2023 Japan Summer Festivals in Tohoku Tour (11d/10n)
Join us on the Japan Summer Festivals in Tohoku Tour in the summer of 2023!
Tohoku is Japan’s lesser-traveled north, a land of remote natural areas, relaxing hot springs, ancient folklore, and a unique culture crafted by centuries of isolation. There are lots of large summer festivals in Japan that attract visitors from all over the country because of their lively atmosphere. On this tour, you will visit Aomori’s Nebuta Matsuri, Sendai’s Tanabata Matsuri, and Akita Kantou Matsuri, which are known as Japan’s 3 largest festivals. All 3 festivals are incredibly spectacular, immersing you and making you a part of a completely different world just for a while!
Japan Summer Festivals in Tohoku Tour Highlights
1.Discover the natural jewels of the Tohoku region such as Lake Tazawa, Zao Okama, and Matsushima
2.Get immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of Japan’s 3 largest festivals
3.Visit several amazing historical sites like the old post town Ouchijuku and remote temple Yamadera
Wifi is available on the bus.
Special Precautions for group tours and your safety
* We will prepare one mask per person per tour day.
* Before you get on the bus, everyone has to sanitize their hands with sanitizer that will be provided by us.
* There will be a maximum of 13 people on a bus that fits 22, so there is enough space between participants.
* We will provide everyone with one special health drink per day to keep everyone’s immune system up.
* We will provide everyone with one fresh bottle of mineral water per day.
Tour Date and Price
Arrival and departure: Starts in Tokyo and ends in Tokyo
Tour date: July, August 2023 (11 days and 10 nights) *exact dates TBA. If you’d like to be updated once the dates are known, please let us know with the inquiry form below and we will add you to our mailing list.
Tour price: USD 3,450 (price per person, based on twin/triple room occupancy)
Single room price: USD 4,250
Child price (age 4-11※): USD 1,710 (※no extra bed)
Tohoku Tour Highlights
Day 1: Arrival (Narita or Haneda) – Tokyo: Transfer to hotel in Tokyo
Day 2: Tokyo – Nikko – Kinugawa
Day 3: Kinugawa – Aizu Wakamatsu
Day 4: Aizu Wakamatsu – Zao
Day 5: Zao – Yamagata – Kakunodate
Day 6: Kakunodate – Lake Tazakawa – Akita
Day 7: Akita – Aomori – Hirosaki
Day 8: Hirosaki – Iwate – Sendai
Day 9: Sendai – Matsushima – Koriyama
Day 10: Koriyama – Tokyo
Day 11: Tokyo – Narita or Haneda Airport
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Airport (Narita or Haneda) – Tokyo
Welcome to Tokyo! You will be greeted by an English-speaking assistant at the airport. The assistant will help you on the bus to your hotel. You have the rest of the day and evening to enjoy Tokyo at your leisure.
Shinagawa Prince Hotel or similar
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Day 2: Tokyo – Nikko – Kinugawa
Nikko is one of Japan’s major attractions with its temples and shrines that are an amazing display of wealth and power by the Tokugawa Shogunate.
We will first visit the Nikko Toshogu Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This shrine is the mausoleum of Ieyasu Tokugawa, who founded the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1603. There are 48 waterfalls in Nikko and we will visit the impressive Kegon Falls. After having thoroughly enjoyed nature and the historical area, we proceed to a popular hot-spring resort in this area, Kinugawa Onsen.
LiveMax Resort Kinugawa or similar
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Day 3: Kinugawa – Aizu Wakamatsu
After check-out, we head out to Ouchijuku, a small post town from Japan’s Edo period. It is located on what was an important road used for the transportation of rice to the capital of Edo (now Tokyo) and for daimyo lords to travel to Edo. The town still retains characteristics of the villages along major transportation routes of the Edo period.
In the afternoon we will head north to Tsuruga Castle. When the castle was constructed nearly 600 years ago, it was just a traditional Japanese building. However, many famous Japanese military commanders successfully ruled the castle, as it was a key castle located at the center of the Tohoku Area.
Before we proceeed to our hotel today, we make a stop at Lake Inawashiro, the fourth-largest lake in Japan that is also known as the Sky Mirror Lake and boasts the cleanest water in Japan.
