Hokkaido Sparkling Snow Tour Overview

Embrace the Essence of Winter: From Sapporo's Shimmering Lights to Okhotsk's Gleaming Sea Ice!

Our winter tour showcases Hokkaido's pristine natural beauty, featuring an ice-breaking cruise off the coast of remote Abashiri and a scenic journey through the snow-blanketed plains of Furano. Marvel at the stunning sculptures at Sapporo’s renowned Snow Festival, immerse yourself in the frosty marvels of Sounkyo’s Ice Waterfall Festival, and enjoy the spectacle of winter fireworks over Lake Akan. Explore snow houses in Shikaribetsu’s Ice Village and witness a brilliant fusion of lights and music at Obihiro’s Sairinka Ice Flower Festival.

Engage in delightful, beginner-friendly activities like smelt ice fishing and creating your own fabric designs using unique local dyes. Experience the thrill of snowmobiling through the forest at Wonderland Sapporo. Savor delectable regional cuisine recommended by local experts, relax in a soothing hot spring bath, and embrace the joy of the winter wonderland in Hokkaido!

  • Experience the Renowned Sapporo Snow Festival and More! Discover Hokkaido's Sparkling Winter Wonderland
  • This trip goes to Otaru, Asahikawa, Sounkyo Onsen, Abashiri, Lake Mashu, Lake Akan, Lake Shikaribetsu, Obihiro, Furano, Sapporo, and more!
  • Includes 24 meals
  • Complimentary pocket WiFi router
FROM
$3,790
per person
DAYS
10 Days
CITIES
14 Cities: Otaru, Abashiri, Furano, Sapporo and more
Hokkaido Sparkling map

Ask HIS America's experienced Japan specialists about this tour and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Itinerary

January 30 / Febryuary 1

Departure from U.S. airports

Airplane

DAY 1 - January 31 / February 2 - CHITOSE

Arrive at New Chitose Airport
Meet local guide
Walk to hotel directly connected to airport
Bento box dinner handed out, relax in your room

New Chitose hotel

DAY 2 - February 1 / February 3 - OTARU

Breakfast at hotel
Head to Wonderland Sapporo for snowmobiling experience - drive through the snowy forest!
*Outdoor clothing, boots, etc. are provided
Lunch at local restaurant
Visit Otaru for city highlights + free time for souvenir shopping around Sakaimachi Street
Dinner at local restaurant

snowmobile snowboard Souvenir shopping

DAY 3 - February 2 / February 4 - ASAHIKAWA, SOUNKYO ONSEN

Breakfast at hotel
Start driving toward central Hokkaido & Asahikawa. Stop at Sunagawa Highway Oasis
Sightseeing at Asahiyama Zoo - enjoy the famous penguin walk!
Lunch at local restaurant
Visit Craft-kan (artisan wooden items) and Otokoyama Sake Museum (free tastings!)
Drive to Sounkyo Onsen, check in to hotel
Enjoy deluxe buffet and onsen at hotel!
Head over to the Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival (walking distance) along with fireworks!

Penguin walk Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival fireworks

DAY 4 - February 3 / February 5 - SOUNKYO ONSEN, KITAMI, ABASHIRI

Breakfast at hotel
Photo stop at Ginga and Ryuusei frozen waterfalls
Drive to Kitami, visit the Great Northern Aquarium (exhibits on Hokkaido's local fish)
Lunch at local restaurant
Reach Abashiri, enjoy Sea of Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum
Shopping at Michi no Eki Ryuhyo Kaido, then ice-breaker boat cruise to see drift ice
Enjoy deluxe kaiseki dinner and onsen at hotel!

Ginga and Ryuusei frozen waterfalls Okhotsk Drift Ice kaiseki dinner

DAY 5 - February 4 / February 6 - ABASHIRI

Breakfast at hotel
Smelt ice fishing experience on Lake Abashiri (tents available to stay warm while on lake)
Lunch at local restaurant
Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples (Ainu cultural exhibits and more)
Lake Tofutsu Wetland Center - look out for sea eagles and swans!
Hands-on dyeing experience with local specialty Okhotsk onion skins
Dinner at local restaurant, then enjoy onsen at hotel!

