・Asahiyama Zoo
As one of Hokkaido's most iconic tourist attractions, you can meet approximately 700 animals across 100 different species. Located at the northernmost point of Japan, Asahiyama Zoo is unique for its expertise in raising animals from cold regions, such as polar bears, seals, and penguins. Please note that Asahiyama Zoo will be closed from November 4 to November 10, 2023.
・Biei Patchwork Road
This is a coined term describing the scenery of the Biei hills, where fields of seasonal flowers and crops spread out like a patchwork quilt. Recommended spots include the Ken & Mary Tree, Seven Stars Tree, and the Parent-and-Child Tree.
・Blue Pond
As a spectacular spot in Hokkaido's great outdoors, the popular Shirogane Blue Pond (commonly known as the Blue Pond) is a famous destination visited by many tourists throughout the year, thanks to its highly photogenic, social-media-worthy scenery.
・Shirahige Waterfall
Located right next to the Shirogane Onsen district, this scenic spot is a must-visit alongside the Blue Pond. The waterfall drops approximately 30 meters, splashing vigorously against the rock face. It is a rare type of waterfall in Japan known as a 'subsurface flow waterfall,' where abundant groundwater from the Tokachi mountain range gushes out from cracks in the lava layer. The Biei River, often called the Blue River, catches the white streaks of the falls. Like the Blue Pond, you can see a beautiful cobalt blue landscape when the weather is clear. In winter, a light-up event is held, offering a majestic view of the waterfall illuminated against the backdrop of deep, snowy nature. Filled with negative ions, this place is also known as a 'power spot.'
・Shikisai-no-oka
A panoramic flower garden where flowers bloom across a vast expanse of land. You can enjoy various types of flowers season by season from spring to autumn, including tulips, poppies, and sunflowers planted in colorful strips. During the green season from late April to late October, a tractor bus (500 JPY per ride) runs around the park. Additionally, the Alpaca Farm (admission 500 JPY) is open year-round, allowing you to get up close to adorable alpacas and even experience feeding them.
・Furano Farm
Harmonizing beautifully with the great outdoors, you can enjoy the seasonal scenery of Furano. We will guide you through Furano, where approximately 80 types of flowers, including the region's iconic lavender and lupines, bloom throughout the year across a vast 150,000-square-meter site.
・Located right in front of the New Furano Prince Hotel, Ningle Terrace is a shopping area nestled in the forest. Fifteen log cabins are scattered along a wooden boardwalk, each featuring carefully selected crafts based on unique themes. It is a magical, fantastical space that feels as if fairies might truly dwell there.
・Lake Akan
A caldera lake formed by a volcanic eruption approximately 150,000 years ago. Four islands are scattered across the lake: Oshima, Kojima, Yaitai Island, and Churui Island. Surrounded by Mount Meakan and Mount Oakan, the lake is rich in nature, with the Lake Akan Onsen hot springs gushing out along the southern shore.
・Shiretoko Five Lakes
Five mysterious lakes surrounded by lush primeval forests. It is a nature-rich spot where you can enjoy beautiful surrounding landscapes of sea, mountains, and forests all at once. It is a popular, iconic scenic spot within the World Natural Heritage site of Shiretoko. It is also a habitat for many wild animals such as Ezo deer and brown bears, which you may occasionally spot. You can move between the lakes via elevated wooden paths or ground trails, offering views of the Shiretoko mountain range and the distant Okhotsk Sea. Enjoy a liberating walk surrounded by the natural sounds of the environment.
・Road to the Sky
A straight road spanning approximately 18km that you must drive through at least once during your Shiretoko trip. Stretching from Minehama in Shari Town to the Daiei district, you can enjoy touring while taking in the quintessential Hokkaido scenery with fields and green forests spreading out on both sides of the road.
The road, which stretches far into the distance, is nicknamed the 'Road to the Sky' because it looks as if it connects directly to the heavens. Enjoy a drive under the vast blue sky during the day, or enveloped by the crimson-dyed sky at dusk.
・Sunayu / Lake Kussharo
You can observe the 'natural beauty of extreme cold' created by the frozen lake and temperatures dropping near minus 30 degrees Celsius. Starting in February, you can witness phenomena such as frost flowers forming on the frozen lake surface and the 'Omiwatari' (ice ridge) phenomenon.
・Lake Shikotsu
Lake Shikotsu, whose name originates from the Ainu word 'shi-kot' (large depression), features a landscape of steep, cliff-like 'columnar joints' beneath the water's surface. The depth of the lake speaks to the intensity of the past explosions, with a maximum depth of 363 meters, ranking it the second deepest in Japan after Lake Tazawa in Akita Prefecture. Because of its depth, the lake surface rarely freezes, and it is known as the northernmost ice-free lake in Japan.
・Lake Toya
Lake Toya, which holds an Ainu legend about a 'great serpent with wings,' was born from the eruption of an underwater volcano. This article introduces recommended spots around Lake Toya, how to enjoy the lake over a full day, and model sightseeing courses based in New Chitose Airport or Sapporo. It also includes information on convenient hotels for staying overnight or using day-trip hot springs in this scenic area where you can enjoy high-quality onsen and sightseeing.
・Cape Chikiu
The name originates from the Ainu word 'chikep,' meaning 'cliff.' Over time, it evolved from 'chikep' to 'chikiu,' and finally to 'Cape Chikiu.' The lighthouse on the cape has a light height of 131 meters and a luminous range of 25 nautical miles, with its first illumination in 1920. Cape Chikiu is one of the country's leading scenic spots, featuring a series of sheer cliffs around 100 meters high, and on clear days, you can overlook the Pacific Ocean from the observation deck. It is a popular tourist destination representing Hokkaido, having ranked first in the '100 Natural Wonders of Hokkaido,' and is crowded with tourists from near and far on New Year's Day to pray at the first sunrise of the year.
