2009
Sapporo
Snow Festival
Depart:
February 7, 2009
Return:
February 17, 2009
Tour No: SSF-207-9
Tour Price: $XXXX Twin, $XXXX Triple, $XXXX Single
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Day 1 – Saturday, February 7
HONOLULU
Leave
Honolulu
via air to
Narita
International
Airport
. Due to crossing the International Date Line, you will lose one day.
Day 2 - Sunday, February 8
NARITA / CHITOSE
We arrive at
Narita
International
Airport
. After clearance of customs and immigration formalities, transfer to domestic departure lobby. Dinner is on your own. Our connecting flight from Narita to
Chitose
Airport
via domestic flight will be in the early evening. We will arrive at
Chitose
Airport
about an hour and a half later and will transfer to your hotel in
Chitose
City
by hotel bus. Members who are interested in purchasing snow boots will be taken to the Snow Boots Shop this evening.
Accommodations at HOTEL
NIKKO
CHITOSE or similar.
Day 3 - Monday, February 9
CHITOSE /
LAKE
SHIKOTSU
/
SAPPORO
(B) (D)
Breakfast at your hotel. In the morning, we will leave Chitose for
Lake
Shikotsu
and enjoy the “Hyoto” snow festival to see the snow objects set along the lake. We then proceed to
Sapporo
. Upon arrival at
Sapporo
, we tour the city and enjoy the famous “
Sapporo
Yuki-matsuri” held at the
Odori
Park
, which features immense snow sculptures and statues based on popular themes. We visit the Asahi Brewery, one of
Japan
’s foremost breweries and then our tour continues to Okurayama Ski Jump, site of the Winter Olympics in 1972. Here you can make “angels in the snow”, build a snowman or have a snowball fight. After dinner we go to the Susukino district to admire the ice carvings on display on the street. Dinner at a leading restaurant.
Accommodations at
SAPPORO
EXCEL HOTEL TOKYU or similar.
Day 4 – Tuesday, February 10
SAPPORO
/
ASAHIKAWA
/ SOUNKYO SPA B) (D)
Breakfast at hotel. We proceed to Napporo Forest Park and visit the
Hokkaido
Colonization
Museum
where you will learn about the geographical features and history of development of
Hokkaido
Island
. Then proceed to
Asahikawa
to
Tokiwa
Park
to see its Ice Festival. The tour continues on to Sounkyo via Kamikawa. Upon arrival at Sounkyo, we will enjoy “Hyobaku” festival held at the center of Sounkyo Gorge. After the tour, check in at the hotel.
Dinner and accommodations at SOUNKYO KANKO HOTEL.
Day 5 – Wednesday, February 11
SOUNKYO SPA / ABASHIRI (B) (D)
Breakfast at hotel. We leave Sounkyo for Abashiri. We will visit
Abashiri
Park
for its snow festival. We visit the Abashiri Prison, built during the Meiji period. The prison housed political prisoners and is also known as the source of workers used to build the highway to
Asahikawa
. Off the coast of the
Okhotsk
Sea
, on the northeastern part of
Hokkaido
, is the frozen wonderland where “drift ice” may be found. Weather permitting we can enjoy the “Drift Ice Cruise”, specially equipped sightseeing boats which cruise around the coast breaking up the drift ice. During the cruise, you can observe wild animals such as a Steller’s sea eagle or a White-tailed sea eagle, which are natural treasures of
Japan
. We check in to our hotel in Abashiri where we enjoy dinner and a relaxing onsen experience.
Dinner and accommodations at ABASHIRI GRAND HOTEL or similar.
Day 6 – Thursday, February 12
ABASHIRI /
LAKE
MASHU
/
LAKE
AKAN
/ MAKUBETSU (B) (D)
Breakfast at hotel. In the morning, we will proceed to
Lake
Mashu
via
Shari
. On our sightseeing of
Lake
Mashu,
known for its remarkable water clarity and the heavy mist which often shrouds it.
Then, we proceed to
Lake
Akan
via
Mt.
