2023 SUMMER HOKKAIDO

Featuring Rebun & Rishiri Islands

July 5 - 16, 2023 (12 Days & 10 Nights)

Haneda, Chitose, Furano (2 nights), Yuni Garden, Yubari Melon Dome, Furano Winery, Farm Tomita, Shikisai no Oka, Biei Blue Pond, Furano Jam Garden, Hands-on-activity Jam Making, Asahikawa, Cherry Picking Adventure, Asahiyama ZooTanbo Art (Rice Paddy Fields), Wakkanai, Cape Soya, Soya Misaki Park, Rebun Island, Cape Sukoton, Cape Sukai, Rishiri Island (2 nights), Lake Himenuma, Lake Otatomari, Senhoshi Misaki Park, Cape Kutsugata Misaki Park, Kamui Seaside Park, Sea Urchin Harvesting Experience, Asahikawa, Sarobetsu Marsh Center, Sunagawa Highway Oasis, OtaruSakaimachi Dori, Wagashi Making Hands on activity, Sapporo (2 nights), Shakotan Peninsula, Cape Kamui, Nikka Whisky Yoichi, Haneda

(Tour fare includes group airfare)
(Individual arrangements to meet group are not included)

Wednesday, July 5 (Day 01)
HONOLULU to HANEDA
Our tour commences this morning when we assemble at the check-in lobby at the airport for baggage check-in procedures. We will depart Honolulu for Haneda International Airport on Japan Airlines. A meal and a snack will be served on board the flight.

Thursday, July 6 (Day 02)
ARRIVE HANEDA to CHITOSE
On arrival at Haneda Airport, we’ll clear entry and customs formalities, then transfer with our luggage to the domestic ticket lobby to check-in for our flight to Chitose in Hokkaido, the second largest and northernmost island of Japan. We’ll arrive Chitose Airport in the evening, then transfer to our hotel located within the airport terminal for the night.

Accommodations at CHITOSE AIR TERMINAL HOTEL or similar

Friday, July 7 (Day 03)
CHITOSE - FURANO (B)(L)(D)
We’ll travel to Yuni Town to visit the beautiful scenery of colorful seasonal flowers in bloom on the vast grounds of Yuni Garden featuring peonies, purple linaria, and roses (weather permitting). We’ll continue on to JA Yubari City, surrounded on three sides by the peaks of the Yubari Mountains. The city is noted for its summer specialty - juicy and delicious Yubari Melons. Enjoy an ‘all-you-can-eat-melon-tasting’ activity at the Yubari Melon Dome. We’ll travel to Furano city, located in the geographical center of Hokkaido - noted for its fields of lavender flowers and vast grape vineyards. Located on a hill, the Furano Winery, offers beautiful views of the town and Mt. Tokachidake. Observe the production of local wine making and enjoy some wine tasting of some of their finest products (subject to confirmation). Enjoy dinner and relax in the soothing hot springs at our hotel this evening.

Accommodations at NEW PRINCE HOTEL FURANO or similar 

Saturday, July 8 (Day 04)
FURANO - BIEI - FURANO (B)(L)(D)
We’ll visit Farm Tomita, the main attraction of Furano, featuring the beautiful Tokachi Mountain Range as a backdrop. View the breathtaking fields of lavender flowers and a variety of beautiful colorful blossoms of the season planted neatly in rows - creating a ‘rainbow field’ of flowers. We’ll continue on to enjoy a scenic drive through the small town of Biei, noted as the ‘town of beautiful hills’. Surrounded by a picturesque landscape of gently rolling hills and colorful vast patchwork fields, this scene has been used as a backdrop for many Japanese commercials and television programs. Famous trees to view are the Mild Seven Hill Tree (from a cigarette commercial), and the Ken and Mary Tree (from a car commercial). Northwest of the town center is known as Patchwork Road and the area south of the town center is known as Panorama Road. We’ll view The Shirogane Blue Pond, a mysterious man-made scenic pond in Biei - created to stop the flow of destructive volcanic mudflows from Mt. Tokachi. The color of the pond ranges from a vibrant turquoise to emerald to cobalt blue - caused by minerals in the water. Subject to confirmation, we’ll cruise around the panoramic hillside carpeted with colorful flowers at Shikisai-no-Oka (Four Seasons Hill) on the Shikisai Norokko (tractor bus). We’ll visit Kyohsai Farm’s Furano Jam Garden, nestled deep in the woods of Rokugou Village. Subject to confirmation, we’ll participate on a hands-on-activity to make your own delicious jam to bring home for your family. We’ll have an opportunity to sample some of their We’ll return to Furano city to spend another night to enjoy and relax in the soothing hot spring waters of our onsen hotel. Dinner will be provided for you this evening.

