100% customisable travel idea
Sacred mountains, castles and onsen In Tohoku, discover an untouched Japan
Japan - Tokyo - Northern Honshu - Tohoku region
100% customisable travel idea
Japan - Tokyo - Northern Honshu - Tohoku region
100% customisable for you
Direct international flight to Tokyo. Night on board, arrival the next day.
From Haneda Airport, you’ll reach Tokyo by train (using the Japan Rail Pass, valid for 14 days).
Capital of the East and a thriving, modern global city, Tokyo's energy, innovation, imagination and audacity are as intoxicating as a fine sake. This is where tomorrow’s trends take shape - in food, technology, gaming and more. A hint of eccentricity awaits in Harajuku, where lolitas and cosplayers rival one another in manga-inspired dandyism. For cutting-edge electronics, Akihabara’s XXL stores deliver in spectacular fashion. In the narrow lanes of Golden Gai, In the narrow lanes of Golden Gai, friends gather shoulder to shoulder in some 200 pocket-sized bars. Those seeking calm will find it in the gardens of Rikugi-en and Koishikawa Koraku-en. Quirky museums - the Daimyo Clock Museum, the Japan Toy Museum, the Tabi Museum - offer unexpected detours. For a taste of traditional Japan, book tickets for kabuki or no theatre, attend a sumo bout, wander through the old Yanaka district or visit Meiji-jingu and the Fukagawa Edo Museum. Then it's time to gain some altitude: climb to the top of Shibuya Sky, a 230-metre tower whose rooftop terrace overlooks Shibuya and the vast expanse of Tokyo. On clear days, you can even catch a glimpse of Mount Fuji…
Check in for the night at a design-led building of concrete, glass and steel. Inside, the mood is refined and quietly cosmopolitan, though subtle details leave no doubt that you are in Japan. It would be hard to forget, in any case: large windows in both the lobby and the rooms offer constant views of the city. The guest rooms strike an effortless balance between style, comfort and generous space - ideal for recovering from a long flight. The hotel also features a teppanyaki counter and a terrace with sweeping views.
Train to Koriyama (1 hour 15), then bus to Aizu-Wakamatsu (1 hour). Founded in the heart of the mountains, in a beautiful valley, Aizu-Wakamatsu was one of the last samurai strongholds in the Edo period. The city is known for its handcrafted lacquerware, its sake, and above all its castle, Tsuruga-jo, built in 1384 and home to the Aizu daimyo - feudal lords. Partly destroyed during the Boshin War (1868), it was rebuilt in the 1960s, notably its tenshu, the tallest tower, which now houses an observation gallery with panoramic views over the city.
Check in for the night at a hotel perched on the mountainside, with a stream flowing below. The site's tradition of hospitality dates back over 1,300 years. Not in its current form, of course. Today, the spaces are resolutely contemporary and offer all the comfort you’d expect in a 21st-century hotel. The rooms and suites are spacious, beautifully decorated in a distinctly Japanese minimal style, and arranged either Western- or Japanese-style, depending on your choice. On site, you can enjoy several restaurants, a small no theatre stage and even a karaoke room! Built beside natural hot springs, the hotel completes the experience with traditional onsen baths - celebrated across Japan for their restorative benefits - and an extraordinary natural setting. The guest rooms also enjoy lovely forest views.
See and do: Stroll along the paths of the Matsudaira Royal Garden (1380), planted with medicinal herbs, and take a break in one of the traditional tea pavilions; visit the castle and its grounds, where cherry blossoms and maples take on spectacular colours in spring and autumn; sample the much-loved local sake, and perhaps visit a sake distillery; visit the Bukeyashiki, one of the reconstructed samurai houses.
Train to Sendai (1 hour 45).
You’ll be staying for two nights just steps from the station, in a modern hotel housed in an impressive 15-storey building - a perfect ambassador for modern Japan. Inside, the décor is contemporary, design-led and very Western. The rooms and bathrooms are spacious, as are the shared guest areas, refreshingly open to the outdoors. All the expected services are on hand, plus a small gym. At the restaurant, with its elegant yet relaxed atmosphere, the menu is Italian: antipasti, pasta, risotto and all the classics.