Io
or
Sulfur
Mountain
and Sunayu, a sand spa along the
Lake
Kussharo
. W
e may also be treated to the sight of flocks of migratory swans along the shores.. At
Lake
Akan
, for a small fee you can opt to take an exhilarating ride on a snowmobile, go ice skating or spend time trying your hand at ice-fishing. Other activities you can try on the frozen lake are making snowmen or snowball throwing. Tour continues on to Makubetsu.
Dinner and accommodations at the MAKUBETSU ONSEN HOTEL MIDORIKAN.
Day 7 – Friday, February 13
MAKUBETSU / SHIRAOI / NOBORIBETSU (B) (D)
Breakfast at hotel. We leave Makubetsu for Shiraoi via Obihiro,
Nissho
Pass
and Tomakomai. We sightsee along the way. Upon arrival at Shiraoi, we will visit the
Shiraoi
Ainu
Village
where we enjoy their songs, dances and stories of a bygone era. We then proceed to Noboribetsu. There we visit the “Jigoku” or hotspring hell.
Dinner and accommodations at the NOBORIBETSU GRAND HOTEL.
Day 8 – Saturday, February 14
NOBORIBETSU / CHITOSE /
TOKYO
(B)
Breakfast at hotel. In the morning, we visit
Mt.
Shihorei
by cable car and see the wild brown bears called “Higuma” caged in the
Bear
Park
. We will get to feed the hungry bears and see them up close from an underground window. After tour of Noboribetsu, we proceed to
Chitose
Airport
for our flight to
Tokyo
Haneda
Airport
. Upon arrival, we transfer by motorcoach to the SHINAGAWA PRINCE HOTEL NEW WING. Dinner is on your own. Accommodations at the SHINAGAWA PRINCE HOTEL NEW WING.
Day 9 – Sunday, February 15
TOKYO
Breakfast is on your own. Our all day excursion takes us to Fuji Yoshida and Atami. We leave our hotel for Fuji Yoshida via Chuo Expressway. From Fuji Yoshida, proceed to Gotenbavia Higashi Fuji Five Lakes Driveway. You will be able to view the beautiful shape of
Mt.
Fuji
if we have a clear day. From Gotenba, we will go to Nirayama via
Numazu
. You will enjoy picking and eating the most delicious strawberries. Then we drive to Atami to visit the
Atami
Baien
Garden
to enjoy viewing plum blossoms and maybe, even some early blooming cherry blossoms nearby. In the evening we return to
Tokyo
via the Tomei Expressway. Dinner is on your own. Accommodations at the SHINAGAWA PRINCE HOTEL NEW WING.
Day 10 – Monday, February 16
TOKYO
Breakfast is on your own. Today your guide and escort will take you by subway to quaint and festive Asakusa, where the crowds are drawn by
Sensoji
Temple
, the Five Storied Pagoda and the traditional Nakamise shopping arcade. But for visitors between the 1600 and 1800, the attraction was somewhat different – Asakusa at that time contained the notorious “Yoshiwara”, the city’s licensed pleasure quarter. Then it’s on to
Ueno
Park
, a large public park, which is famous for its many museums,
Japan
’s first zoo and several other attractions. Strolling through the park is relaxing and will give you the opportunity to enjoy a green oasis in a megacity. If you still have some energy left, there is a shopping adventure awaiting you in nearby Ameyokocho.
Day 11 – Tuesday, February 17
TOKYO
(TOUR DISBANDS) / NARITA /
HONOLULU
Breakfast is on your own. Day at leisure for optional sightseeing tour to Tsukiji Fish Market by subway to watch the exciting fish auction and shopping of marine products. You may even enjoy having breakfast in one of the famous fast food stalls with delicious ramen at the market. After shopping, you may return to the hotel around
9:00
or
9:30 a.m.
The day is free until your departure. Optional trip to Asakusa or Okamachi Ameyoko Market for last minute shopping. If time permits we can also take a walking trip with the guide and escort to
Senkakuji
Temple
, final resting place of the 47 ronin of Chushingura fame. We transfer in the afternoon to
Narita
International
Airport
and leave
Tokyo
via air in the evening and arrive
Honolulu
the same day in the morning. We gain one day crossing the International Date Line.
In addition to meals and snacks served on our various flights, the tour includes 6 full breakfasts (Western or Japanese), and 5 delicious dinners (Western or Japanese), a variety of onsen experience, and an English speaking guide throughout the trip).