Snow Festival In Japan

Our tour starts in Tokyo, the modern day capital of Japan.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Dinner

It is said that over one quarter of Japanese live within a 50 km radius of the centre of Tokyo. The result is a bustling and exciting city, the economic powerhouse of Asia. Our first introduction to this unique culture is when we take a walking tour of the city highlights.  We visit the Meiji shrine and Shinjuku area, where the latest electronic gadgets can be seen in neon-fronted shops before making our way to the traditionally styled Hamarikyu gardens. The gardens are located in central Toyko and feature several seawater ponds which change levels as the tides rise and fall.
We then board a boat for a short journey along the Sumida-gawa river to the Asakusa Temple, Tokyo’s oldest temple. This journey offers a totally different perspective of Tokyo, as we sail past high rise apartments, secluded gardens and busy warehouses.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

 This morning we leave the capital and aftrer a short transfer by train and monorail we take a flight to Abashiri, located on the Okhostk Coast.  The town is most famous for the Kangoku, a prison opened in 1892 with a fearsome reputation for harsh winter conditions. Nowadays the prison has been transformed in to an interesting museum which we will visit, with chance to test out the cells if only for a few minutes.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Abashiri is Japan's northern most major city located at 44 degrees north latitude. From mid-January to late March the waters here are covered in drift-ice and we will be taking a cruise through the Sea of Okhotsk to get to the main drift ice areas. A variety of wild animals can be seen including seals and sea eagles resting on the ice. From the ship you can sometimes spot fox and deer on the coast. The boat ride takes about one hour in total depending on ice conditions. We take the afternoon train to Sapporo, a scenic route with views across the snow covered landscape.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

We spend the full day exploring the annual Snow and Ice festival. The festival first began in 1950 but gained worldwide recognition in 1972 when Sapporo hosted the winter Olympic Games. We will see all of the main venues that have snow statues and ice sculptures including Odori Park, Tsudome dome and the main street in Susukino, Sapporo's entertainment quarter. We will also take time to stop at one of the many ice bars that pop up during the festival. In the evening there is an option to visit the Sapporo Brewery for a tour.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today we take the train to Otaru, a small town set along the Otaru Canal. Once a year it is home to the Snow Light Path festival.  The snow covered town is decorated with small snow statues decorated with lights, particularly alongside the canal. Often there are also small floating candles in the water. As well as the lanterns there are often food stalls set up alongside the canal so we can sample some local snacks as we make our way through the displays.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Leaving Sapporo we take the train to Hakodate located on the south-west corner of Hokkaido Island. Hakodate was one of the first ports to open to foreign trade and as such has a distinct blend of Japanese and Western arcitecture. We wander through Motomachi which gives an insight in to how the traders lived and how the cultures merged. In the evening we take a trip to Mount Hakodate for spectacular views down across the city. In Hakodate we are accommodated at a Japanese style inn, where we sleep on Japanese futons – comfortable, thick folding mattresses. During our stay at the inn we learn about local etiquette such as when to take off our shoes and the pleasures of taking a Japanese bath, all of which helps enhance our stay in this traditional establishment.

Overnight Simple Guest House Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

We rise early this morning to visit the Hakodate morning market. Starting at 6am in the winter the traders sell fresh seafood including crabs (kani) and sea urchins (uni) as well as fresh fruit and vegetables. There are plenty of opportunities to snack as we wander through the stalls. After the market we make our way back to the airport for the short flight to Osaka where we take the train to Kyoto, the old Imperial capital. Kyoto is the cradle of all things uniquely Japanese and the only large city to escape bombing in WWII. It was the Imperial capital for more than 1000 years and was at the heart of the events that shaped Japan’s destiny. Signs of the past are visible throughout the city in its grand temples and palaces and also the many traditional shops selling wares that have been produced for centuries. This afternoon we visit the Kiyomizudera Temple and the Gion Geisha district.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Kyoto is regarded as Japan’s loveliest city, with more than 2000 temples and shrines, many set in manicured landscaped gardens. But it is also a modern city. We spend a full day exploring including a visit to the temple of the Golden Pavillion, Arashiyama Bamboo grove and the nearby Ryonji temple with its beautiful zen gardens. We also have a free day to further explore the city. You may wish to take a trip to nearby Nara, home to the Todaji Temple, Big Buddha and the Kasuga Shrine.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today we take our first journey on the Shinkansen, Japan's bullet train.  Travelling at speeds of up to 300km per hour, with quiet carriages and departures running to a strict timetable this is the ultimate in train travel. We combine this with a slightly slower local train as we make our way to Nagano. On arrival we head straight to Yudanaka, home to the famous 'snow monkeys'.  During the cold winter months these clever simians take to the hot springs to keep warm.  There are plenty of onsens (shared baths) which we can try out as well, all monkey free. We spend the night at a Shukubo (temple lodging) which forms part of a 7th century Zenko-ji temple complex. We can experience the daily workings of temple life, with a chance to witness tea ceremonies or watch the monks taking their morning prayers. Rooms are simple and twin share although bathrooms are shared between the group.

Overnight Simple Monastery Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we sample a traditional temple breakfast, simple vegetarian fare and very healthy. We can take a last chance to watch the monks prayers and join in with the tea ceremony before we take the Shinkansen back to Tokyo. Our time in Tokyo is free for last minute sightseeing or shopping for one of Japan's many gadgets.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

 Our tour ends this morning after breakfast.

Included meals: Breakfast