2024 TOHOKU OHANAMI
Traveling through the six prefectures of Tohoku:
Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate, Aomori, Akita, and Yamagata
April 14 - 25, 2024 (12 Days & 10 Nights)
Haneda, Hitachi Seaside Park, Fukuroda Falls, Iwaki, Spa Hawaiians Resort, Miharu Takizakura, Akiu, Miyagi Zao Kokeshi Museum, Kokeshi Doll Hands-on-Activity, Matsushima Bay, Genbikei Gorge, Chusonji Temple, Kitakami Tenshochi Park, Morioka, Morioka Tezu-kuri Mura, Ishiwarizakura, Towada-ko, Oirase River Valley, Hakkoda-Towada Snow Corridor, Sannai Maruyama Archaeological Site, Aomori, Goshogawara Tachineputa no Yakata, Hirosaki Castle, Kiritanpo Hands-on-Activity, Akita, Kakunodate, Kasumigajo Park, Matsugasaki Koen, Aizu Wakamatsu, Tsuruga-jo, Iimoriyama, Koriyama, Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Tobu World Square, Kinugawa Onsen, Ashikaga Flower Park, Tsutsujigaoka Park, Tokyo , Haneda
$100 EARLY BOOKING DISCOUNT
(deposit of $100 per person received by 10/31/2023)
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Twin Rate: $4,895 per person |
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Land Only Rate: $3,795 |
Sunday, April 14 (Day 01)
HONOLULU TO HANEDA
Our tour to Japan commences this morning when we assemble at the airport for baggage check-in procedures for our flight to Haneda International Airport. Lunch and a snack will be served on board the flight.
Monday, April 15 (Day 02)
ARRIVE HANEDA (D)
We’ll arrive Haneda Airport in the afternoon and after completion of entry and customs formalities, we’ll walk to our hotel located within Haneda Airport to spend the night. Dinner will be provided for you this evening at the hotel.
Accommodations at HOTEL VILLA FONTAINE GRAND HANEDA or similar
Tuesday, April 16 (Day 03)
TOKYO - HITACHI SEASIDE PARK - DAIGO - IWAKI (B)(D)
We’ll continue on to visit Hitachi Seaside Park, a beautiful flower paradise featuring “Miharashi No Oka”, a hillside commanding a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. The park is best known for its delicate nemophilas (translucent-petaled blue flowers also known as baby-blue-eyes) blooming over the hillside, creating an unforgettable sight (weather permitting). Daffodils, colorful tulips, and several other varieties of flowers are also in bloom, spread-out in various gardens throughout the park. We’ll travel to the town of Daigo to enjoy a view of the breathtaking Fukuroda Falls - ranked as one of the three most beautiful waterfalls in Japan. The falls drop down in four cascades to the bottom from a giant cliff dashing against the rocks, creating an awesome sight. We’ll continue on to spend the night at the Spa Hawaiians Resort - formerly known as the Joban Hawaiian Center located in the city of Iwaki, a coal mining town. The film “Hula Girls” was based on the true story of the founding of the resort. Dinner will be provided for you at our onsen resort hotel. After dinner, enjoy an evening of entertainment of Hawaiian dance performers including spectacular fire dancers held in the main showroom.
Accommodations at SPA RESORT HAWAIIANS or similar
Wednesday, April 17 (Day 04)
IWAKI - AKIU - MATSUSHIMA (B)(D)
We’ll continue on to the town of Miharu - home of Miharu Takizakura (waterfall cherry tree), an ancient cherry tree said to be over 1,000 years old. Weather permitting, enjoy a view of this giant weeping cherry tree with its light pink flowers spread-out in all directions from the branches, like a cascading waterfall. Designated as a national treasure in 1922, this tree is classified as one of the five great cherry trees in Japan. Kokeshi dolls are one of the most popular as a traditional folk craft product in the Tohoku area. These dolls are handmade from wood with a simple trunk and an enlarged head with no arms or legs. We’ll visit the Miyagi Zao Kokeshi Museum to enjoy a hands-on activity of drawing your own creation on a blank kokeshi doll to take home as a souvenir. We’ll continue on to Shiogami Pier and board a ferry to enjoy a relaxing cruise on picturesque Matsushima Bay, designated as one of the three most scenic sights in Japan - nihon sankei. Enjoy the view of hundreds of pine-studded islets in the bay - each one with a name relating to a Japanese legend. We’ll arrive in the city of Matsushima to spend the night in a beautiful hotel overlooking the bay. Enjoy a delicious dinner and relax in the soothing hot springs this evening.
