb was redirected from its initial target. Seeing the destruction and the reconstructed models of what Nagasaki looked like before, with its ancient architecture and winding streets…it felt almost like the redirect was an afterthought, almost like a mistake. It was stunning and haunting and is a sight everyone should visit.

After departing from Nagasaki, our next stop was in the Amakusa region. We visited a small fishing village called Sakitsu. This village is very special and unique. Japan was a closed society for many, many years with Lords that ruled each village. Sometime around the 1500s, the Portuguese landed in the South of Japan and brought in Christianity. This was very much not appreciated at all by the lords because it threatened them. But, in this little pocket in the South of Japan, the villagers were adamant in protecting everyone’s beliefs. So, in Sakitsu, you can see a Catholic Church, a Shinto shrine, and a Buddhist temple all in one place and they all respect each other. Our mission on that excursion into the town was to visit each religious site and do the activity, whether it was ringing the bell and praying, or being respectful and listening to the priest talking. In the Catholic Church, they had musicians wearing Renaissance costumes and playing Renaissance instruments. It was extremely special and a beautiful example of treating people of differing beliefs with respect and tolerance. On this visit we also had a surprise appearance from the mascot of that region of Japan, Kumamon, which is this adorable black and white panda bear cartoon character. It was very fun to take photos with him and see him interact with the town. Everyone was so excited to see him, it was quite charming. 

Our last port was in the Koshikijima Islands. Now here the wind and waves were out in full force, so our Zodiac crossing was pretty intense. At one point a huge wave came completely over us, so we got soaking wet! But that’s adventure travel for you: sometimes you get a little wet and that’s just part of the fun! We then arrived to three islands that are connected by very long bridges. The scenery was absolutely stunning with mountains, evergreens, and long beaches with sandbars. This is a super remote archipelago with a unique site: a rock formation in the shape of Napoleon’s profile. While in the village, the citizens were very welcoming and warm, offering us tea and local sweets and candies. We were also very surprised and honored to be welcomed into the village Chief’s home where we were serenaded with local music and offered more goodies. I tried not to think about my soaking wet socks dripping all over his floors!

At the end of my journey, independent from the Ponant cruise expedition, I added on a stop in Kyoto. I had been to Kyoto before, but I wanted to experience it again and take my partner who had never been to the city. We booked a guide to take us all around Kyoto. Now, Kyoto has a LOT of tourists, especially in the late spring when many people are on spring vacation or still trying to catch the cherry blossoms, so we were very concerned about the size of the crowds to some of the iconic spots we wanted to see. This is where a good guide is indispensable. Our guide was an extremely knowledgeable young woman from India who had been living and studying in Japan and knew ins and outs of Kyoto like a local. She was able to get us to one of the temples I really wanted to see when there were no people there at all. She was able to take us to the Thousand Torii Gates and showed us a lesser-used path around where we could get beautiful photos separate from the throngs of people passing through the gates. Make sure you get a guide when you go to a very heavily touristed area like this! They can save you so much time and energy and make your experience all the better for it. While out shopping in Kyoto, we saw couples out and about dressed in their finest kimonos to go on dates and hang out with friends. We had delicious Japanese sushi (for my him, teriyaki chicken for me!), as fresh as you could get it, in a great local restaurant where we sat on to tatami mats on the floor. It was an absolute delight and a perfect end to an amazing trip. 

I highly recommend traveling to Japan to reach these small off the beaten path, away from the crowds places with Ponant. It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip. We got us up close and personal with Japanese culture away from the regular areas that tourists flock to in Japan. I feel extremely fortunate to have been able to experience Japan in this way, sailing on a small luxury expedition ship and being welcomed into communities that do not typically see travelers. It was special for everyone, the ship passengers and the villagers alike. It is a privilege I won’t soon forget.