Bucketeer Hosted Japan Nebuta Festival Cruise July 2025
Only 5 staterooms left from $1,647 pp dbl occ
We are excited to announce our Bucketeer escorted adventure to Japan, including an overnight in Osaka/Kyoto and an overnight in Aomori for the famous Nebuta Summer Festival.
July 25 - August 6, 2025
Roundtrip Yokohama/Tokyo
With optional special pre-cruise stay in Yokohama
Ocean View Staterooms [2 available] start at $1,647 pp dbl occ with $50 onboard credit
Veranda Staterooms [3 available] start at $3,040 p/p dbl occ. with drink package, WIFI and $100 onboard credit
These cruise-only prices include all taxes, port charges and fees.
We visited Japan last year and look eagerly to returning to expand our understanding of this remarkable country. Come with us, meet the friendly people of Japan. Indulge yourself in history, World Heritage Sites, nature’s beauty and amazing food scenes. Get lost in Asia’s best markets and immerse in the vibrant culture.
Call us today at 804-557-3006.
Go Bucket List Travel…winner of the 2022 Richmond Times Dispatch “The Best” competition for best travel agency.
An additional military discount is also available for our veterans.
Call your friends!
Call us today!
A $450 per person deposit will hold your stateroom.
Where we are going…..see below for a detailed itinerary
ITINERARY
July 25, 2025. Yokohama, Japan. Depart 5PM. There aren’t many places on Earth that blend ancient tradition and the ultra modern quite like Tokyo. Spend a few days with us before the cruise. We will be landing at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport at 3:15pm on July 22. We have generous rooms available for our Bucketeers in nearby Yokohama close to the cruise pier. Throughout this area centuries-old gardens and cobblestone laneways live in perfect harmony with soaring skyscrapers and dazzling neon lights. Get immersed in an unrivalled dining scene, fashionable boutiques, and endless cultural encounters in Tokyo and this ever-evolving region.
July 26, 2025. Shimizu/Mount Fuji. 7am - 4pm. On clear days Mount Fuji (Fuji-san in Japanese) is visible from as far as Tokyo, 60 miles away. When Japan’s highest mountain is capped with snow, it’s a picture-postcard perfect volcanic cone. One of the best-known symbols of Japan, this iconic mountain has been considered sacred since ancient times and was even forbidden to women until the early 1900s.
July 27 - 28, 2025. Osaka / Kyoto, Japan. 11am - overnight - 6pm. Visit Osaka Aquarium, one of the world’s largest aquariums which has over 580 species of sea life on display, or Universal Studios Japan, the company’s first theme park outside of the U.S for Osaka’s food scene. Kyoto served as the nation’s capital for more than 1000 years and is home to 17 different World Heritage Sites including Kiyomizudera Temple and Heian Jingu Shrine.
July 29, 2025 Kochi, Japan. 8am - 5pm. The capital of Kochi Prefecture on the southern coast of Shikoku is small, friendly, and boasts several attractions of interest to travelers. Make sure to enjoy some Katsuo no tataki, Kochi’s most famous dish, and visit the temple and botanical garden at Mount Godaisan.
July 31, 2024. Day at Sea.While at sea, take the time to recharge before the next adventure. Lounge by the pool, be spoiled at the spa, taste the delicacies or explore the venues on-board, until we arrive at the next amazing destination.
August 1, 2025. Busan, South Korea. 7am - 5pm. Attention Shoppers: Busan is South Korea’s premier trading port. The best markets in Busan are great for not only purchasing goods at affordable prices, but also for experiencing the local culture. Gukje Market is one of the largest markets in Busan. Hundreds of vendors occupy this outdoor shopping venue, where you can buy clothes, food items, handicrafts, and even industrial goods. Whatever it is you’re looking for, you’re bound to find it here. Busan’s beautiful sea vistas make it a charming place to unwind. Experience the serenity of Beomeo-sa Temple, climb the Busan Tower in Yongdusan Park and rejuvenate at Hushimchung Spa.
August 2, 2025 Day at Sea. Rest and recharge for the Aomori Festival to come tomorrow.
August 3 - 4, 2025, Aomori, Japan. 11am - overnight - 6pm. Aomori Port, the capital of Aomori prefecture, is located on Mutsu Bay, at the northern tip of Honshu. Here, nature and culture fuse as one. The Shirakami Mountains, which embrace the world’s largest virgin forest of beech trees, have been awarded a World Heritage Site designation. Reminders of ancient times abound throughout Aomori Port as well, and you can also indulge in the serene atmosphere of the Sannai-Maruyama Ruins, Japan’s largest, which are said to have been established around 4,000 to 5,000 BC. The summer brings the city’s most beloved Nebuta Matsuri Festival, which features enormous lantern floats, taiko drums, and dancers that parade the downtown streets. Stroll Aomori’s premiere Shinsen Ichiba seafood market where restaurateurs hand-pick fresh produce then slurp up delicious ramen noodles at one of its counter restaurants.
August 5, 2025. Day at Sea. Time to prepare for the flight home tomorrow.
August 6, 2025 Yokohama/Tokyo Departure after 6:30am
About the Nebuta Lantern Festival. {from Japanguide.com}
“Nebuta and Neputa are a type of Tanabata-related summer festival held in towns around Aomori Prefecture. The largest of these festivals is the Nebuta Matsuri (ねぶた祭) of Aomori City, held every year from August 2 to 7. The highlight of the festival is the daily parade of enormous lantern floats, flanked by large taiko drums, musicians and dancers. The Nebuta Matsuri is one of the three great festivals of the Tohoku Region (Tohoku Sandai Matsuri) alongside Akita‘s Kanto Matsuri and Sendai‘s Tanabata.
“Local teams build the festival’s two dozen floats, which are constructed of painted washi paper over a wire frame and take an entire year to design and construct. They can be up to nine meters wide and five meters tall and often depict gods, historical or mythical figures from both Japanese and Chinese culture, kabuki actors, and characters from the popular NHK Taiga Drama historical TV series.
“Local teams build the festival’s two dozen floats, which are constructed of painted washi paper over a wire frame and take an entire year to design and construct. They can be up to nine meters wide and five meters tall and often depict gods, historical or mythical figures from both Japanese and Chinese culture, kabuki actors, and characters from the popular NHK Taiga Drama historical TV series. Every night during the festival the floats are wheeled out onto the streets of downtown Aomori for a parade, except on the last day (August 7), when the parade is held in the afternoon. The floats are pushed along the street by human power, weaving back and forth, and spinning around for the crowd. Each float is accompanied by teams of taiko drummers, flute and hand cymbals players, as well as hundreds of dancers, called haneto, who follow the procession chanting “Rassera, Rassera” while performing a dance that looks a little bit like skipping.
“There is lots of free seating on the ground along the nearly three kilometer long parade route, as well as reserved seats which are available from Ticket Pia and convenience stores. Participation in the parade is encouraged, and people come from all around to join in the dancing. The only requirement is that you wear the traditional haneto dancing costume, which can be bought at grocery stores and shops around the prefecture for about 10,000 yen or rented from rental shops around town for about 4,000 yen.”
Remember, we only have several staterooms left at our special price for this unique cruise. Please call us today to reserve your spot! 804-557-3006
Enjoy a relaxed luxury resort at sea. Reenergize. Go where you have never been before. Discover your world in the company of friends and neighbors. Be a Bucketeer!
