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Nagasaki Lantern Festival and Kyushu Explorer Tour- 2025

January 28 - February 5, 2025 (7 nights/9 days) escorted from Honolulu

Hakata - Kokura - Shimonoseki - Karatsu - Huis Ten Bosch - Sasebo - Nagasaki - Shimabara - Kumamoto - Mt. Aso - Fukuoka

$3,498 per person-double/triple occupancy, $3,898 single occupancy

Cancel for any reason up to 65 days prior to departure date for FULL REFUND!

If you have ever wanted to visit Nagasaki, there is no better time than during the annual Nagasaki Lantern Festival, celebrating Chinese New Year with over 15,000 lanterns and lights. As Japan’s oldest Chinatown, due to a long trading history with China, these cultural ties are celebrated each year for two weeks. Besides specular lanterns, there are a variety of traditional Chinese shows and parades to enjoy such as lion dances and the Mazu Procession, recreating the route Chinese sailing crews once used to enter the city.

Our 7-night tour begins in Hakata, located on the northern tip of Kyushu Island. It is the most vibrant city in western Japan and serves as the gateway to the country. Situated amidst splendid natural diversity, with mountains on one side, the sea on the other, and dotted with hot springs, this metropolis is an exciting hub of modern city life. It seamlessly blends tradition and modernity, offering a wealth of cultural attractions, contemporary art, architecture, shopping, and cuisine. All of these complement the centuries-old temples and shrines that are scattered throughout the city.

There is much more to see and experience on this tour, including visits to the Karato Market in Shimonoseki, where you can enjoy fresh sushi. We will also explore the secluded pottery village of Okawachiyama, immerse ourselves in the grandiose recreation of a Dutch town at the Huis Ten Bosch theme park, visit a sake brewery, enjoy an onsen stay, take a tour and tasting at Castella Land Factory, go on a sightseeing cruise, experience a ropeway ride, indulge in plenty of shopping opportunities and so much more.

For a detailed itinerary, please click on “more information…” below.

Your Nagasaki Lantern Festival and Kyushu Explorer 2025 includes:

Round trip airfare via Hawaiian Airlines from Honolulu.
Note: Airline baggage fees are additional and paid directly to the carrier.
7 nights’ accommodation in centrally located hotels.
All sightseeing with a local English-speaking guide throughout the tour.
Admission fees included based on itinerary.
Inflight meals, breakfast daily at your hotel, 2 lunches and 1 dinner.
All transportation via private charter bus.
All tour-related taxes included in the price.
Panda Travel® escorts throughout your tour.
Reserve with $75 per person deposit, refundable up to 65 days prior to departure, November 24, 2024.
Final payment due by December 6, 2024. Package is non-refundable after this date.
Special Assistance: You must inform us of any disability/impairment that requires special attention at the time of your making the reservation. We reserve the right to cancel the reservation(s) if the disability/impairment is unsuitable for the tour. You are also responsible for any costs and/or accommodations related to your disability/impairment, such as providing your own travel companion.

Not included in the tour:

Gratuities for local English-speaking guide.
Additional baggage fee charges from the airlines.
Alcohol and soft drinks with meals.

Please note:

A minimum of 16 participants is required for the tour to operate.
A valid passport is required of all U.S. citizens & must be valid at least 6 months from the return tour date. Non-U.S. passport holders must check with the Japanese Consulate to see if a visa is required.
Land tour costs are based on current currency conversion rates, which are subject to change.
Air ticket fare is guaranteed, but taxes, fees and fuel surcharges are subject to change until tickets are issued, approximately 45 days out.
We highly recommend the purchase of trip insurance. Please ask our representatives for more information.
Land Tour Operator is Nippon Travel Agency.

Click here for TOUR ITINERARY

From $3,498 per person double/triple occupancy

From $3,898 per person single occupancy

Space is Limited!

Flight Schedule:

01/28/25 – Depart Honolulu on Hawaiian Airlines flight 827 at 12:35 pm and arrive in Fukuoka at 6:40 pm on 01/29

02/05/25 – Depart Fukuoka on Hawaiian Airlines flight 828 at 8:40 pm and arrive in Honolulu at 9:10 am (same day).

Group #13237