Charms of Northern Japan Tour: Tohoku 3 Great Summer Festivals

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Single Supplement: USD $990.00

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The Furano Cheese Factory, is known for its various cheese and dairy products. The factory also has a pizza and an ice cream factory. The ice cream shop offers adventurous flavors like pumpkin, asparagus, and cheese. If guests look for a different experience other than tasting pumpkin ice or the several other special flavors that the factory offers, they can try a hands-on experience making cheese, ice cream, or bread. These workshops use the dairy products from local farmers just like the rest of their merchandise. The factory also invites visitors to see the cheese- making process through the windows.

Thanks to the same type of climate that allows lavender to grow, Furano grapes are also able to be cultivated. Furano’s winery selection of wines includes red, white, and rose wine types. The winery is open to the public and offers free wine tasting. The grape juice factory also has a window view of the process of its juice production, which also gives grape juice sampling to its visitors. Restaurants nearby serve Western dishes with the wine, so guests can buy a bottle and have a meal with their favorite wine at the end of the day.

Among the various summer lavender fields to visit in Furano, Farm Tomita is one of the best known and oldest lavender farms in the region of Hokkaido. The Hanabito House has a souvenir shop where you can buy various lavender goods as well as cafes nearby to try lavender flavored goods. The museum is on the upper floor of the Hanabito House and on the same floor is the scent testing room, where you can compare different types of lavender fragrances.

The Blue Pond is located in the center of Hokkaido near Biei right outside the Shirogane Onsen. Many people that own Apple computer products will recognize this location from the Apple screen savers images. This pond gives off a deep rich blue color because of the natural minerals dissolved in the water. It was not until recently that this location started to become a popular tourist destination, so this location is still a little underdeveloped compared to popular locations. Besides the pond there is not much else to do, but to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

In Panorama Road there is Shin’ei Hill Observatory Park a popular tourist spot, which has a great view of the area, and is famous for the sunset view. Then East of Shin’ei is the San’ai Hill Observatory, which is closer to Mount Tokachidake and provides more of a panoramic view.

Panorama Road is also known for Hill of Shikisai. Hill of Shikisai is a flower garden with over seven dozen varieties of flowers, which are lined up separately. It is seven hectares of flowers, which look like a rainbow. The name Shikisai uses the kanji for four seasons and coloring. There is a tractor bus you can ride that will take you to these popular viewing areas.

There is a famous photo gallery by Shinzo Maeda, opened it in 1987, called Takushinkan. Shinzo Maeda was a well-respected landscape photographer whose photos put Biei on the map as one of the best sightseeing spots in Hokkaido back in the 1970s. His photos of Biei were used in photo collections, posters, postcards, films etc. A former elementary school exhibits his landscape work of Biei as well as the photos done by his son Akira Maeda.

The Otaru Canal was employed by businesses to transport their merchandise to warehouses with smaller ships since the bigger ships could not directly unload their goods to their destinations. However, eventually there was no use for the smaller vessels when the facilities were modernized, making the use of canals less necessary. Now the area is a tourist attraction, during the day people take leisurely walks about the scenic route where there are museums, restaurants, and shops. Furthermore, Otaru Canal is the main site of the Snow Light Path Festival which is celebrated annually during February as a winter festival.

The glass made in Otaru is refined and is made in many workshops that also offer hands-on experience for guests who take interest in making their own glassware for a fee. Otaru is located in the prefecture of Hokkaido, neighboring the city of Sapporo. Aside from glass workshops, there are also many cafés, restaurants, and other shops that also allow guests to admire and purchase their artistic glass.

Among the many shops found on Sakaimichi Street is the Otaru Music Box Museum. It not only displays various objects, but also sells a wide range of music boxes, some of which are more elaborate than others; some move and others light up along with their melody. Midst the various types of music boxes are some made from glass, wood, or even traditional Japanese fabric, some are fashioned after sushi or Western-themed concepts. These music boxes also carry different songs according to a collection that the establishment has at their disposable.

