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Self-Guided Adventure
Tailor-made
Northern Highlights
13 Nights: from US$5639 per person (twin share) Trip Code: NHS
Japan's Tohoku region stretches 500 miles north of the capital and, in stark contrast to the modern skyscrapers of Tokyo, boasts outstanding natural beauty and well-preserved history – a reminder that traditional ways are still very much alive and well in Japan. Read more >
Your journey starts and ends in Tokyo. You will begin with a stay in the traditional Asakusa district, with its echoes of pre-war Tokyo, and end with a night in the buzzing entertainment hub of Shinjuku.
In between these city stays you'll soak in a hot spring bath at one of Japan's most celebrated spa resorts, follow in the footsteps of the pilgrims at Mount Haguro, explore the World Heritage temple complex at Nikko, and much more besides.
Whatever time of year you travel you will find that the Tohoku region offers some of the best scenery in Japan. In spring, stroll around the samurai houses in Kakunodate with hundreds of weeping pink cherry blossom plants providing a beautiful backdrop. In autumn, take in the rich oranges and reds surrounding Lake Chuzenji in Nikko National Park. In winter, admire the enchanting snow-capped peaks and frozen lakes of the north.
Japan effortlessly blends the traditional with the modern, and by speeding between destinations on the world-renowned Shinkansen bullet train you will experience these contrasts first-hand. Included car hire for the most rural locations will allow you to get out on the open road and explore even the most hidden parts of Tohoku.
Accommodation will include stays in Western hotels as well as Japanese-style inns, a renovated samurai storehouse, and even an atmospheric shukubo temple lodging where you can experience some of the best of traditional Tohoku cuisine.
This is your chance to explore a rich and enchanting side of Japan rarely visited by tourists. There are numerous ways you can extend your Tohoku trip, such as adding on a side trip after Mount Haguro to visit Sado Island, home of taiko drumming, or with a stay in the most picture-perfect hot spring town: Ginzan Onsen. Let us know your interests and time available and we can tailor the itinerary accordingly.
Transport: Please bear in mind that this itinerary includes five days' rental car, which we think is the best way to explore the Tohoku region. Not keen on driving on holiday? No worries, we can make alternative arrangements such as a private car (at additional cost). Public transport is also an option; Tohoku does have a Shinkansen bullet train line running up the middle of the region but after that you must rely on slightly infrequent local train lines.
Driving in Japan: Please note that to drive in Japan you will need to obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP) before you leave your home country.
What's included
- 13 nights' accommodation (six nights Japanese style)
- Breakfast every day, six evening meals and two lunches
- Airport transfers by private car
- Transport between destinations unless otherwise specified
- Manaca transport card with 2,500 yen credit for city transport
- Five days' car hire
- Eight-hour private guide service in Tokyo and Nikko including entrance fees and lunch
- Evening food tour of Sendai
- Private day trip to Matsushima including lunch
- Pocket WiFi device
- Your personalised InsideJapan Info-Pack
What's NOT included:
- International flights
- Local transport (buses, subways, taxis) unless otherwise specified
- Entrance fees including those for shrines, temples and museums unless otherwise specified
- Fuel and tolls for car hire
- Baggage handling and luggage forwarding
Trip Highlights
- Discover Tokyo with a private guide
- Travel by Shinkansen bullet train
- Live like a samurai in a traditional house in Kakunodate
- Stay in a traditional shukubo inn
- Indulge in Sendai's food culture
- Wander the shrine complex at Nikko
For more information email us: [email protected] or call: 303 952 0379
What, where, when and how...
Northern Highlights - 14 Days
Northern Highlights - 14 Days - Day by Day
Northern Highlights - 14 Days - Accommodation
Northern Highlights - 14 Days - Experiences
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Day 1-3
Your adventure begins with a stay in Tokyo's traditional Asakusa district, the perfect base from which to begin exploring the inexhaustible attractions of Japan's capital city.
Welcome to Japan! After being conveyed by private car to your hotel in the Asakusa district, the rest of the day will be free for you to start exploring the city. Asakusa is Tokyo's most traditional district, and just moments from your hotel is the city's oldest temple: Senso-ji. Across the Sumida River you'll also see Tokyo's newest landmark: the 634m Skytree. Armed with your personalised Info-Pack, getting to know Tokyo couldn't be easier.
On your first full day in the city you'll be taken on a tour of Tokyo by a private guide, who will help you get to know a side of the city that most visitors don't get to see. Entrance fees and lunch at a local restaurant will be included, and the itinerary itself will be completely flexible to cater to your needs and interests.
