Day 1 – Arrival in Japan

After being welcomed by our private, English-speaking guide, you will travel to your accommodation in Sapporo by private vehicle. Settle in, get ready for your upcoming adventures.

Night in Sapporo

Inclusions: Private, English-speaking driver, Private vehicle

Day 2 – Ainu Historical and Cultural day Sightseeing

Begin your first full day visiting Shiraoi town, about 90-minute drive from Sapporo city. Visit the National Ainu Museum, which serves as one of the three main facilities of Upopoy (meaning “singing in a large group”), alongside the National Ainu Park. You can learn from six principal themes: the Ainu language, Ainu history, Ainu views of the world, Ainu livelihoods (hunting, gathering, fishing, farming), Ainu lifestyles (food, clothing, shelters, music, dance), and Ainu trade and exchange with surrounding peoples, including projected “multicultural coexistence” in the Japan of the future.

After lunch, head to Jigokudani or “Hell Valley” which is a spectacular, appropriately named valley just above the town of Noboribetsu Onsen. It displays hot steam vents, sulfurous streams, and other volcanic activities. Continue to Mt. Usu, a volcano that has erupted four times in the past 100 years. Its most recent eruption occurred in the year 2000. The Usuzan Ropeway brings you close to the volcano’s summit, from where you can enjoy spectacular panoramic views of Lake Toya and neighboring Showa Shinzan.

Tonight, you will stay at Onsen resort Ryokan. Relax and enjoy the hot-spring bath.

Night in Lake Toya

Inclusions: Accommodation, Breakfast and Dinner at hotel, Private Guide, Transportation and Fees

Day 3 – Hakodate Sightseeing

After breakfast, let’s get some fresh air for the beginning of the adventure day at Sairo observation deck, which affords a commanding view of Lake Toya. You can see the Nakajima Isles, and Mt. Showa-shinzan, Mt. Usu, the volcanic fumes from Nishiyama crater, and Lake Toya Hot Spring district as well.

Continue to Hakodate, the city and port located in Oshima Subprefecture. After lunch, visit a Trappistine Convent created by French nuns almost a century ago. You can walk the vestibule replete with statues of the Virgin Mary and Joan of Arc. Tour the beautiful buildings and surroundings, built in classic European style, while learning about the lives of the nuns residing here. Then take a local tram ride to Goryokaku Park, which is designated as a ‘Japanese Historical Heritage Site.’ You will end the day at Mt. Hakodate, taking a cable car ride to the top of the mountain [334 m] to enjoy a panoramic night view that is ranked among the top 3 in Japan.

Night in Hakodate

Inclusions: Accommodation, Breakfast and Dinner at hotel, Private Guide, Transportation and Fees

Day 4 – Niseko, Toya National Park Sightseeing

After breakfast, we will visit the Hakondate Fresh Seafood Market known as “Hakodate’s kitchen”, which is the largest seafood wholesale market in the region. After Hakodate sightseeing, we will leave for Niseko, which has come to be referred to as one of the most popular ski resort areas in Japan. Board the Grand Hirafu Ropeway to the slopes of Niseko Annupuri, where you can soar up a 500m difference in elevation in a few moments. Enjoy the vast panorama of Mount Yotei and the Niseko area.

Mt. Yōtei is an active stratovolcano located in Shikotsu-Toya National Park. It is one of the 100 most famous mountains in Japan. At the end of the day, we will return to Sapporo.

Night in Sapporo

Inclusions: Accommodation, Breakfast and Dinner at hotel, Private Guide, Transportation and Fees

Day 5 – Daisetsuzan National Park, Sounkyo Sightseeing

This morning, we set out to visit Daisetsuzan National Park via Asahikawa city. Located in the center of Hokkaido, Asahikawa is the island’s second-largest city after Sapporo. There is a “Ramen Village” with 8 original Ramen restaurants. How many ramen bowls can you eat? Find and enjoy your favorite Ramen here!

After your lunch, continue to Daisetsuzan National Park which is Hokkaido’s largest national park. Enjoy the ropeway ride and marvel over a preserved mountainous area of virtually unspoiled wilderness. Drive to Sounkyo Onsen for a night. Tonight, you will stay at a  Ryokan with a hot spring.

Night in Sounkyo Onsen Ryokan

Inclusions: Accommodation, Breakfast and Dinner at hotel, Private Guide, Transportation and Fees

Day 6 – Abashiri, Shiretoko Sightseeing

After breakfast, you will depart for a day of adventure in east Hokkaido. We will visit North Fox Farm, which cares for the well-being of one of Hokkaido’s native treasures – the Ezo red fox. These adorable creatures, noted for their gorgeous and fluffy coats, are considered heavenly messengers in traditional Shinto mythology, with statues of foxes decorating the grounds of many shrines. Then continue to Lake Saroma Observatory, which is situated on a hilltop with a panoramic view of the lake. This enables you to enjoy looking at every part of Lake Saroma, which is actually a large lagoon with a circumference of 87kms . In good weather, it is possible to see as far as the Sea of Okhotsk and the mountains of the Shiretoko Range.

