Japanese Sword Tour in Aomori

Japanese Sword Tour in Aomori
刀剣ツアーin青森　(Touken Tour in Aomori)

Date: February 27-28, 2016
Time: February 27: 12:30-16:40, February 28: 8:30-13:45
Location: Hirosaki City & Inakadate Village, Aomori Prefecture
Cost: 9800yen (accommodations included)
(7800yen without accommodations)
Minimum/Maximum Participants: Min. 10 participants, Max. 20 participants
(In the case of more applicants than available spaces, participants will be decided by random lottery)
Schedule:

Saturday February 27

• 12:30 Meet at Hirosaki Station Joto Exit (Board Bus)
• 13:00-16:00 Katana no Iori (Swordsmith Nakahata)
• Japanese Sword Appreciation 日本刀鑑賞
• Sword Maintenance 手入れ体験
• Sword Making Process 作業工程見学
• Sword Forging 鍛造見学
• 16:30 Return to Hirosaki Station Joto Exit
• 16:40 Hirosaki Kokusai Hotel
• (Various option tours available for after hotel check-in time, e.g. evening city tour, shopping tour, etc.)

Sunday February 28

• 8:30 Hirosaki Station Joto Exit (Board Bus)
• 8:40 Hirosaki Kokusai Hotel
• 9:00-12:00 Hirosaki Clan Bokudenryuu School of Swordsmanship Experience
• Post-Relocation Hirosaki Castle Tour
• Bokudenryuu School of Swordsmanship Experience (Samurai Etiquette, Swordplay)
• 12:30-13:30 Lunch in Central Hirosaki
• 13:45 Farewells at Hirosaki Station Joto Exit

Registration Period:

Out-of-Prefecture-Visitor Early Registration: 
Monday January 18-Friday January 22, 2016
(Successful applicants will be notified in the evening on January 22)

Open Registration (if spaces available):Monday January 25-February 12, 2016
(Successful applicants will be notified in the evening on February 12)

Registration Method:
Phone: 0172-55-0268
Fax: 0172-55-0252 (Fax Form PDF - see sample with English below)

Japanese Email Form: http://www.tabisuke-hirosaki.jp/entry.html (see sample with English below)



English Email Form: http://www.tabisuke-hirosaki.jp/english/mail/
Include the tour name "Touken Tour in Aomori" (刀剣ツアーin青森), number of people, their ages/genders, your address and phone number, and any other information (request for non-smoking room, no need for accommodations, etc.) in the message.

Payment Information:
Payment will be collected at the start of the tour (February 27).
Cancellation fees are as follows:

• 21 Days or More Before Departure Date: No Charge
• 8-20 Days Before Departure Date: 20% of Tour Cost
• 2-7 Days Before Departure Date: 30% of Tour Cost
• Day Before Departure Date: 40% of Tour Cost
• Day Of  (Before Tour Starts): 50% of Tour Cost
• After Tour Has Started/No Notification: 100% of Tour Cost

Notes/Cautions:

• A tour guide will be present for all activities.
• Some February 28th activities will take place outdoors. Please dress warmly.
• As this is a "Monitor Tour", participants will be asked to fill out a survey regarding the tour.
• As part of the goal of this tour is to promote tourism to Aomori, preference will be given to out-of-prefecture applicants.