Our voyage starts with an overnight in Hong Kong - time to flex the credit card in the shopping malls, satisfy your appetite at the Temple Street Night Market, and take in the views from Victoria Peak. Next, Xiamen, where some of China's best beaches can be found, and a short ferry ride will take you to Gulangyu Island to see the grand former homes of European and Japanese residents. After a day at sea, we continue around the coast to Shanghai for two nights amid an irresistible mix of old and new, from the historic streets of the French Concession to shiny modern Pudong. Now we sail to South Korea. The port of Busan is our destination, for bustling street markets and Buddhist temples. Then we cross to Japan and Hiroshima, where there are moving monuments to contemplate, such as the Peace Park. Another day at sea takes us to Kobe for an overnight; take a stroll along Museum Road, studded with modern art installations. Two showstoppers are the climax of our journey: the spectacle of Shimizu's sweeping bay in the shadow of Mount Fuji, and the neon city of Tokyo, where an overnight stay ends this cruise.