A 'Winter Journey' of Rebirth Where Nature and Mountain Worship Converge (Nishikawa Town, Yamagata)
- Private chartered taxi service for the entire itinerary from arrival to departure.
- Interpreting tour guide included for the entire journey.
- Private space in a reserved ice bar.
- Includes a souvenir set of agate and other local crafts.
- Purify your spirit with waterfall meditation, enjoy the snow to the fullest, and delight in Yamagata's gourmet cuisine!
Product Info
A tour to fully enjoy the snow in Nishikawa Town, Yamagata Prefecture, one of the heaviest snowfall areas in Japan.
The itinerary is packed with snow activities, including snowshoe trekking, snow play at Gassan Snow Land, and building a snow castle as featured in the title.
The entire trip includes an English-speaking guide and a private chartered taxi for your comfort.
Plan 1 (Yamagata Airport)
Day 1 10:00 Depart from Yamagata Airport *Meet with the English-speaking guide
11:00 Change into white ritual attire at the accommodation
11:30–14:00 Waterfall meditation experience and snowshoe trekking in Ubasawa (Shizu, Nishikawa Town) *Waterfall meditation is available for those interested before having the packed lunch during the trek.
*Lunch will be a packed meal in the forest (In case of bad weather, lunch will be served at the accommodation or a similar facility).
*The Ubasawa area can be challenging for beginners, so we recommend the Yumiharidaira course for those not accustomed to snow.
14:30–16:30 Snow castle building at Gassan Shizu Onsen (Shizu, Nishikawa Town)
16:30 Check-in at Ochimizu no Yu Tsutaya
18:00 Dinner at the ryokan. Dinner menu: Gassan Wagyu sukiyaki, grilled char with mushrooms, sesame tofu, etc. *Menu items are subject to change.
19:00 Snow castle ice bar experience. Relax your body in the ryokan's renowned hot springs and sauna.
Day 2 9:00 Check-out from Ochimizu no Yu Tsutaya
9:30–11:30 Snow play at Gassan Snow Land (Gassanzawa, Nishikawa Town)
12:00–14:30 Chef's Table at Dewaya (Mazawa, Nishikawa Town)
14:45–16:15 Special private factory tour at Tamaya Seimenjo (includes a souvenir) *Shopping at Roadside Station Nishikawa is also possible upon request.
17:00 Arrive at Yamagata Airport *Guide service ends here.
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Plan 2 (Yamagata Station)
Day 1 10:20 Depart from Yamagata Station *Meet with the English-speaking guide at the ticket gate.
11:10 Change into white ritual attire at the accommodation
11:10–14:00 Waterfall meditation experience and snowshoe trekking in Ubasawa (Shizu, Nishikawa Town) *Waterfall meditation is available for those interested before having the packed lunch during the trek.
*Lunch will be a packed meal in the forest (In case of bad weather, lunch will be served at the accommodation or a similar facility).
*The Ubasawa area can be challenging for beginners, so we recommend the Yumiharidaira course for those not accustomed to snow.
14:30–16:30 Snow castle building at Gassan Shizu Onsen (Shizu, Nishikawa Town)
16:30 Check-in at Ochimizu no Yu Tsutaya
18:00 Dinner at the ryokan. Dinner menu: Gassan Wagyu sukiyaki, grilled char with mushrooms, sesame tofu, etc. *Menu items are subject to change.
19:00 Snow castle ice bar experience. Relax your body in the ryokan's renowned hot springs and sauna.
Day 2 9:00 Check-out from Ochimizu no Yu Tsutaya
9:30–11:30 Snow play at Gassan Snow Land (Gassanzawa, Nishikawa Town)
12:00–14:30 Chef's Table at Dewaya (Mazawa, Nishikawa Town)
14:45–16:15 Special private factory tour at Tamaya Seimenjo (includes a souvenir) *Shopping at Roadside Station Nishikawa is also possible upon request.
17:05 Arrive at Yamagata Station *Guide will escort you to the ticket gate.
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Plan 3 (Sendai Airport) 3 Days 2 Nights
Day 1 15:30 Sendai Airport *Meet with the English-speaking guide
17:30 Check-in at Dewaya
18:00 Dinner
Day 2 9:00 Change into white ritual attire at the accommodation
10:00 Check-out from Dewaya
11:00–14:00 Waterfall meditation experience and snowshoe trekking in Ubasawa (Shizu, Nishikawa Town) *Waterfall meditation is available for those interested before having the packed lunch during the trek.