Accommodations at NEW PRINCE HOTEL FURANO or similar 

Sunday, July 9 (Day 05)
FURANO - ASAHIKAWA (B)(D)
We’ll continue on to spend the night in Asahikawa, Hokkaido’s second largest city, located in the center of Hokkaido. Enjoy a hands-on-activity to pick and enjoy some delicious cherries (subject to availability) at one of the nearby local farms. Yummy! This afternoon, we’ll visit the very popular and unique zoological garden at Asahiyama Zoo. Noted for its innovative enclosures, of glass tunnels & domes designed to enable you to observe the various unique animals upclose in their natural habitat. A highlight includes a glass tunnel to view penguins as they fly through the water. Animals on display includes native wildlife from Hokkaido, including eagles, pandas, polar bears, wolves and more. Weather permitting, enjoy a spectacular view of an artistic rice paddy field, known as tanbo art. Different varieties of rice are planted by hand in a pre-determined pattern and as the rice grows into colorful stalks, an amazing picture is revealed! Awesome sight to see! Dinner will be provided for you this evening.

Accommodations at ART HOTEL ASAHIKAWA or similar

Monday, July 10 (Day 06)
ASHIKAWA - NAYORO - WAKKANAI (B)(D)
We’ll travel north through Nayoro, Otoineppu and Horonobe to Wakkanai, a city located at the northern fringe of Hokkaido to spend the night. On arrival, we’ll visit Soya-Misaki (Cape Soya) located at the northernmost point of the island and Japan. To commemorate this fact stands a large ‘Northernmost Point Monument’ - a concrete triangle engraved with accomplishments – for a memorable photo opportunity. Located nearby is the ‘Statue of Mamiya Rinzo’, a Japanese explorer from the Edo period famous for his explorations and mapping of Karafuto (Sakhalin) and discovering that it was an island. Soyamisaki Park, located nearby on the hillside, features some additional interesting monuments: The ‘Tower of Prayer’ - a memorial of the Korean Airlines Flight 007 that was shot down in 1983 displaying its tip pointing towards the direction where the plane went down and the ‘Bell for World Peace’, a replica of the bell located in the garden opposite the United Nations Building in New York. Dinner will be provided for you this evening.

Accommodations at SURFEEL WAKKANAI or similar

Tuesday, July 11 (Day 07)
WAKKANAI - REBUN ISLAND - RISHIRI ISLAND (B)(L)(D)
This morning, we’ll board a ferry from the Wakkanai Ferry Terminal to Kafuka Port on Rebun Island, an island famous for its rich flora of alpine flowers and beautiful natural scenery. Rebun Island, together with Rishiri Island, belongs to the Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park. We’ll travel north to visit Cape Sukoton, located at the northernmost point of Rebun Island, offering sweeping views of uninhabited ‘Todojima’. Weather permitting, enjoy a stunning view of Cape Sukai, a scenic lookout point located on the northwestern part of Rebun Island. This afternoon, we’ll board a ferry at Kafuka Port to transfer to Oshidomari Port on Rishiri Island, a charming remote island to spend two nights. Enjoy dinner and relax in the hot spring waters of our onsen hotel this evening.

Accommodations at ISLAND INN RISHIRI or similar

Wednesday, July 12 (Day 08)
RISHIRI ISLAND (B)(D)
Enjoy a full day of sightseeing on scenic Rishiri Island, noted for its kelp (konbu), sea urchins (uni) and Mt. Rishiri, a dormant volcano located in the center of the island. Mt. Rishiri is noted as ’one of the 100 famous mountains in Japan’. Lake Himenuma is an ideal location for a photo opportunity to take photos of a mirror image of this magnificent mountain. We’ll visit scenic Lake Otatomari, the largest lake on Rishiri Island beautifully surrounded by Sakhalin spruce forests. From the platform, you will see a scene found on the packaging of the popular Shiroi Koibito cookies from Hokkaido. Located on the southernmost tip of the island is Senhoshi Misaki Park, featuring an assortment of strange lava rocks and boulders - formed by the lava flow from Mt. Senhoshi-pon. Wild spotted seals make their home here in the ocean waters. We’ll continue on to visit Cape Kutsugata Misaki Park, located at the westernmost tip of Rishiri Island famous for its beautiful sunrise and sunsets and seasonal coastal plants—lilies, and geraniums. Subject to confirmation, enjoy an exciting and enjoyable sea urchin (uni) harvesting experience at Kamui Seaside Park to enjoy a freshly harvested uni. Eating freshly harvested sea-urchins are exceptionally delicious! Enjoy dinner and another relaxing dip in the warm waters of the hot springs at the hotel.