Accommodations at HOTEL TAIKANSO or similar
Thursday, April 18 (Day 05)
MATSUSHIMA - ICHINOSEKI - KITAKAMI - MORIOKA (B)
We’ll travel on to the city of Ichinoseki in Iwate Prefecture to visit picturesque Genbikei Gorge - shaped by the rapid flowing water of Iwai River that carved the rocks, resulting in smooth and interwoven rock faces. One of the highlights at the gorge is to enjoy some delicious kakko dango (flying dumplings). Hit the wooden board with a mattock, then send the basket swinging on the wire across the river to a teahouse. For a small fee, a gentleman in the teahouse will send the basket back to us with a box of dumplings and hot tea across the river on the wire for you to enjoy. We’ll continue on to visit Chusonji Temple featuring its main attraction - Konjiki-do (Golden Hall) - designated as one of the National Treasures by the government in 1951. The hall was constructed to house the remains of three generations of the Fujiwara family and received its name from the unique golden walls covered in gold leaf and inlaid with mother-of-pearl. We’ll make a stop in Kitakami, a city famous for its cherry trees growing alongside the Kitakami River in Tenshochi Park. Weather permitting, the cherry blossoms should be in bloom to form a beautiful tunnel of sakura, earning a spot as one of the three best cherry blossom viewing sites in Tohoku. We’ll continue on to spend the night in Morioka, capital city of Iwate-ken - noted for its cast-ironware. On arrival, we’ll visit the Morioka Tezukuri Mura (Morioka Handi-Works Village), an activity center featuring various workshops offering hand-crafted traditional goods such as cast ironware, pottery, wooden toys, and more. Enjoy a hands-on-activity to make your own souvenir art work at one of the workshops. We’ll drive to the heart of Morioka City to view the grounds of the district courthouse to view the 400-year old Ishiwarizakura (stone–splitting cherry blossom tree) growing through a huge boulder (weather permitting). Dinner will be on your own this evening to try some local cuisine.
Accommodations at HOTEL METROPOLITAN MORIOKA or similar
Friday, April 19 (Day 06)
MORIOKA - TOWADA - AOMORI (B)(L)(D)
We’ll continue our journey to scenic Towada-ko, the third deepest caldera lake in Japan located in the Towada-Hachimantai National Park. Enjoy a relaxing and scenic drive along the picturesque Oirase Gorge, one of the most beautiful river valleys in Japan. The crystal-clear Oirase Stream runs through a beautiful forest of trees and a number of interesting rock formations and cliffs. Plunging waterfalls add to the beauty of the gorge, creating a breathtaking sight. Subject to weather conditions, relax and enjoy the beauty of the mountains with its snow-covered trees as we drive through the snow corridor of the Hakkoda-Towada Gold Line. We’ll visit Sannai Maruyama Ruins in Aomori, a Jomon-period archaeological site designated as a Special National Historical Site of Japan in 2000. This special historical site features the artifacts that reveal how people lived in this settlement including excavated items such as pottery, stone artifacts, clay figures, earthenware and more. We’ll continue on to spend the night at an elegant onsen hotel in Aomori. Enjoy a delicious dinner and relax in the soothing hot springs this evening.
Accommodations at HOTEL AOMORI or similar
Saturday, April 20 (Day 07)
ASAMUSHI - HIROSAKI - HACHIROGATA - AKITA (B)(D)
We’ll continue on to Goshogawara city, famous for its Tachineputa Festival held annually during the summer. We’ll visit Tachineputa no Yakata, an interesting museum featuring exhibits of three massive tachi neputa parade floats including video footage of the festival. We’ll continue on to the castle town of Hirosaki, visiting the ruins of Hirosaki Castle, the city’s most famous landmark. Weather permitting, enjoy a spectacular view of cherry blossoms in bloom on the castle grounds in the surrounding Hirosaki Park. The park is designated as one of Tohoku’s most famous flower viewing ’ohanami’ sites featuring thousands of cherry trees planted all around the park. Enjoy a hands-on-activity to make kiritanpo, a popular and traditional cuisine of Akita. We’ll form the cooked rice around a stick, toast it on a grill, then spread some miso sauce on it to enjoy. We’ll continue on to spend the night in Akita, the capital city of Akita prefecture. Dinner will be provided for you this evening at our hotel.
