2008 FLOWERS IN HOKKAIDO

Monday, May 26 (Day 01)
HONOLULU TO NARITA TO CHITOSE
Our tour commences this morning when we assemble at the Japan Airlines lobby at the airport for check-in procedures. We will depart Honolulu on Japan Airlines to Narita International Airport. A meal and a snack will be served on board the flight. After completing entry and customs formalities, we’ll proceed to the domestic terminal to check in for our flight to Chitose International Airport in Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost and second largest island.

Tuesday, May 27 (Day 02)
ARRIVE CHITOSE
On arrival at Chitose Airport in the evening, we’ll proceed to our hotel to check in for the night.

Accommodations at MITSUI URBAN HOTEL SHIN CHITOSE

Wednesday, May 28 (Day 03)
CHITOSE - OTARU - SAPPORO (B)(D)
This morning we’ll make a photo stop at Lake Shikotsu, a scenic volcanic caldera lake located in the central part of Hokkaido. Famed for the clarity of its water and surrounded by hills, the lake forms a part of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park. We’ll travel north to Otaru, a charming port city best known for the historic Otaru Canal. Sections of the canal are lined with photogenic Meiji and Taisho-era buildings, giving it the atmosphere of an old harbor town. Otaru is also noted for its glassware and we’ll visit a glass shop to see some of their intricate products available for purchase. We’ll continue on to the city of Sapporo visiting some of the highlights of the city. Enjoy a stroll through Odori Park, a wide promenade dividing the northern and southern parts of the city and bordered with beautiful flower beds. We’ll drive by to view a famous landmark “Tokei-dai”, the symbol of Sapporo mounted on the Russian-style Memorial Hall. This evening, enjoy a delicious ”Genghis Khan” dinner at the Sapporo Beer Garden.

Accommodations at SAPPORO CENTURY ROYAL HOTEL

Thursday, May 29 (Day 04)
SAPPORO - ASAHIKAWA - SOUNKYO GORGE (B)(D)
Enjoy a tour of the Historical Museum of Hokkaido featuring interesting exhibits and displays relating to the lifestyle, history, and culture of Hokkaido. Our tour continues on passing through the city of Asahikawa, the second largest city in Hokkaido. We’ll make a stop at Kitanomori-Garden, visiting the Ice Pavilion - a fantastic world of ice presented throughout the year. We’ll continue on to Sounkyo, a hot-spring resort nestled in the middle of Sounkyo Valley in Daisetsu-zan National Park, the largest of Japan’s national parks. Enjoy the breathtaking scenery of Sounkyo Gorge, a ravine with its sheer cliff walls and spectacular rock formations extending along the Ishikari River. This tame gorge is renowned for its picturesque waterfalls and we’ll make a photo stop to see two of the main ones - Ryusei-no-taki (Shooting Star Falls) and Ginga-no-taki (Milky Way Falls). Enjoy a traditional kaiseki dinner and relax in the onsen at our hotel this evening.

Accommodations at HOTEL DAISETSU or similar

Friday, May 30 (Day 05)
SOUNKYO - KAMIYUBETSU - LAKE NOTORO - ABASHIRI (B)(D)
Weather permitting, we’ll take a gondola ride on the Sounkyo-Kurodake Ropeway to the fifth stage of Mt. Kurodake. Enjoy the gorgeous scenery and undeveloped wilderness of the magnificent Daisetsuzan National Park and its surrounding areas. We’ll continue on to the town of Kamiyubetsu to view a beautiful display of colorful tulips blooming vividly in the Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park, site of the annual Tulip Fair. Many of the tulips are imported from Holland and some are named after characters of fairytales, such as Pinocchio and Aladdin. We’ll visit the Okhotsk Ryu-hyo (Ice Floe) Museum located on Mount Tento with exhibits and a video explaining the history of sea drift ice (ryu-hyo) that flows into the Sea of Okhosk from Russia. The Abashiri Prison Museum was the actual prison site until the year 1984 and only the most heinous criminals were banished to this forbidding northern outpost - the ’Alcatraz’ of Japan. The cells, watch towers, and prison farm buildings show how stark and monotonous life was for inmates - relieved only by restricted bathhouse visits. Anguished-looking mannequins bring it all to life and we’ll retrace the history of convict labor and the harsh life of a prisoner on a tour of this open-air site. Enjoy dinner and the hot springs at the hotel this evening.

