Japan Private Tour (MOT001) in January: Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival - Shirakawa-go - Oshino Hakkai 7 Days 6 Nights

Travel Details

Outbound: Bangkok - Narita Airport

Inbound: Narita Airport - Bangkok

1 Narita Airport - Narita - Tokyo

We will welcome you at Narita Airport at the scheduled time.

Visit Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, founded in 940 AD. The temple grounds are expansive with numerous halls blending Indian Buddhist architectural motifs with traditional Japanese design. Around the temple is the charming Narita Omotesando, a traditional Japanese street where you shouldn't miss freshly grilled sembei rice crackers and savory unagi (grilled eel) rice bowls—you can watch the entire preparation process live in front of the shop, from filleting to charcoal grilling, served fresh for you to enjoy.

Next, stop for shopping at Shisui Premium Outlets, featuring factory-direct prices across more than 180 leading Japanese and international brand-name stores.

Then, head into Tokyo to see the iconic giant red lantern at Senso-ji Temple. With a rich history spanning over 1,300 years, it is the oldest temple in Tokyo, dating back to 645 AD. Passing through Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) with its famous red lantern, you'll find Nakamise shopping street bustling with souvenirs and snacks. Be sure to pay respects to Bodhisattva Kannon to invite good fortune and blessings into your life.

In the evening, embark on a sunset cruise along the Sumida River to soak in the scenic waterfront views.

2 Gunma

In the morning, travel to Gunma, renowned throughout Japan for its exceptional hot springs with more than 200 onsen across the prefecture. It is a fantastic year-round destination blessed with lush nature and captivating culture.

Our first stop is Shorinzan Daruma-ji Temple, filled with an abundance of Daruma dolls. Visitors return their dolls here after their wishes have come true, leading to the annual Daruma Burning Festival held on January 6 and 7 each year. You can purchase your own Daruma doll right at the temple or directly at Daruma no Sato Daimon-ya by Master Jun-ichi Nakata, who hand-paints the face of every single doll.

Next, pick and taste sweet, juicy strawberries fresh from the vine at DoleLand Minakami, a full-service fruit orchard in the town of Minakami.

Next, visit Kusatsu Onsen, celebrated as one of Japan's top three famous hot spring towns and widely cherished by travelers. Witness the traditional Yumomi water-cooling performance using large wooden paddles, a unique bathing technique passed down since the Edo period, and enjoy a leisurely stroll through the historic, atmospheric town.

3 Nagano - Nozawaonsen

In the morning, travel to Nozawaonsen, a quaint village in Nagano Prefecture recognized as one of Japan's most historic hot spring resorts.

Along the way, stop to pay respects and make a wish at Zenkoji Temple, one of the most important Buddhist temples in Japan, situated in the heart of Nagano. Inside the main hall is a pitch-dark underground passage without a trace of light, believed to lead toward enlightenment and paradise. The surrounding temple streets are also lined with delightful local shops and eateries.

If time permits, visit the famous Jigokudani Monkey Park. January brings crisp cold weather and snow, prompting adorable troops of wild monkeys to gather and bathe in the thermal waters at Jigokudani Yaen-Koen. View the live camera feed at: http://www.jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/livecam/monkey/index.htm

At the appropriate time, head to Nozawaonsen to get ready for the Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival, celebrated every year on January 15. Known as one of Japan's three great fire festivals, it takes place in Nozawa Onsen Village along the historic street between the river and the mountain hamlet, believed to be where the Dosojin deity resides. The festival runs from 19:00-22:00.

4 Shirakawa-go - Takayama

In the morning, head to Shirakawa-go, Japan's historic World Heritage village. Shirakawa-go is a traditional farming village tucked in the river valley along the Shogawa River, famous for gassho-zukuri farmhouses that are over 200-300 years old. Beyond the stunning scenery, charming local shops, restaurants, souvenir stalls, and shrines await you for a relaxing walk and wonderful photo opportunities. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995, it is an unforgettable destination well worth visiting.

In the afternoon, we take you to Takayama, a charming small town in Gifu Prefecture that still preserves the atmosphere and traditional architecture of ancient Japan. The first place we will take you to is Sanmachi Old Town, a district filled with charming traditional houses and lovely shops. The storefronts along this street have been well preserved with the authentic charm of the Edo period, allowing you to enjoy a wonderful stroll in a truly memorable atmosphere.

Afterward, we take you to visit the historic government office, Takayama Jinya, which is the only surviving Edo-period outpost building (jinya).

Our final stop today is Hida Kokubunji Temple, a Buddhist temple that stands as a landmark symbol of Takayama. This three-story pagoda was built in 1820.

If you would like to experience the nighttime atmosphere of Shirakawa-go Village, please let us know in advance.

5 Yamanashi

We take you to Yamanashi Prefecture, located in the Chubu region of Japan. The journey takes about 3 hours and 15 minutes, covering a distance of 200 km.

The first place we visit is Oshino Hakkai Village, popularly known among Thai travelers as the 'Crystal Clear Water Village.' The reason it earned this name is that the village features more than 8 pristine ponds. How clean are they? They are so clean and clear that you can see fish swimming inside, and the water is even drinkable! Each pond is fed by snow melting from Mount Fuji during the summer.

Next, we take you to Fujiten Ski Resort, where you can touch thick white snow and enjoy various snow activities, whether it is snowboarding, sledding, or skiing, and immerse yourself in the winter wonderland atmosphere.

Note: The ski resort is open only during specific seasons and subject to weather conditions. If your travel dates do not coincide with the ski resort's open season, we will take you to alternative attractions instead, or if you have specific places you would like to visit, please inform our trip planner in advance.

We take you on the Kachi Kachi Ropeway (Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway) for an up-close view of Mount Fuji, offering panoramic 360-degree views of the mountain. However, if the weather is unfavorable, the ropeway may be closed. Next, we visit Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen-jinja Shrine, a historic shrine founded in 1900. It is a peaceful, shady shrine dedicated to the gods and regarded as a sacred trail entrance for climbing Mount Fuji.

6 Tokyo

In the morning, we travel to Tokyo, covering a distance of 115 km in about 1.5 hours. We visit the giant red lantern at Senso-ji Temple, Tokyo's oldest temple with a history of over 1,300 years, built in 645 AD. After passing through the giant red lantern or Kaminarimon Gate, you will find numerous souvenir shops. Don't forget to pay respects to Bodhisattva Kannon (Guanyin) for good fortune and blessings in life.

Right next to Senso-ji Temple is the famous shopping street, Asakusa Nishi-sando Shopping Street, where you can shop and pick up souvenirs to your heart's content.

Not far from there, we take you to Sumida Park, a natural park amidst high-rises in the Asakusa area, located along the Sumida River. The park features over 1,000 cherry blossom trees and is ranked among the top spots for cherry blossom viewing. Next, we visit a major Tokyo landmark, Tokyo Skytree, the tallest tower in the world at a height of 634 meters and an extremely popular observation deck. Due to its impressive height, you can enjoy panoramic views from high above. If you would like to visit the observation deck at Tokyo Skytree, we recommend booking tickets in advance via www.tokyo-skytree.jp/en. The regular ticket price is 2,000 yen for adults.

If time permits in the evening, we take you on a sunset cruise to enjoy the scenic atmosphere around the Sumida River.

7 Tokyo - Narita Airport

On the final day of the trip, if time permits, we take you to pay homage at Meiji Shrine (Meji - jingo), dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken.

Afterward, we transfer you to the airport 3 hours prior to departure for your safe flight back to Bangkok with wonderful memories.

hotel Overnight Tokyo