Japan, Russia & North Pacific Crossing Collector

A city where you’ll find centuries-old culture jostling for position next to cutting-edge technology – a fabulous blend of history and modernity that has to be seen to be believed.

This cosmopolitan port city is known for more than just its world-famous Kobe beef. Discover the boutiques and markets of the Motomashi and Kokashita districts, explore the Fashion Museum or venture out to the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge-the longest suspension bridge in the world. In the Kitano district, tour stately injikan, western-style Victorian and Gothic homes, or enjoy a glass of sake from one of Kobe's famed wineries.

High atop a hill in Kochi sits 17th-century Kochi Castle, once the seat of the Yamauchi lords. Explore this historic site and enjoy panoramic views of the city, then dine on sushi at Hirome Market.

Kanazawa is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, on Japan’s central Honshu Island. It's known for well-preserved Edo-era districts, art museums and regional handicrafts. Kenrokuen Garden, begun in the 17th century, is celebrated for its classic landscape designs incorporating ponds and streams.

Off-limits during much of the Soviet era, Vladivostok is perhaps best known as one end of the Trans-Siberian Railway and—at least among Russians—for its many hills, which leads to comparisons with another city by the sea, San Francisco. But Vladivostok, nestled in the hook-shaped Golden Horn Bay that lies between two large gulfs, hasn’t even been Russian all that long. It was ceded by the Qing dynasty in 1860 through the Treaty of Peking, when it was only a small Manchu fishing enclave (which explains why the local cuisine reflects strong Chinese, as well as Japanese and Korean, influences).By the early 1900s, Vladivostok had grown past its phase as a military post and into a truly international port, drawing people from around the world—including Yul Brynner's grandfather, for one, who had arrived from Switzerland. During that boom time, the city rapidly filled with theaters, music halls and other fine buildings that still stand, as do the tramways linking them. The arts continue to thrive: Today, the brand-new glass-and-steel Primorsky Stage is a branch of St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky, while a Hermitage Vladivostok is due to open soon. A statue honoring Vladivostok's famous native son Yul Brynner, who was born here in 1920, was also recently erected.

Located on the Sea of Japan just north of Sapporo, Otaru is one of Japan's most picturesque cities. Stroll along the historic Otaru Canal built in 1914; visit Herring Mansion, the lavish home built in 1922 for a wealthy herring fisheries owner; and explore Sapporo's Nijo Ichiba Market for a glimpse of the local lifestyle and enthusiastic trade negotiations. Sample shore excursions: Otaru & the Herring Mansion; The Otaru Gourmet: Sushi & Sake; The Best of Sapporo.

Most Japanese used to think of Aomori merely as the place you caught the ferry to when you were going to Hokkaido. By the time you’d gotten here, they figured, you were pretty much at the edge of the civilized world. The small Tsugaru Strait that separates Honshu from Hokkaido isn’t big—only about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) at its narrowest point—but it’s ecologically important: Hokkaido has animals related to northern Asia, whereas Honshu’s are more closely related to southern Asia’s. The strait is also famous for sudden, very rough weather and for no shortage of shipwrecks. The city was flattened in World War II, so there isn’t much history left to see. Still, it’s a lovely area, not much congestion or development, and because the town is still the major gateway to Hokkaido, the city has money to spend on architecture and parks. Its setting on the edge of Mutsu Bay means you will often be surprised by lovely water views through the buildings. The old way of thinking of Aomori is over. Aomori may not be quite what most people think of when they plan a Japan trip, but it is what Japan thinks of when they consider where they got the new century right.

Explore Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan from the base of Hakodate or fall in love with the city itself.

A city where you’ll find centuries-old culture jostling for position next to cutting-edge technology – a fabulous blend of history and modernity that has to be seen to be believed.

Known for its markets and deep-sea fishing, Kushiro is also your gateway to Japan’s beautiful eastern Hokkaido region. Wander among the stalls at Kushiro’s Washo Market and sample local seafood specialties; visit the Kushiro Japanese Crane Reserve; and travel through the lush countryside to marvel at the translucent beauty of Lake Mashu in Akan National Park.

The port of Kodiak is located on the Chiniak Bay on the north-eastern coast of Kodiak Island, Alaska. Also known as the fishing port, Kodiak is famous for its fresh fish as well as its flora and fauna where the Alaskan brown bear, wild eagles and moose live.

The ports of Alaska inspire visions of remote wilderness outposts, legendary gold-rush towns and Native Alaskan villages, all set amid lush forests and frigid, glacier-flanked waters. And while you’ll certainly find these things in and around Sitka, you’ll witness a unique slice of Alaskan history not found anywhere else. Russia controlled Alaska from the mid-1700s until the United States purchased it in 1867, and Sitka was settled as the capital of Russian America under the name New Archangel. Sailing into Sitka today, you’ll still see vestiges of Russia’s influence, including the unmistakable onion dome of St. Michael’s Cathedral and the Russian Bishop’s House, both National Historic Landmarks. Stop by the visitor center of the Sitka National Historical Park to peruse its interesting collections of Russian and Native Alaskan artifacts, and then join a ranger-led tour of the battlefield where Russia defeated the native Tlingit people. Sitka also boasts an abundance of epic natural scenery and wildlife. Take a walk up Castle Hill to enjoy an ideal vantage point across the water to the dormant volcano Mount Edgecumbe, and trips to the nearby Fortress of the Bear and the Alaska Raptor Center offer up-close encounters with some of Alaska’s most captivating creatures.

Super-scenic Ketchikan sits on the edge of Revillagigedo Island, surrounded by the verdant Tongass National Forest. Its waters are rich with Pacific salmon, a fact which drew native Tlingit and industrial fishermen here, not to mention an abundance of wildlife. Black bears can often be seen catching fish from passing streams, while birds of prey soar over glacial mountains.

Seattle may be famous for its rainy weather, but the West Coast’s ‘Emerald City’ also boasts green parks, delicious coffee, and colourful neighbourhoods filled with music, artists, and farmers’ markets.