JAPAN‘S WINTER WONDERLAND:
TOKYO, NAGANO & HAKUBA
Highlights | Sample Itinerary
Highlights
12 DAYS
JAPAN‘S WINTER WONDERLAND:
TOKYO, NAGANO & HAKUBA
This 12-day itinerary takes you from the bustling streets of Tokyo to the serene mountains of Nagano. In Tokyo, you'll visit the iconic Sensoji Temple and explore the anime and manga mecca of Akihabara. Then, take a bullet train to Nagano, where you'll visit the historic Zenkoji Temple and the charming town of Obuse. See the monkeys bathing in the natural hot springs of Jigokudani Monkey Park and soak in your own onsen at Yudanaka Onsen. Finally, head to Hakuba, a world-renowned ski resort that hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics. Spend your days skiing and snowboarding in the beautiful Japanese Alps before returning to Tokyo for your departure.
***This itinerary is specifically designed for the winter season, not available in other seasons.
****This tour doesn't include Seat-In-Coach (SIC) tour(s).
Sample Itinerary
DAY 1: TOKYO ARRIVAL
Meet your assistant at Narita Airport and transfer to your hotel in Tokyo. Enjoy your free day or you can choose to join our optional tour.
Optional tour: Tokyo half-day city tour. The duration of the optional tour is 4 hours.
Start the tour with Asakusa, for a visit to the renowned Sensoji! The colorful, popular temple was completed in 645, making it Tokyo's oldest. Stroll along Nakamise shopping street nearby, where typical Japanese souvenirs and various traditional snacks are sold! Then we will visit Akihabara, the anime and manga mecca of the youth. This destination is also recommended for electronic gadget lovers. End of the tour, we will go shopping at Ameyoko Market, Tokyo's most famous street food market to fill your hungry stomach after a long day of sightseeing!
DAY 2: TOKYO - NAGANO
After breakfast, you will transfer to the nearest station from the hotel and reach Tokyo or Ueno station to get a bullet train to Nagano, a mountainous, landlocked prefecture in the center of Honshu, belonging to the Chubu Region. After arrival at Nagano, you will travel to Zenkoji Temple, an important temple founded in the 7th century and houses the first Buddhist statue ever to be brought into Japan when Buddhism was first introduced in the 6th century. Enjoy your free lunch here.
After leaving the temple, continue the journey to Obuse, a small town in northern Nagano Prefecture with a pretty town center. Visit the Hokusai Museum, where the masterpieces of Hokusai - one of the most famous Edo Period painters, best known for his ukiyo-e woodblock series "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji". Stroll the oriental town afterward. The tour ends with a transfer to the city center of Nagano, where you will spend overnight.
DAY3: NAGANO (MONKEY PARK, YUDANAKA ONSEN)
After breakfast today, you will visit Jigokudani Monkey Park. Enjoy this exclusive experience of seeing wild monkeys bathing in the park's natural hot spring. Jigokudani means ‘hell's valleys' due to the steam and boiling water that bubbles out of small crevices in the frozen ground, and it is in these baths of boiling water that the resident Japanese Macaques like to soak in. The monkeys live in large social groups, and it can be quite entertaining to watch their interactions.
After leaving the park, transfer to the Yudanaka Onsen area and enjoy your free lunch. Afterward, stroll to the Shibu Onsen area, where the famous Ryokan “Kinuguya'' is located. It is one of the model-ryokans for the renowned Ghibli movie “Spirited Away“. You can choose to enjoy an Onsen bath on your service. End of the tour, we will transfer back to Nagano.
DAY 4: NAGANO (HAKUBA)
After breakfast, you will check out of your Nagano hotel and transfer to Hakuba. You will then leave Nagano for the Hakuba area by bullet train. Hakuba is in the Northern Alps of Nagano Prefecture. The area has gained worldwide recognition thanks to the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. After arriving at Hakuba, you will meet with hotel staff for the transfer to your stay-in hotel.
DAY 5: NAGANO (HAKUBA)
After breakfast, enjoy your time skiing in the scenic resort of Hakuba. Hakuba has gained worldwide recognition thanks to the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, as it hosted several Olympic competitions, including alpine (downhill, super g, and combination) and nordic (ski jump and cross country) events. Today some of the Olympic facilities remain in use, namely the Hakuba Ski Jumping Stadium. There is also the Hakuba Olympic Village Memorial Hall, a small but interesting museum, located within walking distance of the ski jump.
The ski resort pass is included.
DAY 6 - 10: NAGANO (HAKUBA)
After breakfast, continue to enjoy your time skiing in the scenic resort of Hakuba.
The ski resort pass is included.
