Akita Tour 2013 : 2.23 - 2.27

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 Akita Photo Tour

Highlights

Nyuto_onsen

Sake

  • Learn about sake from the world's leading expert, John Gauntner, in an intimate class setting. Maximum group size is twelve people.
  • Explore the snow country and visit four breweries. Each brewery introduces you to different aspects of the brewing tradition.

    • Food

  • Soba noodles provided a staple food in this extremely cold region. Find out for yourself about the local style of soba by trying your hand at making noodles in a beautifully maintained historic kura, or storehouse, at the sake brewery.
  • Learn about Akita cuisine from a local expert.

    • TraditionKura_akita

  • And the tour is not only about sake. First, a special visit to the brewer's private estate takes you through several centuries of the family's history as a landlord and a brewer.
  • Explore Kakunodate and get a glimpse of the life of a samurai general in the well-preserved Edo-era quarter. View a special exhibition of Hinamatsuri (Girl's Day) dolls from the same period displayed in historic residences as you walk the area.
  • Visit Masuda: this area once flourished as a center of commerce in the Tohoku region. Enjoy the finest kura, built in an architectural style unique to this area.

    • Onsen

  • Soak in hot springs to fully enjoy Akita. On the last night, a milky open air bath in deep snow at rustic Nyuto Onsen will take you back to a different era

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    Map

    Itinerary - 5 days

    February 23, 2013 (Saturday) Yuri Honjo and Yokote, Akita
    Fly from Tokyo Haneda Airport and arrive in Akita in the morning. Start your journey with a sake lecture by John Gauntner. A special interview with the legendary veteran Yuki no Bosha toji, or brew master, enlightens any sake fan. Relax and enjoy a luxurious private open-air bath with panoramic view, or try different types of hot springs at this scenic hotel before dinner. At dinner, private performance of minyo folksongs is scheduled to finish the day with the sound of Akita.

    Hotel: Yokote Plaza Annex with onsen, Yokote, Akita
    Meals: Lunch; banquet-style dinner with sake and minyo

    February 24, 2013 (Sunday) Yokote, Akita
    Visit Ama no To in the morning to discover their philosophy and individual approach to local sake brewing. In the afternoon, tour the Masuda area which flourished as center of commerce centuries ago. Historic storehouses decorated with glossy lacquer and built inside the house is a special feature of this area. Enjoy a special viewing of the finest examples of kura at a local merchant and at Hinomaru Jozo, which produce Mansaku no Hana and Manabito. Dinner features Akita delights paired with sake at one of the beautifully restored kura.

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    Hotel: Yokote Plaza Annex with onsen, Yokote, Akita
    Meals: Breakfast; lunch; dinner with sake

     

    February 25, 2013 (Monday) Daisen, Akita
    Visit Akita Seishu's private family residence passed down for generations and generations. The historic estate amazes visitors with its beautifully maintained thatched roof and original structures. A short drive to Akita Seishu's brewery, Kariho, takes you to a culinary experience. Learn about the local style soba through your hard work, by actually kneading the dough and enjoying the fresh soba and sake tasting at Kariho. In the afternoon, explore Kakunodate Edo-period quarter at leisure. Enjoy the local craft galleries and visits to samurai residence such as Aoyagi Samurai Manor Museum or Ishiguro-ke.

    Hotel: Bukeyashiki Hotel, Kakunodate
    Meals: Breakfast; soba lunch

     

    February 26, 2013 (Tuesday) Kakunodate and Nyuto Onsen, Akita
    In the morning, learn about traditional farm style Akita cuisine at a cooking lesson at Taisando Farm. In the afternoon, trek further into deep snow country to Nyuto Onsen via Tazawako. Simply enjoy the tranquil rustic onsen and very simple inaka country style food

    tsurunoyu

    Tsurunoyu at Nyuto Onsen (Japanese style inn)
    Meals: Breakfast; lunch; dinner with sake

     

    February 27, 2013 (Wednesday) Nyuto Onsen, Akita to Tokyo
    In the morning, continue to relax at ryokan or hop on a shuttle bus to try out different baths in the area. In the afternoon, travel to Tokyo on the Shinkansen bullet train in comfort or continue your exploration in the snow country at a leisurely pace

    Meals: Breakfast

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    Cost

    230,000 JPY per person based on double occupancy.

    220,000 JPY per person for single occupancy at different type of rooms at Yokote Plaza Annex and Tsurunoyu. Single occupancy at Bukeyashiki Hotel is very limited. You may be asked to share a room with a fellow traveler of the same sex.

    The tour price is based on a group of 8 and may change for a smaller group size.

    Price includes

    1. Sake lecture by renowned sake expert, John Gauntner and a tour with him for the first brewery visit.
    2. Four special private tours and tastings at sake breweries. These companies are not open to the general public.
    3. Activities and entertainments: soba making experience at a brewery, private cooking lesson, private minyo folk song performance.
    4. 4 nights accommodation.
    5. 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 3 dinners. Dinners include selected sake from the breweries we visit.
    6. All transportation costs during the tour for February 23 through 27, excluding the flight to Akita and return transportation by Shinkansen bullet train.
    7. A qualified tour leader who is an Advanced Sake Professional and a Government Certified Bilingual English Guide provides translation and informative commentary throughout the trip.

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    Domestic Transportation After Your Arrival in Japan

    Your tour begins with a flight from Haneda, Tokyo to Akita on ANA and ends with a return by Shinkansen bullet train from Tazawako to Tokyo. These are not included in the tour cost. In most cases, the best option is purchasing your onward tickets together with your international ticket. This is usually cheaper and simpler. If you choose to book the flight in conjunction with your international tickets, please see ANA Airlines' Visit JAPAN Fare or Star Alliance Japan Airpass for special domestic airfares.

    For your convenience, we will of course coordinate your domestic transportation for you. Please see Optional Tour for Akita for transportation and additional accommodation package.

    For those planning to use JR Pass for more extended travel, please contact for details regarding Shinkansen return travel from Tazawako.

    Optional Tour for Akita

    We hope to make it easy for you to travel with us to Akita. With the Tokyo Optional Package, you do not have to worry about any arrangements other than your international flights! You can simply enjoy stress-free vacation without complicated travel planning or worried about getting to places. You may choose one or more components listed in the package to design your own travel itinerary.

    Details will be updated soon.

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    Additional Travel Arrangements

    Please see other travel destinations before or after the Akita tour.

    > Other Travel Destinations

    Additional domestic travel arrangements and consulting are available by Michi Travel Japan. Tazawako area is known as one of the best ski resort in Akita. Please contact us at info@saketours.com for more information.

    Contact Us

    To book a tour or any questios, please contact us at info@saketours.com or by using our contact form.

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    Terms and Conditions

    Sake World Sake Brewery Tour is offered by Michi Travel Japan and the Terms and Conditions in addition to the cancellation policies at Michi Travel are applicable.

    Please visit Michi Travel Terms and Conditions for more information

     

     

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