A Magnificent Cruise on the Luxury Liner “MS MAASDAM”.
Including a visit to Vladivostok in the Russian Far East.
Full time Mashgiach Kashrut Aboard the Ship.
In Japanese, it’s called Nihon or Nippon, meaning Land of Sun Origin. Japan is made up of a chain of some 3,000 East Asian islands in the Pacific Ocean with four major islands: Hokkaido, Shikoku, Kyushu and Honshu. The latter is the largest and the most settled. Most of the islands are mountain ridges that protrude above sea level, some have still active volcanoes. It’s a fascinating and interesting scene.

Japan is now the sixth largest country in the industrialized world and the third largest in its economic strength. We will learn to get to know many facets of Japan on this an unforgettable cruise on one of Holland America’s luxury ships. In addition to Japan, the cruise includes a visit to Vladivostok in the Russian Far East.

ITINERARY

DAY 1

TUESDAY: TOKYO - MEIJI SHRINE, HARAJUKU, SHIBUYA

We’ll arrive to Tokyo, the capital of Japan since 1868. We will meet the tour guide at the hotel till 12:00PM. At 2:00PM we will start our tour. We will visit the Meiji Shrine, dedicated to Emperor Meiji, the young emperor who put an end to feudal rule in Japan.

DAY 2

WEDNESDAY: TOKYO - EDO TOKYO MUSEUM - ALL ABOARD HOLLAND AMERICA’S LUXURY LINER “MS MAASDAM”

We’ll start the day with a visit to the fascinating Edo Tokyo Museum, which describes the history of the city and reconstructs the houses and lifestyle of Tokyo from the 16th century to today.

DAY 3

THURSDAY: SHIMIZU, NIHONDAIRA PARK

Today we’ll drop anchor in Shimizu. We’ll disembark from the ship to visit Nihondaira Park, which was declared a natural prefectural park.

DAY 4

FRIDAY: KOBE, KYOTO

This morning we arrive to the port of Kobe. From here we’ll travel to Kyoto, the cultural center of Japan. Kyoto was the capital of the Japanese Empire for more than 1100 years.

DAY 5

SHABBAT: TAKAMATSU

A restful Shabbat day aboard ship. We’ll enjoy Shabbat services, kiddush and lunch, shiurim and lectures. This is also an opportunity to enjoy some of the Shabbat-friendly facilities that the ship has to offer.

DAY 6

SUNDAY: KOCHI

This morning we will dock in Kochi, the capital of Kochi prefecture, the city is located in Urado Bay on the southern end of Shikoku Island.

DAY 7

MONDAY: AT SEA

A day to enjoy all the wonderful facilities the ship has to offer. Want to swim? There are indoor and outdoor pools and a relaxing jacuzzi too.

DAY 8

TUESDAY: KANAZAWA, SHIRAKAWA-GO, TAKAYAMA

Today we will anchor in Kanazawa city. We’ll disembark and travel to the ancient village of Shirakawa-go, built entirely of wooden houses and straw. The site has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

DAY 9

WEDNESDAY: AT SEA

A day to enjoy all the wonderful facilities the ship has to offer. Want to swim? There are indoor and outdoor pools and a relaxing jacuzzi too.

DAY 10

THURSDAY: VLADIVOSTOK, RUSSIA

This morning we will dock at the port of Vladivostok, a large city in the Russian Far East on the shores of the Sea of Japan. Vladivostok port is free of ice all year long and serves as the home of Russia’s Pacific Fleet.

DAY 11

FRIDAY: AT SEA

A day to enjoy all the wonderful facilities the ship has to offer. Want to swim? There are indoor and outdoor pools and a relaxing jacuzzi too.

DAY 12

SHABBAT: KORSAKOV, SAKHALIN, RUSSIA

A restful Shabbat day aboard ship. We’ll enjoy Shabbat services, kiddush and lunch, shiurim and lectures. This is also an opportunity to enjoy some of the Shabbat-friendly facilities that the ship has to offer.

DAY 13

SUNDAY: OTARU, HOKKAIDO

This morning we will anchor on the island of Hokkaido. Despite being the second largest (and northernmost) island in Japan, it is sparsely populated. The island serves as the northern border area between Japan and the Soviet Union.

DAY 14

MONDAY: HAKODATE, HOKKAIDO

Today we will dock in the port town of Hakodate, the third largest harbor on the island of Hokkaido and the first port to open to the West after a voluntary closure of hundreds of years. Today it is one of the most important ports in Japan.

DAY 15

TUESDAY: AT SEA

A day to enjoy all the wonderful facilities the ship has to offer. Want to swim? There are indoor and outdoor pools and a relaxing jacuzzi too.

DAY 16

WEDNESDAY: YOKOHAMA - TOKYO, GINZA, ASAKUSA, AKIHABARA

Our magnificent cruise has come to an end. We will disembark at Yokohama Port and travel to Ginza, Tokyo’s high-end bustling business district. From there we’ll continue to the complex of Buddhist Temples and Shinto Shrines at Asakusa.

DAY 17

THURSDAY: TOKYO - BACK HOME

Our exciting tour and cruise has come to an end. We’ll fly back home.