Snow Country

The Snow Country tour is ideal for those who want to combine time spent in Tokyo or Kyoto with a journey into the winter landscape of central Japan. The tour provides excellent skiing, the easy but exciting sport of snow-shoeing, bathing in natural hot springs, and visits to historic towns and villages of this mountainous region.

We will begin by spending two days in Nozawa Onsen hot spring village, which has excellent ski facilities. The small town of Obuse is our next stop where we will stay here in a traditional ryokan and visit the museum dedicated to the artist Hokusai, famous for his ukiyo-e woodblock prints. At Yudanaka Onsen hot spring village, we will stay in an old hot spring lodge, which is not far from where the famous ‘snow monkeys’ come to bathe in one of the outdoor hot spring pools. Takayama, our next stop, is a former feudal artist’s enclave, with many well-preserved traditional houses. There will be time to wander through the back streets and visit some of the houses which have been restored. Our final stop will be the village of Ogimachi (also known as Shirakawa-go), north-west of Takayama, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995, where will stay for the night in one of the traditionally thatched gassho-zukuri houses.

Along with the beautiful snowy landscapes and wonderful hot springs, we will enjoy freshly-made local cuisine at each stop, such as hida beef, miso bean paste, sweet dumplings and sansai-ryori made from delicately prepared mountain vegetables. At the end of this tour it will be possible to finish in either Tokyo or Kyoto, with good connections to other parts of Japan. A Kyoto extension is possible including accommodation in a Kyoto hotel and optional guided walks.

PLEASE NOTE:
On days 1 and 2 there will be a choice of skiing or snow-shoeing. Snow-shoeing treks are guided by the tour leader but the skiing is not supervised. If you do not have skiing experience local ski instructors are available at extra cost. Rental of ski and snowshoe equipment as well as a two-day ski pass is included in the tour cost. For snowshoeing you will need to bring waterproof hiking boots or similar. We will advise you on necessary clothing and gear at the time of booking.

Day by Day Breakdown of the Snow Country Tour.

Dates 2008
March 2 - March 8, 2008 - FULL
(2009 schedule will be ready in early July)

The above dates are subject to change

Tour Accommodation: Accommodation in family-run minshuku, traditional ryokan and ski lodges.

Please note that single rooms are not available in all ryokan and minshuku.

Cuisine: To make sure you get the most of your Japan experience, Japan Road tours offer a wide variety of Japanese cuisine to enjoy. You will have the chance to eat local specialties in small Japanese diners and sample some of the more 'refined' Japanese cuisine.

All breakfasts and 6 evening meals are included in the tour price.

Tour Guidance: Full time services of a Japanese-speaking British tour leader.

Day by Day Breakdown of the Snow Country Tour.

Snow Country Tour Map

If you have any questions about the tour, please feel free to Contact Us.

Tour itinerary is subject to change.