ASUKA III Cruises
Six days round-trip from Nagoya, calling at Tanegashima and Suo-Oshima and cruising the Seto Inland Sea on the way back. Tanegashima has the space centre where rockets are launched; Suo-Oshima is a maiden call.
Nagoya Port's Garden Pier is a destination in itself: an aquarium, a retired Antarctic research vessel and an observation deck atop the port building, all within walking distance. Once your luggage is handed over you need not go into the city at all — half a day passes easily right at the pier.
From the Airport to the Pier：Chubu Centrair Airport、Kanayama、Nagoyako Station
Half a Day Before Boarding：Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium、Antarctic Research Vessel Fuji、Port Building Observatory
One More Day After Disembarking：Nagoya Castle、Atsuta Shrine、Toyota Commemorative Museum、Osu
Local flavours：Hitsumabushi、Miso Katsu、Tebasaki、Miso Nikomi Udon
Tanegashima is where firearms were introduced to Japan and is also the forefront of Japan's space development; azure coasts and rocket launch sites coexist, with views of Yakushima in the distance, where nature and cutting-edge technology meet.
Space & History Day Trip：Tanegashima Space Center、Tanegashima Gun Museum、Kadokura Cape、Senbira-no-Iwaya Cave
Local flavours：Flying Fish Cuisine、Anno Sweet Potato、Tanegashima Local Sake、Seafood
Suo-Oshima lies in the Seto Inland Sea, joined to Honshu by a bridge. From the Meiji era many islanders emigrated to Hawaii and brought something of it back, which is why the island feels unlike the usual Japanese countryside.
The Bridge and Island Time：Oshima Bridge、Japanese Hawaiian Immigration Museum、Katazoegahama Beach、Itsukushima Shrine, Okikamuro
Local flavours：Mikan、Small Fish of the Inland Sea、Island Seafood Bowl、Hawaii-Inspired Dishes