Travelogue • Japan by Sea
Chapter 1 • 12 – 19 October 2025
Sunday 12 October
Cruise Day 1 — Yokohama (pre-cruise)
The Intercontinental Yokohama Pier 8, where I checked in after landing at Haneda the previous evening, was the perfect base from which to explore Yokohama on foot before embarking later that day at the Osanbashi Terminal.
Little more than a fishing village during the Tokugawa shogunate’s sakoku (isolation) period, Yokohama became one of Japan’s main gateways after a US military expedition led by Commodore Perry resulted in the Treaty of Kanagawa in 1854 — as dramatised in Sondheim and Weidman’s Pacific Overtures. The capital of the Kanagawa Prefecture, Yokohama became a city of firsts: beer brewing, the first English-language newspaper, and Japan’s earliest street lighting, all emblematic of the Meiji-era drive toward modernity.
Badly damaged by the 1923 earthquake and by Allied bombardments during World War II, Yokohama rose from its ashes repeatedly and still stands as a symbol of overture and quiet resilience. During my walk on a sunny Sunday, I encountered many middle-class, dual-income couples enjoying the comforts and shopping opportunities of the seaside parks, many of them rolling their dogs — groomed and dressed as babies — in strollers, a habit known as petto kō-ka, others listening to jazz ensembles or enjoying a local version of Oktoberfest.
My walk took me past the Red Brick Warehouses, staples of the Meiji era repurposed as shopping and leisure centres; Queen’s Tower, a 1934 Art Deco landmark illustrating Japan’s rise as a global power and now home to a Customs Museum; Yamashita Park, a seaside garden born of post-earthquake and postwar reconstruction; Kenzo Tange’s 1989 Yokohama Museum of Art, emblematic of the Minato Mirai (Port of the Future) project; then Hugh Stubbins’s 1993 Landmark Tower, Japan’s tallest building until 2014, and finally the Osanbashi International Passenger Terminal, Foreign Office Architects’ superb 2002 addition, a flowing, column-free link between land and sea.
My journey incorporated a trip on the Minatomirai Line, a local subway connected to the greater Tōkyō’s underground system, which opened in 2004, as well as the Yokohama Air Cabin, a 2021 addition in the form of an urban ropeway.
My hotel itself, the Intercontinental Yokohama Pier 8, opened in 2019, was also representative of the Minato Mirai project with its understated, low-rise luxury-yachting feel.
At the newly reopened Yokohama Art Museum, much of the space was occupied by a sold-out retrospective of “multimedia creator” Sato Masahiko. Yet several items from the permanent collection were arranged in thoughtful sequences exploring how art had evolved in the sixty years since World War II. Particularly striking were photographs by Robert Capa, Masamichi Harada, Kyōichi Sawada, and Ikkō Narahara. The Canna Project, named after the plant that first bloomed in the ashes of Hiroshima, bore genuine poignancy.
At the Landmark Tower, a trip to the 69th-floor Sky Garden opened spectacular views of the city and the sea. Mount Fuji, sadly, remained veiled in cloud, as on most of my previous visits.
The time finally came to embark on Westerdam, my home for the following couple of weeks.
Monday 13 October
Cruise Day 2 – At Sea
Because of Typhoon Nakri, we spent the day at sea instead of docking at Omaezaki as initially planned.
I attended a conference largely inspired by Matt Alt’s Pure Invention: How Japan Made the Modern World, which I immediately added to my reading list. A blend of pop culture, shrewd marketing, and an unparalleled sense of design helped Japan regain international standing after the humiliation of World War II. Topics ranged from the toy industry’s unexpected role in the nation’s rebirth to the peculiar appeal of kawaii — embodied by such global phenomena as Hello Kitty or Astro Boy — and to technological icons like the Walkman and the Game Boy, both revealing a deep awareness of user experience as much as of technical prowess. The runaway success of the Japanese automotive industry was also emphasised, along with Japan’s obsession with compactness and convenience — from small cars and trucks to konbini stores and vending machines.
My previous experiences with Yukio Mishima had been uneasy, so I began his early novel The Sound of Waves with some reluctance. Yet, Meredith Weatherby’s light-handed, flowing translation drew me in at once. I found myself engrossed in this simple love story set within a fishing community on an island in the post-war years. Though they are aware that modernity is advancing on not-so-distant shores, the protagonists are still bound by tradition and value their simple way of life. It is, above all, the novel’s pared-down, unsentimental style that makes it so quietly compelling. The chapter headpieces, illustrations by Yoshinori Kinoshita, added a lot of charm.