・Bear Park
Showa-shinzan was named after the active volcano of the same name. Originally, the mountain was only 270 meters tall, but due to continuous crustal activity, it grew taller day by day and now stands at 398 meters above sea level. It is a 'new mountain' that is still growing and is classified as a rare lava dome volcano. You can still see white geothermal smoke rising from the reddish-brown mountains. The Showa-shinzan Bear Ranch is home to about 100 purebred brown bears. The ranch is spacious, and the brown bears are divided into relatively fixed areas based on their age groups.
・Noboribetsu Jigokudani (Hell Valley)
Visit Jigokudani to see hot water flowing over the reddish-brown mountain surface and volcanic gas erupting. Jigokudani is vast and is a place where you can truly feel the power of nature.
・Hakodate Night View
The night view from Mount Hakodate is recognized as one of the world's top three and Japan's top three night views, highly acclaimed both domestically and internationally. It is a romantic scene where the sparkling lights of the city and coastal roads stand out vividly against the dark sea.
・Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse
Starting as the first commercial warehouse in Hakodate, the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse was established in 1887 (Meiji 20) by Kumashiro Watanabe, who operated the Kanamori Western Goods Store (now the Hakodate City Museum of Local History). The current buildings were reconstructed in 1909 (Meiji 42) using fireproof brick after the originals were destroyed by a major fire.
・Meijikan
Meijikan: This building was constructed in 1911 (Meiji 44) as the Hakodate Post Office and was used until 1962 (Showa 37). It is characterized by its brick wall exterior, semi-circular arched windows, and decorations on the front gable. Today, it is used as a shopping mall featuring souvenir shops and more.
・Hakodate Morning Market
A major tourist spot gathering the flavors of Hakodate. The Hakodate Morning Market is a permanent market located near JR Hakodate Station. About 250 shops are lined up, including those selling seafood and produce, as well as direct-from-farm shops run by agricultural producers. There is also a restaurant area and food court serving dishes like seafood bowls and ramen, making it a major Hakodate tourist spot that bustles from early morning.
・Niseko
The place name 'Niseko (Nisekoan)' comes from the Ainu language and means '(a river flowing under) a steep cliff'.
Also, 'Nupuri' means 'mountain' in Ainu, so the mountain where the ski resort is located, 'Niseko-Annupuri', means 'a mountain with a steep cliff (and a river below it)' in Ainu. Incidentally, 'Niseko-Annupuri' does not include the characters for 'mountain' or 'peak' found in common Japanese notation.
There are many place names in Hokkaido with Ainu origins, but most are written in Kanji. After the Meiji era, settlers in Niseko town transcribed the Ainu place names, but it is said that for 'Niseko', the assigned Kanji never caught on, and the Katakana version became the standard.
・Mount Yotei
Mount Yotei is a stratovolcano with an elevation of 1,898m located in the southern part of the Shiribeshi region of Hokkaido. It has a conical shape and is sometimes called 'Ezo Fuji'. There is a crater 700m in diameter and 200m deep at the summit, and it also has side craters on the northwest slope. There are four climbing courses, with travel times ranging from 4 to 6 hours. During the summer, you can see about 80 species of alpine plants at the summit.
・Jozankei
Origin of the place name: It is derived from 'Jozan' of Mii Jozan, who confirmed the existence of hot springs in this area around 1866, built a hot spring resort, and contributed to the development of the Jozankei district. Mii Jozan was a Soto Zen monk from Okayama Prefecture who conducted missionary activities in various places along the Hokkaido Sea of Japan coast, including Esashi, Setana, and Otaru's Hariusu, starting in 1853 (Kaei 6). Today, a bronze statue of Mii Jozan stands in Jozankei, and Jozan-ji Temple, which he founded, still exists.
～Itinerary Introduction～
Meeting Time: 08:00
Meeting and Departure Point: Customer's Hotel Lobby
Private Course (Recommended)
1 Asahiyama Zoo
2 Biei Patchwork Road - Ken & Mary Tree
3 Seven Stars Tree
4 Parent and Child Tree
5 Blue Pond / Shirahige Waterfall
6 Shikisai-no-oka
7 Furano Farm
8 Ningle Terrace
9 Lake Akan
10 Sunayu - Lake Kussharo
11 Mount Io
12 Lake Mashu
13 Shiretoko Peninsula
14 Abashiri Drift Ice
15 Noboribetsu Jigokudani
16 Lake Toya Lakeside
17 Hakodate Night View
18 Goryokaku
19 Kanemori Warehouse Group
20 Meijikan
21 Morning Market
22 Niseko
23 Mount Yotei
24 Jozankei
25 Shiroi Koibito Park
26 Otaru Canal / Mount Tengu
27 Denuki Koji / Sankaku Market
28 Kokusai Ski Resort
29 Moiwa Ropeway
30 Sapporo Odori Park
31 Sapporo Snow Festival / Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival
32 Arrival in Sapporo (Scheduled)
Duration: According to customer needs.
Notes:
① Daily operation time: 10 hours between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM in summer; 8 hours between 8:00 AM and 8:00 PM in winter.
② Daily mileage limit is 250 km. Extension fee: 5,000 yen per 30 minutes or 150 yen per 1 km.
③ We will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel lobby.
④ Fully private courses are available.