Hotel Listel Inawashiro or similar
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Day 4: Aizu Wakamatsu – Zao
Today we will start in Goshikinuma, a cluster of five volcanic lakes situated at the foot of Mt Bandai. We will walk a hiking trail for about 1 hour to appreciate the beautiful surroundings and different colored lakes.
We will then head north to Mt Zao* where we will see mountains covered with fresh green leaves and blooming alpine plants. One of Zao’s symbols is Okama, a deep blue and very mysterious lake that changes colors several times a day depending on the angle of the sunlight.
Tonight, we stay in the Zao hot spring resort area where people have bathed as far back as 110 AD. Now, Zao Onsen is one of the top tourist spots in Japan, surrounded by splendid mountains and rich in nature. Enjoy a relaxing hot spring bath tonight!
*Because Mount Zao is an active volcano, we may need to change the route depending on official warnings.
Gokano Yu Tsuruya or similar
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Day 5: Zao – Yamagata – Kakunodate
Today we visit the Furusawa Sake Brewery which was founded in 1836 making it one of the oldest breweries in Japan. They opened this museum in 1986 by remodeling the old wine cellar which was built in 1917. The objects exhibited here were actually used by the company. The tasting at the end of the tour is especially popular among visitors. They encourage you to compare a variety of their different sake brews.
Next up is Yamadera, a temple with one of the most beautiful backdrops in the world and founded in 860 AD. As one of the most significant sacred sites in the Tohoku region, it captures the attention of an enormous number of worshipers. The view from Godai-dou will make you forget your weary feet after climbing its long stairs.
After this amazing mountain walk, you can take it easy on the way to Kakunodate for around 4 hours.
Machiya Hotel Kakunodate or similar
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Day 6: Kakunodate – Lake Tazawa – Akita
First, we will visit a real Samurai house where you seemed to go back in time. You will see the Main House, the Armory, the Gallery, the Samurai Tools and Utensils Museum, Tea Room, gift shops and a beautiful garden.
Our next visit is to Lake Tazawa. The 20-km periphery of Lake Tazawa, the deepest lake in Japan, provides different views each season.
Then we proceed to Akita city to see the first festival, the Kanto (Lantern) Festival. Lanterns that symbolize ears of rice are lit and hung on 200 bamboo poles called Kanto during this four-day festival. The Kanto poles are carried by men who parade among excited spectators as this exciting festival reaches its peak. Enjoy your first summer festival in Japan!
Dormy Inn Akita or similar
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Day 7: Akita – Aomori – Hirosaki
In the morning we proceed to Aomori which takes about 3 hours. We will first visit Hirosaki Castle in Aomori, which was constructed in 1611 by the local Tsugaru clan.
Our next stop will be the colorful Nebuta Festival, where participants light a candle inside the toro and put it out to float onto the river The purpose behind this is to purify themselves and send the evil spirits out to the river. Today, the Nebuta floats are made of a wood base, carefully covered with washi paper, beautifully colored, and lighted from the inner part with hundreds of light bulbs. The colorful floats are pulled through the streets accompanied by people dancing in native Nebuta costumes, playing tunes on flutes and drums. You will be invited to dance along!
After enjoying the festivities, we drive back to Hirosaki.
Hirosaki Grand Hotel or similar
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Day 8: Hirosaki – Iwate – Sendai
In the morning we will go to the Oirase Stream, a scenic mountain stream in Aomori Prefecture and one of the prefecture’s major tourist attractions. We can enjoy a dynamic landscape of ever-changing water flows running through a natural forest, which form a number of waterfalls of various sizes.
Then we stop at the scenic Lake Towada. Lake Towada is Japan’s largest caldera lake and it lies 400 meters above sea level.
The Chuson-Ji Temple is a Buddhist temple in Hiraizumi and its Konjikido (Golden Hall) is one of the most beautiful and elaborately decorated buildings in the world. It is made of wood entirely covered with gold leaf decorated with imported mother-of-pearl and was registered as a World Cultural Heritage site in 2011.
At the end of the day we drive to Sendai where we will spend the night.
