SNOW FESTIVAL +
UNIQUE INAKA FESTIVAL
WINTER TRAIN TOUR
Feb. 7 ~ 17 (9 nights, 11 days)
| A tour to see the Sapporo Snow Festival and unique festivals (Namahage, Rokugo Kamakura) in Tohoku. Don't have to worry about your big luggage train tour. The luggage will be delivered by driving it to the next hotel. Travel by train and sightseeing by charter van or bus. The scenery from the train running through the snowy landscape is very beautiful. On days when dinner is not included, you can enjoy meals at a restaurant near the hotel or at the food stalls at the festival venue. A local festival in Japan that you have never seen before is waiting for you. |
| Date | Place
and Hotel ♨=onsen |
Activity |
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| Feb. 7 (Sat.) |
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Depart Honolulu to Shin-Chitose airport in Hokkaido. |
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| 8 (Sun.) |
CHITOSE AIR TERMINAL HOTEL |
After arriving at Shin-Chitose airport, then we go to the hotel in the airport terminal. |
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| 9 (Mon.) |
SAPPORO
PRINCE HOTEL♨   |
From the hotel we go to Aeon Mall to buy any cold and snow weather items. Then we go to Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival. Other ice festivals showcase elaborately carved ice but the sculptures here are created by spraying water and allowing it to freeze, lending a particular natural beauty to the massive creations. After lunch we go to the hotel and after a short break we visit Sapporo Snow Festival, it is one of Japan's most popular winter events. We can enjoy Projection Mapping show. And we go to Susukino area to see Ice sculptures and return to the hotel. Dinner is a buffet that includes crab. | × |
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| 10 (Tue.) |
SAPPORO
PRINCE HOTEL♨  
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From the hotel we go to Otaru city. Visit the Otaru Aquarium, is a large aquarium representative of Hokkaido. We can see the Penguin Snow Walk, which can only be seen in the winter. Penguins take a lively walk along a course made of snow. Afterwards, ride a rickshaw and explore the canal area of Otaru. Lunch is Kaiten-Sushi using fresh seafood ingredients. Eat anything you want, any amount. After lunch we visit Music Box Museum & Shops and Kitaichi Glassware Shops. Also visit to the Stained Glass Museum in Otaru Art Village and view the beautiful pieces of art which are displayed under soft lighting. Then we go back to the same hotel. |
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| 11 (Wed.) |
HAKODATE
LAGENT HOTEL♨  
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From the Sapporo station we ride a limited express Hokuto and go to the Onuma Park station. Lunch is specialty Hokkai Kaisen ekiben, is a greedy ekiben that lets you enjoy four types of seafood rice at once (Crab rice, Sea urchin rice, Salmon and salmon roe rice, Scallop rice). After arriving at the Station, head to Onuma Park, enjoy riding the snow mobile or snow rafting. If you want on the frozen the lake you can experience Wakasagi fishing. Whatever you catch you can have it cooked there like tempura and eat right away. Then we visit Hakodate Tropical Botanical Garden, has a lot of Japanese monkeys. In winter, the pool in the breeding ground is filled with hot spring water and we can see the monkeys soaking themselves in the hot water happily. Next go to Mt.Hakodate and see the night view. Then we go to the hotel. |
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| 12 (Thu.) |
HIROSAKI ART HOTEL   |
In the morning, we go to Hakodate Morning Market. Enjoy shopping and browsing at the market and be sure to check out the live crabs and shellfish in their massive tanks. Then from the Shin Hakodate station riding the H5 series Hokkaido shinkansen go to Shin Aomori station. On the way we go through the Seikan tunnel, world’s longest undersea tunnel. Lunch is Hakodate famous Kita no Eki-Ben, A really great bento box that collects popular side dishes. After arriving at the Station, we visit The Aomori Museum of Art. There are woodblock prints and paintings by Munakata Shiko, the pop art and almost cartoonish work of Nara Yoshitomo, as well as a huge 8.5 meter tall Aomori-Ken dog statue also by Nara. Then we go to the hotel. |
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| 13 (Fri.) |
HIROSAKI
ART HOTEL   |
Sightseeing within Aomori area by car (van or bus). From the hotel we go to Goshogawara Station, then ride the Stove Train. A classic train ride through the snowy landscape in a retro “stove train” to warm your body and soul. Then we go to the Takayama Inari Shrine, the corridor made up with thousand Torii is famous, which creates a unique and attractive Japanese atmosphere. After lunch we go to the Tsuru no Mai Bridge, it is the longest wooden bridge in Japan. The bridge is triple arched and is 300 meters long. The bridge resembles a crane flying in the sky. Next go to the Neputa Village, is a museum about Hirosaki's famous festival, the Neputa Matsuri, and also introduces the city's other cultural specialties. Then we go back to the same hotel. |
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| 14 (Sat.) |
AKITA
HOTEL METROPOLITAN .jpg)  |
From Hirosaki station, we ride the Resort Shirakami train, the most beautiful scenic train ride in Japan. It travels between Aomori and Akita, following the scenic coastline of northern Tohoku. Lunch is famous Eki-ben Hitokuchidarake, used plenty of popular dishes and ingredients from Aomori prefecture. After we arrived at Akita station, we go to the hotel. When it gets a little dark, we go to see the Rokugo Kamakura Festival. It is an important intangible folk cultural asset where young men hold green bamboo and are divided into north and south, and pray for abundant harvests by having an intense battle. Returning to hotel around 9 pm. |
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| 15 (Sun.) |
AKITA
HOTEL METROPOLITAN 
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Sightseeing within Akita area by car (van or bus). Departing hotel at a leisurely time. We visit a Citizen’s Open Space Market where you'll find Akita food items, misc. goods, souvenirs all in one place. Next visit the Akita Maiko theater. Enjoy lunch with Maiko show. After lunch we go to Neburi Nagashikan (Akita Traditional Folk Museum). It has displays & description about their Kanto festival which they have in August. Then we go back the same hotel. When it gets a little dark go to see the Namahage Sedo Festival, it is an important intangible folk cultural asset. The Namahage is a kind of scary masked men who roam the region looking for lazy or disobedient children. It‘s a folk festival handed down for generations and Sedo is a Shinto festival “Saitosai.” The two merged and the current version festival was started, to also attract tourist to the area. Returning to the hotel around 9 pm. | × |
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| 16 (Mon.) |
TOKYO TOBU HOTEL LEVANT 
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Then from the Akita station riding the E7 series Shinkansen go to Tokyo station. Lunch is Iwate Beef and Jajamen Ekiben. Pulling the string attached to the side of the Ekiben, it heats the contents. After arriving at Tokyo station, we go to the hotel. After check-in hotel then you can enjoy shopping at places like, Daiso, Yodobashi, Muji, Uniqlo, etc. near the hotel. |
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| 17 (Tue) |
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From the hotel we go to Team Lab Planets, is a unique art space in Toyosu, that you experience barefoot. Consisting of a Water Area and Garden Area, together they form a museum where you walk through water, and a garden where you become one with the flowers. Then we visit to the Toyosu Senkyaku Banrai, is a new facility that aims to carry on and further develop the unique excitement of Tsukiji. In collaboration with Toyosu Market, this destination will offer invigorating, exciting times unique to Toyosu. After lunch we visit the Yushima Tenjin Plum blossom festival. About 300 plum trees are planted, mainly white plums. Then we go to Haneda airport for your departure. |
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