Itinerary
- Day 1
Tokyo
You'll arrive in Tokyo and head to your luxury hotel with views overlooking the Imperial Palace and Hie Jinja Shrine. This evening, meet up with your group for a welcome reception and dinner to get to know everyone before the trip really starts.
- Meals
- Dinner (Welcome reception and dinner)
Landmarks Imperial Palace Hie Jinja Shrine 
- Day 2
Tokyo
Start high up at Tokyo Sky Tree for views of the city, then make your way to Harajuku to walk through Takeshita Street with its street art, fashion boutiques, and dessert shops. You'll have a private taiko drum lesson in the afternoon, and for dinner you can choose between a ninja-themed restaurant, a traditional izakaya bar, or Nobu Tokyo.
- Meals
- Dinner (Scenic Freechoice Dining - choice of ninja-themed restaurant, traditional Izakaya bar, or Nobu Tokyo)
Included Activities
- Visit Tokyo Sky Tree, world's tallest tower at 634 meters
- Explore Takeshita Street, Harajuku with its street art, youth fashion, vintage clothing and cosplay stores
- Interactive private group Taiko drum demonstration and lesson
Optional Activities
- Dine at ninja-themed restaurant
- Experience traditional Japanese Izakaya bar scene with Tour Director
- Dine at Nobu Tokyo restaurant
Landmarks Tokyo Sky Tree Takeshita Street - Day 3
Tokyo to Ouchijiku to Kawane
Take the Shinkansen to Koriyama, then drive to Ouchijiku, a preserved postal town from the Edo period. Grab lunch with local soba noodles, walk through the restored buildings, and visit Suehiro Brewery to learn about sake production. You'll spend the night at a traditional ryokan where you can soak in the open-air bath while looking out over the Aga River.
- Meals
- Lunch (Local Soba Noodles lunch in Ouchijiku)
Included Activities
- Shinkansen train journey to Koriyama
- Visit preserved Edo postal town of Ouchijiku
- Try local Soba Noodles for lunch
- Learn about Sake brewing at Suehiro Brewery
Landmarks Ouchijiku Suehiro Brewery Aga River - Day 4
Kawane to Sendai
Paint your own red Akabeko cow toy at a local home, then explore the Aizu Bukeyashiki Samurai Mansion. After driving to Sendai, you'll have local beef sirloin for lunch. Choose between learning about the Date Clan at the City Museum or checking out how beer is made at Kirin Brewery. Later, pick your dinner from an izakaya bar or Japanese BBQ before settling into your Sendai hotel.
- Meals
- Lunch (Local Sendai beef sirloin lunch), Dinner (Scenic Freechoice Dining - choice of local Izakaya bar or Japanese BBQ at Yakiniku Taizan Restaurant)
Included Activities
- Paint your own Akabeko traditional red cow toy at a local home
- Visit rebuilt Aizu Bukeyashiki Samurai Mansion
- Enjoy local Sendai beef sirloin lunch
Optional Activities
- Learn about Date Clan history at Sendai City Museum of History and Folklore
- Visit Kirin Brewery to discover beer production methods
- Dine at local Izakaya bar
- Dine at Yakiniku Taizan Restaurant for Japanese BBQ
Landmarks Aizu Bukeyashiki Samurai Mansion Sendai City Museum of History and Folklore Kirin Brewery - Day 5
Sendai to Matsushima Bay
Head to Matsushima Bay, one of Japan's three most beautiful views. You'll paint your own wooden kokeshi doll, then visit the ancient Zuiganji Temple and Entsuin Temple mausoleum. After grabbing local street food for lunch, cruise around the 200 pine-covered islands in the bay before heading back to Sendai.
- Meals
- Lunch (Local street food lunch)
Included Activities
- Paint your own wooden Kokeshi doll
- Visit Zuiganji Temple, a famous Zen temple dating back to 828
- Visit Entsuin Temple built in 1647
- Cruise around Matsushima Bay with its 200 pine-covered islands
Landmarks Matsushima Bay Zuiganji Temple Entsuin Temple 
- Day 6
Sendai to Hanamaki
Travel north to visit the 2011 Tsunami Disaster Recovery Memorial Museum in Nobiru, then explore the scenic Genbikei Gorge. You'll continue to Chusonji Temple, established in 850, to see Konjikido, a golden hall built in 1124. At your traditional onsen resort in Hanamaki, you can enjoy a private shishi-odori performance with your kaiseki dinner while wearing a yukata. Choose between traditional futon bedding or western-style beds for your room.
- Meals
- Dinner (Private performance of Shishi-odori with traditional Kaiseki dinner dressed in provided onsen Yukata)
Included Activities
- Visit Disaster Recovery Memorial Museum at destroyed train station in Nobiru
- Explore scenic Genbikei Gorge
- Visit Chusonji Temple established in 850 and Konjikido golden hall
- Private performance of Shishi-odori with traditional Kaiseki dinner
- Access to onsen hot spring baths
Optional Activities
- Choose western-style bedding option if traditional futon not preferred
Landmarks Disaster Recovery Memorial Museum Genbikei Gorge Chusonji Temple Konjikido - Day 7
Hanamaki to Towada
Drive toward Towada City through the snow wall drive in April, stopping for a quick stretch and walk in Towada-Hachimantai National Park to see the rustic hot springs and volcanic landscapes. In Towada, walk the main street to the Towada Art Centre with work from international artists including Yoko Ono and Yoshitomo Nara. You'll stay for two nights at a hotel on the Oirase Keiryu mountain stream, one of Japan's most scenic locations.
