Private multi-day tour · Multi-day from Tokyo
From Tokyo: 3-Day Chokai & Kisakata Customizable Tour
Three days on the Sea of Japan coast. See Kisakata's islands in rice fields, the spring-fed Mototaki falls, and drive the high road on Mt. Chokai.
Private · your group only◆3 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
Mt. Chokai is a 2,236 m volcano that rises straight from the Sea of Japan, on the border of Akita and Yamagata. Below it lies Kisakata. In Basho's time Kisakata was a lagoon full of small pine islands. An earthquake in 1804 lifted the land, and today those islands stand in the middle of rice fields. In early summer, when the fields are flooded, they look like islands again.
On Day 1 we drive from Tokyo to Sakata, about 6 hours. In the late afternoon we walk the Sankyo Soko, old rice warehouses with tall zelkova trees, built in 1893.
On Day 2 we go to Kisakata and walk among the old islands to Kanmanji temple. Then we visit Mototaki, a wide waterfall where spring water from Mt. Chokai flows out of mossy rocks. From late April to early November we drive the Chokai Blue Line, a high road on the side of the mountain with views over the sea. In the evening we return to Sakata or stay in Nikaho.
On Day 3 we see the coast at Fukura or Jurokurakan rocks, then drive back to Tokyo.
This is a private tour. Only your group. One van, 1 to 6 people, never shared. Your driver-guide speaks English, and also Hindi and Urdu.
If the Chokai Blue Line road is closed or cancelled on your date, you can take a full refund of your booking, guaranteed. If you prefer, we can instead drive the coast road below Mt. Chokai and visit the Shishigahana wetland at the foot of the mountain.
DAY 1 Drive Tokyo to Sakata, Sankyo Soko rice warehouses, stay in Sakata
DAY 2 Kisakata islands and Kanmanji temple, Mototaki falls, Chokai Blue Line, stay in Sakata or Nikaho
DAY 3 Coast stop at Fukura, drive back to your Tokyo hotel
Choose with confidence
Is this the right journey for your group?
Excellent fit if
- See Kisakata's old pine islands standing in rice fields
- Walk to the spring-fed Mototaki waterfall
- Drive the Chokai Blue Line high above the sea
- See the old Sankyo Soko rice warehouses in Sakata
- See a volcano rising straight from the Sea of Japan
Said plainly
Private tour for 1 to 6 people in one van. Your driver-guide speaks English, Hindi and Urdu The Chokai Blue Line road is open from about late April to early November. In other months we take the coast road below the mountain Paths to Mototaki are wet and uneven. Wear good shoes Day 1 and Day 3 have about 6 hours of driving If the Chokai Blue Line road is closed or cancelled on your date, you can take a full refund of your booking, guaranteed. If you prefer, we can instead drive the coast road below Mt. Chokai and visit the Shishigahana wetland at the foot of the mountain
Your day
Suggested itinerary
Times are approximate. Your driver-guide adjusts the order for traffic, weather, opening hours and the best light.
See Kisakata's old pine islands standing in rice fields
Walk to the spring-fed Mototaki waterfall
Drive the Chokai Blue Line high above the sea
See the old Sankyo Soko rice warehouses in Sakata
See a volcano rising straight from the Sea of Japan
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
- Kanmanji temple entry
Yours — paid on the day
- Meals and drinks unless listed as included
- Gratuities, which are never expected in Japan
- Hotel accommodation (you book your own hotel in Sakata or Nikaho)
- Optional 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¥247,000
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