Accommodations at ABASHIRI KANKO HOTEL or similar

Saturday, May 31 (Day 06)
ABASHIRI - LAKE AKAN (B)(D)
We’ll travel to Ozora Town to enjoy a stroll through the Mokotoyama-Onsen Shibazakura Park located at the base of Mt. Mokoto. Shibazakura (pink and white moss flowers) blooms vividly on the slopes of the hillside, providing a spectacular sight - like a pink carpet. We’ll drive by Io-zan (Sulphur Mountain) - unmistakable for its distinctive smell and impressive hissing vents, billowing clouds of steam and bright yellow sulfur deposits. Smoking volcanoes, “Me-Akan-dake and O-Akan-dake” tower over Akan-ko - a beautiful crater lake. Lake Akan is best known for its marimo, a rare spherical green algae and designated as a Special Natural Monument. Marimo is formed when separate pieces of algae at the bottom of the lake roll around and eventually forms into a ball, gradually growing larger and larger. We’ll enjoy a boat cruise on Lake Akan, providing us with a close-up view of the mountains, islands, and into hamlets, including a brief stop at Churui Islet to visit the Marimo Exhibition and Observation Center that displays a few tanks of these green fuzz balls. Before checking into our hotel, we’ll visit Ainu Kotan, a small Ainu village lined with souvenir shops specializing in traditional Ainu handicrafts. Dinner will be provided for you this evening at the hotel.

Accommodations at NEW AKAN HOTEL or similar

Sunday, June 1 (Day 07)
LAKE AKAN - KUSHIRO - TOKACHIGAWA ONSEN (B)(D)
After breakfast we’ll continue our drive south to the Kushiro Marshland National Park, a swampy area famed for its flora and protected “tancho-zuru” (red-crested white cranes). These Japanese cranes are traditional symbols of longevity and are designated as a special natural monument of Japan. The Akan International Crane Center was recently opened to help in the study and conservation of these cranes - still an endangered species and we’ll be guided through this facility providing us with interesting information about these cranes. Currently housed in a market building, we’ll enjoy shopping at the Washo Market offering approximately 80 vendors that sell a variety of fresh and dried seafood products and many other local merchandise of Hokkaido. We’ll continue on to Tokachigawa Onsen to relax and enjoy the hot springs this evening. Dinner will be provided for you this evening at the hotel.

Accommodations at DAIHEIGEN HOTEL or similar

Monday, June 2 (Day 08)
TOKACHIGAWA - FURANO - BIEI - ASAHIKAWA (B)(D)
This morning we’ll continue north to Asahikawa - historically was known as one of the largest Ainu settlements in Hokkaido. Enroute we’ll visit Kami-furano Flower Land, a vast flower garden showcasing a variety of brightly colored flowers blooming on the hillside providing a breathtaking photo opportunity. (weather permitting) Biei is noted as the town of beautiful hills or “Patchwork Hill” and we’ll drive through this picturesque town to enjoy a beautiful view of the hillside covered with various colors of shrubbery. Enjoy a visit to “Takushinkan”, a small museum dedicated to Shinzo Maeda, an internationally known photographer. His photos of the Tokachi area are famous for their vibrant and unusual color and composition. We will arrive in the city of Asahikawa in the late afternoon. Dinner will be provided for you this evening.

Accommodations at ASAHIKAWA GRAND HOTEL or similar

Tuesday, June 3 (Day 09)
ASAHIKAWA - SAPPORO (B)(D)
Yukaraori fabrics were first created in the city of Asahikawa and have gained worldwide recognition for their beauty and detail. This morning, we’ll visit the Yukaraori Textile Museum to see some of their intricate masterpieces on display and available for purchase. The fabrics are woven in traditional styles using patterns and themes based on the nature of Hokkaido itself - such as lavender flowers or drift ice. We’ll continue on to the city of Sapporo to spend our last night. Before checking in at the hotel, we’ll make a stop at Nijo Market, a public market in central Sapporo to shop for some dried seafood products at reasonable prices.

Accommodations at SAPPORO CENTURY ROYAL HOTEL or similar

Wednesday, June 4 (Day 10)
SAPPORO - CHITOSE - NARITA TO HONOLULU (B)
This morning we’ll proceed to the Chitose Airport to check in for our domestic flight to Narita International Airport, then transfer for our evening flight home. We’ll arrive Honolulu on the same day due to the crossing of the International Dateline.

The tour price is based on double occupancy and a minimum group size of 20 passengers. Fare adjustment may apply for groups of 20 or under. The rate is based on tariffs and exchange rates effective 8/01/07. Tour fare is subject to change according to any airfare increase and fluctuation of the rate of exchange between U.S. and foreign currency. In the event of revaluation, the land portion of the tour price may be adjusted prior to your final statement.