Taxi Tour of Naruko Hot Springs and a "Kokeshi" Doll Painting Activity

【OUTLINE】

Visit tourist attractions in a shared taxi in Naruko Hot Springs, one of the major hot spring resorts in the Tohoku Region. During the tour, you can look at the beautiful nature and historic sites of Naruko comfortably. After the tour, you will try painting "kokeshi" (Japanese wooden dolls) that originated in Tohoku. They are elegant and very popular as room decorations. Take home your one-of-a-kind kokeshi souvenir back home with you!

【HIGHLIGHTS】

• Take in the famous tourist attractions and nature of Naruko Hot Springs Resort.
• The starting time can be arranged according to your own schedule.
• The plan uses a reasonably priced shared taxi to visit the tourist spots.
• The flexible schedule saves traveling time and makes it easy to make plans before and after the activity.
• Create your own original kokeshi doll!

【PRICES】

【SCHEDULE】

Sample) If you chose the starting time at 9 am

From home/the former accommodation・・・〈paid by the customer〉・・・9:00 Meet up, reception (at JR Naruko-Onsen Station) ・・・〈by taxi, included in the tour price〉・・・Katanuma - Shitomae no seki ato - Narukokyo (lookout platform) - Japan Kokeshi Museum (admission is pad by the customer) ・・・10:30 JR Naruko-Onsen Station・・・〈on foot〉・・・ 11:00 Kokeshi painting experience・・・12:00 The tour ends, dismissal ・・・〈paid by the customer〉・・・To home or the next accommodation

* You will leave Naruko-Onsen Station, visit tourist attractions, and come back to Naruko-Onsen Station by taxi.
* You can have the Kokeshi painting activity any time after the taxi tour finishes.

【DETAILS】

Naruko Hot Spring Resort was established and was made possible with the explosion of Mt. Naruko in 837, which created the springs. The resort has 374 hot spring wells, and if you take the nearby areas into account, 9 out of 11 kinds of hot springs that exist in Japan can be found in Naruko. It is one of the three major hot springs in the Tohoku Region along with Iizaka Hot Springs and Akiu Hot Springs. You can enjoy beautiful scenery of the season that attracts both people from Japan and also tourists from abroad.

This plan enables you to travel around the tourist attractions in Naruko, by a shared taxi. A taxi is an incredibly convenient and comfortable means of transportation. You can enjoy the beautiful nature, charm, and historic sites of Naruko Onsen without worrying about the time or your schedule. You can then participate in a kokeshi doll painting activity at Naruko Hot Spring Resort before or after the taxi tour. Feel free to make your kokeshi as unique as you'd like!

◆Tour course

1. Katanuma

Katanuma is a caldera lake formed by the eruption of the Naruko volcano. The surface of strongly acidic water changes colors according to the weather, which creates striking scenery. Autumn leaves reflected on the lake make the scenery even more beautiful in the fall.

2. Shitomae no seki

These are the ruins of a checkpoint built in 1670 by the Date family. At that time, goods and people were checked and inspected throughly before passing through. Matsuo Basho, one of the most famous poets in Japan, is said to have walked through the checkpoint on one of his journeys, and there is a stone monument engraved with Basho's haiku. You can enjoy walking along the promenade of 9 kilometers there.

3. Naruko Valley

Naruko Valley is a picturesque spot that features colorful autumn leaves from the end of October to early November. The big valley with a depth of 100 meters is beautiful all through the year with the new greenery of spring, lush green of summer, and the snowscape of winter.

4. Japan Kokeshi Museum

Kokeshi are simple wooden dolls that have a pillar-shaped body and a round head, originally from the Tohoku Region. They are a small, very popular traditional craft and house decoration in Japan. The Japan Kokeshi Museum displays about 5,000 traditional kokeshi from different parts of the Tohoku Region. They are mainly from the collections of kokeshi researchers and rare works by master kokeshi craftsmen.

5. Kokeshi painting activity

You can try kokeshi painting at Okazaki-sai no mise, a specialty shop of kokeshi in Naruko. You can draw traditional patterns, give it a modern costume, or paint your own portrait on the kokeshi. The doll, with a unique round-shape body and appearance, will make a great souvenir. Create a one-of-a-kind kokeshi doll as a memory of your time in Tohoku.

【THINGS TO NOTE】

• Time：150 minutes
• Minimum number of participants：2 people (maximum 6 people)
• Meeting point：In front of JR Naruko-Onsen Station
  Kawarayu, Naruko Onsen, Osaki-shi, Miyagi-ken 989-6824
• Access：
  <To Furukawa Station>
  ・JR Sendai Station → Take Shinkansen Yamabiko for Morioka (12 min) → arrive at Furukawa Station
  ・JR Sendai Station→ Take JR Tohoku Main Line for Kogota (45 min)・・・Alight at Kogota Station → Take Rikuu East Line for Naruko Onsen (12 min) → Arrive at Furukawa Station
  ・JR Tokyo Station → Take Shinkansen Yamabiko for Morioka (2 hrs and 15 min) → Arrive at Furukawa Station
  
  <From Furukawa Station to Naruko-Onsen Station>
  Take Rikuu East Line for Naruko Onsen (45 min) → Arrive at Naruko-Onsen Station
  
• Tour conductor for 24 hours：None
• Accompanying National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter or Local Licensed Guide Interpreter：None
• Meals (included in a tour fee)：None
• Language support：Japanese, English (basic level)
• Included：Transportation stipulated in the itinerary, taxes such as consumption tax, Kokeshi painting activity fee
• Excluded：Admission to the Japan Kokeshi Museum, expenses such as transportation not included in the course, personal expenses
• Free Wi-Fi：×
• Toilet： Available in each facility
• Other things to note：
  ・If the the minimum number of 2 participants is not met, the tour will not be held. In that case, you will be notified by 5 pm the day before the tour.
  ・During the period of January to March, Japan Kokeshi Museum is not included in the course, as the museum is closed.
  ・The course is subject to change on the day of the tour depending on the weather or other circumstances.
  ・Basically, you will look at the tourist attractions through the car window. You may also get out of the the taxi if you'd like. At the end of the tour, the taxi stops at the facility for the kokeshi painting activity.
  ・The service will be canceled during heavy snowfall periods (from mid-December to around March).
  
• Operating company：Naruko Taxi Co., Ltd.

【TOUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS】

Before booking the tour, please confirm the Tour Terms & Conditions and save the document.

 Check [TOUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS]（Japanese）

【TOUR PLANNER AND CONDUCTOR】

Regional Branding Institute Co., Ltd. 
Aqua Terrace UⅡ Bldg. 8F, 2-20-3 Kaminarimon, Taito-ku, Tokyo, 111-0034 
Travel Agency registered with a Tokyo Governor 2-7547 
A regular member of All Nippon Travel Agents Association

【CANCELLATION POLICY】