Scenic Autumn in Niigata

Day 00 (Wed, 05 Nov’25)

Assemble at Singapore Changi Airport for flight to Haneda.

Day 01 (Thu, 06 Nov’25)
Singapore – Haneda – Komatsu – Yamanaka Onsen
(-/-/Dinner)
Hotel: Kuriya Yasohachi (Hot Spring) or similar

(Car pick-up at Komatsu Airport)

Arriving in Ishikawa this morning, make your first stop the “Kitchen of Kanazawa”, Omicho Market. The go-to market in Kanazawa for almost 300 years, 186 stalls selling fresh and cooked food fill the market with fresh seasonal seafood and produce. Sample the different foods on sale as you walk round the market or sit down at one of the eateries for a meal.

Stop by at the icon of Kanazawa, Kenrokuen, one of Japan’s three most beautiful gardens. Gorgeous in every season, this sprawling hill-top garden contains all the features of a traditional Japanese garden and is very pleasant to stroll around.

Go on a shopping spree later at AEON Mall Shinkomatsu. The largest shopping mall in the Hokuriku region, this mall carries many popular Japanese brands, as well as some international ones, and is a great place to get your shopping fix.

Day 02 (Fri, 07 Nov’25)
Yamanaka Onsen – Fukui – Yamanaka Onsen
(Breakfast/-/Dinner)
Hotel: Kuriya Yasohachi (Hot Spring) or similar

Visit the Megane Museum and learn the history and process required to manufacture a pair of glasses. Located in Sabae, where titanium spectacle frames originated and Google glasses frames are produced, the museum showcases why the area is one of the leading spectacle producers in the world. Bespectacled visitors can take the chance to purchase a pair of quality frames.

Jagged basalt cliffs bordering the sea carved over time by wind and waves are the hallmark of Tojinbo. These unique rock formations can only be seen in three places in the world and paint a breath-taking picture when juxtaposed against the choppy sea. Take one of the trails to explore the cliffs and the different views it offers.

Do some fruit picking later at Kaga Fruit Land where you can pick and eat all the crisp and juicy apples you want, fresh from the tree!

Day 03 (Sat, 08 Nov’25)
Yamanaka Onsen – Unazuki Onsen
(Breakfast/-/Dinner)
Hotel: Kurobe Unazuki Onsen Yamanoha (Hot Spring) or similar

Pay a visit to Nosaku, a manufacturer of metal cast products such as tableware, Buddhist ritual objects and other decorative items. Using superior casting techniques, a large variety of quality tin, brass and bronze products can be found here. The stylish tableware, accessories and other decorative items will make beautiful and lasting souvenirs.

Move on to the Toyama Glass Art Museum. Housed in a building that is itself a work of art by architect, Kuma Kengo, the museum showcases contemporary glass art pieces by artists from around the world. Located in the same building as the central public library, there are ample spaces for quiet admiration of the art pieces and even a glass art garden featuring works by glass art master, Dale Chihuly.

The Toyama Bay is known for hotaruika, luminescent firefly squid that can be seen in the bay in the dark of night each spring. At the Hotaruika Museum, you can learn about these fantastic creatures through displays and videos and see light emission shows by similarly luminescent plankton.

Day 04 (Sun, 09 Nov’25)
Unazuki Onsen – Yudanaka Onsen
(Breakfast/-/Dinner)
Hotel: Aburaya Tosen (Private Hot Spring) or similar

Head to Kurobe Gorge to see the spectacular views and autumn foliage today. One of Japan’s Special Scenic Spots and Special Scenic National Treasures, the gorge is especially beautiful when covered in autumn colours. Take the Torokko electric train, a sightseeing train that brings you along the valley, across bridges and through the picturesque scenery of the gorge.

The monkey park of Jigokudani Yaen Koen needs little introduction as the only place in the world where wild monkeys soak in natural hot springs. Japanese macaques, or snow monkeys, come down from the mountainside to feed and bathe in the hot springs, especially in winter, making this a hot photography spot for capturing the adorable monkeys relaxing in the springs.

