FanFest 2018 | July 11-23, 2018
$700/month (Land Only)
LAND ONLY: $3,495 | W/FLIGHT FROM LAX: $4,695
*All prices in US Dollars.
(What’s included? Read the Tour Information)
Read Terms & Conditions and FAQ / Prices listed are per person, double occupancy
Sign up & payment deadline: CLOSED
From fireworks and floats to fun centers and figurine shopping, FanFest is an anime-fan-centric celebration of the best of Japan in the summertime!
Back for its third year, FanFest combines the best of Japan’s most popular destinations with some of the year’s best festivals. You’ll experience off-the-beaten-path exploring, anime merch shopping, and relaxation. No matter what brings you to Japan, FanFest is designed to help you do it all –- and bring you closer to the kind of summer parties and events the locals look forward to all year.
Our journey begins in Tokyo, where we’ll shop for anime goodies in Akihabara and Nakano, have a dinner party with some friendly local sports fans, and nosh on street food at a local festival. New in 2018, we’ll see the new Gundam UC statue in Odaiba, and spend more time in Ikebukuro so you can hit the butler cafe, J-World theme park, or maybe both! After Tokyo we relocate to Kansai, where we’ll take in city views from the ropeway above the port of Kobe and the rooftops of Osaka Castle! Of course, we’ll also be heading to Kyoto to experience the floats and festivities of the Gion Festival -– one of Japan’s largest and beloved by our alumni. Finally, we head to the Japan Sea coast to see the breathtaking gardens and traditional sites of Kanazawa. You’ll be staying at a hot spring (onsen) resort, so you’ll have plenty of time to relax, swim, and sample local cuisine before we return to Tokyo for a free day there -– and an awe-inspiring fireworks display at the Adachi Ward Fireworks!
From the city to the country and back, there’s no better way to experience Japan in the summer. So grab that sunscreen and prepare for an adventure you’ll never forget!
| TOUR AT A GLANCE |
|---|
 Shopping:   Walking: Baggage: 1 check-in (LARGE) sized bag, 1 carry-on sized bag (ALL large/”check-in size” bags will be stored in Tokyo; due to space limitations) Single Room: $900 additional (entire tour) – NO SINGLE ROOMS AT THE ONSEN |
Tour price includes:
- R/T airfare from Los Angeles to Japan (NOT included with Land Only package)
- Tour dates: Departs July 11, returns on July 23
- Hotel accommodations: 6 nights Tokyo, 2 nights Osaka/Kansai, 1 night Kanazawa, 2 nights Kaga Onsen/Kanazawa
- Stops in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Kanazawa, Kaga Onsen and more!
- All transportation (train, ropeway, bus, shinkansen/”bullet train”, etc.) within Japan
- Professional bilingual guide services
- Admission to all activities
- Customized tour guidebook
- Nightly turndown service with local snacks and homemade sweets
- Much, much more!
LAND ONLY: Flight to Japan NOT included | $3,495 total
W/FLIGHT FROM LAX: $4,695 total
All prices listed in US Dollars.
OPTIONAL PAID ADD ONS: (*Starred items included with Perfect Tour price)
*Yakatabune longboat ride (includes dinner and all-you-can-drink beverage services) +$100
Single Room +$900 (not available at the onsen)
ONSEN TATTOO NOTE:Guests with large, visible tattoos may be denied entry to the baths at the onsen. PacSet cannot offer any compensation if you are denied entry.
Day 1: Departure
We depart from Los Angeles for Tokyo!
Day 2: Arrive and Acclimate
Upon arrival in Tokyo, we’ll head to our hotel and get settled in. In the evening, join your guide for a quick trek around the neighborhood to find a spot for dinner.
Day 3: Ship Shop Ship
We’ll begin the day aboard the Hotaluna, a space age ferry designed by famed animator Leiji Matsumoto, as we cruise down the Sumida River to get a good look at the city we’ll be calling home. When we get back onto land, we’ll be visiting the brand new Gundam Statue in Odaiba, along with the new Gundam center there. After we get our fill of the robots, it’s off to Ikebukuro, where you can fangirl your way down Otome Road or fanboy your time away at the Pokemon Center or J-World, a Shonen Jump-themed theme park. Finally, in the evening, you’ll have the option of joining a special dinner cruise on Tokyo Bay!