I looked up if the novel’s fictional island of Uta-jima was based on an actual place, and found that Mishima had done some research on Kamishima… which we happened to be sailing by just as I looked it up on a map.
Tuesday 14 October
Cruise Day 3 – Kōbe
One of the first ports to open to foreign trade in the 19th century, Kōbe shares Yokohama’s cosmopolitan vibe. Squeezed between the Rokko Mountains and Ōsaka Bay on the Seto Inland Sea, it feels denser and more vertical than its eastern counterpart. Thanks to its efficient public transportation network, I was able to move around smoothly throughout the day.
My first destination was Meriken Park (its name derived from “American”), about ten minutes on foot from Motomachi Station. Severely damaged during the 1995 earthquake, the park now embodies endurance and revival, combining architecture, open-air art and generous public spaces. Sweeping views over the 1.5-million-strong metropolis can be enjoyed from the top floor of the 108-metre-high Kōbe Port Tower, reopened in 2024 after renovation and seismic upgrades. Its distinctive red-and-white lattice is meant to evoke the appearance of a Japanese traditional hand drum.
A short train ride from the city centre stands the Yodokō Guest House, the only extant Frank Lloyd Wright residence in Japan. Unfortunately, it was closed — as many cultural institutions on Tuesdays. Another train ride took me to Tadao Ando’s dignified Hyōgo Prefectural Museum of Art, whose concrete structure faces the water in harmony with its surroundings. There too, the doors were shut.
Back in the city centre, I rounded off the day in the so-called Foreign Settlement, laid out in the latter half of the 19th century to accommodate the newly arrived international community under extraterritorial status. Designed by British engineer J. W. Hart, the area possesses the look-and-feel of Western cities with its grid plan and tree-planted sidewalks. Unsurprisingly, it is now home to corporate headquarters and luxury boutiques.
Wednesday 15 October
Cruise Day 4 – Kōchi
Spent the day with Miyo, my local guide and huge Paddington Bear fan, to discover the sights of this ca. 300,000-strong city, and Japan’s leading producer of yuzu, one of my admitted weaknesses.
Our first stop was the Kōchi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden, named after Dr. Tomitarō Makino, the so-called “father of Japanese botany.” Beyond celebrating Makino’s legacy, the Garden showcases a large variety of plants, including a number of subtropical species in its vast Greenhouse Conservatory, all framed by magnificent panoramic views over Kōchi and the Pacific. A short walk away stands Chikurin-ji, the 31st temple on Shikoku’s 88-temple pilgrimage. Founded in the eighth century and rebuilt several times, it features a 17th-century Main Hall and a majestic five-storey pagoda completed in 1980 but faithful to the architectural style of the 13th century.
We then headed to the Kōchi Prefectural Museum of Art, an intriguing concrete-and-glass building. Its collection spans both Japanese and Western art, and includes a substantial body of works by Marc Chagall, which were sadly not on display when we visited. Our next destination, Katsurahama Beach, proved a haven of tranquillity on the Pacific coast, dominated by a large bronze statue of Sakamoto Ryōma, a Kōchi-born samurai who took an active part in bringing down the shogunate and restoring imperial rule in the 19th century.
After a quick stroll through Hirome Market, we ended the day at Kōchi Castle, one of Japan’s best-preserved original castles, dating from the early 1600s. Its layout and interior reminded me of Himeji Castle, on a more modest scale. Interestingly, the Mitsubishi Corporation traces its logo to Kōchi’s feudal history, merging Kōchi’s local lords’ coat of arms (“three oak leaves”) with the family crest of the founder’s family (“three diamonds”).
After a delicious yuzu juice at the beach, my yuzu addiction was indulged once more at the castle with a mouth-watering ice-cream.
Thursday 16 October
Cruise Day 5 – At Sea, Cruising the Kanmon Strait
An excellent lecture explored how Tōkyō — the world’s most populous metropolis — has managed to retain a human scale in many of its sprawling neighbourhoods by deliberately avoiding the displacement of family-run businesses and middle-class residents through thoughtful urban planning. The talk also touched on the well-known Tōkyō / Kyōto duality; how roads enabled the transportation of tributes owed to feudal lords; and Japan’s steep rural population decline, from roughly 30 million in 1960 to around 10 million today — with a glimmer of hope for a modest reversal.
