TOUR ITINERARY
08 FEB (SAT) HONOLULU,
Leave Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. A meal and snack will be served aboard Japan Airlines flight #73. Free Movies and Drinks.
09 FEB (SUN) CHITOSE,
ANA CROWNE PLAZA CHITOSE
Arrive at Haneda International Airport. After clearing government formalities, transfer to our Japan Airline connecting flight #527 to Chitose Airport in Hokkaido. Upon arrival, go directly to the hotel (15 minutes by bus from the airport). We will stay two nights at a hotel next to Aeon Shopping Mall.
10 FEB (MON) CHITOSE,
ANA CROWNE PLAZA CHITOSE
In the morning, go to the shoe store to buy snowshoes to be ready for the Winter season in Hokkaido. Then head to Lake Shikotsu to see the fantastic “Hyoto Ice Festival,” with massive ice sculptures made with water from the lake. You will be impressed by the marvelously colored, enormous ice sculpture called “Shikotsu Blue.” Later, we will visit the recently opened Lake Utonai Observatory, which gives you an unobstructed 360-degree view of Lake Utonai, a conservation wetland designated National Animal and Bird Conservation Area. If you wish to, you can walk to the lakeside to see the wild swans that stay there during winter. Then, proceed to Tomakomai, a port town that is the “sea entrance” of Hokkaido. We will enjoy shopping at Plat Minato Market. The wholesale market carries fresh Hokkaido fish, shellfish, dried seafood, etc. If you wish to, you can try fresh Seafood Domburi at your own expense.
11 FEB (TUE) SAPPORO,
SAPPORO TOKYU REI HOTEL
Enjoy exciting Snow Activity at North Snow Land. You will be a kid again and have fun in the snow with Snow Rafting and Snow Tube. Then head to Sapporo, Hokkaido’s capital and largest city. We will enjoy one of Japan’s most adorable and remarkable winter events, “75th Sapporo Snow Festival.” You will be impressed by colossal snow sculptures, hundreds of different-sized ice sculptures, and tempting snow statues. The whole Odori park turns into a fairy tale picture. Our hotel is conveniently located just a minute’s walk from downtown Susukino, where the Ice Sculpture Festival is held. After dinner, the tour guide will take you to Odori Park again to see the night view of the Sapporo Snow Festival by subway. Giant Snow sculptures, several stories high, are illuminated with fascinating lights that give you the feeling of being in an enchanted world. We will also see a projection mapping show using the latest technology, making sculpture as if it were moving by itself!
12 FEB (WED) ASAHIKAWA,
OMO7 ASAHIKAWA BY HOSHINO RESORT
We will visit Sapporo TV Tower, a symbolic tower in Sapporo's center. From the observatory (296ft high), you can enjoy a 360-degree view of the whole snowy Sapporo city & Odori Park. And visit Fukuyama Jyozo, which has been producing “Hokkaido’s Shoyu” for over 130 years. They use Hokkaido ingredients such as soybean, wheat, kelp, etc. Then head to Asahikawa, Hokkaido’s 2nd largest city filled with natural splendor. On the way, enjoy shopping at “Sunagawa Highway Oasis,” which carries many delicious local specialties in Hokkaido. We will stay at a hotel one block away from Heiwadori shopping street.
13 FEB (THU) SOUNKYO,
SOUNKYO KANKO HOTEL (ONSEN) ♨
We will visit the world-renowned Sake brewery, “Otokoyama,” which has a 360-year history. Known as where the “Best Sake in Hokkaido” is brewed, we will learn its history and enjoy tasting its fresh sake! Then, visit Asahiyama Zoo to see their traditional winter event, “Penguin Walk.” A group of King penguins waddling around the zoo to exercise during the winter. Later, We will stay at the Onsen Resort Hotel along the Sounkyo Gorge River. After dinner, the tour guides will take you to the Sounkyo Ice Fall Festival. You can explore a mysterious frozen world created by numerous ice sculptures illuminated in the seven colors of the rainbow, an icefall shrine, projection mapping on the ice, winter fireworks that light up the night sky in glorious color, a 42 feet high ice sculpture that forms an ice tunnel, etc. After visiting the festival, warm up your body in the Onsen Hot Spring bath. You can try Hokkaido's most enormous open-air bath while listening to a murmuring stream (Mixed-gender bath, bathing wear provided at Onsen place).
