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Cruises to Japan

Japan sailings are long on sea days and short on repeat ports, so a well-run ship carries the trip. These are the ships cruising Japan, ranked by our Vessel Class grade.

See all Japan sailings →
◆Which ship is right for you◆
Top of the class
Sapphire Princess
This Large resort ship from Princess Cruises leads every Japan vessel on our grade.
Travelers' favorite
3.9
Diamond Princess
Highest review score in the region: 3.9/5 across 956 published reviews.
◆Best ships sailing Japan◆
#93
Sapphire Princess
Princess Cruises · Premium
Large resort ship (2,670 guests) · refit 2025 · Recently refreshed · Great for families
Vessel
4.0Reviews
#99
Diamond Princess
Princess Cruises · Premium
Large resort ship (2,670 guests) · refit 2023 · Recently refreshed
Vessel
3.9Reviews
◆Ports you’ll visit◆
Tokyo (Yokohama)
At Sea
Hakodate
Aomori
Akita
Niigata
Kanazawa, Japan
Sakaiminato
Busan
Seaside temples cling to cliffs above a rainbow hillside village.
Nagasaki
Harbor city of cathedrals, peace memorials, and a ghostly abandoned island.
Kagoshima
Miyazaki (Aburatsu)
◆When to go◆
Japan's cruise season runs roughly March to November. Late March into April is cherry-blossom season, the marquee window, and the busiest. October and November bring autumn foliage and crisp, clear days. Summer is warm and humid with a typhoon risk from August.
Oct 20262 sailingsNov 20262 sailingsMar 20272 sailingsAug 20273 sailingsMay 20285 sailingsApr 20276 sailingsSep 20272 sailingsOct 20286 sailingsOct 20275 sailingsJun 202810 sailingsSep 20282 sailingsJun 20278 sailingsJul 20277 sailingsMay 20275 sailingsNov 20272 sailingsNov 20281 sailingsMar 20282 sailingsApr 20289 sailingsAug 20285 sailingsJul 20289 sailings
◆Common questions◆
When is the best time to cruise Japan?

Japan's cruise season runs roughly March to November. Late March into April is cherry-blossom season, the marquee window, and the busiest. October and November bring autumn foliage and crisp, clear days. Summer is warm and humid with a typhoon risk from August.

How long are Japan cruises?

The Japan sailings CruiseIndex tracks run 8 to 28 nights.

Which ports do Japan cruises visit?

Tracked Japan itineraries call at Tokyo (Yokohama), At Sea, Hakodate, Aomori, Akita and Niigata.

What is the best cruise ship in Japan?

Sapphire Princess (Princess Cruises) currently holds the region's top Vessel Class grade, #93 in our fleet-wide ranking.

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Lines sailing JapanPrincess Cruises

Vessel Class and Review Score scores are live and real. Fares shown on sailing pages are preview samples until the live fare feed arrives.