The rest of your day will be free for you to continue exploring Tokyo independently. We suggest that you head to Hamarikyu Gardens where you can enjoy a tea ceremony, explore the elegant department stores of Ginza, or take a boat cruise along the Sumida River for a different view of the city.
Alternatively you could use this time to take a day trip out of the city – the giant Buddha at coastal Kamakura is a popular choice, whilst the energetic amongst you might prefer a day of hiking at Mount Takao. Your Info-Pack will be full of suggestions and details of all the options for today.Overnight: Gate Hotel Kaminarimon
-
Day 4-5
Ornate shrines and atmospheric forests provide a dramatic contrast to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo as you begin your journey north with a stop at Nikko.
From Tokyo you will head north by train to Nikko, where a local guide will give you a private tour of the amazing temple complex in its atmospheric forest setting.
Built around the mausoleum of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasau, Toshu-gu Shrine lies at the entrance to Nikko National Park and is the most lavishly decorated shrine in Japan. Lunch and entrance fees will be included as part of the tour, and after your sightseeing you will head to your Japanese-style ryokan inn for a delicious kaiseki dinner.
Your second day in Nikko will be free for you to spend exploring the national park, which is filled with stunning scenery. The included transport pass will cover the buses in the area and allow you to visit the impressive Kegon waterfalls, soak at the nearby hot spring temple, take a cable car ride for fabulous views of Lake Chuzenji and go hiking across the Senjogahara marshland.Overnight: Senhime Monogatari
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Day 6-8
Speed northwards on the bullet train to Sendai, the largest city in the Tohoku region and gateway to the celebrated Matsushima Bay.
Today you'll head north from Nikko to Sendai, the largest city in the Tohoku Region. To get there you'll be riding the world-famous Shinkansen bullet train, quite an experience in itself!
Nowadays Sendai is known for its high proportion of high-tech industries, but it also has a rich history as the stronghold of the feudal warlord Matsume Date. Date's splendid mausoleum and the excellent Sendai Museum are certainly worth a visit today. In the evening we'll arrange for you to join a guided izakaya tour to introduce you to the best of the local cuisine.
On your second day in Sendai we recommend visiting Matsushima Bay. Dotted with over 200 pine tree-covered islands, this area is celebrated as one of Japan's three most scenic views. Our favourite way is to join a guide to experience Matsushima's best produce: oysters! In the included tour, you'll head out on a boat and pluck the oysters fresh from the ocean, then tuck into them for lunch. If you'd prefer to explore the area on your own, we'll have plenty of suggestions for how to spend the day.
Your last full day in Sendai is at leisure. We recommend taking a day trip out to Yamadera, a temple perched atop a mountain. The views are particularly beautiful during autumn leaf season, but it's well worth visiting at any time of year.Overnight: Westin Sendai
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Day 9-10
Relax in the milky waters and take a stroll in your yukata at one of Japan's finest hot spring resorts, Nyuto Onsen.
Renowned in Japan as one of the country's most impressive hot spring areas, Nyuto Onsen lies deep in the mountains of Akita Prefecture.
Ramshackle wooden buildings surrounded by woodland, steaming pools of milky-white water, locals making their way from bath to bath or taking a stroll in their yukata cotton kimono – this is the ultimate hot spring experience and will reassure you that traditional ways are very much alive and well in Japan. Dinner will be included at your traditional ryokan inn tonight.
On day ten of your itinerary, you will have another full day to either relax at Nyuto Onsen or take a day trip by car into the surrounding area. Lake Tazawa is Japan's deepest lake and is surrounded by gently sloping hills with some great hiking trails. The scenic peaks of Mount Komagatake offer a challenge for hikers.Overnight: Yama no Yado
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Day 11
History comes alive at Kakunodate, a superbly well-preserved samurai town with some of the best cherry blossom to be found in the Tohoku region.
From Nyuto Onsen you will make your way to the historic town of Kakunodate. Kakunodate was founded in the early 1600s as a military outpost and once boasted a castle, a collection of grand samurai mansions, and some more modest merchant homes as the class system dictated.
Although the castle has been destroyed, much of the rest of the town remains relatively unchanged and many of the original samurai houses still stand today. A handful of these houses are open to the public, giving a fascinating insight into the life of a samurai.
