Cruises visiting Shimoda, Kumamoto (Japan)

It’s on the far south of the Izu peninsula, south-west of Tokyo, that you’ll find the pretty town of Shimoda. It is renowned for having been one of the first harbours to open to westerners under the threat of the  “black ships” of the American commodore Matthew Perry, in the 19th century. Surrounded by mountains, Shimoda is a favourite holiday location. You’ll succumb to the silence of its temples, especially Hofuku-ji  or Ryosen-ji, and you will also be won over by the friendliness of its cafés and the guaranteed freshness of the produce in its restaurants.