14 FEB (FRI) LAKE SAROMA,
LAKE SAROMA TSURUGA RESORT (ONSEN) ♨
Visit Yama-no Aquarium. It is incredible to see Japan’s biggest freshwater fish, “Ito (Japanese Huchen),” swimming and forming groups. Also, go to Cha-Cha World Doll Museum, which is filled with over 10,000 wooden toys, including puppets, nutcracker dolls, and mechanical toys from 40 different countries. This incredible Shadowgraph Gallery is worth seeing. The brilliant art pieces with light and shadow take you into a vibrant fantasy world. Then, head to Lake Saroma, Hokkaido’s largest lake, which is abundant in nature. We will stay at a fantastic resort hotel in Hokkaido’s magnificent natural beauty. You will see Frozen Lake (depending on the year's temperature) from your room. Enjoy a delicious buffet dinner featuring local seafood, meat, etc., and soak in the Onsen Hot Spring and Open-air bath with a fine view of the frozen lake amidst beautiful winter scenery.
15 FEB (SAT) SHIRETOKO,
SHIRETOKO DAIICHI HOTEL (ONSEN) ♨
Go to Abashiri, a prime site for observing the huge Ice Floes only during certain winter times. We’ll ride an Icebreaker Boat to see the Ice Floes up close (It depends on weather circumstances, temperature, tide, wind, etc.). The thickness and amount of Ice Floes have decreased considerably due to global warming. It’s better to visit as early as you can. Otherwise, No more chances! Later visit Okhotsk Ice Floe Museum. There is a unique screen that you can experience live "as if you were diving," with the images shot by the 360-degree camera with the illusionary effect of light and sound. You will see and touch a piece of natural Drift ice in the freezing experience room at 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, proceed to a World Natural Heritage site, Shiretoko Peninsula, one of Japan's most beautiful and unspoiled National Parks. The winter wonderland scenery of ice and white snow is breathtaking. You can view the beautiful Ice Floe scenery if the timing is right. We will stop at Oshin-Koshin Waterfall, which was selected as “One of the 100 most beautiful waterfalls in Japan.” You can see the partly frozen falls with beautiful winter surroundings. In the evening, enjoy a Big Buffet Dinner awarded as the “Best buffet in Hokkaido” with a variety of Local Seafood, Crab, Scallop, Sushi, Tempura, Steak, etc. Another good chance to soak and warm up your body in the Onsen Hot Spring bath and Open-air Rotenburo bath with a panoramic view of Shiretoko.
16 FEB (SUN) LAKE AKAN,
NEW AKAN HOTEL (ONSEN) ♨
This morning, we will go to Akan-Mashu National Park, a vast landscape comprising Japan’s largest caldera landform, volcanoes, forests, and lakes. We will visit Lake Kussharo, which was chosen as “One of Japan’s 36 most beautiful places” by CNN. It will be perfect timing for a large flock of whooper swans to migrate from Russia along the lake’s shoreline. This breathtaking landscape consisting of swans, a frozen lake, and a white mountain backdrop is praised as “the most beautiful lake shore of swans.” Then we will visit the mystical Lake Mashu, which many consider “Japan’s most beautiful lake” because of its tranquil beauty. During the winter, trees are covered with snow and ice, lining the lake shore and standing in stunning contrast to the lake's blue surface (Weather Permitting). Later, head to our hotel located beside Lake Akan. The lake completely freezes in winter, and the Frozen Lake Festival is held there. You can enjoy numerous winter activities such as fishing on the frozen lake, ice skating, snowmobiling, etc. (Optional). After another big buffet dinner, you can enjoy fireworks on the frozen lake, which can be seen from your room. Enjoy a relaxing soak in the infinity Onsen Hot Spring bath. It will appear like the Onsen Bath and Lake Akan merge.
17 FEB (MON) OBIHIRO,
HOTEL NIKKO NORTHLAND OBIHIRO
In the morning, visit the International Crane Center to see “Tancho,” the Japanese Red-headed Crane, officially designated as a living Japanese monument, and its habitat is only around this area. See these beautiful cranes dancing elegantly, spreading their enormous wings. Then, see Hokkaido’s winter miracle scene, “Jewelry Ice.” Ice lumps appear only during the coldest winter months on a beach at the mouth of the Tokachi River (Depending on the timing of the year). The clear ice, illuminated by the bright sunshine, sparkles like a diamond in the light. This unusual and unnatural phenomenon was reported by the New York Times, and its beauty has come to considerable attention of the world in recent years. Then, proceed to Obihiro. This region is called “Tokachi,” also known as the “Real Hokkaido.” Our hotel is next to the train station and its shopping building, where you can enjoy shopping after hotel check-in.