Smelt ice fishing experience Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples

DAY 6 - February 5 / February 7 - LAKE MASHU, LAKE AKAN

Breakfast at hotel
Drive to Lake Mashu, sightseeing at observatory
Head to Tsurui-Ito Tancho Sanctuary (wild Japanese Red-crowned Cranes)
Lunch at local restaurant
Move to Lake Akan, arrive at hotel and enjoy onsen!
Free time in the afternoon to explore Ainu Kotan (traditional craft village)
Deluxe buffet dinner at hotel, then enjoy "Lost Kamuy" performance (digital art + Ainu dance)

Lake Mashu Cranes Lake Akan

DAY 7 - February 6 / February 8 - LAKE SHIKARIBETSU, OBIHIRO

Breakfast at hotel
Drive to Lake Shikaribetsu for Shikaribetsu Ice Village festival
Lunch at local restaurant
Head to Obihiro, shopping at Ryugetsu Sweetpia Garden - renowned Hokkaido confectionary!
Arrive at hotel and enjoy onsen!
Dinner at local restaurant
Sairinka Ice Flower music and illumination festival

Lake Shikaribetsu renowned Hokkaido confectionary Sairinka Ice Flower music and illumination festival

DAY 8 - February 7 / February 9 - FURANO, SAPPORO

Breakfast at hotel
Stop by Kofuku former train station (famous area for good luck)
Drive to Furano, then lunch at local restaurant
Ningle Terrace sightseeing & handicrafts shopping
Furano Cheese Factory souvenir shopping - everything made using local Furano milk!
Drive to Sapporo, check in to hotel
Special farewell deluxe dinner at local restaurant

Former Koufuku Station Ningle Terrace Sapporo

DAY 9 - February 8 / February 10 - SAPPORO

Breakfast at hotel
Free day to explore the city on your own and see the famous Sapporo Snow Festival!
*No bus or guide on this day. Ask us for recommendations!

Sapporo Snow Festival

DAY 10 - February 9 / February 11 - SAPPORO

Breakfast at hotel
Free morning to explore Sapporo. Last chance for shopping and dining!
Meet guide in afternoon, transfer to New Chitose Airport
Shopping at airport, then depart for US

Sapporo Transfer Departure

*Pictures shown are for illustration purposes only


HIS America's experienced Japan specialists will get back to you as soon as possible
Details
Prices

Tour dates:
January 30 – February 9, 2025 (10 Days 9 Nights in Japan) – Group 1
February 1 – February 11, 2025 (10 Days 9 nights in Japan) – Group 2

Tour Price (per Person)
$3,790
Please inquire for children’s price (child under 6 years old, no separate bed)

Single supplement: Additional $800

Deposit
$300/person when applying for this group package tour.
Refundable if cancelled before September 26, 2024.

Final payment deadline
October 27 , 2024

We can also arrange your international flights between any cities in the U.S. and Japan at our special airfare.
Please ask your agent for more details.




Included
  • Accommodation: 9 nights
  • Meals: 24 memorable meals
  • Onsen (hot springs)
  • WiFi Router
  • Admissions: For all trips and visits (except free day)
  • Transportation: Only the transportation specified in each itinerary are included
NOT Included

Incidental charges and expenses other than those specified in the preceding article including, but not limited to, laundry, domestic and international phone calls, telephone rental, additional meals and drinks and any other expense of personal nature, US domestic air fares, excess baggage charges in respect to number and weight, medical expenses for injuries and illness, and traveling and accommodation costs between arrival and departure outside the duration of the package itinerary.