Richmond Hotel Sendai Ekimae or similar
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Day 9: Sendai – Matsushima – Koriyama
Today we kick off with the vibrant Tanabata Festival. Decorations made with washi paper and bamboo poles are everywhere, as approximately 1,500 of these well-decorated bamboo poles fill the shopping arcades and fill the city with color.
We will then drive to Matsushima, a group of about 260 pine-covered islands in the Matsushima Bay which was elected as one of the three most beautiful scenic spots in Japan.
Finally, we drive to Koriyama to spend the night.
Daiwa Roynett Hotel Koriyama Ekimae or similar
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Day 10: Koriyama – Tokyo
Today we drive back to Tokyo which will take around 4 hours. We cannot miss the Tokyo Sky Tree, which is a broadcasting and observation tower filled with restaurants, shops, and entertainment and the second tallest tower in the world.
After admiring the amazing cityscape from above we proceed to the mecca of Japanese pop culture, Akihabara. The bustling neighborhood is famous for its many electronics shops and is known as the center of Japan’s otaku culture. Many shops selling anime and manga-related goods are now dispersed among the electronic stores in the district. By the evening we drive to Odaiba in the south of central Tokyo where we will stay for the night.
Hotel Nikko Le Daiba or similar
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Day 11: Tokyo – Narita or Haneda Airport
It is time to get back home with unforgettable memories and lots of souvenirs. You will go to the airport by limousine bus. Thank you for coming to Japan, and we hope to see you again! If you’d like to extend your trip, please
contact us for options!
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INCLUDED
- 9 nights Western-style accommodation, 1 night Japanese-style accommodation
- Meet and greet upon arrival at Narita or Haneda Airport
- Airport transfers on arrival and departure
- Private coach transfers between destinations in Japan
- Comprehensive escort of our licensed professional English-speaking tour guide as described in the itinerary
- Meals as described in the itinerary (11 meals)
- Admission fees to sites, gardens, and museums as listed in the itinerary
EXCLUDED
- International airfares
- Meals that are not included in the itinerary
- Travel insurance
- Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks
- Personal expenses such as telephone and laundry bills
- Gratuities
EXTENDED PLAN
You can extend your vacation before/after the tour in Sapporo, Tokyo, Osaka, or other areas. We can provide you with an extension of your stay in the same hotel as during the tour for an extra 15,000 yen ~ per night, per person. Please contact us for more details.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Transport: Travel by air-conditioned private coach, baggage handling free
Arrival/Departure Airports: For arrivals at Narita or Haneda airport, this tour starts in Tokyo and ends in Osaka.
Meal Requests: Vegetarian, halal or special meals can be arranged
Meet and Greet: Please note that the meet and greet and airport transfer to the first hotel is ONLY available on the first day of the tour after 10 AM. If you plan to stay extra nights before the start of the tour, please arrange your own hotel transfer
Please note that the tour schedule and prices are subject to change without notice
CANCELLATION POLICY
46 days prior to arrival date in Japan: no penalty
45-31 days prior to arrival date in Japan: 10% of the tour fee
30-15 days prior to arrival date in Japan: 20% of the tour fee
14- 8 days prior to arrival date in Japan: 30% of the tour fee
7 – 3 days prior to arrival date in Japan: 50% of the tour fee
Less than 3 days prior to arrival date in Japan: 100% of the tour fee
Reservation & Inquiries
Feedback from Clients
- Yudistira L. – 2019 Spring –
- Japanese food is excellent and good portions
We were traveling with 3 people and we really appreciated that all hotels provided an extra bed so we could stay in the same room. The Japanese food was excellent and the portion is also right, we had great meals every day. Guide Hide speaks very good English and he is a very nice person. The sightseeing was excellent, we only would have liked a bit more time for taking pictures at a few sights.
- Edward L. – 2019 Spring –
- I was in Japan before, but this was a new and unique experience
In 2005 I came to Japan with a different tour company, and I was happy to feel that this trip was an entirely new experience again. The guide was great, his English was good and easy to understand. The hotel rooms were a bit small but very clean and well maintained.
- Roberto S. – 2020 Spring –
- Japan comes as a package: the people, the places, the food. All is magic.
Guide Hide has active knowledge and experience, he truly made the tour unique. I loved the sights we saw, everything I wanted to see was included. The tour was well-organized, if I have one complaint it was that it was too short!