Accommodations at ISLAND INN RISHIRI or similar

Thursday, July 13 (Day 09)
RISHIRI ISLAND - WAKKANAI - ASAHIKAWA (B)(D)
This morning, we’ll board a ferry from Oshidomari Port to return to the main island of Hokkaido, arriving at the Wakkanai Ferry Terminal. On arrival, we’ll board our motorcoach and drive through the Sarobetsu Marsh, one of the three largest marshlands in Japan located in northern Hokkaido registered under the Ramsar Convention. We’ll visit the Sarobetsu Marsh Center, an informative facility to learn about the history of the marsh. Enjoy a stroll on a wooden path around the marshland to enjoy the majestic nature of Sarobetsu Marsh. We’ll continue on to spend the night in Asahikawa. Dinner will be provided for you this evening.

Accommodations at ART HOTEL ASAHIKAWA or similar

Friday, July 14 (Day 10)
ASAHIKAWA - OTARU - SAPPORO (B)
Our journey continues on to enjoy a shopping adventure at the bustling Sunagawa Highway Oasis, a large complex offering a wide selection of local Hokkaido products and souvenirs. We’ll travel to Otaru, a charming port city facing Ishikari Bay in western Hokkaido. A well-known symbol of the city is Otaru Canal, adorned with Victorian-style street lamps. Many of the buildings along the canal has been restored into museums, restaurants and specialty shops. Enjoy strolling along Sakaimachi Dori, a preserved merchant street featuring several cafes, glassware shops, sweet shops, and a unique music box museum. Standing at the front entrance of the museum is an old-fashioned steam clock, presented to Otaru by the city of Vancouver, British Colombia. Otaru is also noted for its intricate glassware featuring a popular item to bring home for your family and friends from Otaru - a drip-free soy sauce bottle. We’ll continue on to spend two nights in the city of Sapporo, Hokkaido’s largest city. Dinner will be on your own this evening to try some local cuisine of Hokkaido. Located adjacent to our hotel is Sapporo Station featuring many shops, Daimaru Department Store, Tokyu Hands, and a wide selection of restaurants for your dining opportunities.

Accommodations at SAPPORO CENTURY ROYAL HOTEL or similar

Saturday, July 15 (Day 11)
SAPPORO - YOICHI - SAPPORO (B)(D)
This morning, we’ll travel to the west coast of Hokkaido to enjoy a spectacular view of Shakotan Peninsula in Shiribeshi, a mountainous peninsula projecting into the sea of Japan, forming part of the Niseko-Shakotan-Otaru-Kaigan-Quasi National Park. Designated as the prefecture’s only “underwater quasi-national park”, the clear blue water of the ocean is known as Shakotan Blue. Soak up the beautiful coastal scenery of Cape Kamui located on the Shakotan Peninsula. Weather permitting, a trail leading up to a viewpoint overlooking the Sea of Japan - offers an incredible view! Subject to confirmation, enjoy a guided tour of Nikka Whisky, one of Japan’s top whisky makers with its main distillery in the neighboring town of Yoichi. We’ll learn about the various steps taken to produce whisky. At the conclusion of the tour, enjoy some samples of various Nikka whiskies in the tasting room. Enjoy a sayonara dinner this evening at the Sapporo Beer Garden Lilac Room.

Accommodations at SAPPORO CENTURY ROYAL HOTEL or similar

Sunday, July 16 (Day 12)
SAPPORO - CHITOSE - HANEDA TO HONOLULU (B)
The morning is at your leisure for your own activities until we transfer to the Chitose Airport to check-in for our flight to Haneda Airport. On arrival at the Haneda Domestic Terminal, we’ll transfer by shuttle bus to the Haneda International Terminal for our flight home to Honolulu. We’ll arrive in the morning on the same day due to the crossing of the International Date Line. A meal will be served on board the flight.

Land portion based on 130 Yen = $1.00 U.S.

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 6/1/2022. Tour fare is subject to change according to any airfare increase, additional fuel surcharges 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.

Tour Registration Form