5 days Hokkaido Discovery ( Summer 2018 )
Head north and to the exquisite island beauty of Hokkaido, exploring the rural traditions of herring fishing and eco farming in a land of vivid landscapes - rolling fields of lavender purple, tulip red and cherry-blossom pink stand strikingly against the imposing backdrop of snow-capped peaks and alpine lakes.
| Day | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyoto/Osaka - Sapporo (2 Nights) | This morning transfer to Osaka Itami Airport for your flight to Shin Chitose, the gateway to Hokkaido. Upon arrival meet your Travel Director and transfer to your centrally located hotel in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido and Japan's fifth largest city. Later join your Travel Director for a walk around Susukino which is the largest entertainment district in Northern Japan and is packed with stores, bars and restaurants. Enjoy an Izakaya (a typical Japanese gastro-pub) dining experience with a taste of Hokkaido's famous fresh seafood. Meal(s) Dinner Hotel Keio Plaza Sapporo |
| 2 | Sapporo Sightseeing - Otaru - Sapporo | Start your orientation city tour of Sapporo with views of the Clock Tower; built in 1878 the clock has not missed tolling the hour for nearly 140 years and is considered to be the symbol of the city. In the eastern side of Odori Park, see the 147 metre high Sapporo TV Tower, similar in design to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The park splits Sapporo into north and south and plays host to the city's major events and festivals. Continue your drive to the west of the city to visit Otaru, the old harbour city of Hokkaido with its beautifully preserved canal area and old buildings that date back to its glory days as a major herring centre. At Otaru Canal take a walk with a Local Specialist beneath the old Victorian style gas lamps that line this historic canal and learn all about Otaru before enjoying some free time for shopping and lunch. Stop at the Kitaichi Glass Factory to admire the beautiful and colourful glassware and later visit a large preserved herring mansion dating back to the end of the 19th century where fishermen's tools and living conditions are displayed. During the heyday of herring fishing, large herring mansions were built by wealthy fishermen to process the fish and as a residence for themselves and their employees. The herring fishing industry played a major role in the history of the city and large fortunes were made by the leading fishing enterprises until the 1950s, when the herring stocks dramatically declined and the industry collapsed. Later return to the hotel for an evening at leisure. Meal(s) Buffet Breakfast |
| 3 | Sapporo - Biei - Furano (2 Nights) | Today leave Sapporo behind and head for central Hokkaido and the town of Biei. With the dramatic mountains of the Daisetsuzan National Park as a backdrop, Biei is an artists and nature lover's paradise. Visit the 'Hokusei-no-oka Observatory' with its pyramid-shaped structure and enjoy the views of the splendid landscape. Continue your journey and head to the city of Furano. It has a somewhat surprisingly continental climate which fosters a burgeoning wine industry, producing award winning cheeses and enabling sprawling fields of lavender to spring to life. In Furano take some free time for shopping and lunch and later visit a local government certified organic 'Eco Farm' which produces wine, juices and various vegetables. Meet the farm owner and take a walk around with him to learn about the work they do whilst sampling some of their produce, a Cultural Insight. Later make a stop at a lavender farm to see the colourful display of flowers usually in bloom around June/July time. Continue to your hotel for dinner and your overnight stay. Meal(s) Buffet Breakfast Dinner Hotel New Furano Prince |
| 4 | Furano - Sapporo | This morning travel back to Sapporo and visit the Sapporo Beer Museum for a Cultural Insight. After the tour of the museum enjoy a beer tasting followed by lunch. Later check in to the hotel for an afternoon at leisure and make the most of your last day in Hokkaido perhaps with some shopping or further exploration of the city. Meal(s) Buffet Breakfast Lunch |
| 5 | Depart Sapporo | Transfer by airport shuttle service to Shin Chitose airport for your onward flight. Meal(s) Buffet Breakfast |