North Central Exploration

Tokyo

Our representative will meet you at Narita International Airport or Haneda Airport (assuming your flight arrives after 8:00am and before 21:30) and taken to your hotel in Tokyo by public transportation. They will hand you all your transportation tickets including an IC Card with an initial credit of 2000 yen. They will also hand you a pocket internet device and give you an orientation. When you arrive at your hotel they will check you in and show you where you can find some food and the like. The train from Narita Airport to Tokyo Station will take approximately 1 hour.

Tokyo is home to approximately 12 million people and can be a bit overwhelming. Beneath this surface lies a city of contradictions: ancient temples and shrines beside high-tech department stores; traditional festivals held in modern neighborhoods; peaceful Japanese gardens below intelligent skyscrapers. For its size and sprawl, Tokyo is an incredibly safe, efficient city with a low crime rate, the trains running on time. Tokyo is a vibrant metropolis overflowing with many fascinating sights, sounds, and experiences for you to enjoy.

Tokyo

Your private local guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel and will show you Tokyo. They will take you to sights that interest you and will also make suggestions. We can work on the sightseeing itinerary or activities before you go to Tokyo to better tailor your sightseeing. Some places you might enjoy are Shinjuku, Harajuku, Asakura or many other options. Your guide will also make suggestions for things to do in the evening.

Kakunodate

Kakunodate is a former castle and samurai town. Though the castle no longer remains, its samurai and merchant districts are relatively unchanged from its founding in 1620. Well preserved former residences that now serve as museums offer a glimpse into the samurai lifestyle. The Aoyagi House, with its thatched roof, is one of the most interesting. The Ishiguro House has a collection of samurai armor and clothing on display. The bullet train from Tokyo Station to Kakunodate will take a little over 3 hours.

Kakunodate

With its hundreds of cherry trees, Kakunodate is one of the region’s most popular places to enjoy spring blossoms. The industry of cherry-bark veneer handicrafts, called kabazaiku, thrives here and visitors can purchase locally crafted items as souvenirs. Kabazaiku demonstrations are given in the Denshokan Museum, where these and other regional crafts are on display.

Nyuto Onsen

Nyuto Onsen is a hot spring resort in the rural setting, surrounded by deep forest and mountains. Main features of Nyuto Onsen are simply to enjoy plenty of mountain and forest scenery, taste traditional Japanese meals and appreciate their natural hot-springs. Dinner will be served at your ryokan (Japanese Inn). In summer, thousands of flowers blossom and open up around you. While leaves on trees change to shiny golden colors in autumn which attracts many season admirers, on the other hand you may surprise the volume of snow falls in winter. The transfer from Kakunodate to Nyuto Onsen will take about 45 minutes.

Matsushima

Today you will travel to Matsushima, a group of about 260 shima, small islands, covered in matsu, pine trees where a tasty dinner will be waiting for you. Along with Miyajima and Amanohashidate, Matsushima Bay is considered one of the most scenic places in Japan. The islands can be viewed from various lookout points, or by taking a local cruise. Please let us know if you wish to take a bay cruise and we will arrange it for you. The transfer from Nyuto Onsen to Matsushima will take about 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Matsushima

Today you will explore Matsushima at your pace. Godaido temple, located next to Matsushima Pier, is interesting for its outer walls decorated with carvings. Zuigan-ji temple is well known for its caves carved into the rock which are used for memorial services. An art museum on Zuigan-ji’s temple grounds displays calligraphy, fusuma paintings, tea cups and portraits. Oshima Island, close to Matsushima Pier, can be reached on foot by crossing a bridge. The island has caves which were used by monks to pray and meditate in. Overlooking Matsushima Bay, Karantei is the largest Momoyama-style tea house in Japan. Originally built in Kyoto, it was moved to Matsushima in 1645. Behind Karantei the Matsushima Museum has tools, armor and weapons on display.

Nikko

A former sacred spot for the Edo Shogunate, this area is known for its glorious shrines and temples set in a beautiful surrounding with waterfalls and lakes. One of the main attractions in Nikko is the Toshogu Shrine where the first shogun of the Edo Shogunate (17th-19th century), Ieyasu Tokugawa, is enshrined. As many as 127,000 craftsmen were involved in constructing the building, using the highest level of technology available at the time. In the back of the shrine, you can see the famous carvings of the ‘three monkeys’, known throughout the world for their ‘see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil’ poses. In 1999, the buildings on Mount Nikko and the forest areas in the surrounding area were registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.

Hakone

After breakfast served at your ryokan you will visit Hakone at your pace. Possible sights include the Open Air Museum (Modern museum Exhibiting sculptures and paintings), Owakudani (an active volcanic zone where sulfurous fumes, hot springs and hot rivers can be experienced), sightseeing cruise on Lake Ashonoko,…Please let us know if you wish to visit a particular sight or enjoy a specific activity and we will arrange it for you. Dinner is also included for this evening so make sure to come back on time at your ryokan.

Tokyo

Today you will head back to Tokyo for your last evening in Japan. This should be the perfect time to relax, get souvenirs, visit a few more sights… The train from Hakone Yumoto Station to Tokyo will take about 1 hour.

Today will be your last day in Japan and your last chance for sightseeing and shopping. Please make sure you arrive at Narita Airport or Haneda Airport at least 2 hours before your scheduled flight. The trip to either airport will take about 1 hour.