Overview of the Japan Hanami Tour

 

 

GlobeRiders is pleased to offer our 2nd Japan Hanami Tour in 2010, a scenic and cultural tour in the the Land of the Riding Sun, including the main island of Honshu and northernmost island of Hokkaido.

 

Over the years, we have received numerous requests for a tour of shorter duration than our current adventures. We believe this tour fits the bill. Like all GlobeRiders tours, we will arrange for round-trip shipment of your very own, personalized motorcycle; for this tour, from our home port of Seattle, Washington, USA, to Tokyo, Japan, and back.

 

During our 17-day journey, we will see the old and new in Tokyo, then head up the middle of northern Honshu.  From the northern seaport of Aomori, we will board a ferry, bound for the green and mountainous island of Hokkaido. We will circumnavigate Hokkaido, then take an overnight ferry for the return to Honshu.  We'll the make a final short run down the eastern coast, wending our way back to Tokyo for the conclusion of the tour.

• Round-trip shipment of your motorcycle from our home port of Seattle, Washington, USA
  
  
• Complete 17-day tour ground package
  
  
• A mix of accommodations, Western, traditional Japanese ryokan and onsen resort hotels, and the unique Biker House hostels of Hokkaido
  
  
• Full day private coach tour of Tokyo, to include Ueno ("Motorcycle City"), Akihabara ("Electric Town"), Asakusa Canon Temple, and Sumida River boat Cruise
  
  
• Visit to the Toshogu Shinto Temple in Nikko
  
  
• Matsushima Islands boat cruise
  
  
• Visit to Chuson-ji Temple in Hiraizumi
  
  
• Ride to Tazawa-ko, the deepest lake in Japan
  
  
• Relaxing evenings enjoying the natural hot springs and spas in Matsushima
  
  
• High-speed ferry from Honshu to Hokkaido, and over-night ferry from Hokkaido on the return to Tokyo
  
  
• Two-night layover in Sapporo, home of Sapporo Beer, and host of the 1972 Winter Olympics
  
  
• Photo-op at Soya-Misaki, the nothernmost point in Japan, with views of the contested Sakhalin Islands
  
  
• The wetlands and Japanese Cranes of Kushiro
  
  
• The idyllic pine-covered islands of Matsushima
  
  
• GlobeRiders staff guide
  
  
• Bilingual guide on motorcycle from start to finish
  
  
• Most dinners, all breakfasts
  
  
• Private group Welcome Dinner at tour's beginning, and Farewell Dinner at tour's conclusion
  
  
• Trip cancellation and interruption insurance

 

To participate in the tour, you must be both experienced and comfortable riding in crowded urban traffic, and riding relatively long distances on paved roads with a fully-loaded motorcycle. You will be carrying all of your gear with you at all times. You should own a touring type motorcycle, with sturdy, lockable panniers or saddlebags, and an approved handlebar-mounted portable Garmin GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver.

 

Note: Japanese vehicles and the road and highway system are left-hand drive. To those in North America and Continental Europe, this is the "wrong side of the road" <g>.

 

The tour package fee DOES include: two-way/round-trip containerized shipment of your motorcycle from our home port of Seattle, Washington, USA to Tokyo, Japan, all shipping, customs clearance and processing fees for temporary importation of your motorcycle, all accommodations, most dinners, all breakfasts, fees for our local guide, ground transfers and bus transportation on sightseeing days, most en route museum or planned group activity fees, round-trip passage on the ferry between Honshu and Hokkaido, and limited coverage trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

 

In order to temporarily import a vehicle into Japan, a special custom's bond called a Carnet de Passage en Douane (CPD) is required for each motorcycle. In essence, this is a bond, the amount based on the market value of your motorcycle, which will be held in escrow until the motorcycle returns to its point of origin.  GlobeRiders will process Carnets for participants on this tour.

 

For more information, please see the Carnet page of the issuing agency for North America, CAA (the Canadian Automobile Association). You can visit their Carnet page by clicking here.

 

A more informal source of information on the Carnet (CPD)can be found on the Wikipedia website by clicking here.

 

The tour package DOES NOT include: the bond for your Carnet (CPD), motorcycle or shipping insurance, your airfare to/from Tokyo, Japan, transportation of your motorcycle to/from our home port of Seattle, personal daily expenses such as fuel, consumables, lunch, beverages (alcoholic or otherwise), highway or bridge tolls, costs for any service, repair or recovery of your motorcycle, or tips for guides and service personnel where warranted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For additional information about our tours and processes, please visit our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page by clicking here.

 

If you have questions, wish make a no obligation reservation, or wish to place a deposit to secure your reservation, you may send us email by clicking here.

 

The Fine Print: Early planning is essential. Riders, passengers, motorcycles and portable GPS receivers must be qualified by GlobeRiders. You will be asked to provide riding and character references. Only approved motorcycles are allowed on our tours - cast wheels are allowed on this tour only. Tour participants are required to obtain a signed certification of good health from their physician.  Participants must show proof of medical and medical evacuation insurance. Safety first; a full coverage or flip-up style full-coverage helmet, full-fingered gloves, full-coverage riding suit with protective armor and riding boots must be worn at all times when your motorbike is in motion. Priority placement is always given to GlobeRiders clients who are return customers. Final pricing for any tour may be adjusted to reflect changes in foreign exchange rates and/or the final group size. A 10% deposit is required to confirm a reservation for any tour. Once paid, this deposit is non-refundable should you withdraw from the tour. Should GlobeRiders cancel the tour for any reason, any deposits or tour package fees will be refunded 100%.