ASUKA III Cruises
A spring voyage through northern port towns and flower destinations, from cherry-blossom Tohoku to the spectacular nemophila of Hitachinaka, savoring nature, culture, and cuisine in the bright season.
Osanbashi Pier sits at the edge of the old foreign settlement: fifteen minutes on foot brings you to Chinatown, and the other direction leads to Yamashita Park and the Red Brick Warehouse. Haneda Airport is about half an hour away, so a night here before embarkation means an unhurried morning.
From the Airport to the Pier：Haneda Airport、Narita Airport、Yokohama Station (YCAT)、Nihon-odori Station
Half a Day Before Boarding：Zou-no-hana Park、Yamashita Park、Yokohama Chinatown、Red Brick Warehouse
One More Day After Disembarking：Minato Mirai、Sankeien Garden、Motomachi & Harbour View Hill、Cup Noodles Museum
Local flavours：Kiyoken Shumai、Chinatown Dim Sum、Iekei Ramen、Napolitan
Muroran is an industrial port town on the Pacific coast, with a series of capes and cliffs. The curved horizon of Cape Chikyu, the Hakucho Bridge, and the nighttime factory lights create a rugged yet magnificent port town landscape.
Cape Chikyu Spectacular View Day Trip：Cape Chikyu、Soryoyama Observatory、Hakucho Bridge、Tokkarisho Observatory
Local flavours：Muroran Curry Ramen、Seafood Rice Bowl (Kaisendon)、Hokkigai (Surf Clam)、Muroran Fried Chicken
Sakata is a kitamaebune port town in Shonai that once prospered with rice warehouses. The zelkova tree-lined Sankyo Warehouses, the legacy of the wealthy Honma family, and the rice paddies of the Shonai Plain create a landscape of history and fertile fields on the Sea of Japan side.
Shonai Port Town Day Trip：Sankyo Warehouse、Honma Museum of Art (Former Residence)、Ken Domon Museum of Photography、Hiyoriyama Park、Dewa Sanzan
Local flavours：Shonai Rice、Sea of Japan Seafood、Edamame、Shonai Fu (Wheat Gluten)
Aomori is the northernmost prefectural capital on Honshu, where the passion of the Nebuta Festival and the Jomon memories of Sannai-Maruyama intertwine. Extend to the cherry blossom clouds of Hirosaki Park, Lake Toya, and the nature of Hakkoda—it is the gateway to spring in Michinoku.
Nebuta Festival & Jomon Day Trip：Nebuta House Warasse、Sannai-Maruyama Site、Aomori Gyosai Center、Hakkoda
Hirosaki Cherry Blossoms & Lake Toya Extension：Hirosaki Park、Hirosaki Castle、Lake Toya、Mount Yotei
Local flavours：Oma Tuna、Nokkedon、Apple、Aomori Seafood
Hitachinaka faces the Pacific, and the Hitachi Seaside Park in its hinterland is famous for seasonal flower fields. The nemophila in spring and the red carpet of kochia in autumn are representative seasonal spectacles of the Kanto region.
Hitachi Seaside Park Day Trip：Hitachi Seaside Park、Kochia Hill、Nakaminato Fish Market、Ajigaura
Local flavours：Nakaminato Seafood Bowl、Hitachi Wagyu、Anko Nabe (Anglerfish Hot Pot)、Dried Overnight Fish