TOHOKU BIG 3 FESTIVAL - 2009

12 days from Tokyo to Tokyo (JP-12T)

Dates and Prices:

Starting at: $3,980.00*

USA Departure: 07/29/09

Vacation Overview

10 nights adventure taking in the classic highlights of Tokyo, as well venturing north of Tokyo for the lesser-visited sights of the Tohoku region. The Tohoku Big Three Festival tour brings you some of Japan's most unique experiences: Summer Festivals - Aomori Nebuta Festivals, Akita Kanto Festivals and Sendai Tanabata Festivals. Since these three festivals are held for a few days during the week, you can see them all with us. The Nebuta Matsuri features festival floats with huge lanterns,measuring more than 30 feet and attracts several million visitors every year.

Itinerary

Day 1 Jul 29. USA GATEWAY CITY-TOKYO

Depart your home airport to Japan, the magnificent “Land of the Rising Sun". Our destination is Tokyo, the capital city of the country.

Day 2 Jul 30. ARRIVAL TOKYO

Welcome to Japan ! You will be met at Narita International Airport and greeted by our representative for transfer to the hotel.

Hotel: Garden Hotel Narita or similar

Day 3 Jul 31. NIKKO

Nikko is most famous for the Toshogu, Japan's most lavishly decorated shrine complex and mausoleum of the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. Nikko has been a center of Shinto and Buddhist mountain worship for many centuries. There are 48 waterfalls in Nikko and Kegon Waterfall is the most famous and beautiful among those. The water falls from 97 meters high and the waterfall is said to have been discovered by the priest Katsudo, and the name “Kegon” was derived from the Buddhist sutra "the Avatamsaka Sutra." Lake Chuzenji (Chuzenjiko) is a beautiful lake with forested shores at the foot of the sacred volcano Mt Nantai.

Hotel: Kinugawa Onsen (Hot Springs) Hotel or similar

Day 4 Aug 1. FUKUSHIMA AIZU WAKAMATSU

Whitehorse

Oouchijuku, a small post station in Japan's Edo period, is now located in the town of Shimogo and is famous for the numerous traditional thatched buildings. It was an important post town whose buildings served as shops, inns and restaurants for travelers and the area has been declared a national architectural preservation site. Tsuruga Castle was constructed by in 1384, and was the military and administrative center of the Aizu region until 1868. Lake Inawashiro is the fourth-largest lake in Japan, located in the middle of south of Mt Bandai. It is also known as the 'Sky Mirror Lake‘;the cleanest water in Japan.

Hotel: Hotel Listel Inawashiro or similar

Day 5 Aug 2. FUKUSHIMA –YAMATAGA

Goshiki-numa is a cluster of five volcanic lakes situated at the foot of Mt Bandai (also the area known as Jododaira.) The eruption imparted mineral deposits to the Five Colored Lakes giving each of them their own delicate color, ranging from reddish green to cobalt blue. Mt Zao is a volcano on the border between Yamagata Pref. and Miyagi Pref.. The central volcano of the group includes several lava domes and a tuff cone, Goshiki-dake, which contains a crater lake named Okama. The lake is 360m (1,200 ft) in diameter and 60m (200 ft) deep.

Hotel: Sakaeya Hotel or similar

Day 6 Aug 3. YAMATAGA

Furusawa Sake Brewery is foundered in 1836 and it's one of the oldest breweries in Japan. Enjoy Sake tasting offered in their museum. Yamadera is located in the area named after the common name of the temple of Ryushaku-ji, also pronounced Risshaku-ji, founded in 860 AD by the priest Ennin. The temple is famous for exorcism. The Three Sacred Mountains of Dewa are Mt. Haguro, Mt. Gassan and Mt. Yudono, clustered together in the ancient province of Dewa. Holy to the Japanese Shinto religion and especially the mountain ascetic cult of Shugendo, are a popular pilgrimage site visited by many, including famed haiku poet Matsuo Basho.

Hotel: Kameya Hotel or similar

Day 7 Aug 4. AKITA

In the town of Kakunodate, 6 Samurai Houses are well preserved and exhibited, these are one of the best preserved architectural beauties of its kind in Japan. Each estate features the Main House, the Armory, the Gallery, the Samurai Tools and Utensils Museum, Tea Room, gift shops and a beautiful garden. The Kanto Festival held in Akita ranks one of Tohoku's top 3 festivals. It has been designated an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. Held annually, the festival is to ask for an abundant grain harvest. It has become a symbol of Akita, a leading rice-growing area. During the festival, 1.3 million people throng the city streets. In the evening when the heat of the day finally subsides, suddenly seems to be covered with Kanto, an array of many candle-lit lanterns hung on a bamboo frame and each one looks like a glowing ear of rice. The larger Kanto, weighing about 50 kg (110 lbs.), rise 12m (13.2 yd.) into the air and suspend 46 lanterns. To the sound of flutes and drums, and cheered on by the distractive traditional shouts, the performers balance the Kanto without gripping the poles, and placing them on the palms of their hands, they raise them higher and higher.

