Japan Through the Ages With Jared Diamond

In September 2026, join us on an incredible journey to discover northern Hokkaido, western Japan and the southern Nansei Islands. Throughout the voyage, we will be accompanied by special guest lecturer Jared Diamond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of some of the most influential books of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. In a series of lectures and discussions, Professor Diamond will bring his experience and expertise to bear, providing insight into the significance of the history and culture we encounter.

Japan is a land of contrasts. It is one of the largest economic powers in the world: ultramodern and technologically advanced, yet it honors and cherishes its unique customs and ancient heritage. Glittering, dynamic modern metropolises coexist with centuries-old shrines and feudal castles. Throughout our journey, we explore these contradictory aspects as they are reflected across Japan’s well-preserved historic towns, gardens, and villages, futuristic cities, and idyllic rural landscapes.

Traditional elements are apparent in the architecture and adornments of sublime Shinto shrines, the castle at Kumamoto, the open-air Historic Village of Hokkaido, and the Hakodate Museum of Northern Peoples. Ancient aesthetics come alive in the exquisitely designed gardens of Suizenji Jojuen, the Prefectural Traditional Crafts Center in Kumamoto, and the continued production of Oshima Tsumugi silk. Modernist impulses are evident in thriving urban centers like Sapporo and Fukuoka, in Moerenuma Park featuring the work of sculptor Noguchi Isamu, and at the Space Center on Tanegashima Island.

As a nation of sprawling islands, Japan is best explored by sea, and we have the ideal vessel for the task. Aboard the Mitsui Ocean Fuji, guests enjoy an immersive cruise experience rooted in Japanese heritage and traditions, including omotenashi, the art of heartfelt and meticulous hospitality. During the voyage, guests may participate in authentic Japanese cultural activities from tea ceremonies and calligraphy workshops to performances by Japanese artists, enriching the overall travel experience. With a long company history of sailing Japanese waters, Mitsui has unparalleled expertise in navigating Japanese routes, and its dedicated English-speaking Japanese officers and international hotel crew possess deep knowledge of Japan’s known and hidden treasures.

We look forward to welcoming you aboard this extraordinary voyage to explore Japan’s history, culture, nature, and society.

Warm Regards,
Michael Shermer 
Executive Director, Skeptics Society

9% of your expedition fee will be a tax-deductible donation to the Skeptics Society — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

About Your Host: Jared Diamond

Jared Diamond is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author of six best-selling books, translated into 38 languages, about human societies and human evolution: Guns, Germs, and Steel; Collapse; Why Is Sex Fun?; The Third Chimpanzee; The World Until Yesterday, and Upheaval. As a professor of geography at UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles), he is known for his breadth of interests, which involves conducting research and teaching in three other fields: the biology of New Guinea birds, digestive physiology, and conservation biology. His prizes and honors include the U.S. National Medal of Science, the Pulitzer Prize for Non-fiction, the Tyler Prize for Environmental Science, and election to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. He is a director of World Wildlife Fund/U.S. and of Conservation International. As a biological explorer, his most widely publicized finding was his rediscovery, at the top of New Guinea’s remote Foja Mountains, of the long-lost Golden-fronted Bowerbird, previously known only from four specimens found in a Paris feather shop in 1895.

Itinerary, Rates, and Inclusions

For a detailed, day-to-day itinerary, rates, and inclusions, please download and share with family and friends the complete 8-page Expedition Brochure (PDF):

For reservations and questions, please call Thalassa Journeys:

IMPORTANT! This expedition must be booked through Thalassa Journeys. Please do not book through your own travel agent.