The lecture began with a profile of architect Kishō Kurokawa, designer of Tōkyō’s remarkable National Art Center and the experimental Nakagin Capsule Tower — subject of an exhibition I had seen at MoMA only weeks before. A spotlight on the world-famous Shinkansen made a persuasive case that user experience (e.g. how the pristine white colour, although challenging to maintain, serves as a reassurance factor) is every bit as vital as technological innovation. Some might see Japan as a nation in decline from the West, but there is a lot to admire in its reliance on long-term vision and planning.
This is the day that we cruised the Kanmon Strait, the passage between Honshū and Kyūshū, only about 500 metres at its narrowest point and one of Japan’s busiest navigation routes.
Friday 17 October
Cruise Day 6 – Fukuoka
Thanks to its location on the Northern coast of Kiūshū, Fukuoka became a trading hub with Korea and China as early as the 1st century. The Korokan, a unique complex of lodgings and warehouses for foreign trade, played a major role in the city’s economy between the 7th and the 11th centuries. The Meiji Restoration later strengthened Fukuoka’s role as an economic, academic and military centre. Today, further boosted by the Shinkansen, it is a thriving metropolis of some 2.5 million inhabitants, the largest on Kiūshū island and one of Japan’s fastest-growing.
For my second visit to Fukuoka, I devised a seaside itinerary. A taxi ride first took me to Atago Shrine, the city’s oldest sanctuary, said to date back to the 1st century and dedicated to the god of fire and protection. Perched atop a small hill, it offers sweeping views of Hakata Bay and the city skyline.
After descending on foot, I caught another taxi to Fukuoka City Museum, a modernist, granite-and-glass building by Kishō Kurokawa, designer of Tōkyō’s Nakagin Capsule Tower. Its most prized artefact is the King of Na Gold Seal, one of the earliest traces of Japan’s diplomacy, dating back to the 1st century. The permanent collection traces the city’s evolution from early trading post to modern metropolis.
After a detour to Momochihama Beach, separated from the museum by the commanding Fukuoka Tower, another taxi ride brought me to Fukuoka Art Museum, designed by Kunio Maekawa, a disciple of Le Corbusier, also architect of Tōkyō’s Bunka Kaikan. Nestled in leafy, inviting Ōhori Park, the museum is a haven of contemplative tranquillity. Its collection extends outdoors: a joyful yellow Pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama brightens the terrace.
A few steps eastward stand Fukuoka Castle ruins… which I soon recognised from a previous visit. It felt time to try the subway, so I boarded the Kūkō Line to Tenjin for one final stop: the ACROS Fukuoka building, the bold creation of Argentine-born architect Emilio Ambasz, its cascading green façade blurring the line between architecture and landscape.
Saturday 18 October
Cruise Day 7 – Sokcho
For this single stop in South Korea, despite the downpour and limited visibility, I embarked on a group tour to Gangneung, about 65 km from Sokcho, focusing on significant historical heritage from the Juseon Dynasty, which ruled over Korea from 1392 to 1897.
Ojukheon House, a 16th century compound that was home to Shin Saimdang, a cultural icon celebrated for her calligraphy and poetry, and depicted on the 50,000 won banknote, remains one of Korea’s most revered historic sites. Shin’s son, Yi I, a scholar and statesman, appears on the 5,000 won note alongside a view of the house.
Seongyojang House, an 18th century aristocratic residence, is notable for the way its layout follows Confucian hierarchy, separating men’s and women’s quarters. Still partly inhabited by descendants of its original owners, it can also be rented for short stays — or, as during our visit, for wedding receptions.
Our final stop, Gyeongpo Lake, offered limited appeal in the pouring rain, though it was easy to imagine how pleasant its trail must feel in fairer weather. The tranquil waters faintly recalled my earlier visit to Gyeongju’s Bomun Lake, another haven of reflective serenity.
Sunday 19 October
Cruise Day 8 – At Sea
The day’s highlight was yet another illuminating talk on Japan, this time drawing intriguing parallels between the samurai code of bushidō and the sense of wa — harmony and unity — that guides a sports team such as Japan’s women’s national baseball team. In essence: strive to be the best you can be, yet remember that individual pride has no meaning outside the team’s collective success.
Also, the art of sword making provided a fine example of monozukuri, the reverence for craftsmanship and the quiet pride in things impeccably made.
And so, for now, the lights dim… until the next act.