2023 Cherry Blossoms of Northern Japan 9 Day Small Group Tour

Details

8 Nights

Escorted Tour from Tokyo

^from $5,207 _NZD

*Price is per person.

View Terms

Excludes Airfares
Departure: 20th April 2022
Minimum Pax: 13
Maximum Pax: 15

2023 Cherry Blossoms of Northern Japan 9 Day Small Group Tour

* Excludes International Airfares
* Departure: 20 April 2023
* Minimum 13 pax / Maximum 15 pax

Highlights
- Wisteria & Azaleas at Ashikaga Flower Park
- Experience Unique Buddhism at World Heritage Hiraizumi
- Kakunodate & Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festivals
- See hot spring monkeys in Hakodate

- Experience the Shinkansen travel 240m below sea level

- Taste "Sapporo Classic Beer" only available in Hokkaido

Prices From: (per person / based on minimum 13 paying guests on tour)

Departure Date	Twin	Single	Status
20 April 2023	$4,999	$5,499	Available

B: Breakfast | L: Lunch | D: Dinner

$Narita Airport {{{bus_icon}}} Tokyo$

Day 1

Narita Airport {{{bus_icon}}} Tokyo

Welcome to Japan! Upon arrival at Narita or Haneda Airport, your shared shuttle driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals area holding a nameboard. You will be taken to your hotel and the rest of the day can be spent at leisure.

Hotel: {{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}} Sunshine City Prince Ikebukuro, or similar

$Tokyo {{{bus_icon}}} Ashikaga {{{bus_icon}}} Sendai$

Day 2

Tokyo {{{bus_icon}}} Ashikaga {{{bus_icon}}} Sendai

Following breakfast at your hotel this morning, please leave your main suitcase at reception as it will be delivered to your hotel in Morioka. Ensure you bring an overnight bag for your stay in Sendai. Meet your fellow tour companions for a short welcome briefing in the lobby before departing to Ashikaga Flower Park by private coach. We will spend the day exploring the several hundred flowering plants and trees - this time of year is especially good for Japanese Wisteria, Japanese Azalea and Peony. In the afternoon we will proceed to the station and board the bullet train bound for Sendai. This evening we will head out for a Welcome Dinner at a local Japanese Izakaya restaurant.

Hotel: {{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}}{{{star_half_icon}}} Hotel Monterey Sendai, or similar
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

$Sendai {{{bus_icon}}} Morioka$

Day 3

Sendai {{{bus_icon}}} Morioka

Following breakfast at your hotel this morning, we are firstly heading to the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hiraizumi. Here we will visit Chusonji Temples Konjikidohall which is completely covered in gold. It dates back to 1124 and stands inside another building for protection. Following this, we will enjoy one of the amazing cherry blossom spots within Tohoku area - Kitakami-Tenshochi. The park has about 10,000 cherry blossom trees as well as a 2km long cherry blossom tunnel! This afternoon we will proceed to Morioka and you will have a local speciality called Wanko Soba for a dinner. This is a travel highlight for Japanese people and involves being served and quickly eating a small serving of soba noodles, which will subsequently be immediately refilled for you to eat again. The process continues in repetition until you can't eat anymore!

Hotel: {{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}}{{{star_half_icon}}} Hotel Metropolitan Morioka, or similar
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

$Morioka {{{bus_icon}}} Kakunodate {{{bus_icon}}} Morioka$

Day 4

Morioka {{{bus_icon}}} Kakunodate {{{bus_icon}}} Morioka

Following breakfast at your hotel this morning, we will depart for Kakunodate known as Samurai town and the perfect location for viewing cherry blossoms. Firstly, we will explore the main street where many weeping cherry blossom trees are located, as well as the riverbank which has cherry blossom trees lined for more than a mile. Since we are in a Samurai town, we will visit a Samurai residence which has existed since the Edo Era before heading to a local sake brewery to taste local sake. We will arrive back to Morioka in the early evening and are free to explore the town.

Hotel: {{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}}{{{star_half_icon}}} Hotel Metropolitan Morioka, or similar
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

$Morioka {{{bus_icon}}} Hirosaki$

Day 5

Morioka {{{bus_icon}}} Hirosaki

Following breakfast at your hotel this morning, please leave your main suitcase at reception as it will be delivered to your hotel in Hakodate. Ensure you bring an overnight bag for your stay in Hirosaki. After arriving in Hirosaki, we will spend the afternoon at the local cherry blossom festival. This festival is held around Hirosaki Castle which has stunning grounds and is much more than just cherry blossoms, as you will discover.

Hotel: {{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}}{{{star_half_icon}}} New Castle Hotel Hirosaki City, or similar
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

$Hirosaki {{{bus_icon}}} Hakodate$

Day 6

Hirosaki {{{bus_icon}}} Hakodate

Following breakfast at your hotel this morning, we will take a take another glimpse of the cherry blossoms around Hirosaki in hope to get some crowdless photos before taking a local train and Shinkansen north for our journey under the sea to Hokkaido. In the morning viewing of Sakura again by public transportation. This afternoon we will visit the famous red brick warehouses, which first opened in 1869. This evening we will take ropeway ride up to Mt Hakodate to get a stunning view of Hakodate, this view is classified as one of Japan's three best night views.

Hotel: {{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}} Hotel Resol Hakodate, or similar
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

Day 7

Hakodate

Following breakfast at your hotel this morning, we will visit the third largest morning market in Hokkaido, which has over 400 shops. Following this we will head to Goryokaku Fort which is the only structure of its kind within Japan. The moat and ground are now a stunning park which is well known for its beautiful cherry blossom trees.

