Private multi-day tour · Multi-day from Tokyo
From Tokyo: 2-Day Kakuda & Shiroishi Customizable Tour
See a full-size H-II rocket and Japan's rocket engine test centre in Kakuda, visit wooden Shiroishi Castle and make umen noodles in Shiroishi.
Private · your group only◆2 days◆Up to 6 guests◆Pickup included
Road-day snapshot
This is your private tour, so the route is flexible: tell us if you want to skip a stop, stay longer somewhere or add a place nearby.
The experience
A private journey, thoughtfully paced
Kakuda, a quiet farm town in Miyagi, is home to a JAXA centre where Japan develops and tests rocket engines. Nearby Shiroishi has a rebuilt wooden castle and its own local noodle, umen. This 2-day trip mixes space science with castle history and noodle making.
On day 1 your driver-guide picks you up at your hotel in central Tokyo and drives north on the Tohoku Expressway, with rest stops. In the afternoon you reach Kakuda. You see the full-size model of the H-II rocket standing at the Kakuda Space Tower area, and visit the exhibition hall of the JAXA Kakuda Space Center. Here you learn how rocket engines are built and tested. In the evening you relax at a hot spring in Shiroishi.
On day 2 you visit Shiroishi Castle. Its three-storey tower was rebuilt in 1995 in wood, using the old building methods. The castle was the home of the Katakura family, loyal retainers of the Date clan. Then you join an umen noodle workshop. Umen are short, thin wheat noodles, made without oil, and easy on the stomach. You learn how they are made, then eat them for lunch. After lunch you drive back to your Tokyo hotel, arriving in the evening.
This is a private tour. Only your group. One van, 1 to 6 guests, never shared with strangers. Your driver-guide speaks English, and also Hindi and Urdu. If the noodle workshop or the JAXA exhibition hall is closed on your date, you can take a full refund of your booking, guaranteed. If you prefer, we can instead have an umen tasting lunch at a local Shiroishi noodle shop.
DAY 1 Pickup in Tokyo, drive to Kakuda, H-II rocket and space center exhibits, Shiroishi hot spring
DAY 2 Shiroishi Castle, umen noodle workshop and lunch, drive back to your Tokyo hotel
Choose with confidence
Is this the right journey for your group?
Excellent fit if
- Stand next to a full-size H-II rocket in Kakuda
- Learn how Japan tests rocket engines at the JAXA exhibition
- Climb the wooden tower of Shiroishi Castle
- Make and eat umen, Shiroishi's short oil-free noodles
- Relax in a Shiroishi hot spring
Said plainly
Kakuda is about 330 km from Tokyo. Expect around 4 hours of driving each way. The JAXA exhibition hall has its own opening days. If the JAXA exhibition hall is closed on your date, you can take a full refund of your booking, guaranteed. If you prefer, you can instead see the rocket model and outdoor space displays nearby. If the noodle workshop is closed or cancelled on your date, you can take a full refund of your booking, guaranteed. If you prefer, we can instead have an umen tasting lunch at a local Shiroishi noodle shop. Umen are made with wheat. Dietary needs can be added in the booking form.
Your day
Suggested itinerary
Times are approximate. Your driver-guide adjusts the order for traffic, weather, opening hours and the best light.
Stand next to a full-size H-II rocket in Kakuda
Learn how Japan tests rocket engines at the JAXA exhibition
Climb the wooden tower of Shiroishi Castle
Make and eat umen, Shiroishi's short oil-free noodles
Relax in a Shiroishi hot spring
What is covered
What you see is what you pay
Ours — included
- Private van and English-speaking driver-guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in central Tokyo
- All parking, fuel and road tolls
- Kakuda space exhibits entry
- Shiroishi Castle entry
- Umen noodle workshop fee and lunch
- Hot spring bath entry
Yours — paid on the day
- Hotel accommodation (you book your own hotel in Shiroishi)
- Meals and drinks unless listed as included
- Gratuities, which are never expected in Japan
- Optional space goods and souvenir purchases
Good to know
Before you book
Languages
English, Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi
Pickup
Pickup and drop-off at your Tokyo hotel or accommodation (23 wards).
Group and vehicle
Private for up to 6 guests. Enter adults, children, infants and child seats separately at booking.
Dietary and mobility needs
Halal, vegetarian, allergy, walking or other practical requests go in your booking notes and are planned before the day.
Questions
Frequently asked
Can we change the route on the day?
Yes. It is a private tour in our own van, so your driver-guide can skip, extend or add stops where time allows.
Is the price per person?
No. The price is for your whole private group of up to 6 people, including the van, fuel, tolls, parking and your driver-guide.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for an automatic full refund to the original payment method. Within 24 hours, contact us directly so we can help. If a typhoon or official weather warning stops the trip, we offer a new date or a full refund. For a GetYourGuide booking, the terms shown on that booking apply.
Somewhere else in mind?
Any destination in Japan
If this route is not exactly what you need, tell us the destination, dates and group. We confirm the plan and the exact price before any payment is taken.
Plan a custom journeyYour private Japan day
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From¥183,000
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