Snow Adventures and Hot Springs: A Winter Journey in Nishikawa

To Snow Country!

A two-day, one-night tour program in Japan's snowiest area to enjoy the wonders of wintertime to their fullest!

Make all your winter dreams come true in Nishikawa Town! Nestled at the foot of Mt. Gassan, one of the three holy mountains of the Dewa Sanzan, and holding the distinction of being one of the areas in Japan with the heaviest snowfall in winter, Nishikawa provides a winter wonderland stage for this fun-filled tour, specially designed so that guests may get maximum enjoyment out of the snowy landscapes while experiencing the local spiritual and culinary cultures of the Mt. Gassan area.

Packed with thrilling activities including a snowshoe trekking tour, snow tubing, sledding, and more at a popular local snow park, and even constructing your own original snow castle large enough to enter, this tour is sure to delight even snow country veterans. The delicious local cooking and spiritual experiences provide for a one-of-a-kind tour that cannot be had anywhere else.

With help from an interpreter guide throughout your journey, and the inconvenience of transport in rural Japan erased through the convenience of a private charter taxi, this is a deep Japan experience sure to please!

Tour at a glance

Inclusions:

Lodging and accommodation fees (1 or 2 nights, depending on selected plan)
Breakfast on Day 2
Lunch on Day 1, 2
Dinner on Day 1 (and 2, for Sendai Airport option)
Interpreter guide on all days
Experience and arrangement fees for experiences listed in itinerary
Special selection of Nishikawa souvenirs
Transportation by private charter taxi

Exclusions:

Travel insurance
Personal expenses and gratuities
Food and drink in addition to meals provided in the package
Optional extensions or customizations to trip
Transportation to and from the starting location
Other items not explicitly listed as included

We can also provide the following options for an additional fee:

Minimum number of participants

Please inquire

Maximum number of participants

Please inquire

Cost

From ¥520,000 (per person, with a minimum of 2 participants)

Tour Length

2 days, 1 night
3 days, 2 nights

Tour availability

Select dates in January and February 2025
Please inquire for more details

Tour Start Location - Please Choose One

Yamagata Airport

Yamagata Station

Sendai Airport

Important notes

Dietary Restrictions:

Day 1: Exploring Winter Landscapes

Day 1 Tour Highlights

Meet your interpreter/guide at the airport or station and head to your accommodations for the night, where you will drop off your luggage and change clothes if necessary.

Set out into the Mt. Gassan area for a snowshoeing trekking experience and an atmospheric bento lunch surrounded by snow-covered forest.
*Note: Trekking courses for both beginners and experienced snowshoers are available.

*An option for takigyo waterfall meditation is also available; at your accommodations you will change into white ceremonial clothing known as shiroshozoku and do the takigyo experience before snowshoeing. Please note that winter takigyo is undertaken at your own risk and should only be attempted by those with experience.

After finishing snowshoeing, transfer to a nearby hot springs town and work together to carve out the inside of an enormous triangular pile of snow, forming your own snow castle. Design and decorate the interior to your liking, and head back to your accommodations to warm up and wait for sunset.

Check in to your accommodations, a well-loved hot spring ryokan inn that combines deep tradition with newly renovated rooms for a comfortable and relaxing stay. Enjoy a dinner of wagyu beef sukiyaki, sesame tofu, grilled mushrooms with river-caught char, and other ingredients that tell a local gastronomic story.

After warming up and filling your stomach, return to your ice castle, where you will have the evening to use it as you please—make an ice bar and enjoy local sake, play with your children, and enjoy the atmosphere of the enchanting snow night in the glittering space you’ve created.

Return to your ryokan accommodations to warm up in the hot spring baths and sauna (a private outdoor hot spring will be available for use in your room) and pass a warm and happy night of relaxation and sleep.

Day 2: Snow Park and Local Cuisine

Day 2 Tour Highlights

Check out from your accommodations and head to a local snow park for a morning of fun! Sledding, tubing, banana boats—enjoy the snow to your heart’s content while trying out your picks from among the many activities offered.

After you’ve had your fill of playing in the snow, head to an acclaimed local restaurant famous for using wild mountain vegetables and other ingredients to create carefully-prepared, delicious meals. Enjoy a special meal crafted from local ingredients and limited to one group per day while observing the chef in action.

After lunch, stop by a local award-winning noodle factory to receive a private tour of the facility and a special souvenir to take home with you! If you would like, drop by a roadside station for shopping and local souvenirs. As part of the tour package, receive a specially selected souvenir package of Nishikawa agate products and assorted local handicrafts.

Say your goodbyes to Nishikawa Town, and set out for the airport or station by private charter taxi. Arrive and bid farewell to your guide.

NOTE: For those coming from Sendai Airport, a 3-day 2-night plan is available.
On Day 1, meet up with your guide at Sendai Airport and transfer to Nishikawa Town to spend the night at a local establishment and enjoy a delicious dinner. From Day 2, the plan will be the same as the above. The tour ends at Yamagata Station.

Cancellation Policy

Our cancellation policy for this tour is below. Cancellation fees may vary in exceptional circumstances.

21 business days or more before date of tour

No penalty

8 to 20 business days before date of tour

20% of total price

2 to 7 business days before date of tour

30% of total price

1 business day before date of tour

40% of total price

Day of the tour

100% of total price