Cherry Blossoms, Onsen Hot Springs and Traditional Artisan Firework Exhibition
Tohoku Spring Festival
This 8‑night spring journey through Tohoku highlights cherry blossoms, hot springs, coastal scenery, and festival culture, beginning with Akita’s markets and heritage before exploring the samurai town of Kakunodate and enjoying a seaside onsen sunset at Furofushi. A guided hike through the Shirakami Twelve Lakes leads to Aomori and a full day at the Hirosaki Castle Sakura Festival, followed by free‑choice excursions to Morioka, Nyuto Onsen, or Lake Tazawa. The trip features the renowned Omagari Fireworks Biennial Show and concludes with a final night in Tokyo’s convenient Nihonbashi district. Accommodations, land transport, a bilingual guide, and daily breakfast and dinner are all included.
Trip Highlights
- Ride the Akita Shinkansen from Tokyo and explore Akita’s fresh market, Akita Dog Museum, and local cuisine.
- Stroll through Kakunodate, a beautifully preserved samurai town famous for its weeping cherry blossoms.
- Enjoy a coastal sightseeing train ride and a sunset soak at the iconic seaside Furofushi Onsen, complete with seafood buffet.
Itinerary
Gather at Tokyo station Akita Shinkansen platform at 10am. Travel on Komachi 15 departing at 10:18. Arrive at Akita station at 2:08. Enjoy Akita’s local fresh market, Akita dog museum, and its famous local cuisine.
A day and night stroll through the famed, well-preserved traditional samurai town of Kakunodate, known for its weeping cherry blossom. Slow down and enjoy Japan’s traditional-townscape.
A sightseeing train will take us to Furofushi Onsen along the Hokuriku coast in the early afternoon. Enjoy the coastal sunset, hot spring soak, and fresh local seafood buffet dinner and breakfast.
Explore the cobalt ponds and beech forests of the Twelve Lakes area on a guided hike, then continue north by train to Aomori for the night.
Spend the day beneath thousands of blooming cherry trees at Hirosaki Castle, enjoying festival food, culture, and the lively spring atmosphere.
You will have options for the day. For city lovers, check out Morioka, a local city with its long history, samurai culture, and traditional iron crafts. Or, head to the “Hito”(秘湯, secret hot spring), Nyuto Onsen, located in the deepest of the deep mountains, where cell phone signal does not reach. You can also spend a day at the Tazawako area, for a pleasant day by the beautiful caldera lake.
Japanese traditional fireworks are handcrafted by master artisans, celebrated for their precision and the pursuit of momentary beauty. Each shell is packed with intricate colors and patterns, turning every burst into a deliberate work of art. In Omagari—Japan’s renowned fireworks town—we’ll experience the biennial competition where the country’s top pyrotechnic creators gather and compete.
The hotel is conveniently located in the Nihonbashi district, centrally located within walking distance of two stations and three train lines, making it ideal for sightseeing.
It is also just a 3-minute walk from T-CAT (Tokyo City Air Terminal for Narita and Haneda Airports). T-CAT provides direct airport limousine shuttle bus services to both airports.
Our trip concludes at the hotel's checkout in Tokyo.
- Japanese/English bilingual guiding, all land transportation from/to Tokyo, 5
- nights in a single-occupancy room at Akita, Omagari and Tokyo, and 3 nights in a double-occupancy room at Aomori and Koganezaki hot spring. Dinners and breakfast are included every day.
- Land transportation between Tokyo and airports, lunches, travel insurance,
- entrance and/or admission fees for attractions not specified in this itinerary.
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