Included Activities
- Drive via snow wall in Towada-Hachimantai National Park
- Walk around rustic hot springs and volcanic landscapes
- Walk along main street to Towada Art Centre
Landmarks Towada-Hachimantai National Park Towada Art Centre Oirase Keiryu mountain stream 
- Day 8
Towada
Take a short walk along the pristine Oirase stream via Deai-bashi Bridge, then transfer to Yasumiya on the lake shoreline. You'll have lunch with lake views before a relaxing cruise on Lake Towada, Japan's largest caldera lake. Choose to make your own mossball glow lamp at the Oirase Stream Museum or spend time exploring the area's hiking trails.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch overlooking Lake Towada)
Included Activities
- Short walk along Oirase stream via Deai-bashi Bridge
- Lunch overlooking the lake
- Cruise on Lake Towada, the largest caldera lake on Honshu
Optional Activities
- Create your own Mossball Gour Lamp at Oirase Stream Museum
- Hike along one of the many hiking trails in the Oirase stream area
Landmarks Oirase stream Deai-bashi Bridge Lake Towada Oirase Stream Museum - Day 9
Towada to Aomori
Visit Hirosaki Castle and its botanical gardens, a beautiful feudal era castle with five original turreted gates and fortified moats. If you're visiting in April, you'll catch the famous cherry blossoms. Continue to Aomori to see giant papier-mâché doll floats from the Aomori Nebuta Festival at Rassera Land on the waterfront, then check into your hotel for the night.
Included Activities
- Visit Hirosaki Castle and botanical gardens
- View giant papier-mâché doll floats at Rassera Land
Landmarks Hirosaki Castle Rassera Land 
- Day 10
Aomori to Hakodate
Learn about the original inhabitants at the Jomon Museum and Sannai-Maruyama Archaeological Site, which dates back 5,500 to 4,000 years and shows how the Jomon were the first to create pottery. After returning to Aomori, you'll travel by Shinkansen through the undersea Seikan Tunnel to Hakodate on Hokkaido Island. Walk through the historic Motomachi Neighborhood with its historical buildings, then settle into your hotel for a two-night stay.
Included Activities
- Visit Jomon Museum and Sannai-Maruyama Archaeological Site
- Shinkansen train journey through undersea Seikan Tunnel
- Walk through Motomachi Neighbourhood
Landmarks Jomon Museum Sannai-Maruyama Archaeological Site Seikan Tunnel Motomachi Neighbourhood - Day 11
Hakodate
If you want to start early, visit the Fish Market to try fresh squid for breakfast. Head to the 107-meter Goryokaku Tower for views of Mt. Hakodate, Tsugaru Strait, and the Yokotsu mountain range. Walk through Goryokaku Park in the old star-shaped fort and see the old Hakodate Magistrate office. Spend the afternoon shopping at the historic Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses. At dusk, take the Mt. Hakodate Ropeway up the mountain for one of Japan's three best night views, then finish with dinner at one of Hakodate's beer halls.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner at Hakodate beer hall)
Included Activities
- Visit Goryoki Tower at 107 meters tall
- Walk through Goryoki Park
- Visit old Hakodate Magistrate office
- Mt Hakodate Ropeway at dusk for night views
- Dinner at Hakodate beer hall
Optional Activities
- Early morning visit to Fish Market and fresh squid breakfast
- Shopping at historic Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses
Landmarks Fish Market Goryoki Tower Mt. Hakodate Goryoki Park Hakodate Magistrate office Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses Mt Hakodate Ropeway - Day 12
Hakodate to Sapporo
Travel by Super Hokuto Limited Express train to Sapporo. Visit the Historic Village of Hokkaido, an open-air museum with about 60 typical buildings from across Hokkaido dating from the Meiji and Taisho periods (1868-1926). Check into your hotel for a two-night stay, then head to Ramen Yokocho in Susukino, a narrow lane with shops serving Sapporo's famous ramen.
Included Activities
- Travel by Super Hokuto Limited Express train
- Visit Historic Village of Hokkaido open-air museum with approximately 60 buildings
Optional Activities
- Visit Ramen Yokocho in Susukino
Landmarks Historic Village of Hokkaido Ramen Yokocho - Day 13
Sapporo to Otaru
Travel to Otaru and walk through Sakaimichi Street, a preserved merchant street. You'll learn how to create and cook traditional Japanese sweets called wagashi using ingredients like rice flour, sweet azuki bean paste, agar, sesame paste, and chestnuts. Later, you can spend free time exploring the historic Otaru Canal area's museums, shops, and restaurants. Choose between visiting Shiroi Koibito Park with its chocolate factory and museum, or checking out the former Winter Olympic sites before returning to Sapporo. End with a farewell meal at the Sapporo Beer Museum with your fellow travelers.
- Meals
- Dinner (Farewell meal at Sapporo Beer Museum with fellow travellers)
Included Activities
- Walk through Sakaimichi Street, a preserved merchant street in Otaru
- Learn to create and cook traditional wagashi Japanese sweets
- Farewell meal at Sapporo Beer Museum
Optional Activities
- Explore historic Otaru Canal area museums, shops and restaurants
- Visit Shiroi Koibito Park chocolate factory, shop and museum, and try making Shiroi Koibito cookies
- Visit former Winter Olympic sites of Sapporo
Landmarks Sakaimichi Street Otaru Canal Shiroi Koibito Park Sapporo Beer Museum - Day 14
Departure
Say goodbye to Japan and head to the airport for your departure.
