Thursday, October 14 (Day 01)
HONOLULU to NARITA to CHITOSE
Our tour commences this morning when we assemble at the Japan Airlines lobby at the airport for baggage check-in procedures. We will depart Honolulu on Japan Airlines for Narita International Airport. Lunch and a snack will be served on board the flight. After completing entry and customs formalities at Narita Airport, we’ll transfer for our domestic flight to Chitose International Airport in Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost and second largest island.
Friday, October 15 (Day 02)
ARRIVE CHITOSE
Upon arrival at Chitose Airport, we’ll walk to our hotel located in the airport to check in for the night.
Accommodations at HOTEL COM’S NEW CHITOSE or similar
Saturday, October 16 (Day 03)
CHITOSE - OTARU - SAPPORO (B)(D)
We’ll travel to Otaru, a charming port city known for its 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 delicate glassware. Enjoy browsing through the various glass shops displaying many of their intricate products available for purchase. We’ll proceed to the city of Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido and the fifth largest city in Japan. Enjoy a tour of the Historical Museum of Hokkaido located in the Nopporo Forest Park. The Main Exhibition Room is divided into eight chronological themes that examine the lifestyles and cultures of Hokkaido - starting with basic survival, right up to the present, and with a look into the future as well. We’ll drive by Tokei-dai (Clock Tower), the symbol and landmark of Sapporo and Odori Park, a wide promenade stretching from east to west in the center of the city featuring fountains and beautiful flowerbeds. Odori Park is the location where the Winter Snow Festival is held annually during the month of February. Hokkaido is the birthplace of beer in Japan and this afternoon we’ll enjoy a guided tour explaining the production process of beer at the Asahi Beer Factory. At the conclusion of the tour, samples of some of their products will be available for us to enjoy in the tasting room. This evening, enjoy a delicious Genghis Khan dinner at the Sapporo Beer Garden.
Accommodations at CENTURY ROYAL HOTEL or similar
Sunday, October 17 (Day 04)
SAPPORO - LAKE SHIKOTSU - SHIRAOI - NOBORIBETSU (B)(D)
We’ll travel south to enjoy a view of scenic Lake Shikotsu, a caldera lake located in part of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park. Due to the small surface area to depth ratio, the water temperature of this lake remains constant throughout the year, making it the northernmost ice-free lake in Japan. We’ll continue on to Shiraoi, visiting Poroto-kotan, a recreated Ainu Village with thatched communal huts and a museum. The museum displays many interesting exhibits and artifacts relating to the history, culture and lifestyle of the Ainu people. Lectures on Ainu culture are given in the straw huts and traditionally dressed Ainu men and women perform the ritual song and dance iyomante rimse. One of the villagers will give a demonstration of how to play the mukkur, a mouth harp made of a piece of thin shaved bamboo with a thread attached to it that creates a strange, resonating sound. We’ll continue on to Noboribetsu, one of Hokkaido’s famous hot spring resorts beautifully surrounded by forested hills, to spend the night. Enjoy dinner and relax in the fabulous onsen at the hotel this evening.
Accommodations at NOBORIBETSU GRAND HOTEL or similar
Monday, October 18 (Day 05)
NOBORIBETSU - MT. SHOWA SHIN-ZAN - HAKODATE (B)(D)
This morning before departing Noboribetsu, we’ll visit Jigokudani (Valley of Hell), a volcanic ravine with steaming and sulfurous vents and streams of hot water bubbling out of the rocks. We’ll continue our drive around picturesque Uchiura Bay and scenic Toya-ko, a large and attractive caldera lake in Shikotsu-Toya National Park. We’ll make a stop to see a spectacular view of Showa Shin-zan, one of Japan’s youngest mountains. Located on the east flank of Mt. Usu, Showa-Shin-zan was created as a result of hundreds of explosive eruptions and mudslides. Hissing steam still escapes through some of the fissures of this new mountain. We’ll continue our drive around the bay to spend the night in the seaport city of Hakodate, Hokkaido’s third largest city located at the island’s southern tip. The city is overlooked by Mt. Hakodate and famous for Fort Goryokaku, Japan’s first Western-style fortress. Built in the shape of a five-pointed star, most of the fort was demolished and its ruins are known as Goryokaku Park. Enjoy a breathtaking view of the city and this star-shaped fort from the observation deck of Goryokaku Tower. Dinner will be provided for you tonight.
Accommodations at HAKODATE KOKUSAI HOTEL or similar
Tuesday, October 19 (Day 06)
HAKODATE - SEIKAN UNDERSEA TUNNEL - AOMORI (B)(D)
This morning, enjoy a shopping excursion at the Hakodate (asaichi) Morning Market where many indoor and outdoor local vendors offer a nice selection of dried seafood products: scallops, cuttlefish, nori, konbu, and more. Have fun bargaining with the vendors for the best discounted prices. We’ll transfer to the Hakodate Railway Station to board a train for a relaxing ride through the Seikan Undersea Tunnel - a tunnel connecting Hokkaido to the main island of Honshu. We’ll arrive in Aomori, the capital city of Aomori prefecture, in the early afternoon and transfer to our hotel to check-in for the night. The rest of the afternoon will be at your leisure to just relax, explore some of the highlights of the city, or shop at the 100 yen shop located near the hotel. Dinner will be provided for you this evening.