Rather than staying in a standard hotel, we've chosen a unique converted storehouse, renovated into a traditional townhouse with wooden flooring, irori hearth, and plenty of space. Each of the three storehouses has been designed with a theme: samurai, silk and textiles (a regional craft), and even a local food specialty – pickles!Overnight: Wanoi Kakunodate
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Day 12
Spot a mountain monk meditating in the forests as you hike to the top of sacred Mount Haguro and spend the night in a traditional temple lodging.
Your next destination is Mount Haguro, one of the three Dewa Sanzan sacred mountains in Yamagata Prefecture. During your stay here you might be lucky enough to spot one of Haguro's famous mountain monks meditating in the forest as you wander along the mountain paths!
There is a beautiful hike up to the top of the Mount Haguro, leading past hidden temples and pagodas before arriving at the temple complex at the top. The museum at the foot of the mountain will tell you a little more about the history of Buddhism in the area.
Tonight you will stay at an authentic shukubo temple lodging, where you'll also have the chance to sample delicious shojin ryori Buddhist food.Overnight: Kanbayashi Katsukane Shukubo
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Day 13-14
Return to Tokyo for one last night in Shinjuku, the capital's business and entertainment hub.
After dropping off your car in Niigata, you will catch the Shinkansen back to Tokyo. Your final night in Japan will be spent in Shinjuku, Tokyo's main commerce and entertainment district. With a wealth of restaurants, bars and karaoke on your doorstop – as well as plenty of last-minute souvenir shops – Shinjuku is the perfect place to end your northern adventure!
As your time in Japan comes to an end you will be picked up from your hotel by private car and whisked in comfort to the airport in time for your departure flight.Overnight: Century Southern Tower
-
Day 1-3
Your adventure begins with a stay in Tokyo's traditional Asakusa district, the perfect base from which to begin exploring the inexhaustible attractions of Japan's capital city.
Welcome to Japan! After being conveyed by private car to your hotel in the Asakusa district, the rest of the day will be free for you to start exploring the city. Asakusa is Tokyo's most traditional district, and just moments from your hotel is the city's oldest temple: Senso-ji. Across the Sumida River you'll also see Tokyo's newest landmark: the 634m Skytree. Armed with your personalised Info-Pack, getting to know Tokyo couldn't be easier.
On your first full day in the city you'll be taken on a tour of Tokyo by a private guide, who will help you get to know a side of the city that most visitors don't get to see. Entrance fees and lunch at a local restaurant will be included, and the itinerary itself will be completely flexible to cater to your needs and interests.
The rest of your day will be free for you to continue exploring Tokyo independently. We suggest that you head to Hamarikyu Gardens where you can enjoy a tea ceremony, explore the elegant department stores of Ginza, or take a boat cruise along the Sumida River for a different view of the city.
Alternatively you could use this time to take a day trip out of the city – the giant Buddha at coastal Kamakura is a popular choice, whilst the energetic amongst you might prefer a day of hiking at Mount Takao. Your Info-Pack will be full of suggestions and details of all the options for today.Overnight: Gate Hotel Kaminarimon
-
Day 4-5
Ornate shrines and atmospheric forests provide a dramatic contrast to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo as you begin your journey north with a stop at Nikko.
From Tokyo you will head north by train to Nikko, where a local guide will give you a private tour of the amazing temple complex in its atmospheric forest setting.
Built around the mausoleum of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasau, Toshu-gu Shrine lies at the entrance to Nikko National Park and is the most lavishly decorated shrine in Japan. Lunch and entrance fees will be included as part of the tour, and after your sightseeing you will head to your Japanese-style ryokan inn for a delicious kaiseki dinner.
Your second day in Nikko will be free for you to spend exploring the national park, which is filled with stunning scenery. The included transport pass will cover the buses in the area and allow you to visit the impressive Kegon waterfalls, soak at the nearby hot spring temple, take a cable car ride for fabulous views of Lake Chuzenji and go hiking across the Senjogahara marshland.Overnight: Senhime Monogatari
-
Day 6-8
Speed northwards on the bullet train to Sendai, the largest city in the Tohoku region and gateway to the celebrated Matsushima Bay.
Today you'll head north from Nikko to Sendai, the largest city in the Tohoku Region. To get there you'll be riding the world-famous Shinkansen bullet train, quite an experience in itself!
Nowadays Sendai is known for its high proportion of high-tech industries, but it also has a rich history as the stronghold of the feudal warlord Matsume Date. Date's splendid mausoleum and the excellent Sendai Museum are certainly worth a visit today. In the evening we'll arrange for you to join a guided izakaya tour to introduce you to the best of the local cuisine.
