The Northern Trail (Small Group Tour)

When & Where?

Route Tokyo (2) – Nikko (Kinugawa Onsen) (1) - Niigata (1) – Sado Island (2) – Tateyama (1) – Matsumoto (1) - Kyoto (3) – Tokyo (2)
Tour Duration: 13 Nights / 14 days
2012 Departure Dates:
- Aug 14 features Earth Celebration
Optional: Climb Mt Fuji

Pricing

Price: JPY427,000 [ EUR4,270 |GBP3,545 | AUD5,200 | USD5,600 ]

Prices are per person sharing Currencies are subject to change at time of booking and based on the JPY (Japanese Yen) value (currency conversion as of 02/02/2012) Once you pay your security deposit, a fixed value will be set against the JPY value that will be due eight weeks prior to travel * No single room supplement applies if you are willing to share a room with a passenger of same gender in Japanese style hotels only * If you prefer your own room throughout, a small supplement will apply of approx. 10,000JPY per night (approx.3 nights in Japanese style hotels). To get an exact quote, contact us with your details.

What’s included?

Met on arrival at Narita Airport by an English speaking representative
Airport transfers on arrival and departure dates
13 nights stay in western hotels (10 nights), ryokan (1 night), minshiku (2 nights)
Breakfast daily & 4 dinners
All transfers between destinations using local trains, shinkansen, subways, private vehicles, cable car, and ferry
All activities and entrance fees as per itinerary including the Kurobe Alpine Route Pass & Earth Celebration Tickets
English-speaking tour leader throughout with local guides in places
Taxes including service charges
Unique Japan Tours travel pack

Introduction

To avoid the humidity and higher temperatures in the south, we have chosen to venture north for a cooler summer tour option. One way the Japanese enjoy spending their summers is by throwing lots of interesting festivals. So what better way to immerse yourself into Japanese culture and traditions than by joining in on the fun. For both tour dates you can chose from the energetic beats of Taiko drums at Sado Islands ‘Earth Festival’ or the outstanding wooden-carved floats and colourful costumes at Kyoto’s annual ‘Gion Festival’ as well as an evening of watching Sumo wrestling live in Nagoya’s stadium. Whichever tour you chose, you can be sure of excitement and once in a lifetime experiences!

Tour Highlights

Tokyo

The Northern Trail begins and ends in Tokyo where you will be given a brief over view of the cities highlights plus some free time for self-exploration at the end.

Nikko & Kinugawa Onsen

Nikko, once a training centre for Buddhist monks, is now home to the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the warrior who established the shogunate that ruled Japan for more than 250 years before coming to an end in 1868, the time of the Meiji Restoration. Just a short distance from Nikko is the hot spring town of Kinugawa where you will spend one night soaking in the springs and sampling a kaiseki dinner at a luxurious ryokan.

Niigata & Sado Island

Famous for having the purest water in Japan, Niigata’s rice and sake are among the most sought after across the nation. Here we will visit a local sake brewery and samurai house bringing you back to Japan’s feudal days. Just a few hours by ferry brings us to Sado Island – Japans sixth largest island. We will spend two nights here at a local minshiku where we can meet the locals and see how the islanders live. Tickets to Earth Festival, a three day music festival featuring the world famous Kodo Drummers are included in this itinerary.

Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route

From Sado we will move back to the mainland into the deep mountain gorges between Toyama and Nagano. Taking in the stunning scenery using the various transport modes for this trip. We will overnight in Tateyama in a mountain lodge. Along this adventure we will take in the worlds highest, most impressive Kurobe Dam which stands at 186m tall, as well as plenty of photo opportunities along the way.

Kyoto

No tour to Japan is complete without a few days in the ancient capital Kyoto. We will spend three days/nights exploring the side streets, performing an authentic tea ceremony, glaring at Geisha in downtown Gion, visiting the magnificent temples, with one free day thrown in to do your own thing. Use this free day to visit Hiroshima, Himeiji, Miyajima using your Japan rail pass or spend the day relaxing in the bamboo forest in the Arashiyama area.