Japan & Alaska Cruise: Tokyo, Kodiak & Whittier

It’s hard to imagine Tokyo as a tiny fishing village named Edo. Tokyo is now the largest metropolitan area in the world, an exciting city with a seemingly unlimited choice of shopping, restaurants, museums, temples, and gardens to visit.

Found on Japan’s main island, Honshu, Aomori City spends most of the year offering visitors a taste of a sleepy, seaside city mixed with forward-looking developments and modern art.

Combining the history of an established port town with modern facilities and attractions, the city has been called the economic and cultural center of the area.

Located on Hokkaido, the northernmost island in Japan, Hokadate sits under the vast 334m-high Mount Hakodate.

Hop on a tram that can take you from one end of the city to the other in just 45-minutes or enjoy a leisurely stroll through the area that takes you past historical buildings. Looking for a break and some soothing relaxation? The Yunokawa Onsen is a spa resort area offering up many hot spring hotel and inn options.

Referred to by locals as the Emerald Isle for its rolling green mountains, Kodiak is a verdant paradise. Nearly leveled by the Good Friday Earthquake, today Kodiak has fully recovered as one of the top fishing ports in the US for salmon, halibut, crab, and more. Originally inhabited by the Alutiiq natives, Kodiak has been both a site for Russian fur trading and a naval base during World Word II. Remnants of each of these influences can still be seen today as you walk the streets of Kodiak. From the blue cupolas of the Holy Resurrection Orthodox Cathedral to the Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park, Kodiak is a history buff’s dream. Step into the Alutiiq Museum and Archeological Repository to explore the largest collection of Alutiiq artifacts in the state, or stroll along the docks at St. Paul Boat Harbor and explore the Kodiak Maritime Museum.

Seward is one of Alaska’s oldest communities. Lying at the foot of Mount Marathon on Resurrection Bay, this scenic city offers unlimited ways to explore its natural splendor. Founded in the early 20th century as settlers plotted the construction of the northbound rail line, Seward’s ice-free port and crowning Harding Icefield quickly established the city as an important shipping terminal on the Kenai Peninsula and the southern terminus of the Iditarod National Historic trail. Temperate rainforest climate and active glaciers combine to offer countless tidewaters, marine-rich waters, lush forest trails, and a variety of wildlife.