Asahiyama Zoo

Our tour guide, Zhang Jie, was professional, responsible, and polite. The driver drove safely, and the meals were plentiful. We highly recommend the tour; it's a pity we went too early and didn't see any drift ice.

We set off on a snowy day in Sapporo! The two-day itinerary went smoothly, and a special thank you to our tour guide, Sunny, for making this trip so unforgettable; and thank you to our hardworking driver who drove us safely and steadily to every destination in the snow-covered landscape. On the first day, we visited Asahikawa Zoo, where we saw penguins walking, polar bears, red pandas, and rabbits that became part of the snowy scenery. At Shikisai-no-Oka, we experienced snowmobiling, rubber boating, and snow tubing, and even fed the adorable alpacas—everything was so much fun! A bag of Biei potato chips I randomly bought at a shop—oh my god! They were so delicious! That evening, we stayed at the Sounkyo Daiun Ryokan, enjoying a delicious buffet dinner and soaking in the hot springs, especially the outdoor bath—the sub-zero temperature experience was unforgettable. The next morning, we headed to the icebreaker cruise ship. Although there was no ice to break at sea, the lottery game on board brought laughter to everyone and created wonderful travel memories for the group members we met by chance. What a fantastic two-day trip! 👍

On our last day in Japan, we went to the zoo and realized that two hours wasn't enough! 😂 But Xiaoyu had told us to buy meal tickets beforehand, saving us from the incredibly long queues for food later, although the queues for food pickup were also incredibly long. I really enjoyed Xiaoyu's explanations of Hokkaido, the origins and history of the attractions, etc., on the bus. It was very lively and interesting, not like a history lesson that made me want to sleep. The sake at Blue Pond was delicious! Better than ice cream! 😂 The blue part of the ice cream was similar to Calpis, a bit sour, which I thought was quite good, but the white part didn't have much flavor. The snow-capped mountain view on the other side of Blue Pond was even more beautiful than the pond itself! 🤩 Shirahige Falls didn't freeze, the whole place was gorgeous!! The final Fairy Terrace was really worth taking photos at… Although it was 40 minutes, 10 minutes longer than the itinerary, it took 20 minutes to walk there and back, and there were so many people, so you really had to hurry and take photos before leaving. It was still very worthwhile, and luckily, the whole trip went smoothly without any major snowstorms! Nothing unexpected happened, and we even saw penguins strolling around and entered the Fairy Terrace – so lucky! Most importantly, Xiao Yu's guided tour was fantastic, making the trip anything but a boring, mechanical experience. 👍👍👏👏

The itinerary was well-planned, with punctual departures from all attractions and detailed explanations from the tour guide. Although the Fairy Terrace tour was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, the reason was clearly explained, and the replacement attraction was equally beautiful. A LINE group was provided before departure, providing updates on meeting times, locations, and information. Highly recommended for a day trip.

This family trip to Hokkaido for a snowy countryside experience was a great alternative to our self-driving tour. Our guide, Ms. Lily, was incredibly friendly and humorous, providing clear explanations and even helping with photos. Our driver was excellent, driving safely for long stretches in the snow and always welcoming. The scenery was beautiful in the snow. The zoo tour was perfect for the whole family, although we were pressed for time and the tour bus was small and not very comfortable. Overall, though, it was a wonderful and unforgettable experience!