More than 400 years after its founding, Sendai is still shaped by the spirit of its founder, Lord Date Masamune, whose memory is honoured by a mausoleum. This former feudal capital has become a pleasant city, its avenues both spacious and tree-lined. The Sendai Museum and Osaki Hachiman-gu Shrine are other notable attractions. Beyond the city, you can easily explore the surrounding region, from the natural sites of Matsushima and Oku-Matsushima to Kinkasan Island.
Must-see - Matsushima, the “islands of pines”. Just 30 minutes by train from Sendai, Matsushima is considered one of Japan’s three most beautiful natural sites - alongside Itsukushima and Amanohashidate. Its 260 islets scattered across a superb bay are cloaked in pine trees, creating an utterly unique landscape. There are several ways to explore the bay, including by boat, but the most picturesque is to walk along the shoreline, dotted with beautiful temples. Entsu-in, to name just one, is surrounded by a moss garden and a mystical bamboo grove... and you’ll more or less have it to yourselves.
Train to Geibikei (1 hour).
In your itinerary - A cruise through the Geibikei Gorge, an exceptional natural site, especially when it takes on its autumn colours. By boarding a boat that takes you deep into the gorges, you can better appreciate their beauty and explore them independently.
Then on to Hiraizumi by local bus (30 mins). Settle in for the night at a charming ryokan built above a natural hot spring. Here, you’ll experience traditional Japan. On arrival, a steaming cup of tea awaits. The windows open onto the garden; calm sets in instantly. The guest rooms feature tatami mats and low Japanese furniture - for that classic minimalist style. In the evening, dinner is served in your room, prepared by the chef using local produce: homemade soba noodles, wagyu beef steak, sushi, sashimi, tempura, and more. During your stay, guests can make the most of the hot-spring baths. Three are recommended: one on arrival, another after dinner and a final one in the morning, followed by a generous Japanese breakfast: omelette, natto (fermented soybeans), seasonal fruit, miso soup, grilled fish and, of course, rice.
Train to Hachinohe (2 hours). Pick up your rental car, then drive to Lake Towada, where you'll stay for two nights. Your hotel sits on the banks of the Oirase River near the lake - an ideal base for exploring these magnificent landscapes. Inside, luxury sits alongside Japanese tradition. In the centre of the lobby stands a fireplace designed by Taro Okamoto, the perfect spot for sipping a drink while taking in the scenery. On site, there’s also a traditional onsen filled with hot spring water from Mount Hakkoda. Time to unwind.
The largest crater lake on Honshu, Lake Towada (Towada-ko) was formed by a volcanic explosion. It covers an area of around 24 square miles (61 km²) and, in places, is over 1,000 feet (325 m) deep. Its shores are especially popular with hikers and nature lovers, who come to admire centuries-old cedars, maples and other plant species that are vibrant with colour in autumn. One of the peninsulas jutting into the lake shelters Towada Shrine, a Shinto place of worship dating back to the Kamakura period. In Towada-Hachimantai National Park, of which Towada-ko is part, you can also discover the Oirase Keiryu Gorge, with its almost mystical beauty.
Drive to Kakunodate (3 hours).
To see en route - Hirosaki, the samurai town. Hirosaki is a small and pleasant town that is famous for its park of 2,000 cherry trees, which draws crowds each spring for the sakura blossom. A must-see, Hirosaki Castle is among the best preserved in Japan and one of the rare feudal castles dating back to the Edo period.
In Kakunodate, settle in for a two-night stay in a former kura, a traditional storehouse once used to keep rice and other perishable goods. There are three in total. As their original purpose is no longer relevant today, the buildings have been carefully restored to welcome travellers looking for an experience halfway between past and present - and entirely local. Two were built at the beginning of the 20th century by the descendants of a wealthy samurai family. Their décor reflects this heritage, with swords, armour and more. The third, dating from the late Edo period (1603-1867), was originally a tanmono fabric shop, selling the precious cloth used to make kimono. Inside, you’ll find tools linked to the textile trade. You’ll have the entire kura to yourselves, with the original architecture preserved - as seen in the magnificent exposed beams. In the morning, you’ll enjoy a Japanese bento breakfast prepared with local produce. In the evening, unwind with steaming tea or warm sake.
In the north of Honshu, this “little Kyoto” immerses you in a Japan from another age. Kakunodate was founded in 1620 around its castle (now gone) and enjoyed great political, economic and cultural prosperity. The Uchimachi district still has several samurai houses, occupied since the Edo period (1603-1868), perfectly preserved and some open to visitors. In Tomachi, the former merchant district steeped in nostalgia, visitors can try kiritanpo (grilled rice paste) and shôyu (soy sauce) ice cream. The town is also famed for its long tunnel of cherry trees, planted along 1.2 miles (2 km) of the Hinokinai River, and whose blossoms in early May are truly enchanting.