Accommodations at AOMORI SUNROUTE HOTEL or similar
Wednesday, October 20 (Day 07)
AOMORI - MORIOKA (B)
In the morning, we’ll visit the Nebuta Gallery where colossal floats featured during the Nebuta Matsuri held in the summer are displayed. These floats are huge, colorful paper-mache nebuta - created as a figure of a theme from history or the Kabuki Theatre. Our tour continues on to enjoy a scenic drive through the breathtaking Hakkoda mountain range and the serene Oirase River Valley. Plunging waterfalls and cascades of water gush between moss-covered boulders - winding along the pretty Oirase River. We’ll drive by scenic Towada-ko, a large crater lake en route to Morioka, one of the most appealing old castle towns in Japan with a long history of ironware making. We’ll visit the Morioka Tezukuri Mura (Handy Works Center), a craftswork village where local products are displayed and sold. Wood work, pottery, metal work, ironwork and tie-dye workshops are set-up to observe experienced craftsmen at work. Enjoy the experience of making your own nambu senbei at one of the workshops. We will spend the night in Morioka. Dinner will be on your own this evening to try some of the local cuisine at one of the restaurants located at the train station near the hotel. Specialties of Morioka are wanko-soba, (soba noodles served in a tiny bowl) and reimen (cold firm Chinese noodles).
Accommodations at HOTEL METROPOLITAN MORIOKA or similar
Thursday, October 21 (Day 08)
MORIOKA - HIRAIZUMI - MATSUSHIMA (B)(D)
Our drive this morning takes us to Hiraizumi to enjoy a scenic and relaxing ride on a flat-bottomed boat on the peaceful waters through Geibi-kei Gorge with a serenading boatman on board. Enjoy the breathtaking view of numerous rock formations and sheer cliffs as we glide on the shallow river through the gorge. We’ll continue on to Shiogama Pier and board a ferry to enjoy a scenic cruise on Matsushima Bay. The view of the pine-studded islets floating in the bay is noted as one of the three most beautiful sites of Japan - Nihon Sankei. On arrival in Matsushima, we’ll transfer to our hotel to check-in for the night. The afternoon is at your leisure to enjoy strolling through the unique shops in this quaint little town. Time permitting, you may want to visit Zuigan-ji, one of Tohoku’s finest Zen Temples featuring beautifully painted screens and exquisite interior carvings. Enjoy a fabulous dinner and relax in the hot springs this evening.
Accommodations at MATSUSHIMA CENTURY HOTEL or similar
Friday, October 22 (Day 09)
MATSUSHIMA - FUKUSHIMA - NIHONMATSU - AIZU WAKAMATSU (B)(D)
Kokeshi dolls (Japanese dolls) are one of the most popular and famous products in Japan as a traditional folk craft with a long-renowned tradition in the Tohoku area. These dolls, handmade from wood, have a simple trunk and an enlarged head with no arms or legs. We’ll enjoy the experience of painting our own creations to take home as a souvenir. Our journey continues on to Fukushima, the southernmost prefecture of Tohoku to Nihonmatsu. The main attraction is the Kiku-Matsuri (Chrysanthemum Festival) held annually on the grounds of Kasumigajo Castle. Enjoy a beautiful display of brightly-colored chrysanthemum flowers draped on mannequins depicting scenes of various themes. These flowers were introduced into Japan in the 8th century and the Emperor has adopted this flower as his official seal. We’ll continue on to Aizu Wakamatsu, a small castle town to visit the famous Buke-Yashiki (Samurai Mansion), a sprawling complex that includes the reconstructed estate of the principal retainer of the Aizu clan. This residence was recreated as it would have been during the Edo period - including the furniture, household effects and armor. Enjoy dinner and relax in our onsen hotel this evening.
Accommodations at HIGASHIYAMA GRAND HOTEL or similar
Saturday, October 23 (Day 10)
AIZU WAKAMATSU - NIKKO - KINUGAWA SPA (B)(D)
We’ll proceed to Nikko, a small city located at the entrance to Nikko National Park, one of Japan’s major tourist attraction due to its splendid shrines and beautiful autumn foliage (weather permitting). Nikko is famous for the Toshogu Shrine - Japan’s most lavishly decorated shrine complex and mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Tosho-gu, an extravagantly decorated shrine complex, consists of many Shinto and Buddhist buildings set in a beautiful wooded forest. A huge stone torii (Shinto shrine entrance gate) marks the entrance to the shrine. Adjacent to it stands a beautiful red and gold five-story pagoda. Relax in the hot springs and enjoy dinner this evening in our elegant onsen hotel.
Accommodations at KINUGAWA ASAYA HOTEL or similar
Sunday, October 24 (Day 11)
KINUGAWA SPA - TOKYO (B)
We’ll continue on to spend the night in the exciting metropolitan city of Tokyo. Before checking into the hotel, we’ll visit Meiji-jingu, one of Tokyo’s major shrines dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji - the first emperor of modern Japan and his wife, Empress Shoken. The shrine - located in a wooded forest in Yoyogi Park in Shibuya was built in the traditional nagarezukuri style and made-up primarily of Japanese cypress and copper. At the entrance to the shrine complex is a large torii. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure to explore more of the bustling city of Tokyo. Dinner will be on your own this evening.
Accommodations at SUNSHINE CITY PRINCE HOTEL or similar
Monday, October 25 (Day 12)
TOKYO - NARITA TO HONOLULU (B)
The morning is at your leisure to enjoy some activities on your own - shopping, visiting with friends, or more sightseeing of this exciting city. We will depart for Narita International Airport in the early afternoon. Our evening flight home will be arriving Honolulu in the morning of the same day due to the crossing of the International Date Line. A meal will be served on board the flight.