After lunch, you will visit Abashiri Prison Museum. It opened in 1890, had over 1,000 political prisoners who were isolated in Abashiri village and forced to build roads linking it to the more populous south. It is the only prison museum in the country. You will end the tour at Shiretoko National Park. The park covers most of the Shiretoko Peninsula at the northeastern tip of the island of Hokkaidō and is best known as the home of Japan’s largest brown bear population. We will visit the five lakes that offer beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and wilderness, and provide you an easy way to experience Shiretoko’s unspoiled nature. In summer, you can swim in a hot spring waterfall called Kamuiwakka Falls.

Night in Shiretoko

Inclusions: Accommodation, Breakfast and Dinner at hotel, Private Guide, Transportation and Fees

Day 7 – Lake Mashu, Lake Akan Cruise, Ainu Village

After breakfast, you will visit the popular Lake Mashu Observatory. The cobalt blue lake, located at 300m, shimmers in the clear mountain air. After the observatory, you will continue to Lake Akan, a beautiful crater lake, located in Akan Mashu National Park. The lake is protected as a ‘Special Natural Monument of Japan’ for its green Marimo algae, a rare algae which forms at the bottom of the lake in large, fluffy balls. A boat cruise will take you around to the scenic Takiguchi area and the Marimo Exhibition and Observation Center where you can enjoy seeing the wildflowers, fall leaves, and other seasonal sights, year-round.

After the boat ride, you will end at Ainu Kotan Village that specializes in handicrafts, cultural items, and other souvenirs from the native Ainu culture. You can delve further into the fascinating Ainu lifestyle and culture at the Ainu Living Memorial Hall. There are multiple traditional craft and souvenir shops, restaurants and coffee shops serving both Hokkaido and Ainu cuisine.

Tonight, you will stay at Onsen Ryokan close by to Lake Akan.

Night in Lake Akan Onsen

Inclusions: Accommodation, Breakfast and Dinner at hotel, Private Guide, Transportation and Fees

Day 8 – Lake Onneto, Kushiro Sightseeing

After breakfast, you will visit Lake Onneto, which is called a mysterious lake because it appears to change color every time you look at it. Take a break during your journey to Kushiro and visit the Akan International Crane Center. Kushiro is the home of the rare and beautiful Tancho “red-crowned” crane. The crane is a bird closely tied to Japanese folklore, and you can see many of these delicate birds here year-round, as well as view exhibits about the breeding and ecology of cranes. After lunch, continue to explore the Kushiro-Shitsugen (wetlands) National Park, which offers bird watching, nature viewing, and walking trails. Japanese Cranes can be viewed there year-round and attract hundreds of photographers.

You will check-in the hotel in the early evening and rest at the hotel for a Bar-hopping of true local Izakaya in Kushiro.

Night in Kushiro

Inclusions: Accommodation, Breakfast and Dinner at hotel, Private Guide, Transportation and Fees

Day 9 – Tokachi, Cape Erimo Sightseeing

Today, you will visit the Tokachi district, which is in the southeastern part of Hokkaido. The district is well known for its natural scenery, gourmet food, sweets, the outdoors, and hot springs that are called “Sweets Kingdom.” You will next visit Tokachi Winery (established in 1963), where you can enjoy the winery tour and a tasting. After wine tasting, continue to Eight Gardens on the Hokkaido Garden Path, which is the garden that stretches 250km from Asahikawa city.

After a lunch of tasty Hokkaido ingredients at the garden, continue to Cape Erimo. The cape, which is located at the southernmost point of the island, where hot and cold fronts meet, thus creating a dense mist that covers the cape for more than 100 days a year. The cape is known for its magnificent natural scenery. You will also visit a wind museum which is a fun place to experience the winds of Cape Erimo. See if you can stand up to 25m/s winds head-on! After enjoying Cape Erimo, you will go back to Obihiro for your stay.

If you still have energy left, Obihiro city is also a great sport for a night bar-hopping tour.

Night in Obihiro

Inclusions: Accommodation, Breakfast and Dinner at hotel, Private Guide, Transportation and Fees

Day 10 – Wild Bear Safari Park, Furano Sightseeing, Sapporo

After breakfast, you will visit Sahoro Resort Bear Mountain, which is the first, free-range brown bear reserve in Japan. It is a spot where you can observe the largest species of brown bear, which lives only in Hokkaido, in a state close to nature.

You will next continue to the Furano area which offers you many fun places to visit. First visit the Cheese Factory, where you observe the production process of the local camembert type cheese. And what’s best with cheese? Of course, wine, at the Furano Winery, which has been producing a local varietal wine since 1972. Located on a hill overlooking the town, the Furano Winery is open to the public and includes free wine tasting.

After lunch, continue to Biei Town, named after the appearance of its fields seen from above; it’s called the Patchwork Road.

After your great adventure trip throughout Hokkaido, you will return to Sapporo.

Free at leisure in Sapporo.

Night in Sapporo

Inclusions: Accommodation, Breakfast and Dinner at hotel, Private Guide, Transportation and Fees

Day 11 – Free at leisure in Sapporo

No Guide; No Private Car provided.

Night in Sapporo

Inclusions: Breakfast at hotel

Day 12 – Departure

After your breakfast, you will be transferred to Shin-Chitose Airport for your departure.

Say good-bye to the great land, Hokkaido, and hope to see you again soon.