Tokyo to Osaka

Japan's capital, Tokyo, and its bustling port of Yokohama form a vast urban complex that boasts a unique combination of energy and orderliness. Fusing the vitality of a modern metropolis with the stately elegance of yesteryear, Tokyo is truly unique. From the timeless beauty of the Meiji Shrine to the glittering Ginza district and impressive Tokyo Tower, this international giant is a complex blend of East and West. Houses of wood and paper stand beside towering steel skyscrapers, while kimono-clad women stroll beside teenagers who have created a fashion all their own. The timeless Imperial Palace bears testament to Japan's enduring traditions. Despite encroaching urban development, it continues to exist in a verdant parkland of isolation. Images of the vibrant metropolis of Tokyo, which is home to more than 11 million people, will create memories of a lifetime.

Sitting pretty on the sandy coastline between Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan’s fourth-largest city is home to a thriving harbor district that is a lively destination in its own right. Part of the Garden Pier entertainment area, the country’s busiest port is set around leafy landscaped grounds, home to an amusement park, shopping mall and aquarium. Wonder at the centuries-old wooden vessels that mapped the seas during the Age of Discoveries, displayed in intricate models at the port’s Maritime Museum, and discover museum-ship Fuji, an icebreaker that explored Antarctica in the 1960s and 1970s. Further afield, a pair of golden shachihoko sea monsters crown Nagoya’s imposing five-storey 17th-century castle. A symbol of this city’s prosperity during the Tokugawa dynasty, the castle dates from Japan’s Edo period and its powerful shoguns. Nearby, step back in time to that era on the streets of the Shikemichi preservation district, lined with white-walled merchants’ houses now transformed into cafés and craft boutiques.

An imposing moated castle, its black-tiled roofs curling up towards the sky, sits across the street from a modern art museum in this multi-faceted city in southern Japan. It’s also the capital of Wakayama prefecture, a mystical place of monastic settlements and mountainous pilgrimage trails. There are spiritual sites to visit right in town, too, with a trio of revered Shinto shrines said to be among the oldest in the country. Tap into the area’s reputation as a hotbed for onsen (thermal springs) with a soak in mineral-rich waters, and try the province’s mandarin oranges and famous umeboshi (salted pickled plums).

The Kanmon Straits, a narrow passage between Japan's Honshu and Kyushu islands are steeped in history and natural beauty. This strategic waterway, bridged overhead and tunneled beneath, connects the Sea of Japan with the Inland Sea. Some 700 ships pass through it on a daily basis and underground tunnels allow both cars and pedestrians to walk between the two ports. Japan’s largest fireworks display also takes place over the strait every August, drawing more than a million sky gazers to watch the spectacular.

The strait has long played an important role in Japanese maritime history; the Shimonoseki Campaign - a series of military engagements with the US and other navies that took place here in the 1860s - ended Japanese feudal rule over the region, thus opening Japan to the West and transforming it into an international trading hub.

Framed by steam-shrouded mountains, Beppu is a city at the pulsing heart of Japan’s onsen culture. The smoking fumaroles, bubbling pools, and spouting geysers that permeate the earth here across the Oita prefecture produce more spring water than anywhere else in Japan. And with this come spectacular onsen resorts, spa hotels set into forest-fringed coastal cliffs, and traditional ryokan tucked into secluded bays. The top of Mount Tsurumi is the place to view this magical misty scene, climbing above city and sea to its 1,375m summit aboard the Ropeway cable car. In spring, the slopes below blush pink as some 2,000 cherry blossom trees come into bloom. Steam makes its way into Beppu’s distinctive jigoku-mushi cuisine, too, harnessing the hot springs to cook mineral-rich dishes. Hike through the caldera-sculpted landscape of nearby Aso Kuju National Park or, in spring and summer, kayak across the flooded rice fields and flowering marshland.

