World Quilt Festival 2025
in Yokohama
Traveling in Hokkaido and Tohoku Northern Japan
Japanese Aboriginals, Ainu textile & Tohoku Art
Land package Special Deal
- from $4,949 twin share/person
- Single Room arrangement $970
Join us on a pilgrimage
to the World Quilt Festival 2025 in Japan
while revelling in the beauty of Japanese sights and culture – old and new!
Marvel at the intricacy of Japanese handicrafts,
shop for exotic Japanese fabrics and quality materials.
Try your hand at traditional quilting and dyeing techniques.
Also featuring again this year by popular demand is a visit to the Northern Island “Hokkaido” and Tohoku Region.
Learn about Japanese Aboriginal “Ainu” culture,
their traditional embroidery, so different to the Wabi-Sabi aesthetic of traditional Japan.
Savour the differences, for added inspiration in your quilting.
Accommodation Selection
City | Hotels Selection | Twin Room | Single Room |
---|---|---|---|
Lake Akan | New Akan Hotel or similar | 23.00 m² | 23.00 m² |
Sapporo | Sapporo Stream Hotel or similar | 24.00 m² | 17m² ~ 20.2m² |
Hakodate | La Vista Hakodate or similar | 25.00 m² | 25.00 m² |
Morioka | Daiwa Roynet Hotel Morioka Ekimae or similar | 25.90 m² | 21.00 m² |
Tokyo | Shinagawa Prince Hotel or similar | 21.00 m² | 21.00 m² |
Inclusions
Fully escorted by experienced staff
1 x Japan domestic flight from Haneda to Kushiro by ANA.
Chartered coaches and Bullet Train rides. All transportation as specified
9 nights – 3.5 ~4star accommodation
12 Meals: 10 x Breakfast and 2 Dinners
Baggage porterage service – 1 piece per person and tips/service fees
4 Hands on experiences:
Ainu embroidery, Indigo dye, Sakiori weaving, Kokeshi painting or similar activity
World Quilt Festival 2025 in Yokohama
admission ticket on Day 9, 14 Nov 2025
JANESCO is happy to organize your flights and airport transfers.
Please enquire at time of booking.
Tour Itinerary
Thu 06 NOV / Meals: D
10:15 Check in at ANA domestic flight counter to catch flight H741 for Sapporo/Chitose airport. You will be welcomed by your tour escort.
11:35 Depart Haneda airport by ANA NH741 to arrive at Kushiro Airport at 13:10.
13:10 Arrive at Kushiro on the island of Hokkaido. Travel by chartered bus from Kushiro airport to Akan machi. Check in at New Akan Hotel for 2 nights.
Fri 07 NOV / Meals: B, D
This morning, we will enjoy a tour by chartered coach visiting Lake Mashu and Iouzan.
Afternoon, enjoy Hands-on Experience of Ainu Embroidery (90 minutes)
It is believed in Ainu culture that textiles have souls and the power to ward off evil spirits. An Ainu woman puts her heart and soul into each stitch of her embroidery, because a garment made without passion would not have a soul. The Ainu, with their distinctive language, religion, and culture in Japan, have always lived in harmony with nature and showed gratitude to the natural world. After the embroidery experience we transfer back to our hotel in Lake Akan.
Free time for the rest of the afternoon to stroll along the fascinating Lake Akan shopping strip or enjoy a Volcanic Onsen bath. Dinner at hotel.
Sat 08 NOV / Meals: B
After checking out from our hotel we travel by chartered coach to Sapporo.
We may well find some Autumn colours on the journey. On the way to Sapporo, we will visit The Nibutani Ainu museum in the Biratori region. This museum has Ainu crafts designated as important tangible folk cultural properties and lots of audiovisual and book materials. The exhibitions in this museum are utilized for the study of Ainu culture of the Saru Valley.
There are “chi-se” villages comprised of traditional thatch roofed chi-se houses near the museum which are designated as important cultural landscapes. This is a rare example in Hokkaido of academic information related to Ainu culture being amassed in one place.
Upon arrival at Sapporo, we transfer to our hotel and check in for 2 nights.
Our hotel is located in the heart of Sapporo shopping district. Remainder of the day is free at leisure. Your tour coordinator will be happy to assist you with your dinner arrangements. Sapporo is famous for its “Ramen” noodle. Why not try Ramen tonight at a local noodle bar – just like the locals.
Sun 09 NOV / Meals: B
We travel to the port town of Otaru by chartered coach. The town’s nostalgic, old fashioned mood is enhanced by the architecture and the way the town nestles around a large and picturesque canal. Afternoon, we return to our hotel. Remainder of the day is free at leisure.
Mon 10 NOV / Meals: B
Check out from hotel in Sapporo and travel to Hakodate by JR train along the coastline of Southern Hokkaido. Hakodate was originally an Ainu village but became a significant port during the Shogun (Edo) period. It was one of the first ports opened to the West in the 19th century. Upon arrival, we enjoy sightseeing visiting Goryokaku, Mt. Hakodate and Hakodate market.
Tue 11 NOV / Meals: B
Today we travel by Bullet Train from the island of Hokkaido to the Tohoku region which is the northern part of Japan’s main Island, Honshu.
We visit Tsugaru samurai clan Neputa Village, a hands-on sightseeing facility based on the theme of the colourful Hirosaki Neputa festival. The Neputa are large illuminated floats paraded through the streets during the summer festivals of the Aomori region in northernmost Honshu. The village is also famous for its Shamisen (horizontal harps) and traditional wooden toys.
Hands on experience: You will enjoy completing paint work on Kokeshi Wooden Doll.
The fan-shaped Neputa actually used in the festival are exhibited for viewing. Visitors can also try the taiko (Japanese drums) along with the Neputa musicians themselves. Live Tsugaru-shamisen performances are also open for viewing. There is a facility for visitors to see, experience, and buy Tsugaru traditional artwork.
We travel on to Morioka and check in at Daiwa Roynet Hotel Morioka Ekimae for 2 nights.
Wed 12 NOV / Meals: B
Today we visit another Handicraft village in Morioka to enjoy Indigo dyeing of a bandana and also making a piece of Sakiori weaving ( traditional Japanese rag weaving) cloth.
Mid-afternoon after returning to the hotel, you are free at leisure. Visit the old Kon-ya street district, where merchant shops from the 18th and 19th centuries can still be found, to see shops of an old artisan Japanese biscuit maker, Sake brewer and iron teapot handcraft, “Nanbu Cast Iron Teapot”. Morioka was the historical centre of casting ironware as far back as 794AD.
Thu 13 NOV / Meals: B
We check out from our hotel and catch the Bullet Train to Tokyo. We make our way to Shinjuku and check in for 2 nights at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Tokyo. The hotel is a 5 minute walk from Shinjuku station, with easy access to loads of shops and other destinations in Tokyo.
Leave your hand luggage with the porter’s desk and enjoy visiting Nippori wholesale fabric town by local trains.
Fri 14 NOV / Meals: B, D
09:00 We meet at the lobby, to be transferred by chartered coach to Yokohama to enjoy the quilt show.
International Quilt Festival Yokohama 2025 (10:00 ~ 15:00)
Late afternoon return to hotel.
19:00 Meet at lobby. Farewell dinner at local Japanese restaurant.
Sat 15 NOV / Meals: B
Today is our last day in Japan, so you might wish to do some last-minute souvenir hunting or an optional half day activity. The official hotel check-out time is 11:00.
If time allows follow your tour leader to visit Asakusa Temple by local train (customer’s own expense)