Sendai

I had an amazing experience purchasing my 14-day Japan Rail Pass via Klook. I booked it on 01/27/26, and was pleasantly surprised when the voucher arrived in Manila, Philippines just two days later on 01/29/26. The delivery was quick and hassle-free, which made preparing for my trip even more exciting. When I arrived in Japan, I exchanged the voucher at the JR Office next to Kansai Airport and the process was very smooth and efficient. I was able to activate and start using my pass right away on 02/14/26, the day I arrived. I truly maximized the pass by traveling mostly on Shinkansen and JR trains—from Kagoshima in the south all the way to Wakkanai in Hokkaido, the northernmost station served by JR. I visited many prefectures and experienced Japan’s incredible railway network to the fullest. As someone fascinated with trains, this journey was pure happiness. This is already my 3rd time using the 14-day JR Pass, and I will definitely buy one again on my future visits to Japan. 🚄✨🎌💛🚉💯

This trip's itinerary is: Day 1: Narita Airport to Tokyo Station via Narita Express (N'EX), then transfer to the Shinkansen to Yamagata Station. Day 2: Yamagata → Shinjo → Oishida → Yamagata. Originally planned to take a boat tour on the Mogami River, but due to heavy snow, we turned back and went to Ginzan Onsen. Day 3: Took the cable car to Zao in the morning, then took the Shinkansen in the afternoon from Yamagata → Fukushima → Sendai → Tazawako. Day 4: Rode the Tazawako Lake Loop Bus, then took the train from Tazawako → Morioka → Shin-Aomori (Shin-Aomori → Aomori section of the JR line was suspended due to heavy snow, so we took a bus into the city). Day 5: Sightseeing in Aomori city. Shin-Aomori → Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto → Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto → Hakodate (JR Pass, Hakodate Liner is also usable!). Took the cable car up Mount Hakodate to see the night view. Day 6: Strolled around Hakodate city. Hakodate → Toya (Hokuto Limited Express) → Toya Ekimae → Lake Toya Onsen (bus). Enjoyed the Lake Toya Winter Festival Illumination and Musical Fireworks at night, it was incredibly beautiful.

When planning your itinerary, calculate whether the JR Pass is cost-effective for taking the Shinkansen and trains. For subways, trains, and buses, you'll need a Suica card, which is also convenient! You don't have to buy tickets before each trip on the Shinkansen, and you'll also need to buy reserved seats for the Shinkansen! The JR Pass can be used as a single card, which is very convenient for visiting various remote attractions!

My partner and I had the opportunity to work alongside our teacher Sasaki, she was very knowledgeable and detail oriented. We made Christmas themed Daifukumochi today, followed by a matcha green tea ceremony. The place was clean, and easy to find. We had a lot of fun! Definitely recommend!

It was a very good experience. The person in charge of the workshop was very caring! I learned a lot from her. Wagashi is truly a traditional Japanese art, I recommend the workshop to those who want to get closer to this culture. Thank you again!!!

overall a lovely experience, ginzan onsen was beautiful and eventhough we were struck with a heavy snowstorm for the zao ropeway trip, we still had a fun time. Everything was timed well and although 1.5 hours seem short in Ginzan, we actually still have plenty of time to stroll the city and buy souvenirs or hot coffee. The lunch was surprisingly better than we expected, local Yamagata couisine, and we did not expect we would get private rooms to enjoy it! Worth to note that the guide explains everything in chinese, and later on communicate the important parts in japanese which would be ok if you understand basic japanese. But basically just prepare a live translating app (or chatgpt) to understand the explanations! And Lili laoshi(the guide) can take very good photos🫶 Thank you so much!

Highly recommended to join this tour for seeing the Zaos Ice Monsters. Really an enjoyable experience!

The driver, who also served as our guide, was very attentive. He contacted us the night before to reconfirm the pick-up location. The nine-seater vehicle was comfortable and not crowded. We were fortunate to see Ginzan covered in heavy snowfall — truly a beautiful and worthwhile experience.

Overall, the itinerary is quite recommended. This trip used a 9-seater vehicle, and there were a total of 6 people carpooling that day, so the seating space was comfortable. The driver was punctual for pick-up and drop-off, was friendly and polite, and the driving was stable, which made people feel at ease. The stay at the Fox Village was about an hour, which was plenty of time to fully visit the park and browse the gift shop. It should be noted that even in winter, there will still be some odors in the park due to animal excrement and the foxes themselves, so travelers who are sensitive to odors may need to pay special attention. The Silver Mine Onsen itinerary time was from 13:00 to 16:45, which was quite ample. Travelers can bring their own towels to soak their feet, or buy them at nearby stores. On that day, due to heavy snowfall and low temperature, coupled with the large crowds, it took more waiting time to take pictures, and it was a pity that we couldn't actually soak our feet, but the overall stay time was still sufficient. In addition, the group members generally adhered to the meeting and itinerary times, and returned early to the bus pick-up and drop-off area (Taisho Roman Museum) in Ginzan Onsen. Finally, with everyone's consent, we returned early. Overall, the atmosphere of the trip was good, and it was a pleasant trip.