Package Tour Code:
LTJ-HANBJ-STD, LTJ-HANBJ-SUP

Ask HIS America's experienced Japan specialists about this tour and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Cancellation and Cancellation Fees:

Cancellation and Cancellation Fees: After full payment is made, a cancelled reservation will incur a cancellation penalty charge per person according to the guidelines below. "Total Cost" is defined as the full cost of the package including tax and fuel surcharge (if applicable). "Departure" is defined as the date of departure for the package for which the reservation was made.

Pertinent Information Before Travel

HOTEL
-The hotel rooms are considerably smaller than western ones.
-The ceilings are much lower, giving a perception of the scope of the rooms.
-The normal double beds are French-sized (140cm x 200cm), with a few hotels featuring double rooms with a double bed.
-Rooms with double beds or smoking rooms must be specially reserved and, because of the scarcity, cannot be guaranteed.
-The pajamas and yukata provided by the hotel are only for use in the hotel.


TRAINS
-The spaces for suitcases on Japanese trains are very limited (this is the reason for the separate transport of the luggage in our packages).
-For the packages that mention the JR Pass, our assistant or guide will help with reserving the train (for the tours with a guide, we cannot guarantee that the whole group can sit together). It is only possible to reserve the trains after arriving in Japan and there may be no availability for the trains mentioned in the program.
-2nd Class tickets (regular) are used in the packages. Usage of 1st class tickets must be booked and requires extra fees.
-Please refrain from talking loudly on the train.
-Talking on the phone on the train is forbidden.
-Please note that it is very difficult to reserve train tickets during specific periods such as "Golden Week" consecutive national holidays, Bon Holidays and the end of the year/New Year period.
-Commuter trains and arterial roads in big cities such as Tokyo and Osaka are crowded during the rush hour, and in the mornings and evenings.

DURING THE MEALS
-Japanese meals rarely include desserts. Sometimes there will be a small plate with fruits that accompany the main dish.
-In some typical restaurants it is obligatory to take off your shoes. We recommend wearing stockings or socks (this is not obligatory).
-For special food needs and requests (allergies, vegetarians, etc.), please state them during your reservation, so that we can inform the restaurants.

VISITS
-Often during temple/shrine visits, guests will have to take off their shoes. We advise wearing socks (not obligatory, but do not go barefoot).
-Cultural properties may be under renovation and covered.
-Itinerary may change due to inevitable causes such as closing, natural disasters, traffic jams, etc.

OTHER
-You are not allowed to stand and smoke on the street. Smoking is permitted only in designated smoking areas.
-Surcharge for arrival between 20:00 and 07:00.
-Guide / Assistant: Assistant from the airport to the hotel in English (day 1). Assistance service available for a maximum of 4 hours. After 2 hours from the originally scheduled landing time, the assistant may no longer be available. During peak seasons, assistance may be available separately at the airport and at the hotel. In case of arrival during the closure of the JR offices at the airport and in Tokyo, customers will not be able to be accompanied to validate the Japan Rail Pass and will therefore have to make changes and bookings independently in the following days. Guide in English (day 2 and day 4) Telephone support (emergency number) for the duration of the stay.
-Surcharge for arrival between 20:00 and 07:00

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENT OPTIONS
If you plan to extend your trip, we can also arrange

  • Hotel Accomodations other than specified in the itinerary
  • Japan Rail Pass and Rail Tickets
  • Japan Air Pass and Domestic Flights
  • Airport Transfers
  • Day Tours
  • etc.

We can also arrange your international flights between any cities in the U.S. and Japan at our special airfare. Please ask your agent for more details.


Terms and Conditions


Cancellation Policy

Until noon on September 26, 2024 Fully refundable. No cancellation penalty.
After noon on September 26, 2024 until noon on October 27, 2024 $200 deposit cancellation penalty
After noon on October 27, 2024 Non-refundable if cancelled by customer
After departure No refunds for airfare or unused portions of the tour, including but not limited to, missed meals, hotel nights, transportation, activities, and sightseeing.