Day 05 (Mon, 10 Nov’25)
Yudanaka Onsen – Matsunoyama Onsen
(Breakfast/-/Dinner)
Hotel: Hinanoyado Chitose (Hot Spring) or similar

Surrounded by lush forests of white birch trees, the scenic Imori Pond is known for the impressive scenery created by its mirror-like surface on calm days. Capture the picturesque sight of Mt Myoko and the surrounding autumn foliage reflected perfectly on the surface of the pond on a clear day.

Located at the base of a mountain, Togakushi Shrine consists of a lower, middle and upper shrine, each housing different gods. A short hike is needed to reach the upper shrine, but the pathways lined with 400-year-old cedar trees and towering Mt. Togakushi in the background make the walk particularly beautiful.

One of Japan’s 3 most beautiful gorges, Kiyotsu Gorge is a stunning V-shaped valley made up of columnar joint rock formations and a crystal-clear flowing river. A 750m long tunnel allows visitors to view the gorge from 4 observation points, framing the gorgeous autumn scenery in its openings.

Day 06 (Tue, 11 Nov’25)
Matsunoyama Onsen
(Breakfast/-/Dinner)
Hotel: Hinanoyado Chitose (Hot Spring) or similar

A small village at the base of Mt Hakkai, Uonuma no Sato is a charming area where you can find sake breweries that produce Niigata’s famous Hakkaisan sake, cafes, restaurants and museums. Pick up some sake and local delicacies at the shops here and be sure to check out the snow storage building which uses snow collected in winter to preserve sake and other food items.

An unusual sight for a countryside area like Echigo Tsumari, over 100 art pieces can be found around the area, a result of the local Art Triennale. Serving as the centre of the event, the Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art MonET is itself an architectural art piece encompassing many smaller artworks by local and international artists that is open to art appreciators year-round.

Bijinbayashi Forest, or “beauty forest”, was so named because of its beautiful, slender beech trees. The approximately 90-year-old towering trees create a gorgeous setting in any season and is the perfect spot to experience nature.

Day 07 (Wed, 12 Nov’25)
Matsunoyama Onsen – Shibata
(Breakfast/-/Dinner)
Hotel: Bettei Koshi no Sato (Hot Spring) or similar

Learn to appreciate the Koi, at Nishikigoi Village, a facility built for the enjoyment of these beautiful fish. You can learn about the different varieties and breeding methods of Koi and spend some time watching them weave colourful patterns as they swim freely in aquariums and garden ponds.

Full of maple trees that turn to bright reds and yellows in autumn, Momiji Garden is a great place to savour the autumn colours. Formerly part of a prominent local family’s villa, many of the trees spread across the grounds of the garden are over 150 years old.

Stop by Eguchi Dango, a shop specialising in traditional glutinous rice dumplings. Located in a traditional folk house in the countryside, the century-old shop serves a variety of sweet and savoury dumplings, including the local Niigata specialty of bamboo-wrapped red bean and mugwort dumplings, Sasa Dango, and meals made from local ingredients.

Relax in the comfort of your spacious room overlooking the idyllic countryside at Bettei Koshi no Sato this evening. Dine on the freshest local seasonal ingredients from the sea, mountains, rivers, and plains of Niigata, elegantly prepared to treat all your senses, and soothe your body with a soak in your in-room silk ion open air bath, or in the emerald waters of Shiratama no Yu, a beauty hot spring with the highest mineral content in Japan.

Day 08 (Thu, 13 Nov’25)
Shibata – Niigata – Tokyo
(Breakfast/-/-)
Hotel: The Tokyo Station Hotel or similar

(Car return at Niigata Station)

Take a shinkansen to Tokyo today where you will have the rest of the day free for shopping and exploration!

Day 09 (Fri, 14 Nov’25)
Tokyo – Haneda – Singapore
(Breakfast/-/-)

Flight back to Singapore