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February 4 - 12, 2009 (9 Days & 7 Nights)
$100 EARLY BOOKING DISCOUNT
(deposit must be made by 07/31/2008)
Included Features:
Narita, Chitose, Sapporo, Otaru, Asahikawa, Sounkyo Valley, Abashiri, Lake Akan, Tokachigawa Onsen, Shiraoi, Noboribetsu, Chitose, Narita
TWIN RATE:
$3,195 per person |
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT:
$ 395 per person |
LAND ONLY:
$2,375 per person |
(Individual arrangements to meet group are not included)
Wednesday, February 4 (Day 01)
HONOLULU to NARITA to CHITOSE
Our tour commences this morning when we assemble at the Japan Airlines lobby at the airport for check in procedures for our flight to Narita International Airport. Lunch and a snack will be served on board the flight. After completing entry and customs formalities at Narita Airport, we will check in for our domestic flight to Chitose International Airport in Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost and second largest island.
Thursday, February 5 (Day 02)
ARRIVE CHITOSE
On arrival at Chitose Airport in the evening, we will transfer to our hotel located within the airport to check in for the night.
Accommodations at HOTEL COM’S or similar
Friday, February 6 (Day 03)
CHITOSE - SAPPORO (B)(D)
This morning we’ll make a stop at a shoe shop to purchase special snow shoes to wear during our tour. (optional). We’ll visit the Chitose Shikotsu-ko Hyoto Ice Festival, a fantastic world of ice and snow sculptures at Lake Shikotsu, a beautiful caldera lake located in the central part of Hokkaido. Famed for the clarity of its water, it forms a part of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park. We’ll continue on to the city of Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido and host of the largest winter festival to spend the next two nights. Enjoy viewing hundreds of spectacular snow statues and ice sculptures - centered on Odori Park at the Sapporo Yuki Matsuri (Snow Festival). Created by various artisans, each block has its own special feature, turning Odori Park into a fabulous winter dreamland. In the evening, the festival site is a spectacular sight to see, beautifully illuminated with colored lights. We’ll travel on to the charming port city of Otaru, best known for the historic Otaru Canal. Sections of the canal are lined with many photogenic Meiji and Taisho-era buildings, giving it the atmosphere of an old harbor town. Otaru is also known for its elegant glassware and we’ll have some time to stroll through some of the shops. This evening, enjoy a delicious “Genghis Khan” dinner at the Sapporo Beer Garden.
Accommodations at CENTURY ROYAL HOTEL or similar
Saturday, February 7 (Day 04)
SAPPORO (B)
Hokkaido is the birthplace of beer in Japan and we’ll visit one of their factories to take a guided tour of their facility. At the conclusion of the tour, enjoy samples of some of their delicious products. We’ll visit Susukino, Sapporo’s main entertainment and shopping district - a crystal wonderland displaying more than 100 spectacular ice carvings lining the main street. For lunch, try some delicious Sapporo ramen at Ramen Yokocho, a narrow alley with many small shops serving a wide variety of delicious ramen. Dinner will be on your own this evening.
Accommodations at CENTURY ROYAL HOTEL or similar
Sunday, February 8 (Day 05)
SAPPORO - ASAHIKAWA - SOUNKYO VALLEY (B)(D)
We’ll continue our journey northeast to Asahikawa, the second largest city in Hokkaido. Historically, this area was one of the largest Ainu settlements in Hokkaido. We’ll visit Asahikawa’s own yuki matsuri, the second largest winter festival in Hokkaido to view some spectacular ice carvings and enormous snow sculptures. This afternoon, enjoy some samples of Japan’s most historic brands of sake at the Otokoyama Sake Brewery Museum where displays and exhibits demonstrate the sake production process. Our travel continues on to Sounkyo, a hot spring resort nestled in the middle of Sounkyo Valley in Daisetsuzan National Park, the largest of Japan’s national parks. Enjoy dinner and relax in our onsen hotel overlooking the breathtaking Hyobaku Ice Festival in Sounkyo Valley.
Accommodations at HOTEL DAISETSU or similar
Monday, February 9 (Day 06)
SOUNKYO VALLEY - ABASHIRI (B)(D)
This morning we’ll visit the Hyobaku Ice Festival , a fantastic world of ice with spectacular man-made ice and snow sculptures and fascinating ice caves produced by the freezing water of the Ishikari River, the mother river of Hokkaido. Sounkyo Gorge, one of Japan’s most renowned gorge extends along the Ishikari River and is renowned for its impressive waterfalls. We’ll make a photo stop to see two of the most picturesque ones - Ryusei-no-taki (Shooting Star Falls) and Ginga-no-taki (Milky Way Falls). We’ll continue on to Abashiri, a town located on the northern coast of Hokkaido and best known as the site of Japan’s first maximum security prison and for its drift ice. We’ll visit the Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum located on Mount Tento featuring exhibits and a video explaining the history of sea drift ice (ryu-hyo) that floes into the Sea of Okhotsk from Russia. Time permitting, enjoy an outdoor snow activity at this site. Dinner will be provided for you this evening at our onsen hotel.
Accommodations at ABASHIRI KANKO HOTEL or similar
Tuesday, February 10 (Day 07)
ABASHIRI - LAKE AKAN - IKEDA - TOKACHIGAWA ONSEN (B)(D)
Weather permitting, enjoy an exciting experience as we board an icebreaker boat and cruise on the North Hokkaido Sea through the drift ice that floes into the Sea of Okhotsk. We’ll continue on to Lake Akan, a beautiful crater lake in Akan National Park, home to “marimo”, a rare green algae species designated as a National Special Natural Monument. Weather permitting, experience and enjoy some of the outdoor winter activities offered at the lake - ice fishing, ice skating, snowmobile rides and more. (own expense). Enjoy dinner and relax in the quaint surroundings of our onsen hotel this evening.
Accommodations at HOTEL DAIHEIGEN or similar
Wednesday, February 11 (Day 08)
TOKACHIGAWA - SHIRAOI - NOBORIBETSU ONSEN (B)(D)
Our journey continues on to the town of Shiraoi, visiting Poroto Kotan, a reconstructed Ainu Village and the Ainu Museum. The museum displays interesting exhibits and artifacts relating to the history, culture and lifestyle of the Ainu people. Enjoy a traditional song and dance performance by some of the Ainu villagers and see a demonstration of how to play the “mukkur”, a kind of mouth harp made of a piece of thin shaved bamboo with a thread attached to it. We’ll travel on to Noboribetsu, Hokkaido’s most famous hot spring resort beautifully surrounded by forested hills. One of the major attractions in the area is Jigokudani (Hell Valley), a ravine with sulfurous volcanic pits and geysers. Enjoy dinner and relax in the hot springs at our fabulous onsen hotel this evening.
Accommodations at NOBORIBETSU GRAND HOTEL or similar
Thursday, February 12 (Day 09)
NOBORIBETSU - CHITOSE - NARITA TO HONOLULU (B)
After breakfast this morning, we’ll transfer to the Chitose Airport for our domestic flight to Narita International Airport. We’ll depart on an evening flight to Honolulu, arriving on the same day due to the crossing of the International Dateline. A late meal will be served on board the flight.
The tour price is based on double occupancy and a minimum group size of 20 passengers. Fare adjustment may apply for groups of 20 or under. The rate is based on tariffs and exchange rates effective 05/01/08. Tour fare is subject to change according to any airfare increase and fluctuation of the rate of exchange between U.S. and foreign currency. In the event of revaluation, the land portion of the tour price may be adjusted prior to your final statement.
Land portion based on 110 Yen = $1.00 U.S.
2009 Terms & Conditions
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