Day 4: Creatures and Cels, Fun and Festivals
We begin our day at the Ghibli Museum, where you can explore the history of the iconic studio’s masterworks, see exclusive anime shorts, and even meet a giant robot! The adventures continue in Nakano, where the attic of anime fandom, Nakano Broadway, awaits. Here you can find forgotten treasures from classic shows, old manga, cels, and a whole lot more (not to mention a series of delicious hole-in-the-wall restaurants).
Day 5: Temple of the Fan
Sketch a sutra, picture a pagoda, or just breathe in tranquility at our first stop: Ikegami Honmonji Temple. After a chill morning at the temple, we move to the anime fan mecca of Akihabara! Shop for the latest in anime merchandise, explore state-of-the-art electronics boutiques, and join us for a visit to a local maid café (included in the tour cost)! That night, you’ll be treated to a complimentary dinner at a restaurant with some very enthusiastic baseball fans!
Day 6: Getting down in Gion
After storing our larger bags at the hotel, we bid farewell to Tokyo and head to Kyoto! Prepare to see the city at its most vibrant – it’s festival time! For starters, we’ll head to the Higashiyama area of the city to see the famous Kiyomizu Temple. Shop for traditional souvenirs and local cuisine as we make our way through the streets of Kyoto to Yasaka Shrine and the main procession of Japan’s largest festival, the Gion Matsuri!
Day 7: Classic Kansai
We begin with a visit to the shrine gate tunnels of the fox-themed Fushimi Inari shrine. After exploring and taking tons of photos, we cross Kansai for a visit to the beautiful portside city of Kobe and their picturesque bay front. The first view of the city will be from above – literally – as we take the Kobe Herb Garden Ropeway above gardens and waterfalls to the top of the mountains around the city. We’ll descend into the Sannomiya area afterwards for some shopping, dessert-ing, and more! Your guide will also be on hand to make reservations for Kobe Steak should you wish to partake.
Day 8: Free Day!
Today is a free day! Your guides will be on hand the night before to help you plan your day out on the town. If you like, join an optional trip to Universal Studios Japan, or stick with your guide to check out Osaka Castle and the Namba area! Whichever you choose, the cost is covered – so you can just focus on the fun. That night, we board a train to relocate to the Kanazawa area in preparation for the following day.
Day 9: Kanazawa and Kenrokuen
We depart Osaka for Kanazawa, considered the jewel of Japan’s Hokuriku Region, to experience the world-renowned Kenrokuen gardens in the city center. That’s not all though; we’ll also see the city’s Chaya District, a well-preserved collection of old tea houses and villas that will transport you into the storied history of the region. In the evening, we’ll check in at our hot spring (onsen) resort for a multi-course dinner prepared by our gracious hosts.
Day 10: A Day at the Onsen
We’ve been doing a lot of exploring, so today is a chance to relax and recharge at our resort! Enjoy a fancy breakfast and dinner prepared with local ingredients, and relax in the soothing hot spring waters locals have loved for more than a thousand years. If you want, join your guides for an optional stroll into town, or join us for the third annual FanFest race down the onsen waterslide!
Day 11: Fire Flowers
Today, we check out of our resort and board the brand new Hokuriku Shinkansen line for the trip back to Tokyo. Once we arrive, you can choose to take it easy or join us in Harajuku, Tokyo’s center of all that is hip. Shop for kitschy souvenirs, fashions, or just wander the aisles of one of Japan’s largest “100 Yen” stores searching for fun stuff to bring home. In the evening, we’ll head out to take in the amazing Adachi Ward fireworks!
Day 12: Free Day in Tokyo!
Today is a free day! Your guides will be on hand the night before to help you navigate Tokyo and plan your day so you can check out something on your wish-list –- or return to a place you wanted to see more of.
Day 13: Return home
Return home to tell your friends how much fun you had!
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| SIGN-UP IN: | With LAX Flight | Land Only |
|---|---|---|
| September | $470 | $350 |
| October | $525 | $390 |
| November | $590 | $440 |
| December | $675 | $500 |
| January | $785 | $585 |
| February | $940 | $700 |
| March | $1175 | $875 |