Intensive
Japan's Greatest Hits
Greatest hits, no padding, mostly trains.
- First visit
- Base cities: Tokyo · Kyoto · Osaka
- culture
- food
- urban
- history
Itinerary
Tohoku in Autumn Colour
- 12 nights
- Medium pace
- Returning visitor
- Autumn
AutumnMedium pace
Tohoku at the height of autumn, a Pacific-up and Sea-of-Japan-down loop from Tokyo. Sendai, Morioka, the apple country and castle of Hirosaki, and the samurai streets of Kakunodate, all when the north turns red and gold.
Maple gorges, samurai streets, mountain baths before the snow comes.
Trip facts
- Length12 nights
- PaceMedium
- Designed forReturning visitor
- Best seasonAutumn
- GatewaysIn and out via Tokyo
The route, city by city
Where you sleep and what each base is for. Load it into the planner to reshape the cities, dates, and day-by-day plan.
- Day 1Arrive
The world's largest city and Japan's beating heart - an overwhelming, endlessly layered metropolis where every kind of Japan coexists.
- Day 2Travel in
- Day 3Day trip: Matsushima
- Day 4Explore
Tohoku's largest city, the 'City of Trees', gateway to Matsushima and famous for beef tongue cuisine.
One of Japan's three scenic views - 260 pine-clad islands across a calm bay with an ancient Zen temple at their heart.
- Day 5Travel in
- Day 6Explore
A castle city and Tohoku's literary capital, famous for three distinct noodle cultures and the wanko soba eating tradition.
- Day 7Travel in
- Day 8Day trip: Hirosaki
- Day 9Explore
A lively northern city home to Japan's most energetic summer festival and the remarkable Nebuta Museum WA RASSE.
Tohoku's finest castle town with an original Edo castle and the most celebrated cherry blossom display in northern Japan.
- Day 10Travel in
- Day 11Day trip: Kakunodate
Akita Prefecture's capital, famed for the Kanto Festival of lantern poles, beautiful sake, and distinctive folk art.
The 'Little Kyoto of Tohoku' - a preserved samurai district of black-walled houses and weeping cherry trees.
- Day 12Depart
The world's largest city and Japan's beating heart - an overwhelming, endlessly layered metropolis where every kind of Japan coexists.
Your JP Adventure
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