10D7N Refreshing Summer & Festivals in East South Hokkaido & North Japan

HIGHLIGHTS

Assemble dates:

29 JUL 2024

30 JUL 2024

Price: S$5,888

Tax & Fuel surcharge: S$530

Seasonal Scenery:

Hokuryu Sunflower Park “Sunflowers”, Hills of Zerubu “Various Flowers”, Farm Tomita “Various Flowers”

Unique Experiences:

Blueberry Picking Experience, Lake Toya Fireworks Festival, Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry from Hakodate to Aomori, Aomori Nebuta Festival, Akita Kanto Festival, Ginzan Onsen

Sightseeing & Shopping Experiences:

Blue Pond, Lake Shikotsu, Lake Toya Cruise, Lake Onuma, Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse, Mt Hakodate Night View, Lake Tazawako, Matsushima, AEON Mall Tendo

Special Gourmet Delights:

Sumptuous Japanese multi-course dinner Japanese Kaiseki or buffet in Ryokans/Hotels, local delights at local restaurants

Hotel/Ryokan Stays:

04-nights authentic Japanese Onsen/Ryokan/Hotel at Lake Toya, Hakodate & Shizukuishi. 03-nights centrally located hotel in Asahikawa, Sapporo & Yamagata

ITINERARY

Day 1 Assemble at Changi Airport for Check in

JL036 SIN-HND 2150-0550

JL507 HND-CTS 0855-1030

Day 2 New Chitose – Asahikawa 新千歳 - 旭川

Hotel: Art Hotel Asahikawa or similar / Western room

Meal: Meal on Board / L / D

Upon arrival at New Chitose Airport, coach transfer to lunch [Chirashi-sushi] at a local restaurant. After lunch, transfer to Hokuryu Sunflower Village (北竜町ひまわりの里) ✿ for sunflower viewing. It is the biggest sunflower field in Japan. The flower season just started and the entire gently-sloping hill will be covered by 1.3 million sunflowers. Finally, transfer to Asahikawa for hotel check in. Tonight, enjoy your dinner [Japanese & Chinese Cuisine] at the hotel restaurant.

Day 3 Asahikawa – Furano – Sapporo 旭川 - 富良野 - 札幌

Hotel: Royton Sapporo or similar / Western room

Meal: B / L / D

After breakfast, visit the Hills of Zerubu (ぜるぶの丘) ✿. Located on the hills of Route 237, this park is filled with various flowers such as lavender, poppies and sunflowers, which will be in full bloom during your summer visit. The 8-hectare park is perfect for a leisure stroll amongst the flowers, or you can rent an ATV buggy to tour the vast grounds. Next, head to Blue Pond (青い池), a man-made pond feature in Biei. The blue color comes from the aluminium in the water from the nearby hot springs which reflects the color of the blue sky, and the sulphur and lime have turned the pond bed white, which further complements the blue water. Next, proceed to a local restaurant for lunch [Buffet]. After that, transfer to Farm Tomita (ファーム富田) ✿, one of Hokkaido’s premier flower farms. You will be able to see the famous “Rainbow field” created by rows of different-coloured flowers along the gentle rolling hills at Tomita Farm. Tonight, enjoy your dinner [Crab Course] at a local restaurant, before transferring to the hotel for check in.

Day 4 Sapporo – Lake Toya 札幌 - 洞爺湖

Hotel: The Lake View Toya Nonozake Resort or similar / Western room

Meal: B / L / D

After breakfast, visit Lake Shikotsu (支笏湖), one of two caldera lakes of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park. Formed by a huge volcanic eruption thousands of years ago, it is the second deepest lake in Japan. This afternoon, your lunch [Sukiyaki] will be served at a local restaurant. After lunch, the fruit orchard awaits you! Enjoy a Fruit Picking Experience of blueberries that are just in season! Next, we will board the Lake Toya Cruise (洞爺湖汽船). The second caldera lake of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park, which you will be having a leisure cruise around the islands located in the middle of the lake. Finally, transfer to the hotel for check in. Tonight, enjoy your dinner [Buffet] at the hotel restaurant. This evening, you can enjoy the Spectacular Firework display that lights up Lake Toya, right from the hotel!