DAY 11: NAGANO (HAKUBA) - TOKYO
After breakfast, you will check out your Hakuba hotel. Afterward, take a shuttle bus to the local bus stop and leave the Hakuba area for Nagano. Upon Nagano's arrival, you will transfer to a bullet train to travel to Japan's capital Tokyo. After arriving in Tokyo, your guide will wait at Tokyo station and transfer you to your Tokyo hotel by local train. Overnight stay in Tokyo.
DAY 12: DEPARTURE
After breakfast, you will check out of your Tokyo hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight home. Goodbye!
Meet your assistant at Narita Airport and transfer to your hotel in Tokyo. Enjoy your free day or you can choose to join our optional tour.
Optional tour: Tokyo half-day city tour. The duration of the optional tour is 4 hours.
Start the tour with Asakusa, for a visit to the renowned Sensoji! The colorful, popular temple was completed in 645, making it Tokyo's oldest. Stroll along Nakamise shopping street nearby, where typical Japanese souvenirs and various traditional snacks are sold! Then we will visit Akihabara, the anime and manga mecca of the youth. This destination is also recommended for electronic gadget lovers. End of the tour, we will go shopping at Ameyoko Market, Tokyo's most famous street food market to fill your hungry stomach after a long day of sightseeing!
DAY 2: TOKYO - NAGANO
After breakfast, you will transfer to the nearest station from the hotel and reach Tokyo or Ueno station to get a bullet train to Nagano, a mountainous, landlocked prefecture in the center of Honshu, belonging to the Chubu Region. After arrival at Nagano, you will travel to Zenkoji Temple, an important temple founded in the 7th century and houses the first Buddhist statue ever to be brought into Japan when Buddhism was first introduced in the 6th century. Enjoy your free lunch here.
After leaving the temple, continue the journey to Obuse, a small town in northern Nagano Prefecture with a pretty town center. Visit the Hokusai Museum, where the masterpieces of Hokusai - one of the most famous Edo Period painters, best known for his ukiyo-e woodblock series "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji". Stroll the oriental town afterward. The tour ends with a transfer to the city center of Nagano, where you will spend overnight.
DAY3: NAGANO (MONKEY PARK, YUDANAKA ONSEN)
After breakfast today, you will visit Jigokudani Monkey Park. Enjoy this exclusive experience of seeing wild monkeys bathing in the park's natural hot spring. Jigokudani means ‘hell's valleys' due to the steam and boiling water that bubbles out of small crevices in the frozen ground, and it is in these baths of boiling water that the resident Japanese Macaques like to soak in. The monkeys live in large social groups, and it can be quite entertaining to watch their interactions.
After leaving the park, transfer to the Yudanaka Onsen area and enjoy your free lunch. Afterward, stroll to the Shibu Onsen area, where the famous Ryokan “Kinuguya'' is located. It is one of the model-ryokans for the renowned Ghibli movie “Spirited Away“. You can choose to enjoy an Onsen bath on your service. End of the tour, we will transfer back to Nagano.
DAY 4: NAGANO (HAKUBA)
After breakfast, you will check out of your Nagano hotel and transfer to Hakuba. You will then leave Nagano for the Hakuba area by bullet train. Hakuba is in the Northern Alps of Nagano Prefecture. The area has gained worldwide recognition thanks to the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. After arriving at Hakuba, you will meet with hotel staff for the transfer to your stay-in hotel.
DAY 5: NAGANO (HAKUBA)
After breakfast, enjoy your time skiing in the scenic resort of Hakuba. Hakuba has gained worldwide recognition thanks to the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, as it hosted several Olympic competitions, including alpine (downhill, super g, and combination) and nordic (ski jump and cross country) events. Today some of the Olympic facilities remain in use, namely the Hakuba Ski Jumping Stadium. There is also the Hakuba Olympic Village Memorial Hall, a small but interesting museum, located within walking distance of the ski jump.
The ski resort pass is included.
DAY 6 - 10: NAGANO (HAKUBA)
After breakfast, continue to enjoy your time skiing in the scenic resort of Hakuba.
The ski resort pass is included.
DAY 11: NAGANO (HAKUBA) - TOKYO
After breakfast, you will check out your Hakuba hotel. Afterward, take a shuttle bus to the local bus stop and leave the Hakuba area for Nagano. Upon Nagano's arrival, you will transfer to a bullet train to travel to Japan's capital Tokyo. After arriving in Tokyo, your guide will wait at Tokyo station and transfer you to your Tokyo hotel by local train. Overnight stay in Tokyo.
DAY 12: DEPARTURE
After breakfast, you will check out of your Tokyo hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight home. Goodbye!
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