On your second day in Sendai we recommend visiting Matsushima Bay. Dotted with over 200 pine tree-covered islands, this area is celebrated as one of Japan's three most scenic views. Our favourite way is to join a guide to experience Matsushima's best produce: oysters! In the included tour, you'll head out on a boat and pluck the oysters fresh from the ocean, then tuck into them for lunch. If you'd prefer to explore the area on your own, we'll have plenty of suggestions for how to spend the day.
Your last full day in Sendai is at leisure. We recommend taking a day trip out to Yamadera, a temple perched atop a mountain. The views are particularly beautiful during autumn leaf season, but it's well worth visiting at any time of year.Overnight: Westin Sendai
-
Day 9-10
Relax in the milky waters and take a stroll in your yukata at one of Japan's finest hot spring resorts, Nyuto Onsen.
Renowned in Japan as one of the country's most impressive hot spring areas, Nyuto Onsen lies deep in the mountains of Akita Prefecture.
Ramshackle wooden buildings surrounded by woodland, steaming pools of milky-white water, locals making their way from bath to bath or taking a stroll in their yukata cotton kimono – this is the ultimate hot spring experience and will reassure you that traditional ways are very much alive and well in Japan. Dinner will be included at your traditional ryokan inn tonight.
On day ten of your itinerary, you will have another full day to either relax at Nyuto Onsen or take a day trip by car into the surrounding area. Lake Tazawa is Japan's deepest lake and is surrounded by gently sloping hills with some great hiking trails. The scenic peaks of Mount Komagatake offer a challenge for hikers.Overnight: Yama no Yado
-
Day 11
History comes alive at Kakunodate, a superbly well-preserved samurai town with some of the best cherry blossom to be found in the Tohoku region.
From Nyuto Onsen you will make your way to the historic town of Kakunodate. Kakunodate was founded in the early 1600s as a military outpost and once boasted a castle, a collection of grand samurai mansions, and some more modest merchant homes as the class system dictated.
Although the castle has been destroyed, much of the rest of the town remains relatively unchanged and many of the original samurai houses still stand today. A handful of these houses are open to the public, giving a fascinating insight into the life of a samurai.
Rather than staying in a standard hotel, we've chosen a unique converted storehouse, renovated into a traditional townhouse with wooden flooring, irori hearth, and plenty of space. Each of the three storehouses has been designed with a theme: samurai, silk and textiles (a regional craft), and even a local food specialty – pickles!Overnight: Wanoi Kakunodate
-
Day 12
Spot a mountain monk meditating in the forests as you hike to the top of sacred Mount Haguro and spend the night in a traditional temple lodging.
Your next destination is Mount Haguro, one of the three Dewa Sanzan sacred mountains in Yamagata Prefecture. During your stay here you might be lucky enough to spot one of Haguro's famous mountain monks meditating in the forest as you wander along the mountain paths!
There is a beautiful hike up to the top of the Mount Haguro, leading past hidden temples and pagodas before arriving at the temple complex at the top. The museum at the foot of the mountain will tell you a little more about the history of Buddhism in the area.
Tonight you will stay at an authentic shukubo temple lodging, where you'll also have the chance to sample delicious shojin ryori Buddhist food.Overnight: Kanbayashi Katsukane Shukubo
-
Day 13-14
Return to Tokyo for one last night in Shinjuku, the capital's business and entertainment hub.
After dropping off your car in Niigata, you will catch the Shinkansen back to Tokyo. Your final night in Japan will be spent in Shinjuku, Tokyo's main commerce and entertainment district. With a wealth of restaurants, bars and karaoke on your doorstop – as well as plenty of last-minute souvenir shops – Shinjuku is the perfect place to end your northern adventure!
As your time in Japan comes to an end you will be picked up from your hotel by private car and whisked in comfort to the airport in time for your departure flight.Overnight: Century Southern Tower
Trip Reviews
Self-Guided Adventure Northern Highlights
Read more >Well organised with excellent documentation. We were confident in availability of support in Japan if needed.
Self-Guided Adventure Northern Highlights
Read more >We found the use of the guide book was perfect for us to get around with no problems at all.
Tour Gallery
Trip Reviews
Self-Guided Adventure Northern Highlights
Read more >Well organised with excellent documentation. We were confident in availability of support in Japan if needed.
Self-Guided Adventure Northern Highlights
Read more >We found the use of the guide book was perfect for us to get around with no problems at all.
4.4 out of 5 from 3 reviews Show all Northern Highlights Reviews
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