Hokkaido

I finally found a bus that goes to both Toya and Otaru! The bus is small, and most of the tourists in this tour spoke Chinese and English. Our guide, Mr. Zheng, switched fluently between the two languages, making communication easy and putting us at ease. He also provided explanations along the way, allowing us to rest. The driver drove very smoothly. Perhaps because it's a small bus, the speed felt quite fast, but we were still able to rest comfortably on the bus. We arrived at the attractions early, avoiding large tour groups, which was great! 🥺 Highly recommend it to anyone who wants a quick day trip, saving you transfer time! Since Otaru was the last stop, you could leave freely there, but you need to inform your tour guide, otherwise you might not be able to wait for anyone. The only regret, which was unavoidable, was that we didn't have time to walk to the Otaru Canal. The bus stopped near Minami-Otaru. If you want to see the Otaru Canal, I suggest heading straight there after getting off the bus. It's very crowded, and a round trip on foot would take at least an hour. On the way back, you can leisurely browse the shops. After visiting the shopping streets, I didn't find anything particularly special that I wanted to buy, as there are similar shopping areas at Tanukikoji and the airport. In short, it left me with a bit of regret, but I'll definitely visit again sometime. 🖐️

Being able to visit Asahiyama Zoo, Christmas Tree, Blue Pond, and Shirasu Falls in one day, avoiding the hassle of getting lost, and making it possible to travel back and forth between these places in one day is really efficient! There weren't many people at Asahiyama Zoo today, and I was so happy to see polar bears, penguins, and seals up close! Although there wasn't enough time to see all the animals, seeing these animals that are rarely seen up close in Taiwan made me very satisfied!

When I showed my kkday QR code at the ticket counter, they kindly guided me to priority boarding! (Everyone just got it on the spot and went up.) The weather in Sapporo in November is unpredictable, sometimes clear but sometimes rainy, and as expected, it rained for a while, but then stopped and we saw clear skies and a bright moon, which was nice. Even if it rains, if you wait inside for a while, you will be able to see clear skies again. I still recommend going on a cloudless day! I went because it was said to be one of the three best night views of Japan, and it was so nice.

Our tour guide, Fatarafat, provided very detailed explanations and allowed ample time for each attraction. On October 28th, we happened to experience the first snowfall in Asahikawa, and the snow-covered Asahiyama Zoo, Blue Pond, Shirahige Falls, and Fairy Terrace were exceptionally beautiful! The tour members were also excellent, all arriving on time, making it a very enjoyable experience!

The visit to Asahiyama Zoo is relatively short; if you want to see multiple animals, you can download a map and plan your route beforehand. The lunch restaurant takes a long time to prepare, and the food is just average; you can buy some food at the rest stop. The Blue Pond and Shirahige Falls are quite beautiful, and the scenery from the bus is also quite nice. Tour guide Yan is very nice; he provides explanations in Chinese, English, and Japanese and will even help you take photos.

I booked several trips to Hokkaido in 2023 and was very satisfied. I booked again in 2025. The driver was very helpful, punctual and polite, and the car was comfortable and spacious. I will definitely book again if I have the chance.