Twelve days in the Japan most visitors never reach. North of Tokyo the crowds thin out and the country deepens: the pine islands of Matsushima, the golden hall of Hiraizumi, the mountain temple of Yamadera climbing its thousand steps, gas-lit Ginzan Onsen out of a Ghibli film, the samurai lanes of Kakunodate, secret Nyuto Onsen baths deep in beech forest, and Aomori's Oirase stream running to Lake Towada. Ryokan and onsen most nights, shinkansen and private car by day — deep Japan, done in comfort.
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🎫 Options
🚘 Private Alphard with driver · whole trip
🚘 The price is for the WHOLE private Toyota Alphard (7-seater, up to 6 guests) with driver for all 12 days, 8 hours a day — not per person; 2 or 6 travellers pay the same. Hotels, admission tickets, meals and tolls/parking are charged at cost (we book them on request). A licensed guide can be added on request.
- Refund & cancellation policy →
- Pay online when you book
From¥873,840/car · up to 6 guests
- Capacity
- 1+
- Itinerary
- 12 days · 20 stops
- 15:00
Meet in Tokyo, shinkansen to Sendai · 180 min
Met at your hotel or the airport; the Tohoku Shinkansen reaches Sendai in about 90 minutes while the car drives north with the luggage.
- 19:00
Sendai gyutan night · 120 min
Grilled beef tongue, the local dish, near the station. Overnight: Sendai (2 nights).
- 09:00
Matsushima Bay · 240 min
Forty minutes east. The pine-island cruise, Zuigan-ji's cedar avenue, Godaido on its islet, grilled oysters.
- 14:00
Sendai afternoon · 180 min
Zuihoden mausoleum in its cedar grove, the castle site view over the city. Overnight: Sendai.
- 09:00
Hiraizumi · 240 min
Ninety minutes north. Chusonji's Golden Hall, Motsuji's Pure Land garden, mochi lunch.
- 14:00
Geibikei Gorge & back to Sendai · 240 min
A poled boat through the gorge, then the drive back. Overnight: Sendai or Ichinoseki.
- 09:00
Yamadera · 180 min
An hour west. The thousand steps of Risshaku-ji to the cliff-top hall — Basho's temple.
- 13:30
Ginzan Onsen · 240 min
Ninety minutes north to the Taisho-era ryokan street; gas lamps at dusk, the Shirogane falls walk. Overnight: Ginzan Onsen ryokan.
- 09:30
Zao · 240 min
Two hours south. In winter the ropeway to the snow monsters; from late spring the Okama crater lake by the Echo Line road.
- 14:30
Zao Onsen · 180 min
The sulphur baths of Zao Onsen village, an early ryokan dinner. Overnight: Zao Onsen.
- 09:00
North to Morioka · 300 min
Three hours north with a lunch stop; Morioka Castle park, the Iwate Bank red-brick hall, wanko soba challenge for dinner. Overnight: Morioka.
- 09:00
Kakunodate · 240 min
Ninety minutes west. The samurai street of weeping cherries, the Aoyagi and Ishiguro houses, cherry-bark craft.
- 14:00
Lake Tazawa · 180 min
Japan's deepest lake and the golden Tatsuko statue, then up to the baths. Overnight: Nyuto Onsen (2 nights).
- 09:30
Nyuto Onsen day · 420 min
The seven hidden baths: Tsurunoyu's milky outdoor pool, the yumeguri pass between ryokan, beech-forest walks between soaks. Overnight: Nyuto Onsen.
- 09:00
Aomori · 300 min
Three hours north. The Nebuta Museum's giant lantern floats, the Furukawa fish market's build-your-own bowl, the Sannai-Maruyama ruins. Overnight: Aomori.
- 09:00
Oirase Stream · 240 min
Ninety minutes south. A walk along the mossy stream and its waterfalls — the car leapfrogs so nobody walks back.
- 14:00
Lake Towada · 180 min
The caldera lake by boat or from the Kankodai viewpoint. Overnight: Towada or back to Aomori.
- 09:30
Hirosaki · 240 min
Hirosaki Castle and its park — cherry blossom in late April, apples in autumn — the Fujita garden, apple pie in the old town.
- 14:30
Shinkansen south · 180 min
Hirosaki to Shin-Aomori, then the shinkansen to Sendai (about 90 minutes) while the car drives down. Overnight: Sendai.
- 09:00
Departure · 240 min
Sendai Airport, or the shinkansen to Tokyo with luggage delivered by the car.
※ Actual timings vary with road conditions on the day.
🗺️ Route map
Tap a number to see that day
Day 1 — Tokyo Station
Met at your hotel or the airport; the Tohoku Shinkansen reaches Sendai in about 90 minutes while the car drives north with the luggage.
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📍 Meeting / pick-up point
Met at your hotel or the airport; the Tohoku Shinkansen reaches Sendai in about 90 minutes while the car drives north with the luggage.
🗺 View map →⏰ Please arrive at the meeting point 10 minutes before departure — the bus will not wait past the scheduled time.
💰 Price for your group
Per-person split
Same vehicle price whatever the group size — the more of you, the less per person. Groups above 6 add a second vehicle.
✓ Included
- Private Toyota Alphard (up to 6 guests) with professional driver, 12 days × 8 hours
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off every day
- Fuel and the driver's time within the daily 8 hours
- Route planning and WhatsApp/LINE support from OlaChill
✗ Not included (charged at cost)
- Hotels and ryokan (we book them for you on request, charged at cost)
- Admission tickets, meals, Shinkansen/train tickets (at cost)
- Expressway tolls and parking (at cost)
- Driver's lodging on nights away from the base city (quoted before booking)
- Licensed guide — available as an add-on on request
- Extra hours beyond 8/day (charged at the Alphard hourly rate)
How long does this tour last?+
The tour runs 12 days with 20 scheduled stops laid out hour by hour.
Where is the pickup?+
Pickup at Meet in Tokyo, shinkansen to Sendai. Once your booking is confirmed we'll email the GPS map plus detailed directions.
What's the minimum group size?+
Min 1 guest. If the minimum isn't reached we'll contact you before departure to suggest an alternate date or issue a full refund.
Which languages is the guide available in?+
Guided packages are currently available in: English. If you need a guide in another language, leave a note when booking and we will check availability (surcharge applies).
Can I cancel or reschedule?+
Cancellation and date-change terms are in the tour's notice section
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⚠️ Must-read4 items · tap to read▾
- •Tours are guided mainly in English.
- •In severe weather (typhoon, heavy snow…), a cancellation decision is made by 15:00 the day before departure and sent to your registered email/contact; weather cancellations are fully refunded.
- •Please be on time at the meeting point and every gathering point — the bus does not wait for latecomers; missed portions due to personal reasons are non-refundable.
- •The itinerary and time at each stop may be adjusted for traffic, weather or facility maintenance; in force-majeure cases a stop may be replaced with a comparable alternative.
📌 Other notes5 items · tap to read▾
- •One carry-on bag per guest on the bus; please store large luggage at your hotel or a locker near the meeting point.
- •Infants aged 0–2 without a seat join free; max one infant per adult; children must be accompanied by an adult.
- •Pregnant guests and those with medical conditions should consider carefully: long bus rides, and immediate medical care may not be available on some legs.
- •Lunch is not included unless the tour states otherwise — bring your own or eat at the stops.
- •Change/cancellation terms vary by tour — see the cancellation policy on each tour page before booking. If the tour itself is cancelled for weather/force majeure, you receive a full refund.