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AUTUMN IN HOKKAIDO A 14 day escorted tour of Japan’s remote island wilderness & beyond 9th to 22nd October 2020 Hirosaki Castle Shiretoko okkaido, Japan’s northernmost and least developed island is often considered National Park Abashiri Hby the Japanese to be the country’s last frontier and is a world away from the Lake Kussharo Sapporo Lake Lake Mashu traditional view of Japan. Only colonised by Japan in the past 150 years, we won’t Akan Kushiro find a land of ancient temples and shrines or developed cities with skyscrapers JAPAN but instead large swathes of wild, open spaces, primeval forests, crystal clear Aomori Hirosaki Oirase lakes, beautiful alpine flowers, active volcanoes and bubbling hot springs. During Gorge our escorted tour of this remarkable island and Northern Japan, we will explore nature trails, watch for wildlife in the national parks, learn more of the indigenous Ainu people and hopefully see landscapes burst into colour with the arrival of the autumn leaves that should coincide with our visit. Tokyo We begin our exploration with the bright neon lights of Tokyo where the cityscape of skyscrapers is interspersed with ancient temples and scenic gardens before heading to the enchanting island of Hokkaido. Here, more than two million acres are dedicated to national parkland and we will visit some of the most remarkable: the Kushiro Marshlands, home of Hokkaido’s resident red-crowned cranes and Japan’s iconic bird; the lakes of central Hokkaido including the mysterious and beautiful Lake Mashu and Shiretoko National Park, home to brown bears, Yezo shika deer and white-tailed eagles. Before returning to Tokyo our last few days are spent on the north coast of Honshu island visiting the Feudal town of Hirosaki and the spectacular Towada Hachimantai National Park. We hope you can join us for this unique tour of Japan’s lesser-known treasures at this most delightful time of year. www.noble-caledonia.co.uk Lake, Shiretoko Tokyo Yezo Shika Deer Sensoji Temple, Tokyo THE ITINERARY Day 1 London to Tokyo, Japan. Fly habitat destruction. However, in colour from light blue to green one of the largest caldera lakes in by scheduled flight. 1926 a group of 20 birds were and dark blue, depending on the Japan. Maybe enjoy a walk through discovered in this area which with time of day or the season, the lake the forested banks famous for their Day 2 Tokyo. Arrive this morning conservation efforts now number is also called Goshikinuma and, autumn colours or spend time on and transfer to the Keio Plaza more than 1000. We will visit the along with Okotanpe Lake and the beach where you can create Hotel for our overnight stay. The observatory with displays of the Shinonome Lake, is considered your own “hot springs” in the sand. remainder of the day is at leisure flora and fauna of the region and one of the three major mystery After lunch in a local restaurant to acclimatise before we meet our views over the marshlands before lakes in Hokkaido. Those feeling we will continue to Lake Mashu, fellow travellers this evening for a taking a walk along the Onnenai active may wish to take a hike on regarded as the most scenic lake welcome dinner in the hotel. (D) Trails. We end at the Tancho Red the walking trail around the lake to of Hokkaido. Enveloped in a fog Crane Reserve where we will learn enjoy the changing colours. Later most of the time, it is referred to Day 3 Tokyo to Kushiro. After about the efforts made to preserve we transfer to Lake Akan Tsuruga as Kiri no Masshu-ko which means breakfast in the hotel we will make their numbers. Return to Kushiro Wings ryokan on the banks of Lake Foggy Lake Mashu. Once the fog our way to the Meiji Shrine which for lunch and an afternoon and Akan and meet for dinner tonight. has cleared, the extraordinarily is dedicated to the deified spirit of evening at leisure. There will be (B, D) beautiful Lake Mashu comes into Emperor Meiji and a popular place the opportunity to stop at Washo view. It is 211 metres deep and for traditional Japanese weddings. Market, the city’s major market Day 6 Lake Akan. This morning we boasts some of the clearest water Surrounded by over 100,000 trees, selling seafood, dried goods and will board one of the local boats for in the world with a visibility of Meiji is an oasis of serenity and local fruits and vegetables. Here, a cruise on Lake Akan, providing 41.6 metres and is surrounded by spirituality in a city that never sleeps. our local guides will show us how the perfect vantage point to the cliffs over 300 metres high. After We continue to