Beyond Tokyo: Kawazu Cherry Blossoms & Snow Monkey Tour

The Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum goes over the history of ramen noodles in Japan and allows you to try different types of the dish. Ramen was originally introduced from China a long time ago. The first floor gallery shows the history of ramen in Japan and how the instant version evolved to become the sensation it is now. There are also displays that show how the noodles are made, the variety of soups, toppings, and bowls. In the two basement floors there are replica streets of Shitamachi from 1958, a time when the popularity of the noodle dish grew rapidly. There are nine ramen restaurants that features noodle dishes from different regions. They offer smaller servings if you wish to try all the flavors available. Tickets for the food can be purchased at the vending machines located in front of each shop.

Located above the town of Kawazu and traveling northwest along the Kawazu River is the Kawazu Nanadaru Falls. Visitors that want to view these beautiful waterfalls can take the walking trail that leads through the forest and waterfalls. The trail is about one kilometer or more than half a mile, but one of the waterfalls is closed off and only available to guests staying at the nearby ryokan.

The Kawazu Cherry Blossom Festival is celebrated early in the year because Kawazu is known as one of the earliest spots for cherry blossoms in Japan. Visitors that come to Japan before the cherry blossom season in the springs begins, can still view the beautiful cherry blossoms during the festival. The cherry blossoms and festival can take place as early as mid-February to early March.

Lake Kawaguchi is one of Mount Fuji's Five Lakes, and is by far the most famous, attracting visitors to the hotels that dot its shoreline throughout the year. It is arguably the most picturesque, being displayed prominently below the iconic mountain on postcards for the region. The landscape around the long lake is dramatic and stunning in every season, especially during spring cherry blossoms and autumn leaves. Despite the lake's proximity to Mount Fuji, the mountain is not always visible from the lake due to the cloud cover, with the early morning and late afternoon being the best time to get a good glimpse. A number of other attractions sit around the lake, including the Kubota Itchiku Museum, Kawaguchiko Muse Museum, FujiQ Highland amusement park, and a number of hot spring bath resorts.

The Kubota Itchiku Art Museum is located on the north coast of Lake Kawaguchiko near Mount Fuji. This museum showcases the works of the late Kubota Itchiku, a famous Japanese kimono artist. This museum showcases several of Kubota Itchiku’s kimono art, which are based on themes of nature, the seasons, and the cosmos.

The Kachi Kachi Ropeway is located on the eastern shore of Lake Kawaguchiko near Mount Fuji. The ropeway begins on the eastern shores of Lake Kawaguchiko and travels about 400 meters to an observation deck on Mount Tenjo. The observation deck offers beautiful views of the lake and Mount Fuji. There are trails available that lead down or up Mount Tenjo.

Matsumoto is home to one of Japan’s four National Treasure Castles, the Matsumoto Castle. This castle is one of the most beautiful, and complete original castles in all of Japan compared to the other four National Treasure Castles. During the spring season, Matsumoto Castel is a very popular location to view the cherry blossoms.

Probably one of the most famous monkey parks in the Japan and in the world is the Jigokudani Monkey Park. The park hosts a number of Japanese Macaques (also known as the snow monkeys), and many visitors can observe them up close. There is one large hot spring pool where the monkeys gather, but visitors can still see many groups on the walk over to the pool. Guests are not allowed to touch or feed the monkeys for their own safety.

The Hokusai Museum features some of the works by Katsushika Hokusai, a famous ukiyo-e painter from the Edo Period. Hokusai is best known for his woodblock series known as “Thirty-six views of Mount Fuji.” Included in this series is the “Great Wave off Kanagawa” that has gained worldwide fame. The museum was built in honor of the time Hokusai spent towards the end of his life as a guest of Takai Kozan, a wealthy salt merchant in Obuse. The Hokusai Museum can be found in the center town and features two festive floats where the ceilings were decorated by Hokusai. A dragon with his signature waves is in one of the floats while the other dons a phoenix with the iconic waves design. At the Ganshoin Temple a Chinese style phoenix mural was painted by Hokusai in his final year. The incredible detail on the red mythical bird is a sight that should not be missed.

Zenkoji Temple is said to house the first Buddhist statue ever brought to Japan. The temple was first founded in the 7th century and is one of the most popular and important temples in the country. Every six years for a few weeks, a copy of the original statue is shown to the public while it remains hidden. The next time to see the statue will be in 2021. Nagano city developed around Zenkoji Temple, which emphasizes its importance to the history of the town. The main hall was rebuilt in 1707 and is decorated with various Buddhist statues. A fee is required to enter the inner hall and in the basement is an underground passage. In the completely dark passage people must find the hand rail, which represents the “key to paradise.” It is believed to grant salvation to anybody who touches it. Inside the recently built pagoda is the Zenkoji History Museum, which showcases intricately carved statues of various Buddha and Bodhisattva as well as 100 Rakan (disciples of Buddha). South of the main hall are the impressive Sanmon and Niomon Gates.

The shinkansen (or "bullet train") is a type of high speed train that travels between most of the major cities in Japan. By taking the shinkansen, trips between destinations that might take almost a full day by car can be reached in a few hours. The bullet trains can run up to 320 kilometers per hour (close to 200 miles per hour), and are known to be generally on time, comfortable and safe.

Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro is located 3 minutes by foot from Ikebukuro Station, a massive terminal with eight different subway and JR lines. From the station, over 17 round trip buses depart to both Narita and Haneda International Airports each day, assuring convenience for guests arriving by or planning to make a transfer by air. When setting off from the hotel, guests can easily reach popular attractions such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre and Ikebukuro Café, a unique space where visitors can play with owls and other animals.

This hotel is a seaside resort hotel located at Imaihama beach, the best area of east Izu. All rooms are faced to the ocean and Seven Islands of Izu will be seen on a clear day. Hearing the sound of the sea, please relax at open-air hot spring bath and esthetic saloon.

Issanokomichi Biyunoyado is built at the heights in the old hot springs town of Yudanaka where hike poet Issa Kobayashi loved. Northern Alps can be seen in a distance and Hokushin five mountains are viewed closely. The hot spring is 100% natural spring and always flowing to heal a tired body.

Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Ikebukuro is located 3 minutes by foot from Ikebukuro Station, a massive terminal with eight different subway and JR lines. From the station, over 17 round trip buses depart to both Narita and Haneda International Airports each day, assuring convenience for guests arriving by or planning to make a transfer by air. When setting off from the hotel, guests can easily reach popular attractions such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre and Ikebukuro Café, a unique space where visitors can play with owls and other animals.