Hotel: {{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}} Hotel Resol Hakodate, or similar
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

$Hakodate {{{plane_icon}}} {{{bus_icon}}} Sapporo$

Day 8

Hakodate {{{plane_icon}}} {{{bus_icon}}} Sapporo

Following breakfast at your hotel this morning, we will make a quick stop to see the Hakodate Flower Park Onsen Monkeys before making your way to Hakodate Airport to board your domestic flight to Sapporo. This afternoon we will head to Sapporo city and enjoy an afternoon tour of the Sapporo Clock Tower and Odori Park, where we will stroll along the promenade before reaching Susukino, Hokkaido's largest entertainment district. Tonight, we will head to the Sapporo Beer Museum to enjoy a farewell dinner of local lamb yaki-niku and famous Sapporo beer.

Hotel: {{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}}{{{star_icon}}} Sapporo Grand Hotel, or similar
Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

$Sapporo {{{bus_icon}}} New Chitose Airport$

Day 9

Sapporo {{{bus_icon}}} New Chitose Airport

Following breakfast at your hotel this morning, enjoy free time at leisure until it is time for you to head to New Chitose Airport by airport limousine bus for your departure flight. Pick up is approximately 4 hours prior to flight departure.

Meals: Breakfast

Hotel: Tokyo (1 night), Sendai (1 night), Morioka (2 nights), Hirosaki (1 night), Hakodate (2 nights), Sapporo (1 night)
Meals: 8 Breakfasts, 7 Lunches, 3 Dinners
Airport Transfers, domestic flight from Hakodate to Sapporo
English speaking guide from Day 2 to Day 8
Admission fee as mentioned in the itinerary
Luggage Transfer services for Day 2 from Tokyo to Morioka / Day 5 from Morioka to Hakodate

* The above offers are subject to availability and confirmation.
* Child discount applies. Please contact our travel specialists for further information.
* Infants (0-3yrs) may travel FOC if sharing seats, beds and meals with a paying adult.
* Pre & Post Night accomodation can be arranged at an additonal cost. Enquire for further information.
* For full booking and travel terms and conditions, please view via www.traveljapan.com.au/booking-conditions
* Costing may vary depending on the exchange rate. The final rate will be confirmed at time of booking confirmation.

Worry Free Travel – COVID Safe Plan Protocols

In order to provide you with a safe and worry-free travel experience, we have implemented protocols in accordance with WHO guidelines focused on enhanced cleanliness and hygiene.

TOUR LOCATION	COVID SAFE PLAN PROTOCOLS
Airports	※Guests are expected to wear face masks on planes and in airport terminals. ※Airport staff are instructed to wear face masks and gloves when deemed necessary. ※Frequent cleaning and disinfecting of touchpoints such as cart handles, restrooms, and counters. ※Using acrylic screens at face-to-face type counters to protect guests and airport staff from droplets. ※Hand sanitizer stations in high passenger volume areas throughout the airport. ※Ensuring adequate ventilation which allows for the airport terminal’s entire air to be replaced. ※Maintaining social distancing with queue markings between lines and seating.
Tour Vehicles	※Disinfection and ventilation of cars &/or buses during the day. ※Disinfectant hand sanitizer available on board. ※Drivers wear face masks when deemed necessary. ※Drivers cannot work if they feel unwell or have fever above 37.5 Celsius.
Hotels	※Hand sanitizer stations available throughout the hotel. ※Frequent use facilities to be disinfected regularly using alcohol. ※Protective screens or plastic shields installed at reception desks and cashier stations. ※Limited physical contact and queuing where possible. ※Health condition status will be requested at check-in. ※Additional measures in place to avoid guests own handling of food at buffets.
Restaurants	※Hand sanitizing alcohol to be provided at entrances and throughout restaurants. ※All restaurant staff to wear face masks. ※All tables and chairs to be disinfected/wiped after guests leave. ※Staff not permitted to work if unwell or have a fever above 37.5 Celsius. ※Additional measures in place to avoid guests own handling of food at buffets. *All restaurants are encouraged to adopt contactless payment method on a nationwide basis.
Partner Venues	※All staff at each site will wear face masks while serving guests. ※Staff not permitted to work if unwell or have a fever above 37.5 Celsius. ※Guests are asked to wear face masks and disinfect their hands at each facility. ※Each facility conducts enhanced cleaning and sanitization measures. ※Maintaining social distancing while visiting / participating in experiences. ※Provision of thoroughly ventilated air conditioning systems at each facility.
Tour Guides	※All tour guides are required to provide a daily health status report. ※Tour guides must wear face masks when deemed necessary. ※Minimizing physical contact through the implementation of contactless / touchless solutions where possible. ※Following health authority guidelines regarding the wearing of face masks, hand hygiene and avoiding physical contact.

For further and more specific information in regard to individual hotel COVID Safe policies, please click on the links below;

[Sunshine City Prince Ikebukuro] Prince Hotel’s Safety Commitment
[Hotel Monterey Sendai] Countermeasures Against the spread of COVID-19
[Hotel Metropolitan Morioka] Safety and Security Initiatives and Requests to Customers
[New Castle Hotel Hirosaki City] Covid-19 Prevention Provisions [Japanese Only]
[Hotel Resol Hakodate] Measures against Corona Virus [Please click on the Purple “新型コロナウイルスへの対策について” Link at top left of page for English advice]
[Sapporo Grand Hotel] Temporary change and suspension of some hotel operations in response to the spread of the new coronavirus

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