JAPAN & ALASKA CRUISE: TOKYO, HUBBARD GLACIER & KETCHIKAN Cruise on Azamara Pursuit from Tokyo

Tokyo

Yokohama is located only half an hour away from Tokyo, and effectively forms a part of the giant conurbation. Yokohama's Chinatown is the largest in Japan and dates back to the Opening of Japan in 1859. Tokyo is a huge, wealthy and fascinating metropolis that brings high-tech visions of the future side by side with glimpses of old Japan, and has something for everyone.

Aomori (Japan)

Aomori is the capital city of Aomori Prefecture, in the northern Tohoku region of Japan. Aomori is located in central Aomori Prefecture, between the southern end of Mutsu Bay, which it faces to the north and the Hakkoda Mountains to the south. Aomori Nebuta is a famous festival performed from August 2 to August 7 every year and is one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan. Besides this, major attractions of Aomori include ruins, museums, and mountains. The Hakkoda Mountains have good locations for trekking with hot spas such as Sukayu Onsen. Attractions include Sannai-Maruyama historical site tours, believed to have been first settled 5500 years ago. Guided tours are available year round. The annual Nebuta Festival is said to be the biggest "fire festival" in Japan. Taking place over several weeks in August, a big parade with lit lantern floats and dancers in costumes ends each day.

Crossing International Date Line

KODIAK

Whittier (Alaska)

Valdez (Alaska)

Valdez is a city on Prince William Sound in the US state of Alaska. At the end of the 19th century, a port was developed in Valdez for gold prospectors who were pushing their way to Alaska and using the Valdez Trail. In 1964, Valdez was almost completely destroyed by the Good Friday earthquake and a tsunami that immediately followed. After the disaster, the city was quickly rebuilt. The city is important as the most important ice-free port in Alaska and the end point of the Trans-Alaska pipeline that runs across the entire state.

Hubbard Glacier (Alaska)

Hubbard Glacier is a glacier located in eastern Alaska and part of Canada and it is North America’s largest tidewater glacier. The ice you see at the terminal face is ap­proximately 450 years old and is over 2000 feet thick at some locations. The glacier was named in 1890 for Gardiner Hubbard, the first president of the National Geographic Society. The Hubbard Glacier is currently ad­vancing while most glaciers are retreating worldwide. The Hubbard Glacier will and does react in an opposite fashion to most glaciers in a warming climate. This is not in contradiction with current global tempera­ture increases.

Haines, Alaska

Set atop the mainland approximately 70 miles north of Juneau, Haines is a small port community of 2400 aproximately, characterized by its place in gold rush history and as the first Army post in Alaska.. It is located on the shores of the Lynn Canal, the state´s longest fjord, and surrounded by glacier-covered mountains of the Coast Range. The first thing you´ll notice when you arrive is how scenically beautiful it is. Haines is blessed with surrounding natural areas and wildlife in what is known as the "Valley of the Eagles." The area is a magnet for bald eagles, drawn by the warm open water and abundant supply of salmon. More than 3,500 of the birds visit from October to February. Each year, Haines hosts numerous annual events including the Southeast Alaska State Fair, the King Salmon Derby, and the Alaska Bald Eagle Festival

Icy Strait Point (Alaska)

The Icy Strait is a strait in the Alexander Archipelago that separates Chichagof Island to the south and the Alaska mainland to the north. Hoonah is on the north shore of Chichagof Island, on Icy Strait. The port at Hoonah is called Port Frederick Hoonah, being an island community, only accessible by boat or plane. Icy Strait Point, owned by Huna Totem Corporation, is located 35 miles west of Juneau in Hoonah, Alaska. When guests visit the historical town, which was once home to fishing cannery, they can partake in 21 different excursions, dine at one of the many restaurants or shop at our locally owned stores. Their staff is dedicated to providing a one-of-a-kind experience for each visitor by sharing Alaska’s natural beauty and Native Culture. They cater to cruise ship guests. Get out in nature, view Glacier Bay from the air, cruise with the whales, search for brown bears, listen to Tlingit Native stories, go Kayaking, experience Tlingit culture, book a charter fishing excursion, watch the wildlife, ride the world´s highest ZipRide: there is an excursion for everyone at Icy Strait Point.

Sitka, Alaska

Sitka is thought to be the most beautiful of southeast Alaska cities. Nestled on the west side of Baranof Island, it is flanked on the east by majestic snow-capped mountains, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. Their most valuable natural resource is, without a doubt, the people of Sitka, who share a pride in their home and a love of life in all its small-town splendor. The natural splendor of Sitka along with its diverse history and cultural heritage make Sitka a wonderful place to visit and explore. With views of island-studded waters and stately spruce forests reaching to the water´s edge, Sitka is considered Alaska´s most beautiful seaside town.  Sitka has the distinctive character of a place that has been settled for thousands of years.  These ancient lands, home to the Tlingit Indians, celebrated their life and culture long before Russians or Americans walked on the rocky shores and today Tlingit living culture is deeply rooted in this small seaside city.

Ketchican (Alaska)

Ketchikan is a scenic town of approximately 14,000 people. Ketchikan´s economy is based upon tourism and fishing, and the city is known as the "Salmon Capital of the World". A stay in Ketchikan itself can be rewarding, however, as the city is the gateway to Misty Fjords National Monument, an area so beautiful, it is known as "The Yosemite of the North." With steep valleys formed by glaciers and lava flows left by volcanic activity, Misty Fjords offers gorgeous views of natural formations, all reflected in the calm waters of Pacific inlets. The Ketchikan Visitors Bureau, located near the cruise ship berth 2, publishes a comprehensive area guide that provides maps, contact information for tour operators and local attractions, sample itineraries and community information. Explore the surrounding area: set on the hillsides above the waterfront on a heavily forested, mostly wilderness island, the town of Ketchikan is worth visiting on its own merits.

Klawock (Alaska)

NANAIMO, BRITISH COLUMBIA

VICTORIA

VANCOUVER