Asuka II & III
Japan’s own ships — Japanese-language cruises from Yokohama and Kobe
Where does Asuka II & III dock in Japan?
The berth decides your day. Port by port, with the one guided day that fits the call most ships make there.
YokohamaA bronze Buddha sitting in the open air, 46 minutes by train.BerthOsanbashi
Into townTrain to Yokohama Station, 6 min, ¥230
Usually 09:00–17:00 at Osanbashi Pier, and most calls are turnaround days: one cruise ends and the next begins.
The Yokohama port page →
KobeTen thousand vermilion torii climbing a mountain, five minutes from Kyoto Station.BerthKobe Port Terminal (most international ships) or Naka Pier
Into townTrain to Sannomiya, ~5 min, ¥210
The Kobe port page →
FukuokaA hundred riverside food stalls with ten stools each, open from dusk.BerthHakata Port, Chuo Wharf
Into townBus to Hakata Station, 18–20 min, ¥260
The Fukuoka port page →
TokyoTokyo's oldest temple behind a great red lantern, about an hour away.BerthTokyo Intl. Cruise Terminal or Harumi
Into townTrain to Shimbashi, 20 min, ¥390
The Tokyo port page →
NagoyaA castle palace, a sword shrine and eel rice, one train away.BerthKinjo Pier berths 80–81
Into townTrain to Nagoya Station by the Aonami Line, 10 min, Adult ¥360, child ¥180
The Nagoya port page →
OsakaTakoyaki, okonomiyaki and a 580-metre covered market, ¥290 by subway.BerthTempozan, Osaka Port
Into townTrain to Dotonbori, ~30 min
The Osaka port page →
KochiOne of Japan's twelve original keeps, steep stairs to the top.BerthKochi New Port
Into townShuttle to City centre, ~25–30 min
The Kochi port page →
ShimizuMt. Fuji over the bay, and a tuna bowl 25 minutes from your gangway.BerthHinode Pier
Into townWalk to Fish market, ~20–25 min
Asuka III stays to 22:00 on 3 October 2026 and to 19:00 on 21 November; Asuka II’s 15 October call is 09:00–17:00 at Okitsu.
The Shimizu port page →
TobaJapan's most important Shinto shrine, free, 40–50 minutes by train and bus.BerthTender port, no berth
Into townWalk to Toba town, 5–10 min
The Toba port page →
NagasakiThe Peace Park statue and the museum, 40 minutes by tram.BerthDowntown
Into townWalk to Glover Garden, 10–15 min, free on foot
The Nagasaki port page →
KagoshimaA smoking volcano 15 minutes across the water, ¥250 by ferry.BerthMarine Port Kagoshima
Into townShuttle to Town, ~30 min
The Kagoshima port page →
HiroshimaThe A-Bomb Dome, the cenotaph and the museum, 35 minutes by tram.BerthUjina or Itsukaichi
Into townTram to A-Bomb Dome, 35–37 min, ¥240 flat
Asuka III overnights: in at 18:00 on 27 October 2026, out at 15:00 on 28 October — an evening in town and a morning for Miyajima.
The Hiroshima port page →
Sendai–ShiogamaAbout 260 pine-covered islets in a shallow bay, 20 minutes by train.BerthTakamatsu Wharf No.2
Into townTaxi to JR Nakanosakae, ~10 min
The Sendai–Shiogama port page →
AkitaSix samurai houses behind black board fences, 42–49 minutes by shinkansen.BerthNakajima Wharf, Akita Port
Into townBus to Akita Station, 10 min, ¥550
The Akita port page →
HakodateCrab, scallops and sea urchin in a bowl, three minutes' walk away.BerthWakamatsu
Into townWalk to Morning market, 3 min
The Hakodate port page →
AomoriGiant lit warriors of paper and wire, 16 minutes' walk away.BerthShin-Chuo Wharf
Into townWalk to Waterfront, 15–20 min
The Aomori port page →
NahaThe hilltop castle of the Ryukyu kings, rebuilt after the 2019 fire.BerthWakasa terminal or Shinko No.12
Into townWalk to Kokusai-dori, ~20 min
The Naha port page →
MiyakojimaSeven kilometres of white sand over clear shallows, 20 minutes by car.BerthHirara Port cruise berth
Into townWalk to Hirara town, ~15 min
The Miyakojima port page →
IshigakiCoral-stone walls, red tiled roofs and white sand lanes, 15 minutes offshore.BerthNew Port cruise quay (Painuhama)
Into townShuttle to Town, ~10 min
The Ishigaki port page →
BusanA hillside of stepped, pastel-painted houses, 15 minutes by taxi.BerthTwo terminals
Into townWalk to Busan Station, ~10–15 min
The Busan port page →Your call, port by port: Kobe (8 h) · Hiroshima (21 h) · Fukuoka (8.5 h) · Yokohama (8 h) · Sendai–Shiogama (5.5 h) · Kagoshima (9 h) · Shimizu (11 h) · Kochi (9 h) · Tokyo (8 h) · Nagoya (8.7 h) · Naha (12.5 h) · Toba (9.5 h) · Miyakojima (9 h)
Call dates and other ships at each port: Cruises to Yokohama · Cruises to Kobe · Cruises to Fukuoka · Cruises to Nagoya · Cruises to Osaka · Cruises to Kochi · Cruises to Shimizu · Cruises to Toba · Cruises to Nagasaki · Cruises to Kagoshima · Cruises to Hiroshima · Cruises to Sendai–Shiogama · Cruises to Akita · Cruises to Hakodate · Cruises to Aomori · Cruises to Naha · Cruises to Miyakojima · Cruises to Ishigaki
Asuka II and Asuka III are Japanese ships for Japanese travellers: short cruises that begin and end at Yokohama, Kobe, Hakata, Tokyo or Nagoya, with 80 calls on the port lists from October 2026 to May 2027.
Three things Asuka II & III passengers should know
Asuka cruises are planned, priced and sold in Japanese, mostly through Japanese travel agencies. NYK Cruises says it wants more international guests, but plan your own shore days in English.
NYK Cruises has an English page (voyage.asukacruise.co.jp/en) with a contact form. Bookings go through the travel agencies on its agency list, mostly Japanese, plus four Taiwan-based agencies including Lion Travel.
Most Yokohama, Kobe and Hakata calls are embarkation and disembarkation days. If you are boarding, the port pages cover the terminal and transport.
Questions Asuka II & III passengers ask
Can foreigners sail on Asuka II or Asuka III?
Yes. NYK Cruises has an English site with a contact form, and its list of booking agencies includes Japanese travel agencies and four Taiwan-based agencies (Asuka International Travel Service, Lion Travel, Livewell Group and Chi Bao Travel). The cruises are Japanese-language, and the main booking site is in Japanese.
Where do Asuka II and Asuka III sail?
Mostly short cruises around Japan from Yokohama, Kobe, Hakata, Tokyo and Nagoya. From October 2026 the port lists show calls from Hakodate and Aomori in the north to Naha, Miyakojima and Ishigaki in Okinawa, plus voyages to Busan, Jeju, Keelung, Kaohsiung and Guam.
