Nagasaki

Our first port of call was Nagasaki, a city that most people immediately associate with one event in history. And while that chapter can never be ignored, we quickly discovered there's far more to the city than its past.

We started at Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum. It's one of those places where you naturally speak more quietly. The museum doesn't try to overwhelm you, it simply tells the story, and by the time you walk through the park, the message is obvious: remember what happened and make sure it never happens again. It was probably the most thought-provoking stop of the whole trip.

Thankfully, the mood became considerably lighter afterwards as we took the ropeway up Mount Inasa. The views over Nagasaki's harbour are spectacular, and it's easy to understand why they're considered among Japan's best city panoramas.

Lunch was at a traditional local restaurant where we finally sampled proper Nagasaki cuisine before continuing our walk through Chinatown, the shopping arcades and the colourful Confucius Shrine. Having spent the previous days in ultra-modern Shanghai, it was nice to slow the pace a little. Nagasaki feels smaller, friendlier and much easier to explore on foot, with trams quietly connecting everything together.

Before we knew it, it was time to head back to the ship.

That's the only downside of visiting a city on a cruise. Just as you feel you've started to understand the place, somebody blows a horn to remind you that your floating hotel isn't waiting around.

Nagasaki definitely deserves more than a day.

Although, if every city gave us an excuse to come back, this holiday could easily turn into a five-year project.