What is the cancellation policy for an Excursion Tour?

If you need to cancel your trip after completing and sending the online registration form, you must inform Japan Experience as soon as possible. This notification can be sent via registered letter with reply advice, or by email. The date of sending will be considered as the official date of cancellation. In this case, cancellation charges will be applied, calculated as a percentage of the total cost of the trip, as follows: More than 35 days before departure: 35% of the total amountBetween 35 and 21 days before departure: 50% of the total amountBetween 20 and 8 days before departure: 75% of the total amountLess than 7 days before departure, or on the same day: no refund will be issued

All Excursions

Bridge surrounded by autumn leaves, Aomori
@vichie81

Senjôjiki station (JR Gono Line), Fukaura

Northern trains: from the Sea of Japan to the Pacific

5 days
Tokyo, Morioka, Akita, Aomori, Sendai

The Tohoku region was for many centuries in the minds of the Japanese, the mysterious land where the 'emishi' lived. These hunter-gatherers from the Palaeolithic era preceded the massive and inexorable arrival of other peoples from the asian continent, bringing with them rice-growing. You'll first visit the magnificent sites of the northern marches of imperial and then feudal civilisation, before heading for the northern shores of the Sea of Japan, buried under a thick blanket of white during the winter months.

You'll first visit the magnificent sites of the northern marches of imperial and then feudal civilisation, before heading for the northern shores of the Sea of Japan, buried under a thick blanket of white during the winter months. Small, comfortable trains allow you to admire the panorama along a wild coastline that is still very sparsely populated.

Amazing museums will enhance your journey in the provincial capitals you pass through, before finally reaching the immense shores of the Pacific. A stopover in a warmly welcoming fishing town, a gastronomic coastal train and, finally, the magnificent indented coastline of Sanriku and its towns rebuilt by courageous inhabitants after the terrible tsunami in 2011.

5 days / 4 nights itinerary by train throughout the Tôhoku region

Departure city: Tokyo
Morioka
Akita
Aomori
Sendai
Return city: Tokyo

Please find detailed itinerary information below.

Note: Departure is from Tokyo at 8:00 on Day 1, and return is at around 15:00 on Day 5.

Why choose this excursion?

Get away from the main tourist routes in search of an undiscovered Japan
The beauty of wild landscapes
The comfort and charm of local railway lines
The incomparable benefits of natural hot springs
Our recommendations available in your digital travel guidebook

Your excursion in detail

Itinerary

Day 1 : The pure land garden

You will catch a high-speed train just before 8:00 from Tokyo station, or an hour and a half later if you choose to spend the night in Sendai.
By mid-morning you will reach the town of Hiraizumi, whose treasures are classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. After looking around and having lunch, you'll take a short train ride to visit a very old foundry where famous Japanese cast-iron teapots have been made with passion for 400 years.
You will then travel at high speed on the sleek and comfortable Shinkansen, through rural landscapes to a charming little town, your stop for the evening, where delicious cuisine and hot baths await you in a traditional setting.
Day 2 : From samurai to contemporary art

After breakfast in your hotel, you'll start by visiting some very beautiful old samurai warrior mansions, some of which still belong to their descendants.
From the station you'll take the high-speed train back to the provincial capital on the western seaboard and the Sea of Japan in less than an hour. There, you can visit an astonishing museum and a very pleasant park where you can see the remains of the clan fortress.
You will have lunch in one of the town's many restaurants before boarding a small train, then another after a short change, and finally head north along the wild coast, admiring the sun disappearing over the sea from your comfortable seat.
You will get off at the station in a tiny seaside town where you will stop for the night.
Day 3 : Forests and rocky coast

From the small station where you arrived the day before, this time you'll take a bus to the edge of a 130,000-hectare park, listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its unspoilt beech forest. A series of pleasant footpaths will allow you to discover several small lakes in their wild setting.
The bus will take you back to the station, where you can catch a charming little train that runs north and then east along the indented coast of the Sea of Japan to reach the town of Aomori, at the very tip of Honshu. Here you'll discover a fascinating folk museum, before taking the high-speed train back to the shores of the Pacific Ocean.
This evening's stopover is renowned for its fresh fish and friendly restaurants.
Day 4 : View on the Pacific

