Day 1:
Tokyo - Mito - Utsunomiya - Koriyama
Explore the Diamond Route and discover the soul of Japan.
Easily reached from Tokyo via the JR Tohoku Shinkansen, Fukushima, Ibaraki and Tochigi Prefectures are known for their scenic beauty, fertile lands that produce some of Japan’s best fruit and sake, old castles, rich history, unique culture, fine local cuisine, outdoor activities and many relaxing onsen (hot springs).
To learn more about the Diamond Route, visit here.
Meet your English-speaking guide at your hotel and depart for Mito by Limited Express train (about 90 min). Mito was the power base of the Mito clan during the Edo Period (1603 – 1867), one of the three families of the Tokugawa regime that dominated Japan during that time. Visit Kairaku-en Garden, Mito’s main tourist attraction (considered one of Japan’s top three landscape gardens). Then, transfer to Utsunomiya Station by private car (approx. 1h 13 min). After lunch at a local restaurant (you can try Utsunomiya’s uniquely wide variety of gyoza dumplings) take the bullet train to Koriyama (39 min) and transfer to the Bandai Atami Onsen area and check into your hotel (Shikisai Ichiriki).
Day 2:
Koriyama - Urabandai - Aizu Wakamatsu
After breakfast, embark on a full day of sightseeing. Your first stop is Urabandai, known as Bandai-Asahi National Park. Following a massive eruption of Mt. Bandai in 1888, the ensuing massive landslides blocked rivers and created a number of lakes and marshes. Enjoy a short hike (approx. 1 h) to the mysterious Goshikinuma Ponds. The combination of the weather, seasons, and volcanic substances in the water give mysterious hues such as emerald green and pastel blue. Then, visit Lake Hibara, the largest lake in the Urabandai region and enjoy the kayaking tour (weather permitting). You will then stop at a local restaurant and enjoy Italian lunch prepared from locally sourced ingredients. After lunch, you will travel to Aizu Wakamatsu (47 min). Aizu Wakamatsu, a castle town, is famous for its award-winning sake and its samurai traditions. Stop at Aizu Nisshinkan Samurai School that gained national recognition as the best place for Japan’s youth to gain an exemplary samurai education. You can also try your hand at Japanese archery or kendo here.
Overnight at Ryokan Ookawaso
Day 3:
Aizuwakamatsu - Ouchijuku - Nikko
After breakfast, meet your English-speaking guide and set on a full day of touring. Your first stop will be at Tsuruga-jo Castle, Japan’s only red-and-white castle that has been important to local history (including the tragic tale of Byakkotai). Tsuruga Castle is surrounded by an expansive park, very popular with locals during the cherry blossom season. After the visit, stop at the Iimoriyama, the site of suicide by a group of young soldiers. Next, visit Suehiro Sake Brewery, one of the most prominent sake breweries in the Tohoku region. This brewery is well known for making sake for special events and high-profile figures. Depart for Ouchijuku (approx. 40 min), a former post town along the Aizu Nishi Kaido trade route, which connected Aizu with Nikko during the Edo Period. Today, Ouchijuku has been restored and the main street is lined by thick thatched roof buildings which house a variety of shops, restaurants and small inns. You will then transfer to Nikko by a private car (approx.. 1h 55 min). Nikko is a town at the entrance to Nikko National Park and had been a center of Shinto and Buddhist mountain worship for many centuries.
Overnight at The Ritz-Carlton Nikko
Day 4:
Nikko - Utsunomiya - Tokyo
Meet your English-speaking guide at your hotel. Your first stop is at Kegon Waterfall. The almost 100 meter tall Kegon waterfall is the most famous of Nikko’s many beautiful waterfalls. Take the famous Irohazaka winding road as you go to your next stop. Toshogu Shrine, a Unesco World Heritage site, was built in 1617 as a mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder and the first Shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate. It is Nikko’s most famous attraction. Next, visit Futarasan Shrine, dedicated to Nikko’s three most sacred mountains: Mount Nantai, Mount Nyoho and Mount Taro. After the visit, transfer to Utsunomiya and catch the bullet train to Tokyo.
This tour itinerary is tailor made travel arrangement. Dates are flexible and customizable for your preference.
Please contact us for a custom quote. The price is customized based on final itinerary, travel dates, choice of accommodation or other custom preference.