<JP9D6> 9-Day Hokkaido & Tohoku
Sapporo, Otaru, Hokkaido, Hakodate, Aomori, Morioka, Kakunodate
Depart Every Friday
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Day 1 • Depart North America for Sapporo, Japan
Day 2 • Arrive in Sapporo
Transfer to Chitose International Airport in Sapporo, Japan.
Welcome to the island of Hokkaido, Japan’s frontier! Upon arriving to the airport, you will be escorted to your hotel by a Signet representative where you can take time to explore Sapporo city or rest for tomorrow’s sightseeing.(Dinner)
Day 3 • Otaru
Today, travel to Otaru, a romantic town complete with classic gas lamps and old warehouses where you can enjoy the charming boutiques along the Otaru Canal. You will also visit Sakaimachi, the most popular commercial site in Otaru, famous for the unique style shops such as Kitaichi Garasukan (a famous glass shop) and the Otaru Music Box Museum. After lunch, tour Sapporo city where you can see the historic University of Hokkaido, Old City Hall, Tokeidai clock tower, and the colorful Odori Park. Tonight’s dinner is a Sapporo specialty, an all-crab dinner. After dinner, choose to either return to the hotel or shop in Sapporo’s colorful Susukino district on your own. (3 meals)
Day 4 • Hokkaido
In the morning, visit Hokkaido Jingu, a strikingly serene shrine with distinct northern Japanese character. As Japan’s northernmost island, Hokkaido is also famous throughout the world for winter sports due to its perfect climate and light powdery snow. At the Sapporo Winter Sports Museum, you can interact with the simulated ski rides or take a ride on the Okurayama Passenger Lift for a fantastic view of the 1972 Winter Olympic venue. After lunch, learn about the Ainu (natives of Hokkaido) tribes in the Shiraoi Ainuzoku Village. On your way to Noboribetsu Onsen, take time to stop by Jigokudani, a boiling sulfurous valley formed by a volcanic eruption; an ideal environment for Japan’s renowned hot springs. In the evening, sample Hokkaido’s famous seafood with a buffet dinner. Complete the night with a slow stroll through the Noboribetsu onsen resort. (3 meals)
Day 5 • Hakodate
Begin today’s traveling with Lake Toya, the third largest volcanic lake in Japan. If weather permits, ride the Usuzan Cable Car for an overview of Mt. Shyowa-Shinzan, a newborn volcanic dome. You then visit Onuma Seminational Park which showcases charming lakes surrounding the park’s majestic volcano, Mt. Komagatake. Here, spend some time enjoying the scenery while biking around the lake or enjoy the scenery on a gentle lake cruise. Bid good-bye to Mt. Komagatake, and you are off to Hakodate. There you can take pleasure in Yunokawa Onsen, a major Onsen in Hokkaido. After a seafood buffet dinner, you can take the cable car to the top of Mt. Hakodate to enjoy Hakodate’s most famous attraction, the evening view from the top of the mountain.(3 meals)
Day 6 • Hakodate • Aomori
Before leaving for Aomori, take some time to roam the bustling Morning Market, also known as “the kitchen of Hakodate People” to sample local delicacies. En route from Hokkaido to the main island of Honshu, take the Seikan Underwater Tunnel Train, a unique rail experience taking you through the longest undersea tunnel in the world. In Aomori, visit Towada Hachimantai National Park to see the Jogakura Bridge and to enjoy a stroll along Oirase Keiryu, a walk famous throughout Japan for its tranquil waterfalls. Check in to the Lake Towada onsen hotel, where you can unwind for the day in the local hot springs. In the evening, enjoy a special hotel banquet Kaiseki dinner.(3 meals)
Day 7 • Morioka • Kakunodate
From the Lake Towada onsen, you arrive in the city of Morioka to visit the Morioka Handicraft village featuring a variety of traditional craftwork. For lunch, dine on the shores of the crystal-clear Lake Tawaza, the deepest lake in Japan. Afterwards, travel off the beaten path to Kakunodate, an ageless samurai town where few foreign travelers go. Exploring the Bukeyashiki (samurai mansions) makes this remote destination a rewarding visit. After a day of exploration, relax in the evening at the Tsunagi Hot Spring hotel. (3 meals)
Day 8 • Hiraizumi • Matsushima
Depart from Tsunagi Onsen and head to Hiraizumi where you visit the Chuson-ji, a temple housing the elaborately decorated mausoleum of the Fujiwara clan. After lunch, visit Matsushima Bay, a mini archipelago celebrated as one of Japan’s Sankei or “three great views” for its coniferous islands. Sample a serene Japanese tea ceremony while overlooking the Pacific at Kanrantei (Kanrantei means “a place to view ripples on the water”). Take in the inspirational surroundings as you see Matsushima in a sightseeing sail around the bay. Our time in Matsushima draws to an end with a visit to Zuigan-ji, Japan’s best-known Zen temple. (3 meals)
Day 9 • Depart from Sendai
Farewell from Matsushima. Transfer to Sendai Station for a bullet train ride back to Tokyo. After lunch in Tokyo, you will be escorted to the airport by a Signet Tours representative. Sai-yo-na-ra (Good bye - Since it must be so)! (Breakfast and Lunch)
***** Signet *****