You will leave your hotel at around 9:00 to take the train to the southern part of the city, where you'll find an astonishing sanctuary on the edge of the ocean, literally invaded by an impressive number of seabirds.
Before heading to the main station, take a leisurely stroll along the coast towards an observation deck. As you walk, the endless ocean unfolds before you, stretching towards the horizon. With renewed energy, hop back on the train for your next destination.
On arrival, while you wait for your next train, you can discover an amazing building designed by the famous architect Kisho Kurokawa. Then it's back along the coastline, with its tall red pine trees typical of the Sanriku coast.
The evening stopover was made famous by the terrible images of the overflowing ocean in 2011, but it has been famous for the exceptional beauty of its beaches for much longer. So it's by the water that you'll be sleeping again this evening, with the prospect of a beautiful sunrise this time for the early risers...
Day 5 : From countryside to tall buildings

This morning you can stroll along the ocean shore, before taking the bus back to the station and then boarding a small local train.
You'll pass through a landscape of wooded mountains, lazy rivers and small stations. After around two hours, civilisation reappears: you're back on the high-speed railway line!
Now it's time to head back to vibrant Tokyo and its dizzying glass and steel buildings...

From

$845

Contact an advisor

Accomodation
- 4 nights in 3-star accommodation
The base rate includes a twin room.
Transportation
- A JR East Pass covering all of your journeys by train is included.
Visit & meals
- Breakfasts
- Dinner at your hotel is included on day 2 and day 4

Other services
- Complete digital travel diary sent 10 days before your departure
- Bilingual English and Japanese telephone support is available 7 days a week, from 9 AM to 6 PM. The number will be provided in your travel diary.
Not included in the price
- Optional insurance
- Personal expenses including lunches (you will find addresses selected by us in your travel pack)
- Entrance fees to museums, gardens or temples
- Pocket wifi
- Anything not included in the "included in your excursion" section

More information about your trip

Your excursion:

- The prices shown on this page may vary according to the Japanese Yen exchange rate.

- Unfortunately, this tour is not accessible to people with reduced mobility.

- Pets are not accepted.

- Children aged 3 and over are accepted. Child rates are available for ages 3 to 11 inclusive.

- This itinerary may be subject to changes due to causes such as weather conditions or other force majeure events. Please note that all mentioned information is subject to change or adaptation.

- In order to benefit from an internet connection, we recommend booking a pocket wifi or SIM card with Japan Experience.

- This tour must be booked at least 30 days before the start date of the tour.

- Your travel documents will be sent to you by email 20 days before your departure.

Your accommodation:

- Some hotels may ask you to pay a tourist tax on arrival. This depends on the town and even the hotel, as some do not include it in the cost of the reservation. It generally amounts to ¥200/night/person (about €1.60) but may be a little higher in 4-star hotels. It must be paid in cash at the hotel reception.

- Single room: People travelling alone and/or wishing to book a single room must pay a supplement at the time of booking. Please note that a single room supplement for an order of more than 2 people will be applied in all accommodation except ryokans (3 and 4*). As this is traditional accommodation, people with the same reservation are grouped together in spacious rooms that can accommodate up to 5 people.

- 3-person room: If there are 3, 5 or more of you and you do not select the single supplement, you will be allocated a triple room.

- Hotel names: Any hotel names provided on our site are for information only. In the event of unavailability, an establishment of equivalent quality will be provided.

- In the ryokan, you will sleep on comfortable futons laid on tatami mats. Room have a private washbasin and WC. As is customary in Japanese ryokan, the onsen bathroom is shared (not mixed sex) unless you add the "private bathroom in the room" option when booking.

Your transport:

- A JR East Pass covering all of your journeys in train is included.

Your meals:

- All breakfasts are included.

- Dinners are included on days 2 and 4.

- For other meals, you will find recommendations from us in your travel diary.

A 35% deposit is required at the time of booking to confirm your reservation. The remaining balance must be paid in full no later than 35 days before the departure date.

What kind of insurance coverage is available for your Japan trip ?

When you book with Japan Experience, you have the option of purchasing two types of coverage:

Japan Experience Flex : This insurance covers expenses related to trip cancellations for specific reasons (disease, accident, passing...)

Japan Experience Protect : This insurance provides overall coverage for various aspect of the trip. For instance: cancellation, flight delay or missing flight, lost luggage, travel incident and repatriation, assistance, etc...