The Sapporo Clock Tower is a museum and a symbol of Sapporo’s city. Once used as a drill house for physical education and military training for the students in the Agricultural College, it now holds small displays of the origins of Sapporo’s development and local history. The clock itself was bought in 1881 from Boston, Massachusetts. Its appearance now consists of red roofs and white walls that stand out to people passing by this historical monument. It was once the tallest building when it was constructed, but is now overshadowed by the taller business buildings around it.

Located in the center of Sapporo, running from east to west is Odori Park. It was supposed to be the main street separating Sapporo north from south as a fire break, but now represents the area holding the annual Snow Festival events. It has 92 types of trees and many flowerbeds, enough to attract tourists and locals for a relaxing time in its vicinity. For guests wishing for good views and photographs, there is the Sapporo TV Tower’s observation deck available to the public for a fee. The deck is especially popular during the Snow Festival’s events held every February.

Nightlife plans for guests in Sapporo might include activities like hitting the pachinko machines, nightclubs, bars, karaoke, and restaurants. If that is the case, it will probably lead them to Sapporo’s biggest entertainment neighborhood, Susukino, which is similar to Shinjuku’s Kabukicho red light district. As such, it should not come as a surprise that expenses might run a little higher here than in other parts of the city. Susukino is one of the sites that hosts the annual Snow Festival held every February in Sapporo. Genghis Khan nabe, or Susukino’s Ramen Yokocho are local foods recommended to all.

The Nijo Fish Market has been selling its freshly caught and prepared merchandise for over a hundred years since its establishment in 1903. It is located in the center of Sapporo’s city, near Nijo Station. Among its fresh sea urchins, crabs, and other fish products, it also offers melons, corn, and other fruits and vegetables for reasonable prices. Shops or restaurants also prepare fresh seafood for their clients; donburi (rice bowl) dishes that include fish atop the rice serving is one type of prepared meal. The markets take about one city block of space up for their businesses.

The Historic Village of Hokkaido is a restored area based of what remained from the Meiji era and Taisho era. It is now an open-air museum with shops, households, and horse-drawn trams that run through the village. It displays various buildings and shops that were once constructed during Hokkaido’s growing development, including 60 different buildings from all over this northern island. It is also a place where many who lost their positions in the Edo Shogunate went to start their lives anew, especially samurai. It is located in the suburbs of Sapporo. It consists residential, mountainous, fishing, and agricultural zones.

Initially opened in 1990, the Porotokan Ainu Museum was dedicated to cataloging, preserving, and teaching the history and culture of the original native peoples of Hokkaido: the Ainu people. In 2018, however, the Porotokan closed down in order to clear the way for the new and expanded National Ainu Museum. This newer museum’s philosophy is based on the ideals of multicultural coexistence and presents various exhibits divided into six separate Ainu-centered themes: history, language, lifestyle, livelihood, worldview, and trade with other peoples. The museum is one building in a larger facility called Upopoy (“singing in a large group” in Ainu language). This facility includes, in addition to the museum, a National Park near Lake Poroto, and a Memorial Site for deceased Ainu.

There are many hot springs in Japan, one of which is located in Hokkaido with the name of Jigokudani, meaning “Hell Valley.” The very characteristics of the valley itself justify the name given to the location. Other physical features of the valley include its crater foundation that is more than a kilometer and half all around.

Showa Shinzan Mountain is known as one of the youngest mountains in Japan. The young mountain rose from what once was a field of wheat in the years 1943 until 1945. Before it stopped growing in 1945, a nearby postmaster recorded the frequent earthquakes leading up to Showa Shinzan’s current form. Eventually, his records were turned in and are now placed on display for visitors to read at the Mimatsu Memorial Museum. Visitors planning on observing Showa Shinzan in a different angle can ride the Usuzan Ropeway and have a bird’s eye view of the young mountain.

Mount Usu, Japan’s most active volcano. The unusual thing with Mount Usu is that it does not spew out tons of lava, but instead forms new landmarks. The rise of volatile magma creates the lava domes as well as the crypto domes. There are several walking trails that can be taken to see the destruction left behind. There are also wrecked houses, confection factory, telephone poles, cars and other buildings that remain there to educate individuals on the destructive power of volcanoes. The trail then leads to the craters where you can still see steam emitting from the fissures.