Day 5 Lake Toya – Hakodate 洞爺湖 - 函館

Hotel: Hakodate Kokusai Hotel or similar / Western room

Meal: B / - / D

This morning, let’s start your day at Lake Onuma (大沼). Located in Onuma Park which is designated as a quasi-national park, it is known for its picturesque, island dotted lakes and majestic volcano – Mt. Komagatake. Thereafter, transfer to Hakodate and visit the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse（金森赤レンガ倉庫）. The former port warehouses have been redeveloped into a shopping, dining and entertainment complex. Here, you will find trendy souvenirs, fashion and dessert shops. Lunch will be under your own arrangement here today. Next, transfer to the hotel for check in and enjoy some leisure time before dinner [Western-Style Meal] at a local restaurant. After dinner, we will take a trip to the peak of Mt. Hakodate for one of Japan’s top 3 night views! Spot the colorful city lights, vast view of Hakodate bay and even Onuma from the highest point of the observation deck! Finally, return to the hotel.

Day 6 Hakodate – Aomori – Shizukuishi 函館 - 青森 - 雫石

Hotel: Shizukuishi Prince Hotel or similar / Western room

Meal: B / - / -

This morning, enjoy free and easy time before we board the Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry from Hakodate to Aomori. Lunch will be under your arrangement during your leisure time. Upon arrival at Aomori, take part in one of the largest summer festivals of Japan – the Aomori Nebuta Festival (ねぶた祭)! The annual Japanese fire festival gathers over 3 million international and domestic visitors every year. Massive lantern floats designed based on kabuki theatre or mythical stories are paraded through the city of Aomori, while dancers, musicians and large taiko drums flank the parade. Dinner will be under your own arrangement here before heading to the hotel for check in.

Day 7 Shizukuishi – Akita – Shizukuishi 雫石 - 青森 - 雫石

Hotel: Shizukuishi Prince Hotel or similar / Western room

Meal: B / L / -

This morning, transfer to Lake Tazawako (田沢湖). Another caldera lake located south of the Towada-Hachimantai National Park. Some local symbols located around the lake are the Goza no Ishi Shrine and the famous golden statue of Tatsuko. According to legends, Tatsuko was a girl praying for beauty forever but was instead cursed, turned into a dragon and sunk to the bottom of the lake. After that, lunch [Kiritanpo] will be served at a local restaurant. Following that, we will proceed to Akita for the Akita Kanto Festival (竿燈まつり). Translated to Pole Lantern Festival, performers balance long bamboo poles with paper lanterns attached with impressive skill, gradually adding extensions to the pole, up to 12 metres. Some ways performers balance the poles are one-handed, forehead, shoulder and hip. This festival, alongside the Aomori Nebuta Festival makes up the Three Great Festivals of the Tohoku Region. Dinner will be under your own expense here before transferring back to the hotel.

Day 8 Shizukuishi – Matsushima – Yamagata 雫石 - 松島 - 山形

Hotel: Hotel Metropolitan Yamagata or similar / Western room

Meal: B / - / -

This morning, transfer to Matsushima (松島). Matsushima is an island-dotted bay near Sendai, one of Japan’s Three Most Scenic Views. Enjoy some free time this afternoon to explore the famous pine clad islets, one of Tohoku’s most famous Zen temples – Zuiganji Temple and more! You can also enjoy a cruise that will bring you around the different islands. Lunch will be under your own arrangement here today. After that, proceed to Yamagata for hotel check in. Tonight, enjoy your dinner during your own free & easy time in the city.

Day 9 Yamagata – Ginzan Onsen – Yamagata Airport 山形 - 銀山温泉 - 山形空港

Meal: B / - / -

JL178 GAJ-HND 1915-2020

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After breakfast at hotel, we will depart for Ginzan Onsen (銀山温泉). The old-fashioned onsen town is perfect for a stroll to explore the different bathhouses or enjoy a soak on the last day of the trip. Enjoy lunch during your leisure time here before heading to AEON Mall Tendo (イオンモール天童). The large scale outlet mall has stores offering all types of merchandise ranging from famous international and local brand names or smaller trinkets. Enjoy dinner during the free and easy time at the mall before heading to the airport

Bid farewell to Japan as we proceed to the airport and take the flight back to Singapore. We hope that you have enjoyed this vacation with JTB and we look forward to bringing you to your next holiday destination.

Day 10 Singapore 新加坡

Arrive Singapore