Accommodations at ANA CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL AKITA or similar
Sunday, April 21 (Day 08)
AKITA - KAKUNODATE - YOKOTE - TENDO (B)(D)
Our journey continues on to the town of Kakunodate, noted as one of Tohoku’s most popular ohanami sites where hundreds of shidare-zakura (weeping cherry trees) line the central avenue of the town. Weather permitting, we may also be able to view delicate somei yoshino cherry blossoms in bloom lined along the left bank of the Hinokinai River that flows through the town. Kakunodate is also famed for its well-preserved bukeyashiki (samurai houses) and gardens located behind wooden fences and gates along the main avenue. Among one of the most interesting mansions open to the public is the Ishiguro Samurai House - the former residence of Kakunodate’s highest ranked family. A visit to this house and garden offers a fine example of traditional samurai house architecture. Kakunodate is also noted for their traditional kaba-zaiku (wooden craft-ware) using the bark of wild cherry trees. Several of these intricate pieces are displayed in the Kakunodate Cherry-Bark Craft Museum. We’ll continue on to overnight in Tendo, a town noted for the manufacture of shogi (Japanese chess pieces). Enjoy dinner and relax in the hot springs at our onsen hotel this evening.
Accommodations at TAKINOYU HOTEL or similar
Monday, April 22 (Day 09)
TENDO - YAMAGATA - YONEZAWA - AIZU WAKAMATSU - KORIYAMA (B)(D)
Our drive this morning takes us through Yamagata prefecture to view beautiful cherry blossoms in bloom at Kasumiga-jo Park noted as one of the 100-best cherry blossom viewing spots in Japan (weather permitting). Enjoy a leisure stroll to view more cherry blossoms in bloom on the grounds of Matsugasaki Koen, the former residence of the Date and Uesugi clan. We’ll proceed to the castle town of Aizu Wakamatsu in Fukushima prefecture to visit Tsuruga-jo, a traditional castle noted as an important Tokugawa stronghold in the Tohoku region. We’ll visit Iimoriyama, the site where twenty young Aizu soldiers of the Byakkotai (White Tiger Corps) committed seppuku or ritual suicide when they presumed that their castle Tsuruga-jo was on fire and all was lost. On the top of the hillside are several monuments including the nineteen tombs for the Byakkotai soldiers. Along the pathway down the hillside are several monuments, statues, and other buildings of interest devoted to the Byakkotai. We’ll spend the night in the city of Koriyama in Fukushima prefecture. Dinner will be provided for you this evening at our hotel.
Accommodations at HOTEL HAMATSU or similar
Tuesday, April 23 (Day 10)
KORIYAMA - SUKAGAWA - NIKKO - TOBU - KINUGAWA (B)(D)
We’ll travel south to Kinugawa, a popular hot spring resort town in Tochigi Prefecture. Enjoy a visit to Toshogu Shrine, a Shinto shrine established to enshrine Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The lavishly decorated shrine complex consists of many buildings set in a beautiful forest - including a five story pagoda located in front of the main entrance gate. Many elaborate wood carvings decorate some of the buildings, including the most famous “see no evil, speak no evil, and hear no evil” monkeys. We’ll continue on to visit Tobu World Square, a theme park that exhibits replicas of famous buildings from all around the world. Models include ancient monuments, cultural treasures, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites reproduced with detailed cars, trains, gardens, and miniature people. Tobu World Square is divided into zones based on regions of the world: Japan Zone, Asia Zone, Europe Zone, Egypt Zone, and America Zone (featuring the White House and a section of downtown New York City). We’ll spend the night at an elegant onsen hotel in Kinugawa. Enjoy a delicious kaiseki dinner and relax in the soothing hot springs this evening.
Accommodations at KINUGAWA GRAND HOTEL YUME NO TOKI or similar
Wednesday, April 24 (Day 11)
KINUGAWA - ASHIKAGA - TATEBAYASHI - TOKYO (B)(D)
The Japanese people love flowers and wisteria (fuji) are among their favorites. One of the best places to view these elegant flowers is at the Ashikaga Flower Park in the city of Ashikaga in Tochigi Prefecture. This spacious park features several tunnels or trellises of breathtaking blue and white wisteria in bloom throughout the park and yellow laburnum (kingusari) that looks like yellow wisteria flowers. The highlight of the park is to view a large 100-year-old tree with its branches spread-out, creating a huge umbrella of blue wisteria flowers (weather permitting). We’ll continue on to the city of Tatebayashi to enjoy a visit to Tsutsujigaoka Park, the largest azalea park in Japan. Enjoy strolling through the park featuring hundreds of colorful azalea plants representing over 50 varieties of flowers in bloom (weather permitting). We’ll continue on to spend our last night in the city of Tokyo. Dinner will be provided for you this evening at the hotel.
Accommodations at HOTEL GRAND NIKKO TOKYO DAIBA or similar
Thursday, April 25 (Day 12)
TOKYO - HANEDA TO HONOLULU (B)
The morning is free at your leisure for your own activities. In the afternoon, we will transfer to Haneda International Airport to check-in for our evening flight home to Honolulu, arriving on the same day due to the crossing of the International Date Line. A meal will be served on board the flight.
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 9/6/2023. 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.
Land portion based on 140 Yen = $1.00 U.S.