Drive to the charming spa village of Ginzan Onsen (around 2 hours 40 minutes), founded on an old silver mine. Wooden inns with traditional architecture line the river, creating a picturesque setting full of charm. Here you can enjoy open-air hot-spring bathing (rotenburo) or private indoor baths (kashikiri). The pedestrianised town centre invites you to take a stroll, as does Shirogane Park, where you'll find a 22-metre waterfall and the Nobesawa Ginzan Cave, a relic of the town’s mining past.
Check in for the night at one of the lovely riverside inns. Yours has eight rooms and a kitchen where traditional Japanese breakfasts and dinners are prepared. Above all, it offers five hot-spring baths, or onsen, fed by a natural thermal source. To be enjoyed at leisure.
Drive to the west coast and Tsuruoka (2 hours). En route, you can stop at Yamadera Temple, one of Japan’s finest, discreetly perched in the mountains. It has to be earned though, as more than 1,000 stone steps lead the way - an exercise monks regularly practise as meditation. At the top, in a peaceful cedar forest, a terrace offers breathtaking views. The celebrated Japanese poet Basho Matsuo even wrote one of his most famous haïkus after passing through Yamadera. To enjoy a different perspective, you can also stop at the Yamadera Basho Museum, located on the hill opposite.
In Tsuruoka, stay for two nights in a true gem of design and aesthetics, created by a Tokyo architect. Its structure takes direct inspiration from nature and the rice paddies it seems to float above. Inside, the décor is minimalist yet wonderfully warm, with tasteful use of wood throughout. From the furniture to accessories and headboards, everything has been designed and chosen with care. The whole place exudes a sense of serenity and well-being. Natural light pours in through large picture windows. Guests can enjoy the sauna and onsen bath, relax the calm of their room and, in the restaurant, savour dishes prepared with fresh, seasonal produce from the farm.
Particularly renowned for its food scene - recognised by UNESCO as a “Creative City” - Tsuruoka is also known for Zenpo-ji, a Buddhist temple that has trained monks since the early 20th century. As for Tsuruoka Park, built on the former castle foundations, it is transformed in April by thousands of blossoms - the park has more than 700 cherry trees - lending it an almost magical air.
Must-see - The three sacred mountains of Dewa Sanzan. Tsuruoka sits in an exceptional natural setting, on the shores of the Sea of Japan and at the foot of the three sacred mountains of Dewa Sanzan, linked by an ancient pilgrimage route: Mount Gassan, Mount Yudono-san and Mount Haguro-san, where Shugendo - a religion found only in Japan’s mountains is still practised today. Don’t hesitate to tackle the ascent of Mount Haguro (1 hr 30 to 2 hours), where a centuries-old five-storey pagoda is hidden among the trees. Set aside another half-day hike to explore Mount Gassan, while Mount Yudono is best visited by car.
Return the car and take the train to Tokyo (3 hours 45). Final night in the same hotel as on arrival.
International return flight. Night on board, arrival the next day.
This suggested itinerary can be customisable down to the smallest detail, including duration, stops and content. An à la carte menu of experiences is also available to create a journey that reflects who you are.
Every day, our travel specialists craft bespoke experiences shaped around each traveller's profile, desires and budget. These passionate experts design experiences delivered on the ground by a local network of Concierges and trusted contacts. These fully customisable, made-to-measure trips are complemented by a wide range of high-end services (lounges, 24/7 assistance, travel booklet, app, Wi-Fi, restaurant booking, etc.)
Let us create your trip
Travel with complete freedom, guided by your interests,
ideas and passions.
250 travel specialists, organised by country and region. Driven by a passion for beauty and never short of ideas, they inspire you and design an ultra-personalised journey: itineraries, accommodation, workshops, encounters, and more.
Always at your service: with a dedicated travel specialist, Concierge service and 24/7 assistance, our teams support you and adapt in real time, for a trip that is both flexible and expertly supported.
With family, as a couple, in a group of ten, on a road trip, by train, by boat, for a weekend or a round-the-world journey... Trips tailored to your preferences, enhanced by clever services, for ever smoother travel.