18 FEB (TUE) SAPPORO,
SOLARIA NISHITETSU HOTEL SAPPORO
Head to Lake Shikaribetsu, the highest-altitude lake in Hokkaido, known as the “Lake in the Sky.” We will visit the Ice Village, which appears only in winter on the frozen lake. This will be a unique experience of several buildings made from ice and snow, including the “Ice bar,” where you can order a drink (Own expense) and enjoy it sitting on ice chairs inside a building made of ice. The magnificent scenery of the frozen lake and snow-covered mountains will leave a lasting impression. Later, I headed back to Sapporo. We will stay two nights at a hotel next to Sapporo station with a department store and an underground shopping mall. After hotel check-in, tour guides will take you to nearby shopping. We will head out to downtown Sapporo in the evening to experience an Izakaya dinner. Izakaya is a Japanese-style bar where you can experience the ambiance of where the locals go and eat local foods to unwind after a hard work day. So, tonight, enjoy a relaxing and unforgettable time in Sapporo.
19 FEB (WED) SAPPORO,
SOLARIA NISHITETSU HOTEL SAPPORO
In the morning, go to Sapporo Wholesale Market, where you can buy Hokkaido’s dried seafood, local specialties, processed foods, etc., at the wholesale price. Later, we visited the newly opened 2022 Royce Cacao & Chocolate Town. Royce’ is Hokkaido’s chocolate company, renowned for its high-quality chocolates, which are iconic both domestically and worldwide. This factory exhibition museum has become the most popular newest attraction in Hokkaido. You can get fresh Royce’ Chocolate products at the factory shop. We will also enjoy lunch and shopping at Ario Shopping Center, which has over 100 shops, including a supermarket, UNIQLO, 100 YEN shops, etc. After returning to the hotel, enjoy Free Time to continue shopping, packing, etc. (Lunch / Dinner will be at your own expense.)
20 FEB (THU) CHITOSE
At checkout time, our agent will come to tape and tie up the boxes and take the baggage to be checked in. We will proceed by bus to Chitose Airport to catch our Japan Airline domestic flight #518 to Haneda International Airport. We will proceed to our Japan Airlines international flight #74 to Honolulu upon arrival. We will arrive in Honolulu the same morning, 20 FEB (THU). After clearing U.S. Customs, proceed home. (Lunch/dinner will be at your own expense.)
Clients remaining back can get plane, train, and hotel reservations. Members may return to Honolulu individually but no later than 90 days from the day of departure. Weekend returns will cost more per person. Please call our office if you are extending your stay. MAHALO!
*Price, Itinerary, and Meals are subject to change without notice.*
*** TOUR CONDITIONS ***
INCLUDES: Land transportation included in the itinerary, all hotel accommodations, meals, sightseeing listed, tax, all transfer of passengers and baggage, and souvenir group picture.
DOES NOT INCLUDE: Individual expenses after tour termination as stated in the itinerary—the cost of obtaining all personal items, passport/visa, and or other necessary documents.
AIR: JAL's TFS (Fuel Surcharge) determines the final price for the group economy booking. For premium economy, business, and outer-island bookings, please contact our office for a price quote at your earliest convenience. Please refer to the Airline Questions segment of our Frequently Asked Questions for more information.
LAND TOUR CANCELLATION POLICY PER PERSON:
DEPOSITS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE and NON-TRANSFERABLE. Once the tour itinerary is posted on the Tohoku Travel website, a $250.00 per person is required. This deposit will be applied to the full payment.
90 DAYS - 30 DAYS --- $1,500.00*
29 DAYS - 01 DAYS --- $2,500.00*
NO REFUND ONCE THE TOUR STARTS
*There may be Hotel cancellation charges along with the preordered event tickets for Miyako Odori show tickets, Tokyo Disney Sea tickets, Shinkansen ticket fees, etc. If the yen has already been purchased to pay for this tour, then the yen exchange rate at the time of refund will affect the refund since we have to convert the yen back to U.S. dollars again.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL TOHOKU TRAVEL SERVICE LLC
PH: 808-536-8618 or 808-538-7854
EMAIL: tohoku.travel.hi@gmnail.com
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ITO BLDG. #502; 2-22-3 TSURUYA-CHO KANAGAWA-KU, YOKOHAMA 221-0835, JAPAN
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