Diamond Princess to sail 35 Japan cruises in summer 2022Diamond Princess to sail 35 Japan cruises in summer 2022

Diamond Princess will offer 35 departures during the May through September season. Cruises range from five to 19 days and span 31 destinations across four countries with access to 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The UNESCO sites include the historic monuments of ancient Kyoto, Buddhist monuments of the Horyu-ji area and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial.

New port

The 2022 season features a maiden call at Hitachinaka, for access to the shrines and temples of Nikko.

'More Ashore' late-night stays are available at 10 ports including Akita, Aomori, Kochi, Osaka and Tokushima on summer festival dates.

Festivals

The season provides nine opportunities to visit local festivals. Among these are the world-famous Kyoto Gion Festival featuring massive, hand-crafted 'Yama' and 'Hoko' floats that are constructed every year without the use of nails, and a display of 10,000 fireworks during the Kumano Fireworks Festival.

Other festivals include Osaka Tenjin Festival, Aomori Nebuta Festival, Akita Kanto Festival, Kochi Yosakoi Dance Festival and Tokushima Awa Dance Festival.

Natural wonders, gardens, onsens

Serenity abounds in Kanazawa’s Kenrokuen Garden, one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens. It's also possible to experience a traditional tea ceremony while overlooking Mount Fuji or to try the relaxing atmosphere of an onsen (hot spring bath).

The 'Highlights of Japan' cruise-tour combines an eight-, nine- or 10-day cruise with two nights in Kyoto and three nights in Tokyo.

The Japan-built Diamond Princess offers an experience connected to Japanese culture. Authentic cuisine is available at Kai Sushi and the ship's traditional Izumi bath is the largest Japanese bath at sea.

Bookings open Dec. 15. Captain's Circle members are eligible for a discount of up to $200 per person if they book before April 30, 2021.