Asakusa, Tokyo’s to eat like a local by creating our forests lining the banks with views viewing the lake we will continue “old town” where we visit Sensoji, own “rice-bowls” with the market’s up to the surrounding volcanos our journey to the north coast of Tokyo’s oldest temple and spend sushi and sashimi. (B) of Me-Akan and O-Akan. The Hokkaido and check in to the Kiki time in Nakamise, a shopping street lake is also famous for marimo, Shiretoko Natural Resort near the that has been providing temple Day 5 Kushiro to Lake Akan. Check an aggregation of algae which Shiretoko Peninsula. There will be visitors with a variety of traditional, out of the hotel after breakfast forms into balls which is unique to some free time to relax before we local snacks and tourist souvenirs for and head out towards the many this lake. During our cruise we will meet for dinner in the resort this centuries. After some free time for lakes of Central Hokkaido. We pass by Takiguchi as well as visit evening. (B, L, D) lunch, we transfer to the airport for will make stops at the Takimibashi the observation centre on Churui our scheduled flight to Kushiro. On Bridge and Lake Akan Lookout, Island. Enjoy free time for Day 8 Shiretoko. After breakfast arrival transfer to the ANA Crowne both renowned for their views of lunch before we walk to Akanko in the hotel we will start our Plaza Hotel for check in before the autumn leaves. After free time Ainu Kotan, where we will be able exploration of the Shiretoko meeting for dinner this evening. for lunch we will make our way to to see the traditional crafts, dance National Park, located on the (B, D) Lake Onneto, part of Akan National and learn about the culture of Shiretoko Peninsula and a Park. The lake, with a circumference the indigenous Ainu people of UNESCO World Heritage Site due Day 4 Kushiro. Today we will of 2.5 kilometres, was created Hokkaido. (B, D) to the diversity of its ecosystems. visit Kushiro Marshlands, Japan’s when the river was dammed up Shiretoko translates from the largest wetland and marsh habitat due to the volcanic eruption of Day 7 Lake Kussharo, Lake Mashu Ainu for “end of the earth” and and home to the only known Mount Meakan-dake. Due to high & Shiretoko. Today we continue this remote and untouched park population of Japan’s sacred acidity levels, fish cannot live in our exploration of the lakes of combines rivers, forests, mountains red-crowned cranes. The cranes the lake but ezo salamander and Hokkaido arriving this morning and waterfalls and is home to an were thought to have been made crawfish can. Since the surface at Lake Kussharo, which with a array of wildlife including brown extinct due to overhunting and of Lake Onneto beautifully changes circumference of 57 kilometres is bears, Yezo shika deer and red fox. Lillies, Sapporo Lake Akan , Akan National Park Lake Mashu Oirase Stream This morning, if weather permits, the outskirts of the city and a must- Day 12 Oirase Gorge. Today we afternoon and enjoy an evening at we will take the Shiretoko Pass visit location in autumn. We will will head inland to the spectacular leisure. (B, L) offering stunning views of the take walks along the trails through Towada Hachimantai National autumn leaves on Mount Rausu. the woodlands, one of which will Park which involves a scenic drive Day 13 Aomori to Tokyo. We have Continue to the Shiretoko Nature take you to the lovely Ashiribetsu through the Kayano plateau, a free morning in Aomori and you Centre where we can learn about Waterfall. Return to Sapporo and Hakkoda mountains to the scenic may wish to learn about the local the wildlife of the park as well as visit one the city’s most famous Oirase Valley and Lake Towada, a Nebuta Festival at the nearby the impact of the drift ice which venues, the beer museum. magnificent ancient caldera lake museum or visit the A-factory or arrives here in the winter months. Hokkaido is the birthplace of beer surrounded by deciduous forests. the local market for souvenirs. In Afterwards we will head to the in Japan and it has been brewed in The scenery is stunning, especially the late morning we will transfer Shiretoko Five Lakes which were Sapporo since 1877. A tour of the as the hillsides change to red and to the station and board our formed by eruptions from Mount Io museum will introduce the history orange. We will wander the trails Shinkansen service to Tokyo. A and fed by underground springs. of the industry and includes a at the Tsuta Nana-numa Ponds, a lunch box will be provided on the Here there will be a choice of tasting.

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