Hidden Wonders of North Japan

Welcome to Tokyo, Japans capital and the worlds most populous metropolis. Check-into your hotel, for your two-night Special Stay. With direct access to four subway lines, the hotel was recently rated in the Forbes Travel Guide as Tokyo’s exclusive Japanese decor 5 star luxury hotel. Rooms overlook the most picturesque sites in Tokyo, such as the Imperial Palace, the 500-year-old Hie Jinja Shrine and beautiful landscaped Japanese gardens. This evening meet for your welcome reception and dinner.

Gather your bearings of Tokyo from above as you take in the view from Tokyo Sky Tree, the worlds tallest tower at 634 meters. Afterwards visit the epicentre of Tokyo’s teenage youth as you wander along Takeshita Street Harajuku, known for its colourful street art, youth fashion, quirky vintage clothing and cosplay stores and dessert shops and carts that specialise in sweet crêpes, donuts, and bubble tea. Enrich Given by Taiko Masters, partake in an interactive, private group demonstration and lesson in playing the Taiko drums. Freechoice Dining: Choose from dining at a Ninja Themed Restaurant or culturally immerse yourself in the traditional Japanese evening Izakaya bar scene serving Yaki-tori and Kushiyaki with your Tour Director as they show you their favourite places to go. Alternatively dine in at Nobu restaurant.

Begin the day with your first Shinkansen journey to Koriyma where we then drive to the preserved Edo postal town of Ouchijiku. Try the local delicacy of Soba Noodles for lunch and explore the restored buildings. Learn all about brewing of Saki at the Suehiro Brewery before moving to your picturesque resort for the night, located within Bandai-Asahi National Park.

Back in Aizu, visit a local home to paint your own Akabeko ‘red cow’ , a legendary cow from the Aizu region, who inspires a traditional Japanese toy. After step back in time when visiting the rebuilt Aizu Bukeyashiki Samuari Mansion, originally destroyed in the Boshin War in 1868. Enjoy a scenic drive to Sendai where you can enjoy a local Sendai beef sirloin lunch. Freechoice: Learn all about the history of the Date Clan and the history of the area around Sendai at the Aoba Castle and Honmaru Museum.  Alternatively visit the Kirin Brewery to discover the special production methods and the secret of the beer’s premium flavour. Later check in to your hotel in Sendai for a two-night stay. Freechoice: Venture out with your Tour Director to the local Izakaya bar scene or try Japanese BBQ at Wabi Ichi – Yakiniku.

Today take a short drive to Matsushima Bay, for centuries celebrated as one of Japan’s three most scenic views. Freechoice: Witness the creation if the wooden Kokeshi doll, an item originally created and sold at hot spring resorts in northern Japan.  Test your creative and imagination skills and paint your own as wooden Kokeshi doll. Visit the Zuigangi Temple, one of Tohoku’s most famous Zen temples, originally dating back to 828. Continue next door to the Entsuin Temple, built in 1647 as a mausoleum Date Terumune’s son. Following a quick lunch of local street food, board your boat for a cruise around the 200 small islands covered by pine trees in Matsushima Bay. Before returning to Sendai, enjoy a Japanese tea and traditional snack at the Kanrantai Tea House whilst overlooking the bay.

Head north to Nobiru and visit the destroyed train station, now a Disaster Recovery Memorial Museum for the devasting 2011 tsunami. Continue to the scenic Genbikei Gorge for some Flying Dango Dumplings before arriving at Chusonji Temple, establish in 850.  Located within one of the original buildings is Konjikido, a hall completely covered in gold dating back to 1124. Tonight, enjoy a Special Stay and indulge yourself in the full Japanese onsen resort experience. Authentic Japanese Experience - For tonight’s stay, enjoy a unique insight into Japanese culture. Default bedding is traditional Japanese inn style with a comfortable thick futon, though if you need,you can choose western style bedding, if available. All rooms have tatami mat flooring with mix Japanese/western style décor, a Japanese cypres bathtub and a provided Yukata, which can be worn to tonight’s traditional Kaiseki dinner. Be sure to also try the onsen hot spring baths.

