Northern Tohoku and Western Hokkaido Winter Self Guided

You will travel on your own to Tokyo, and check into the hotel. No meals are included.

Travel: TBD

Today, your main luggage will be transferred to Zao Onsen. After breakfast you will travel to Zao Onsen. Zao Onsen sits at an altitude of about 900 meters (3,000 feet) on the slopes of Mount Zao, an active volcano. During the winter months, Zao is one of Japan’s leading ski resorts. Zao Onsen’s trees become glazed with ice, making them into “snow monsters”. After checking into the ryokan you can go to the snow monster lighting to see these “creatures” lit up at night.

Travel: 3 1/2 Hours

Today is a free day in Zao Onsen. Use this day to go skiing, take a snowshoe tour, or check out the snow monsters. Retrieve your main luggage at the ryokan.

Travel: N/A

Transfer your main luggage to Akita. Today you will travel by train and public highway bus to Nyuto Onsen. Nyuto Onsen is a collection of mostly traditional and rustic onsen ryokan in the mountains of eastern Akita Prefecture. The name Nyuto Onsen means “nipple hot spring” and comes from the suggestive shape of nearby Mount Nyuto rather than the milky/cloudy appearance of the area’s hot spring water.

Travel: 5 Hours

After breakfast you will travel by Shinkansen to Kakunodate. Kakunodate is a former castle town, and while the castle no longer exists, the samurai tradition is still strong. Today, the samurai district has some of the best preserved examples of samurai homes anywhere in Japan. You will have the opportunity to tour two homes: the Aoyogi and the Ishiguro. The Aoyogi home is the largest in Kakunodate, and includes multiple buildings with musuem collections documenting the samurai traditions and history in Kakunodate. The area open to visitors at the Ishiguro home is limited because the Ishiguro family still maintains a residence there. You will also have the opportunity to visit the Denshokan Museum. This museum has numerous local arts and handicrafts on display, the most prominent being items made from cherry tree bark. During the cold winter months, the samurai would earn extra income by making these items. You will then depart Kakunodate and travel to Akita by train. You will retrieve your main luggage after checking into the hotel.

Travel: 2 Hours

Today you will transfer your main luggage to Noboribetsu Onsen. After breakfast you will travel to Aomori by Resort Shirakami. The Resort Shirakami is a sightseeing train along the scenic coastline in northern Japan. Since the train goes through the Tsugaru Peninsula, Tsugaru Shamisen players will board the train for part of the trip. After arriving in Aomori, we recommend stopping at the Nebuta Warasse Museum, dedicated to the city’s famous Nebuta Matsuri (Nebuta Festival) held every year in early August. The Nebuta Warasse Museum attempts to capture the spirit of the festival and gives visitors a taste of its lively atmosphere, history, and traditions. From here you will travel to Hakodate. Hakodate was one of the first cities open to the West after the Meiji Restoration. In the evening we suggest taking a cable car to the top of Mt. Hakodate where you can enjoy a panoramic view of Hakodate’s night lights, or walk through the Motomachi District of Hakodate to enjoy the nightime lightup.

Travel: 7 1/2 Hours

Early in the morning we recommend visiting the Hakodate Morning Market where the sellers can prepare the specialties of Hakodate (crab, sea urchin, and squid) fresh from their stalls for breakfast. You will then travel to Noboribetsu Onsen, one of the most popular and famous hot spring resorts in Japan. After arriving at Noboribetsu Onsen and picking up your main luggage, you will have free time to explore places like the Jigoku-dani (Hell Valley) and the other geothermal activity in the area. You will also have time to relax in one of the many hot springs in Noboribetsu Onsen.

Travel: 2 1/2 Hours

After breakfast you will have some free time in Noboribetsu Onsen. In the afternoon you will travel by express train to Sapporo. After arriving in Sapporo you will continue around Japan on your own, or fly home.

Travel: 1 Hour