The Kanmon Straits, a narrow passage between Japan's Honshu and Kyushu islands are steeped in history and natural beauty. This strategic waterway, bridged overhead and tunneled beneath, connects the Sea of Japan with the Inland Sea. Some 700 ships pass through it on a daily basis and underground tunnels allow both cars and pedestrians to walk between the two ports. Japan’s largest fireworks display also takes place over the strait every August, drawing more than a million sky gazers to watch the spectacular.

The strait has long played an important role in Japanese maritime history; the Shimonoseki Campaign - a series of military engagements with the US and other navies that took place here in the 1860s - ended Japanese feudal rule over the region, thus opening Japan to the West and transforming it into an international trading hub.

Shanghai, located just inside the mouth of the great Yangtze River, marks the point where Asia's longest and most important river completes its 3,400-mile journey to the Pacific. The city's unique location is the source of its existence and has determined what it is today. Until 1842, Shanghai was merely a tiny fishing village. Following the first Opium War, Shanghai became a treaty port, which opened the city to foreign influence and resulted in the development of numerous British, French and American colonial settlements within the city and along the Yangtze River. Today, Shanghai is the center of China's economic resurgence and its skyline attests to this development in the form of towering skyscrapers, brightly lit commercial high-rises and the unsettling Oriental Pearl Tower. A testimony to Shanghai's colonial era, stately European buildings in art deco style line the Bund, the city's spacious waterfront promenade. An endless flotilla of sampans edge the Huangpu River, dividing old and new Shanghai. Beyond the rush of the city, serene ponds and gardens offer a gentle respite. Must-see sights include the Jade Buddha Temple and tranquil Yu Garden, impressive monuments to China's history and style. Inland lies Suzhou, with its majestic Grand Canal and classical gardens, as well as equally significant Hangzhou, terminus of the Grand Canal and the center of China's legendary tea industry.

A day at sea with Crystal can be as relaxed or as engaging as you wish. Begin with breakfast on your veranda, take a walk along the Promenade Deck or spend the morning by the Seahorse Pool before retreating to the Aurōra Spa & Salon for a restorative treatment. Enrichment is always close at hand, with lectures, bridge, creative workshops, dance classes, wellness sessions and opportunities to fine tune skills from photography to golf.

Dining is a highlight throughout the day, from relaxed bites by the pool to elegant dinners at venues such as Umi Uma by Nobu, Beefbar or Waterside. As evening arrives, enjoy live music, theatre entertainment, comedy, social gatherings, cocktails in the lounges or a quiet night in with 24-hour in-suite dining.

Kagoshima lives in the shadow of Sakurajima, an active volcano that last erupted in 2016. In addition to being the capital of the Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan, the city is home to ancient castles and traditional Japanese Gardens that delight locals and visitors alike.

Top Things to Do in Kagoshima:

• relax at Ibusuki Onsen, the local hot springs
• hike to one of the many volcano observation points 
• taking a tour of Shochu Brewery for sake tastings
• enjoy a traditional Japanese tea ceremony
  

Begin your visit with a trip to Kochi Castle, one of Japan’s few original castles, offering panoramic views of the city. Head to Katsurahama Beach, famous for its scenic views and the statue of Sakamoto Ryoma, a revered samurai and national hero. For a taste of local cuisine, try Katsuo no Tataki, a seared bonito dish. Visit the Makino Botanical Garden to enjoy a diverse array of plants and tranquil walking paths.

One visit to Osaka, and you’ll soon see why it’s known as the ‘kitchen of Japan’. This is a city that takes food seriously, where every mealtime is a celebration. Embrace its proud culinary culture and stroll the neon-lit streets of Dotonbori to sample iconic dishes that characterize Osaka’s street food scene – from fritter-like okonomiyaki to piping hot balls of octopus-stuffed takoyaki. For a dose of history, pay a visit to Osaka Castle, which played a key role in the unification of Japan during the 16th century. Admire the sweeping views from the castle’s main tower and stroll the surrounding gardens, which come alive with cherry blossoms in spring and turn fiery red in fall.