The Goryokaku Fort was first built over a hundred years ago, this established structure held the magistrate’s office where Hokkaido was administered and was the first western-styled stronghold of its kind in Japan. The fort was not always affiliated to military, once it lost its importance for military self-defense, it was employed as a park in 1910. This area is one of the best places to see cherry blossoms in early May because it has more than a thousand trees blooming there each year. An observation tower is also available for public use to view the grounds from above.

Known as “Lying Cow” for its shape, Mount Hakodate offers one of the best views from its summit some 334 meters high, overlooking both sea and land. The views that can be seen from Mount Hakodate include the peninsulas located south from the summit, the Tsugaru and Shimokita Peninsulas belonging to Aomori Prefecture. In addition to the peninsular views, the night time and daytime views in either direction are popular among the tourists, so tourists need only worry about the observation deck and ropeway operational times when visiting Mount Hakodate.

The Seikan Undersea Tunnel is one of the world’s longest and deepest undersea tunnel in the world. Originally opened for operation in 1988, this long undersea tunnel connects Hokkaido to the rest of mainland Japan by train. Prior to the tunnel, ferries were the most used mode of transportation to travel to Hokkaido.

Nebuta Wa Rasse is a museum dedicated to the history of the Nebuta Matsuri and allows visitors to see the floats all year round. The museum will displays approximately 300 years of Nebuta festivities on display followed by pictures of floats and the participants of the celebrations. The museum building itself holds floats where visitors can view the details of the huge structures that were used in previous parades, though they change them out every year.

Nebuta Festival is a large lantern float parade in Aomori and is one of the three largest festivals in the Tohoku region. It is a type of Tanabata festival held on August 2-7 every year. It is a type of parade with ginormous lantern floats. The largest of this type of festivity is in Aomori City where they attract millions of spectators over the course of the festival.

The Akita City Folk Traditions Hall is a small museum that showcases the history and traditions of the many festivals held in Akita. Exhibitions include the Akita Kanto Festival, where performers hold up a large amount of lanterns on bamboo poles to pray for a good harvest. Visitors can even try to hold up a one of these lanterns and learn the history of these festivals.

The Kanto Festival is one of the three great festivals in the Tohoku region. It is also known as the “pole lantern festival.” Every year it is scheduled from August 3 to August 6 and the festival is celebrated by praying for a good harvest. It is said that it takes 40% strength and 60% skill to balance a kanto. It takes years of practice to be able to adequately hold a kanto let alone perform the techniques.

Kakunodate was a former castle town in Akita prefecture which maintains much of its traditional Edo-era aesthetic through its well-preserved Samurai district. As many as 80 samurai families once lived in this heritage district, granting the city the informal title of the “little Kyoto of Tohoku.” The houses and attached gardens are exquisitely maintained, and some even allow visitors to see the interior for a peek into the daily life of a Japanese samurai during Japan’s feudal period. The broad thoroughfares between houses are shaded with weeping sakura trees, making the Samurai District especially popular in spring. Popular locations in the district include the Aoyagi House, which includes a museum with a samurai-themed collection, restaurant, and gift shop. The Ishiguro house is also worth a look, with its collection of samurai armor and preserved storeroom. Parts of this house are closed off, however, as the family still lives on the property.

Iwate Prefecture’s Chusonji Temple was built on the Kanzan Hill, which is why it is also commonly referred to as the Kanzan Chusonji Temple. The grounds originally had many buildings created like pagodas, temples, and halls, however, only two of the buildings remain standing. One of these structures is called Kyozo Hall, which holds Buddhist scripture. The second building is called Konjikido, which is covered in gold and is often compared to the famous golden pavilion located in Kyoto.

