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Le Soleal, 8 Night The best of Japan ex Osaka, Japan to Busan, (Pusan) South Korea
Cruise Le Soleal, 8 Night The best of Japan ex Osaka, Japan to Busan, (Pusan) South Korea
Cruise Line Ponant
Ship Le Soleal
Destination Asia
Brief Description 8 Night Cruise sailing from Osaka, Japan onboard Le Soleal
Type of Cruise Luxury
Departure Date 16 Mar 2026
Cruise Description Ponant invites you on a timeless journey around the fascinating and surprising Empire of the Rising Sun, where unbridled modernism and ancestral traditions form a delightful blend, where the history of the samurai rubs shoulders with the delicateness of the geisha, and where the aromas of the tea plantations intermingle with the fragrances of cherry blossom. In the legendary city of Osaka, embark on this unique 9-day cruise aboard Le Soléal to discover this unrivalled cultural heritage.

Throughout your journey, you will benefit from an excursion included per person per port of call, to choose from a selection offered by PONANT. During this cruise, explore the picturesque city of Chiran and its ancestral history from Kagoshima, discover the cultural heritage of Nagasaki, or admire the Itsukushima Shrine from the island of Miyajima. The diversity of experiences on offer promises you intense and varied moments.

On the Seto Inland Sea, Le Soléal will head west. At the foot of a tropical forest burgeoning with life, Tamano stands proudly in the middle of this enchanting environment. Last port of call of your journey, it still bears the traces of traditional Japanese life in the 18th century, as the particular architecture of the town demonstrates.

The jagged coastlines of the captivating Miyajima Island, also known as Itsukushima, come into view, and the vermillion Torii of the emblematic Shinto Shrine of Itsukushima, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, unfolds before you in a lush forest setting. Time here seems stuck in the feudal era: the frenetic energy and modernity of the large Japanese metropolises make way for striking serenity and tranquillity, and hundreds of deer wander between its spiritual and architectural treasures.

Hiroshima does not seek to elicit strong emotions. Opposite the Inland Sea, only the Hiroshima Peace Memorial bears witness to past events in the city known as a “City of Peace”. It is resolutely future looking and you will be able to appreciate its modern and cosmopolitan atmosphere, the hustle and bustle of its lively streets and the tranquillity of its natural settings, such as the splendid Shukkei-en, the city’s historic gardens.

Off the southern tip of the island of Kyushu, Yakushima, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, comes into view. Providing an unspoilt natural setting for endemic species such as the Yakushima monkey and deer, the island is home to an exceptional natural environment featuring forests of ancient cedars, bewitching waterfalls, and majestic peaks.

Further south, Nagasaki remains in the world’s imagination as the symbol of nuclear horror. Fortunately, in the same way as Hiroshima, the city has become one the archipelago’s most peaceful towns as well as one of its most attractive. The warm and cosmopolitan city unveils its many riches throughout its narrow streets: the Oura Catholic Church and its gardens, the Suwa Shrine, the sumptuous Buddhist temples...

For a grand finale, your cruise will end in South Korea’s second largest city. A city of contrasts, Busan offers spectacular views of its port and the old Chalgachi district.
Sailing Dates
16 Mar 2026
Category Single Twin Triple Quad
SP3 AU $20,510 AU $10,550 AU $5,570 ‐
DEL AU $22,280 AU $11,430 ‐ ‐
PR4 AU $24,780 AU $12,680 ‐ ‐
PR5 AU $26,060 AU $13,320 ‐ ‐
PR6 AU $27,560 AU $14,070 ‐ ‐
DS6 AU $38,630 AU $19,610 ‐ ‐
PS5 AU $52,470 AU $26,530 AU $13,560 ‐
PS6 AU $55,230 AU $27,910 AU $14,250 ‐
Cruise Itinerary
Date Port Arrive Depart
16 Mar 2026 Osaka, Japan 8:00 PM
17 Mar 2026 Tamano, Japan 6:00 AM 10:00 PM
18 Mar 2026 Miyajima Japan 8:15 AM 12:30 PM
18 Mar 2026 Hiroshima, Japan 2:00 PM 10:30 PM
19 Mar 2026 Beppu, Japan 8:30 AM 8:00 PM
20 Mar 2026 Miyazaki, Japan 7:00 AM 7:00 PM
21 Mar 2026 Kagoshima, Japan 7:30 AM 9:00 PM
22 Mar 2026 Yakushima, Japan 7:00 AM 4:00 PM
23 Mar 2026 Nagasaki, Japan 7:30 AM 4:00 PM
24 Mar 2026 Busan, (Pusan) South Korea 6:30 AM
All itineraries and ports of call at the discretion of the cruise line subject to local weather conditions and may change without notice.

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