Drive to Towada City, with a short leg stretch and walk around the rustic hot springs and the volcanic landscapes of the Towada - Hachimantai National Park. In Towada city admire the street art during your walk along the main street to the Towada Art Centre, featuring works from artists both inside and outside of Japan, including Yoko Ono, Yoshitomo Nara, and Jeong-Hwa Choi. Enjoy the picturesque drive toward Lake Towada and your two-night Special Stay. The hotel is located on the Oirase Keiryu mountain stream, one of the most scenic locations in Japan.

Enrich At the Oirase Stream Museum, using your creative skills create your own Mossball Lamp, a craft specialty of the region. Afterwards stretch your legs on a pristine walk along Oirase stream via the Deai-bashi Bridge before transferring to Yasumiya, a small town located on the lake shoreline. This afternoon, enjoy a relaxing cruise on Lake Towoda, the largest caldera lake on Honshu. It is particularly known for its Autumn foliage.

Visit one of the most beautiful locations in Japan for sakura viewing, Hirosaki Castle and its botanical gardens. Known for its five original turreted gates and fortified moats, this castle ranks as one of the country’s most beautiful feudal ear castles. Continue onto Aomori, the capital of Aomori prefecture. Here view amazing giant papier-mâché doll floats used in the Aomori Nebuta Festival at Rassera Land, located along the waterfront. Stay the night in Aomori.

Travel back in time to learn about the original inhabitants of the area at the Jomon Museum and Sannai-Maruyama Archaeological Site. With the site dating back to the late early to middle Jomon period, some 5500-4000 years ago, it shows the Jomon were the first people in the world to create pottery. Return to Aomori and travel by Shinkansen through the undersea Seikan Tunnel to Hakodate on Hokkaido Island. Upon arrival Hakodate, walk through the Motomachi Neighbourhood, an area full of historical buildings, before checking into your hotel for your two-night stay.

Choose to begin the day with an optional early morning visit to the Fish Market and try to catch some fresh squid for breakfast. Later visit the 107m tall Goryoki Tower to get a bird’s eye view of Mt. Hakodate, Tsugaru Strait and the Yokotsu mountain range. Afterwards walk through the Goryoki Park located inside the old star-shaped fort adjoining the tower, visiting the old Hakodate Magistrate office within. Spend the afternoon at leisure shopping around the historic Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses before meeting again to travel up the Mt Hakodate Ropeway at dusk to see that amazing view over the city. Enjoy dinner tonight in one of Hakodate’s beer halls.

Travel by Super Hokuto Limited Express train to Sapporo. Upon arrival, transfer to chosen activity. After checking into your hotel, your home for the next two nights, move to Ramen Yokocho in Susukino, a narrow lane lined with shops serving Sapporos famous ramen.

Board a local train to Otaru and walk through Sakaimichi Street. Enrich At one of Otaru’s famous Music Box museums, enjoy a hands-on craft experience in creating your own Music Box to take home as a gift. Spend free time in the historic Otaru Canal area’s museums, shops and restaurants before returning to Sapporo. Here visit the Historic Village of Hokkaido, an open air museum which exhibits roughly 60 typical buildings from all over Hokkaido, dating from the Meiji and Taisho Periods (1868 to 1926). Freechoice: Indulge your sweet tooth at Shiroi Koibito Park, which features a Chocolate factory, shop and Museum where you can try making one of Sapporo’s famous souvenirs, the Shiroi Koibito cookie.  Alternatively visit the local sights of Sapporo including the Clock Tower, TV Tower and Odori Park and surrounds. This evening, enjoy your farewell meal at the Sapporo Beer Museum with your fellow travellers.

Bid a fond farewell to the ‘land of the rising sun’. The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such Scenic cannot guarantee the journey will operate unaltered from the itinerary stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information.