Attracting more than a million spectators, Sendai fireworks is one of the largest summer festivities in Sendai. After the fireworks event, the annual Tanabata celebrations take place from August 6 to 8 in the city of Sendai. Locals and visitors come to view and participate in the festival that stems from the legend of the star- crossed lovers Hikoboshi and Orihime, who are represented by Altair and Vega’s stars. The fireworks are ignited on the banks of the Hirosegawa River and many come in their yukata dresses with family and friends. Food stalls and festival games are also commonly present in this summer festivity.

Vendor stalls for food, merchandise, and games, as well as dancers and drummers are seen at the Sendai City for the annual Tanabata festivities. Many locals and tourists come to participate in the lively city decorated with bright colors and charming streamers. The annual event held during the 7th day of the seventh month is known as Tanabata, but is usually celebrated with fireworks and gatherings in early August in Japan. Now, the annual Tanabata celebrations take place from August 6 to 8 in the city of Sendai.

Matsushima Bay has been known as one of the top most scenic places in all of Japan for many years. Without a doubt the most popular and best way to see the bay is by boat cruises. There are many cruises available for visitors to ride on to experience one of Japan’s best scenic views.

Godaido serves as a symbol of Matsushima since it is a on an islet of the bay in Miyagi Prefecture, which is known for its cruises and natural scenery. Inside the temple itself are five statues that are presented to the public once every 33 years. The small island is connected a short, red bridge that gives the scenery a particularly attractive elegance to the temple’s surrounding environment. Admission to this temple is free, however it does close in the evenings.

One of the most distinguished temples of the Tohoku region is the Zuiganji Temple. The temple is so notable that it has been received as a national treasure in Japan; particularly special places are the main hall with golden sliding doors, the Kuri of the main hall, the “Gate of Honor”, and the “Inner gates” are some examples. Visitors going to the temple can also visit the museum called Seiryuden, also called the Zuiganji Art Museum, where many artifacts and some temple treasures are displayed, in particular a wooden statue of an armored Date Masamune.

The Bandai-Azuma Lake provides remarkable landscape scenery for those who like to drive through the countryside and view a natural scenery. Roads like the Bandai-Azuma Roadway give a chance to travelers who want to cruise along the countryside via vehicle to explore one of the lesser known areas in Japan’s Fukushima Prefecture. The toll road offers views of rough terrain that is sometimes covered in blankets of snow, or even autumn foliage during the fall. However, the Bandai- Azuma roadway is closed during middle of November to the middle April, though it is more attractive for its autumn colors in October.

Goshikinuma is a place of picturesque beauty at the foot of Mount Bandai, and was created when the mountain erupted in 1888. The name is a word that means "Five- Colored Ponds", although the actual area has about 30 ponds, pools, and lakes of various sizes. These bodies of water range in different colors all across the blue- green spectrum, depending on how the eruption affected them, and the colors can change with the seasons. The largest is Bishamon-numa, on which visitors can sail in a small boat, and which contains colorful carp. Benten-numa is an especially clear blue- green, named for the Japanese Buddhist goddess of arts and wisdom. Aka-numa, or "Red Pond" is not really red, but an light green, though it does have the appearance of red in some of the nearby plants. Ao- numa (Blue Pond) is a beautiful blue-green, but is more acidic, and has bleached white some of the leaves on nearby branches. Midoronuma, despite having a name that means "Deep Mud Pond" features surprisingly beautiful greens, with a reddish fringe on the shore. These ponds and more are best viewed while on the Goshikinuma Nature Trail, which winds around many of these gorgeous ponds.

Tsuruga Castle was an important stronghold in the Tohoku Region for the Tokugawa Shogunate. When it was first built in 1384 by Ashina Naomori it was called Kurokawa Castle. When the Ashina were defeated by the Date Clan the castle was put under Date Masamune, but was later given to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In 1592, the ruling lord of the building, Gamo Ujisato, redesigned the structure and renamed it to Tsuruga Castle. However, the local populace referred to the castle as either Aizu or Wakamatsu Castle. During the Edo Period the Aizu Clan used it as a base of operations for both administrative and military purposes. In 1868, it was the location for the famed Battle of Aizu during the Boshin War, where the Tsuruga Castle was besieged for a month by forces from Satsuma and Choshu domain. It was during this battle that the Byakkotai incident occurred in which 20 teenage boys believed their castle had fallen and committed ritual suicide. This was not the case at the time and the story is only known because one member of the group failed in their attempt to take their own life. The castle was destroyed after the Boshin War, but was later rebuilt out of concrete. Tsuruga Castle is one of the top 100 castles to visit for cherry blossom viewing.