Hotel: Kura Hotel or similar

Day 8 Aug 5. AOMORI

Hirosaki Castle, located in Aomori, was constructed in 1611 by the local Tsugaru clan. A three-storied castle tower, fortified moats, castle gates and some corner turrets survive or have been reconstructed. The origin of the Nebuta Festival is that it is said to have originated after the subjugation of rebels by the General in this district in the early 800's. He had his army create large creatures, called "Nebuta", for frighten the enemy. Another is said that the festival was a development of the Tanabata festival in China. One of the customs was "Toro" floating. Atoro is a wooden frame box wrapped with Japanese paper. The Japanese light a candle inside the toro and put it out to float onto the river. The purpose behind this is to purify themselves and send the evil spirits out to river. Today, the Nebuta floats are made of a wood base, carefully covered with this same Japanese paper, beautifully colored, and lighted from the inner part with hundreds of light bulbs. The colorful floats are pulled through the streets accompanied by people dancing in native Nebuta costumes, playing tunes on flutes and drums. As the beginning of the parade is signaled, "HANETO"(dancers) join hand-in-hand, and begin their journey through the streets of Aomori. These dancers, colorfully arrayed in Nebuta garb, welcome audience participation.

Hotel: Blossom Hotel Hirosaki or similar

Day 9 Aug 6. AOMORI-IWATE

Oirase Stream is a picturesque mountain stream which starts at Nenokuchi, a small town at the shores of Lake Towada and flows down the narrow and densely wooded Oirase Valley. Lake Towada is the largest caldera lake, located in Aomori and Akita prefectures, it lies 400 meters above sea level. With a surface area of 62.2 km², Towada is Japan's 12th largest lake, its bright blue color due to its depth. Chuson-ji temple is a Buddhist temple in Hiraizumi, Iwate Pref. It is the head temple of the Tendai sect in Tohoku region. The Tendai sect claims that the temple was founded in 850 by Ennin, the third chief abbot of the sect, yet here is no archaeological or historical record of Buddhist activity in this area before 1100. The Konjikido is one of the most beautiful and elaborately decorated buildings in the world. It is made of wood entirely covered with gold leaf decorated with imported mother-of-pearl. Geibikei Gorge has a river flowing gently thru the deep valley and its boat cruise is famous attraction by tourists worldwide.

Hotel: Namiita Kanko Hotel or similar

Day 10 Aug 7. MIYAGI

Matsushima is a group of some 260 tiny islands covered in pines – hence the name – and is ranked as one of the Three Views of Japan. Zuigan-ji, originally founded in 828, is a famous Zen Buddhist temple in Matsushima. Godaido is a small temple hall on an islet just next to the pier. Due to its prominent location, it has become a symbol of Matsushima. The Shiogama Shrine, has a history of over 1,200 years, is considered to gather people's faith as a grand-guard of the Michinoku Region, as well as hosting a god of long life, maritime safety, fine haul and safe birth. Tanabata, meaning "Evening of the seventh" is a Japanese star festival, derived from the Chinese star festival, Qi Xi. It celebrates the meeting of Orihime (Vega) and Hikobosh (Altair). The Milky Way, a river made from stars that crosses the sky, separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. The Tanabata Festival is considered one of the three major summer festivals in the Tohoku region. Decorations made with Japanese paper and bamboo poles harmonize perfectly with the light breeze. Approximately 1,500 of these well-decorated bamboo poles fill the shopping arcades and highlight the city.

Hotel: Hotel Metropolitan Sendai or similar

Day 11 Aug 8. FUKUSHIMA-IBARAKI

Shiramizu Amidado is the oldest building in existence in the Iwaki region and was designated a national treasure in 1952. It was built in 1160 at the end of the Heian Period. Fukuroda Falls are located in the town of Daigo. The width of the falls is 73m, while the height reaches 120m, and the falls are ranked the 3rd in whole Japan among Kegon Falls and Nachi Falls, as the most beautiful waterfalls.

Hotel: Garden Hotel Narita or similar

Day 12 Aug 9. TOKYO-USA GATEWAY CITY

Your pleasant and memorable Tohoku & Summer Festivals tour ends today. Fly home with cherished memories or enjoy your extended stay in Japan with our optional excursion tour or flight to your next destination in Asia.

Tour Price Includes

Round trip air fare from Los Angeles, San Francisco or Honolulu
Accommodations, 7 nights Western style hotel, 3 night Japanese style Inn
29 meals as listed on this itinerary (Mixture of Japanese and Western cuisine)
Service of Multi-lingual Professional Tour Guides throughout
All ground transportation during tour (Private motor coach), Admission Fee
Package prices are per person, based on double occupancy(2 people sharing 1 room)

Not Included in the Tour Price

Federal Inspection Fees for the U.S. Customs and immigration; International Air Transportation Tax; agricultural tax; any other taxes; security fee; airport taxes of $520.00 (Tax price is subject to change.)
Passports; visas and vaccinations; laundry; telephone; mini bar; alcohol; beverages and food not on the regular table menu (these extra items will be billed to you before leaving the hotel or restaurant); optional excursions; porter at airports; travel protection insurance; excess baggage fees; all other items of a personal nature
Gratuities to your tour guide and tour driver(Approx.$80.00)
Add-on fare for other US cities; East Coast $300.00, Midwest and West coast $200.00
Child discount: $200.00
Single room supplements of $980.00 and triple reductions of $100.00 may be applicable
Land Only Arrangements available at $3280.00 per person(no-tax)

Add on air fare extension to Saigon/Hanoi/Manila/Bangkok $400.00, Taipei/Hong Kong $300.00, Seoul $400.00, Okinawa $250.00 and more

Please contact us for detailed information.