• Celebrate the end of winter with the locals in four different regional snow festivals of the Tōhoku region

• Immerse in the nostalgic atmosphere of historic towns in the snow

• Delve into regional craft and food traditions including textiles, wickercraft, lacquerware, sake, Wagyū beef and noodles

 

Winter in Japan’s Tōhoku region is harsh. The people of Tōhoku have a long tradition of late winter festivals that represent a celebration of the approaching spring, as well as people’s wishes for good health and bountiful harvests in the year ahead. In modern times, new festival traditions that emphasise aesthetics and entertainment have joined the age-old festivities. Whatever their origin, the winter festivals of Tōhoku play an important role in keeping the regional communities together through the hardships of winter. This tour will provide you with a sampler of the diverse winter festivals of regional Tōhoku, including Yokote’s famous Kamakura (Snow Igloo) festival, and smaller festivals that are largely unknown to the non-local. Outside of festivities, you will explore the treasures of Tōhoku’s regional towns, including their rich craft and culinary traditions.

 

[N.B. Unlike our normal tours, this tour itinerary features mainstream tourist destinations such as Kakunodate and Ginzan-Onsen, and uses hotel accommodation for logistical reasons. Nevertheless, the itinerary features plenty of ‘off-the beaten-track’ experiences, including private visits to small artisan workshops.]

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Day 1: Travel Tōkyō–Kakunodate, Paper Balloon (‘giant sky lantern’) Festival (night); Day 2: travel Kakunodate–Yonezawa, Snow Lantern Festival (night); Day 3: Yonezawa textile workshops and historic sites (including the Uesugi Clan Mausoleum), Yonezawa premium Wagyū dining; Day 4: travel Yonezawa–Ginzan-Onsen, Ginzan-Onsen historic townscape, travel Ginzan-Onsen–Kakunodate, Firewheel Festival (night); Day 5: Kakunodate crafts and historic town walk (including Itaya-zaiku wickercraft workshop visit, Samurai House district walk), Firewheel Festival (night);  Day 6: travel Kakunodate–Yokote, Yokote town walk (including Yokote Castle lookout), Snow Igloo Festival (night); Day 7: Yokote Bonden festival floats parade (morning), Yokote historic village walk, Kawatsura lacquerware workshops; Day 8: Yuzawa sake brewery tour, travel Yuzawa– Tōkyō or to your onward destination.

 

Accommodation: 5 nights mid-range city hotels; 2 nights minshuku in a traditional country house

 

Major themes: FESTIVALS, FOOD, CRAFTS, HISTORY

 

Physical fitness requirement: MODERATE

 

Cultural tolerance requirement: MODERATE

 

Departure date: 10 February 2018

 

Bookings before: 15 December 2017

 

Cost: from AUD $4000­ per person

 

Maximum group size: 6 persons