Japan (2025)

Depart the United States for Sapporo, Japan

Arrive at Sapporo New Chitose Airport
We will have dinner together tonight in the Susukino District – more than 4,500 restaurants and bars are located in this neighborhood

Our morning will begin with a visit to the famous Hill of the Buddha. This Buddhist shrine at Makomanai Takino Cemetery was designed by Japanese modernist architect Tadao Ando. The shrine features a 13.5 m tall statue of the Buddha encircled by an artificial hill rotunda planted with 150,000 lavender plants. Following this visit, we will go to the historic village of Hokkaido where horse-drawn carriages and trolleys are still used. The village acts as an open-air museum with buildings that showcase the architectural evolution from the Meiji and Taisho eras into the modern age.

After lunch, we will go on to see:

• Shiroi Koibito Park
• Ôdôri Park
• The Sapporo Clock Tower and museum
• Nijo Seafood Market

This evening we will head to the Sapporo Beer Museum, Japan’s only museum dedicated to beer. We take part in a tour; beer tasting and have dinner together there.

This morning we will visit the incredible, Okurayama Ski Jump Observatory. This vantage point offers wonderful views of Sapporo.

Afterward,, we travel a short distance (30min) to explore one of the most beautiful cities in this region – Otaru. You will have the opportunity to explore Otaru’s most popular shopping street, Sakaimachi. This area is famous for its glasswork and music boxes and you will have plenty of time to shop for souviners to take home. Aftward we will gather together for a seafood lunch. Since Otaru is located on the harbor so seafood is very fresh here.

Later in the afternoon, we will take the Mt. Tengu Ropeway for a spectacular view of the city and beyond.

In the morning, we will travel to Tomita Farm to view their famous lavender fields. Here you will have an opportunity to explore the fields, gardens and try the lavender ice cream!

We will spend the afternoon touring around the nearby town of Biei, starting with a stop at the Blue Pond. Natural deposits of aluminum hydroxide have changed the color of this pond to an especially striking shade of blue.

We will then visit the panoramic flower gardens of Shikisai-no-oka.

We will travel to Asahikawa late afternoon.

Today we will:

• Tour Otokoyama Sake Brewery with tasting
• Visit Asahikawa Ramen Village to find one of Hokkaido’s best ramen shops for lunch
• Visit Ueno Farm
• Take a Pottery Workshop at Arashivama Pottery Village
• Spend time shopping for souvenirs at Asahikawa Heiwadori Retail Park

This morning we travel to Sounkyo to see two of Hokkaido’s most famous waterfalls, the Ginga, or “Galaxy” and the Ryusei “Shooting Star”.

From there, we will drive to Kitami and visit the Kitakitsune Farm. The farm cares for one of Hokkaido’s native treasures – the Ezo red fox. In Shinto mythology, the Ezo red fox is believed to be a heavenly messenger. You will often see foxes in the decorations of Shinto shrines.

Afterward we will travel, to the Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum. The museum features the greatest projection mapping in Hokkaido and an immersive theater with five, 400-inch screens depicting a world of drifting ice (ryu-hyo). You can touch such ice in the Drift Ice Experience Room or view a grand panorama of Okhotsk from the roof Observatory.

This morning we head to the Shiretoko Peninsula, a UNESCO World Heritage site (it was added to the list in 2005 for the peninsula’s ecosystem and biodiversity.) The peninsula is home to a variety of wildlife, including brown bears, deer and foxes. Today we will take a nature cruise and search for sperm whales, killer whales, dolphins and shearwaters within the dynamic backdrop of the Shiretoko Mountain Range.

Today we will:

• Take a cruise around Lake Akan, which is protected as a special natural monument of Japan for its green morimo algae
• Visit Ainu Kotan – where you can find special cultural items and handi-crafts from the Ainu people
• Visit Akan International Crane Center
• Visit the Kushiro Marsh Observatory
• Stop at the Washo Market – a public fish market

Today you will travel from Kushiro Airport to Osaka Kansai Airport
Once in Osaka we will check into our hotel

• Osaka Food Tour – Osaka is known as Japan’s kitchen. You will have a chance to experience some of Osaka’s hidden gems with an exciting food tour. Trying yakitori, okonomiyaki and kushikatsu.

In the morning, we will visit Osaka Castle, which played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century.

From Osaka we will head to the oldest capital city of Japan, Nara. Here we will have a chance to visit Todaiji Temple. The temple is the largest wooden building in Japan and houses the largest bronze statue of Buddha. The park itself is filled with the famous Skia deer and you will have plenty of photo opportunities with them!

Today we will:

• Visit to Arashiyama to see Tenryuji Temple
• Storll through Sagano Bamboo Grove
• Visit a traditional wooden townhouse to learn the Japanese arts of Calligraphy and Ikebana
• Visit Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavilion) covered with 18-karat gold leaf
• Enjoy a relaxing Green Tea Ceremony
• End our day in the Gion Geisha District, where its streets are lined with ochaya (teahouses)
• Admire the thousands of vermillion torii gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine

We will start the morning with a visit to Daitokuji Temple where we will take part in a short meditation session, then enjoy a cup of green tea while talking with a monk to learn more about his spiritual practices.

Afterward we will:

• Visit the Miho Museum – listed in the “1000 Places to See before you Die”
• Visit the Koka Ninja Mansion
• Visit Kiyomizu-dera Temple

After the tour we will take the Shinkansen bullet train to our accommodations. This evening we will stay in a traditional Japanese onsen, where you can enjoy the hot springs as well as a traditional Japanese Kaiseki banquet dinner.

This morning we will travel to Hakone and take the Togendai to Owakundani ropeway. This ropeway received Guinness Book of World Records recognition as the “Busiest Gondola Lift” in the world.

After our trip, from Hakone, we will travel to Mt. Fuji’s 5th station. You will experience magnificent views from this vantage point and have the opportunity to appreciate the mountain in all her glory.

Later in the afternoon, we will head into Tokyo city and visit the famed Shibuya crossing. Not to be missed here in Shibuya is the Hachiko Statue, the monument dedicated to Hachiko the dog for his unwavering loyalty to his deceased owner.

Today you will experience some of the many things that Japan’s capital city has to offer. You will:

• Experience teamLab Borderless Digital Art Museum
• See the famous Harijuku Street
• Visit the Asakusa Kannon Temple – where you can see the largest paper lantern in Japan
• Explore the Nakamise Market
• Visit the Imperial Palace
• Visit Tokyo Tower

This evening we will enjoy a Farewell Dinner.

Today you will depart Japan from Narita International Airport, in Tokyo, cherishing all the memories you have made on this adventure.