Mitsui Ocean Cruises has partnered with Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) and various local port and tourism boards to enhance its shore excursion offerings, according to a company statement.

The collaboration aims to leverage the cruise line’s experience along Japan’s coastline to introduce new, culturally immersive excursions. These experiences are available on Mitsui Ocean Cruises’ ships, the Nippon Maru and the upcoming Mitsui Ocean Fuji, and will highlight Japan’s unique heritage across its 150 cruise-accessible ports, allowing the cruise line to continually refine its destination offerings.

“The wide variety of ports Japan offers and our focus on the smaller ship experience provide us a greater opportunity to create more bespoke and exclusive experiences based on what’s new, different and of potential guest interest,” said Sae Ichikawa, general manager of destination experience for Mitsui Ocean Cruises. “We are excited to optimize the guest experience ashore, so we welcome our partnerships with both Japan’s MLIT and local port and tourism boards across the country to deliver unique, memorable and engaging tours, many of which are exclusive for our guests only. We are also very proud to be able to support and contribute to the economy of the smaller ports around the country.”

“The Ministry places great importance on collaborating with Mitsui Ocean Cruises to develop premium shore excursion programs,” said Yusuke Hayashi, director of cruise market development, MLIT. “We look forward to Mitsui’s efforts to enhance shore excursion offerings and develop innovative programs at emerging ports.”

New excursions include:

• Fugu Restaurant and Usuki Castle Town (Beppu): Guests explore the Usuki Stone Buddhas, a collection of 60 statues (59 of which are national treasures). The tour includes a pufferfish lunch and a walk through Usuki’s historic castle town, visiting sites like Usuki Castle ruins and the Nogami Yaeko Literature Museum.
• Okonomiyaki in-Depth (Hiroshima): A visit to the Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki restaurant Micchan, reserved exclusively for guests. Here, they enjoy this layered savory pancake and learn its cultural significance and history.
• Shikoku Pilgrim Walking (Sakaide): This guided tour follows a section of the Shikoku pilgrimage route to Negoro-ji Temple, with historical insights and a monk-led visit to Ritsurin Park’s traditional hospitality garden.
• Zentsuji Temple with Monk (Takamatsu): A special tour led by a monk through the birthplace of Kobo Daishi, including rare access to the Five-Storied Pagoda, a significant cultural landmark.