For Star Navigator’s shore excursions, Naha is the one I’m most excited about. The first reason is that it has white, sandy, tropical beaches—a place I don’t usually associate with Japan. And second, being part of Okinawa Prefecture, it’s so remotely located it’s actually closer to Taiwan than mainland Japan—a place that most tourists are not easily able to access. Naha is so far; it actually took us more than a day and a half to reach it from Kumamoto.

Hues of blues and warm oranges paint the skies as our ship parted the still waters of Kumamoto. A jagged range of mountains silhouetted the horizon, their edges aglow with the setting sun. On our right, a small solitary lighthouse stood on an islet—painted in immaculate whites, its lights winking a silent sayonara to us. We were midway through our five-night StarDream cruise to Japan—suspended between hellos and goodbyes aboard the Star Navigator—on a journey filled with luxurious entertainment, a flood of delectable food, and quick adventures.