tales of travel

There’s no substitute for seeing a destination with your own eyes, and that’s exactly why our advisors travel. This spring, Kathy Maloney set off for Japan during one of its most magical windows: cherry blossom season. Over the course of the trip — much of it spent aboard the Mitsui Ocean Fuji, with a brief crossing to Busan, South Korea — she traded the guidebook version of Japan for the real thing.

What she found was a country of beautiful contradictions: temples that feel both sacred and savvy, cities that are impossibly orderly yet endlessly surprising, and gardens so meticulously tended they look painted. She walked beneath tunnels of falling cherry blossoms in Busan, stood among a thousand stone lanterns honoring young WWII pilots, and discovered that her favorite meal of the entire journey came not from a famous restaurant, but a quiet conference room in a small local hotel.

Below, Kathy shares it all in her own words — first impressions, the moments that gave her goosebumps, and an honest, stop-by-stop look at where this remarkable journey took her.

Read Kathy’s complete Adventure Summary:

Kathy’s Expert Discovery Trip

Japan, Through Kathy’s Eyes

“Japan will exceed your expectations and surprise you every day — the care, the pride, the respect shown to visitors and to each other. You feel special when you visit.”

First impressions I expected modern, contemporary life — sleek transportation and services — woven together with beautifully preserved ancient sites, all of it safe, orderly, and running exactly on time.

What surprised me How commercial the temples and shrines are. For supposedly sacred spaces, they’re remarkably good at turning worship, wishes, and respects into something you pay for. (I was also pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to grab a taxi in the cities during cherry blossom season.)

How I’d describe it to a friend Public spaces are spotless — though trash cans are surprisingly hard to find. Respect and politeness run deep, you feel safe everywhere, and every tree, bush, and garden is expertly manicured, even tucked among Tokyo’s skyscrapers.

What moment gave you goosebumps? We spent a day in Busan including an excursion to the Samnak Ecological Park. The park has a 4km paved walking and biking trail that is lined on both sides with thousands of cherry blossom trees that create an arch over the trail. We were there on a sunny, breezy day at the peak of the season and walked a few miles on this trail that felt magical on this day. We saw very few westerners and many locals were out biking or using the public exercise equipment along the trail. The cherry blossom petals were starting to fall off the trees and were raining on the trail. Definitely goosebumps!

What moment “Wowed” you? Most of our trip was spent on the Mitsui Ocean Fuji cruise ship, and one of the excursions arranged through the ship was to the Chiran Peace Museum in Chiran, Minamikyushu City, Kagoshima Prefecture. The museum sits on the site of the former Imperial Japanese Army Chiran Air Base and is a memorial to 1,036 young kamikaze pilots who died at the very end of World War II in the Battle of Okinawa. From reading the letters they wrote to their families just before their missions, it seemed that none of their families knew ahead of time that these very young men were about to sacrifice themselves for their country. It was sobering to think about the desperation in the country at the time that made the pilots volunteer for these missions. Outside the museum there are 1,036 stone lanterns to memorialize each pilot. Not the kind of Wow experience that is a delight, but Wow in making you stop and think about a culture that asked hundreds of very young people to sacrifice themselves for their country and thousands said yes.

Did it feel safe? Yes, very. Japan is extremely safe, and every hotel, convenience store, and restaurant seems to overemploy people — there’s always someone nearby ready to help.

My #1 practical tip Don’t bother packing an umbrella — they’re available everywhere. And learn to say hello and thank you; a little effort goes a long way.

A cultural custom that stuck with me Removing your shoes in special places and in the home. (If only I could get my own family to do it!)

What I learned That Japan drives on the left — and that the custom is actually a very old one, rooted in a Samurai tradition.

On the hotels The Cross Hotel in Kyoto has an unbeatable location — under a minute’s walk to the Shirakawa Canal and nearly as close to the Kamogawa River, with wide riverside paths perfect for early-morning walks. Both the Cross Hotel and the Mitsui ship delivered excellent service: the Cross’s concierge team all spoke superb English, and the ship’s cabin staff anticipated questions before I could even ask them.

If Asia feels intimidating… When you travel to Japan, you’ll quickly see it’s one of the safest, most organized, and cleanest places you’ve ever visited. Street signs, menus, and transit signage often appear in English, and Google Translate (plus instant camera translation) make communicating easy. You can dine without a worry, because the food and water are very safe.

Destination by Destination

Kyoto

OpenWalkableSerene

What stood out: Surprisingly quiet for a city.

Who’ll love itCulture and history lovers.

Who might notHonestly, hard to imagine — there’s something here for everyone.

If someone only had time for one stop from this itinerary: A walk through the Pontocho area of Kyoto with time to stop and dine. Being from the 1670s, the area is historic and atmospheric, quiet and without cars. Red lanterns at night look magical and there are dozens of places to eat within a short distance. This stop just feels very Japanese, traditional and authentic.

Tokyo

LargeCrowdedSteel

What stood out: Tall buildings everywhere you look.

Who’ll love itPeople who love big cities and fashion.

Who might notTravelers searching for unique charm.

Mitsui Ocean Fuji Cruise Ship (7 nights aboard)

LuxuryServiceElegance

What stood out: A pristine ship with abundant staff always at the ready.

Who’ll love itTravelers who want instant service, fine dining, a smaller ship, and unpacking just once.

Who might notAnyone easily prone to seasickness when the open water gets rough.

Ibusuki — Chiran Peace Museum & Samurai Residence Garden

SomberGreenQuiet

What stood out: Stone lanterns lining the walkway — each one memorializing a kamikaze WWII pilot.

Who’ll love itHistory lovers.

Who might notTravelers who’ve already seen one too many history museums.

Sasebo & Hirado Castle, Hirado Island

HillyCoastalRural

What stood out: Tea fields.

Who’ll love itCoastal-view lovers looking for somewhere with fewer tourists.

Who might notAnyone with mobility issues — it’s a little hilly.

Busan, Korea

ContemporaryBustlingSkyscrapers

What stood out: People are noticeably less formal than in Japan — a man casually leaning on a car at the cruise terminal said it all.

Who’ll love itCity lovers.

Who might notNature lovers.