*Lunch will be a packed meal in the forest (In case of bad weather, lunch will be served at the accommodation or a similar facility).
*The Ubasawa area can be challenging for beginners, so we recommend the Yumiharidaira course for those not accustomed to snow.
14:30–16:30 Snow castle building at Gassan Shizu Onsen (Shizu, Nishikawa Town)
16:30 Check-in at Ochimizu no Yu Tsutaya
18:00 Dinner at the ryokan. Dinner menu: Gassan Wagyu sukiyaki, grilled char with mushrooms, sesame tofu, etc. *Menu items are subject to change.
19:00 Snow castle ice bar experience. Relax your body in the ryokan's renowned hot springs and sauna.
Day 3 9:00 Check-out from Ochimizu no Yu Tsutaya
9:30–11:30 Snow play at Gassan Snow Land (Gassanzawa, Nishikawa Town)
12:00–14:30 Chef's Table at Dewaya (Mazawa, Nishikawa Town)
14:45–16:15 Special private factory tour at Tamaya Seimenjo (includes a souvenir) *Shopping at Roadside Station Nishikawa is also possible upon request.
17:05 Depart from Yamagata Station *Guide will escort you to the ticket gate.
![[What is a Snow Castle?] 1. Use a shovel to dig a hole in a triangular snow mountain that has been prepared in advance. 2. Once you have finished digging the hole, you can decorate the inside. 3. The completed "your snow castle" will become an ice bar after dusk. You can have a drink or play with the kids! Enjoy the night in the snow country however you like.](https://image.kkday.com/v2/image/get/c_fit%2Cq_55%2Ct_webp%2Cw_960/s1.kkday.com/product_185511/20240920014133_nOhA8/jpg)
[What is a Snow Castle?] 1. Use a shovel to dig a hole in a triangular snow mountain that has been prepared in advance. 2. Once you have finished digging the hole, you can decorate the inside. 3. The completed "your snow castle" will become an ice bar after dusk. You can have a drink or play with the kids! Enjoy the night in the snow country however you like.
The snow castle you created will become an ice bar where you can enjoy drinks in the evening.
You can enjoy meals packed with the charm of the region, including Gassan Wagyu beef sukiyaki.
You can soothe your cold winter body in the inn's sauna and hot springs.
The room you are planning to stay in has an open-air bath.
We will visit Tamaya Noodle Factory, which produces attractive products including Snow Crystal Pasta, which has been awarded the Good Design Award.
At Dewaya, famous for its wild vegetable dishes, you can enjoy a special course meal limited to one group per day.
As a memento of your participation in the tour, you will receive a gift of an agate product made in Nishikawa Town.
Purchase Notice
Please let us know the names, names in Roman alphabet, gender, nationality, date of birth, and allergy information of all participants.
If you have any health problems, such as heart or respiratory conditions, severe allergies or reduced mobility, ice activities may not be suitable for you and we recommend that you seek medical advice before participating.
Please note that the sales period may be shortened and the number of people we can accept may change depending on the weather and amount of snowfall.
Reminders
Please note that we have a limited number of winter gear available for rental. Please dress appropriately for the cold weather.
If you do not arrive by the meeting time, it will be considered a cancellation without notice and a cancellation fee will be charged.
In the event of bad weather, the event may be canceled at short notice.
Cancellation Policy
- Cancellations 21 day(s) (inclusive) before the selected date are allowed. Unused orders can be canceled for free
- For cancellations made 8 to 20 days prior to selected date, a cancellation fee of 20% will apply
- For cancellations made 2 to 7 days prior to selected date, a cancellation fee of 30% will apply
- For cancellations made 1 to 1 days prior to selected date, a cancellation fee of 40% will apply
- Cancellation is not allowed between 0–0 days from the selected date. Orders cannot be canceled or modified, and refunds will not be granted.
- Due to time zone differences, the confirmed cancellation date is based on the supplier’s local time. Please allow 2–5 business days to process your cancellation request, after which the cancellation fee will be charged according to the product’s cancellation policy. Once your refund request is confirmed, KKday will initiate the refund to your original payment method within 15 days. The actual refund timing depends on your card-issuing bank’s policy.