Ouchijuku is a preserved traditional Japanese village located in Fukushima prefecture. During the Edo period, Ouchijuku was one of the "post towns" along a route known as the Aizu-Nishi Kaido, that connected Aizu- Wakamatsu Castle with what is now Nikko. It offered rest and refreshment to weary travelers making the trip, whether they were noble samurai or traveling merchants. After the Meiji Restoration, the rest of Japan modernized, but Ouchijuku stayed locked in the past, and is now considered a protected part of Japanese history. Traveling there truly does make one feel as though they have stepped back in time, walking down the unpaved main street surrounded by wooden houses with thatched roofs, and no electric cables or power lines to be seen anywhere. Ouchi-juku goes out of its way to preserve its traditional ambience from its outward appearance to its food and souvenirs. You can enjoy local specialties like negi-soba - a soba noodle soup eaten with a large leek for a spoon. And no matter what season you go there, Ouchijuku is beautiful. But some seasons are more enticing than others; they have a Snow Festival in February and a Summer Festival in July.

Nikko is famous for the Toshogu Shrine, which holds the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the famous founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled for over 200 years (1603-1868). The original resting place for Tokugawa Ieyasu was much simpler in design that it is today. The construction was carried out in accordance to his father’s will by Ieyasu’s son, Hidetaba Tokugawa, in 1617. However, it was later expanded to its modern size by Ieyasu’s grandson, Tokugawa Iemitsu. The dozens of buildings were built with grandiose designs, unique with its brightly- colored carvings of animals and various types of images.

Futarasan Shrine is situated next to Toshogu Shrine and is dedicated to the three deities of Nikko’s sacred mountains. The shrine is dedicated to the three deities of the sacred mountains in Nikko. This refers to Mount Nantai, Mount Nyoho and Mount Taro, which are known as the most sacred mountains in the area. When entering the Futarasan Shrine area there is a place to the left of the haiden (offering hall) which can only be accessed by paying a nominal fee. Inside the paid area is a small garden, spring, old sacred trees and a couple of more halls.

Rinnoji Temple is the family temple of the Date Clan, who ruled Sendai for many generations until the Meiji Restoration. The outer appearance of the entrance is not too spectacular, which is odd since Date Masamune favored the Momoyama style. Appearances can be deceiving because once you pass the main hall you will be greeted by Japanese style garden and three story pagoda. Visitors can stroll around the garden taking in the quiet serenity and sit on a few of the benches to relax. The trees, flowers, and plants have been meticulously maintained and the koi adds to the picturesque scenery.

Kegon Waterfall is listed as one of the three most beautiful falls in Japan along with Nachi Waterfall in Wakayama Prefecture and Fukuroda Waterfall in Ibaraki Prefecture. It is located in Nikko and is the most famous waterfall out of the many in the area. Kegon Waterfall is about 100 meters high and is the only exit for the waters of Lake Chuzenji to exit from. The best time to see the waterfall would be in the autumn season. The surrounding foliage of Kegon Waterfall painted in fall hues is a sight not to miss.

Lake Chuzenji is located in the mountains near Nikko at the foot of Mount Nantai and is beautiful around the autumn season. On the eastern side of the lake is a small hot spring town called Chuzenjiko Onsen. From mid to late October the nature around Lake Chuzenji is very attractive. It is around this time that the autumn colors of the trees reach their peak. Since Lake Chuzenji is a scenic body of water there is a hiking trail that goes around the entire area. It is also possible to enjoy the scenery by going on a sightseeing boat that departs from the onsen town.