ASUKA III Cruises
Six days round-trip from Kobe, cruising the Seto Inland Sea outbound before calling at Karatsu and Nagasaki. Karatsu is a maiden call; Nagasaki until 21:00 leaves time for the view from Mount Inasa.
In Kobe the mountains and the sea are only a few streets apart. The Kitano houses were built for foreign merchants in the Meiji era, the stone buildings of the old foreign settlement are now shops, and the waterfront lights up after dark. From the terminal, Sannomiya is a walk or a short ride away.
From the Airport to the Pier：Kansai International Airport、Kobe Airport、Sannomiya
Half a Day Before Boarding：Kitano Ijinkan、Kobe Port Tower、Former Foreign Settlement、Nankinmachi
One More Day After Disembarking：Nada Sake Breweries、Arima Onsen、Mount Rokko
Local flavours：Kobe Beef、Akashiyaki、Nada Sake、Western Pastries
Karatsu faces the Genkai Sea in Saga and is a maiden call for ASUKA III. Karatsu Castle stands on a rise by the water, sea on three sides; at the autumn Karatsu Kunchi, fourteen floats are drawn through the old castle town.
A Castle by the Sea and the Pine Grove：Karatsu Castle、Niji no Matsubara、Hikiyama Exhibition Hall、Former Karatsu Bank
Local flavours：Karatsu Ware、Yobuko Squid、Fish of the Genkai Sea、Shoro Manju
Nagasaki was the main foreign trade window during the Edo period's national isolation (the only port open to the Netherlands and Qing China), blending Japanese, Chinese, and Dutch cultures; Dejima, churches, and Confucian temples coexist, and in autumn the Nagasaki Kunchi festival with about 400 years of tradition takes place.
Japanese-Chinese-Dutch Stroll & Kunchi Festival Day Trip：Dejima、Glover Garden、Oura Cathedral、Megane Bridge、Suwa Shrine
Local flavours：Champon Noodles、Turkish Rice、Shippoku Cuisine、Kakuni Manju