×

REQUEST INFORMATION


Don't know which tour is suitable for you?

Let us help you. Please tell us more about your interests. We will send some suggestions based on your needs.

Departure Date *
Number of Nights *
Your First Trip to Japan? *
Yes No
Travel Style *
What would you like to see and do?
Title *
Last Name *
Country *
Email Address *
Confirm Email Address *
You can also reach us by Phone (1-909-988-8885) or Whatsapp (1-909- 818-5901)
header image

Charms of Hokkaido Tour: Hokkaido Winter Festivals

Fully Escorted

Local Cuisine

Handpicked Hotels

Private Transportation

No Options Sold

Lights
per person
2024/2025/2026 JAPAN WINTER TOURS

BOOK

NOW
SAVE US$100
Tour Code: GTG1373502

Charms of Hokkaido Tour: Hokkaido Winter Festivals

22 Reviews

9 days 8 nights

fromUSD $3798.00

currency

US dollar Canada dollar Singapore dollar Euro Pond

Single Supplement: USD $720.00


See the Sapporo Snow Festival, as well as three other main Winter Festivals in Hokkaido.

The Sapporo Snow Festival is arguably Japan's best-known winter festival. The annual event is held in early February in the various known venues within Sapporo. Every year some 50,000 tourists from abroad come to join the festivities, eventually totaling to around 2 million visitors that include people from within the country. Stand before enormous works of hand-crafted art that can melt your heart or expand your imagination. The Ground Self- Defense Force and other citizen participants work to make these marvelous works of art annually. This tour will take you to see the Sapporo Snow Festival, as well as, other main Winter Festivals in Hokkaido - Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival, Asahikawa Winter Festival, and Sounkyo Ice Fall Festival.

Try your hand at traditional ryokans with tatami floors, hot onsen baths, and kaiseki dinners for your experience, making it a great memory along the way. The sites and sounds of winter were placed into this itinerary for your experiences. You will see igloos and castles made of ice illuminated from the interior at night, casting shadows and enlightening your imagination along with beautiful scenes of nature, forests, mountains, and marshlands covered in snow. You can even go walking on the frozen lakes during your winter adventure.

Visit the Upopoy National Ainu Museum, a newer museum facility that celebrates the cultural heritage of the native Ainu people, including exhibits on Ainu language, culture, history, crafts, music, and dance. We travel into the romantic and nostalgic town of Otaru for a leisurely stroll through the port city's heritage district. At the Otokoyama Sake Brewery, you will learn about brewery history in Japan and visit the buildings that hold the brewery pride of Hokkaido. Inside their buildings are also valuable sets of traditional brewing tools that can be viewed by the public. Of course, there will be a sake tasting portion waiting for you at this destination, as well. We will also stop for a visit to the Kitakitsune Farm, which cares for the well being of one of Hokkaido's native treasures - the Ezo red fox.

Finally, we face the Sea of Okhotsk with an icebreaker cruise. Once there, we will view the drift ice along the Shiretoko Peninsula, Japan's new World Heritage Site. Hokkaido's Lake Tofutsu offers it visitors a chance to see some 2,000 whooper swans that migrate from Siberia for the winter. Once at Lake Akan, we will experience a local practice and delicacy, Wakasagi smelt fishing. Then visit Ainu Kotan, a street that specializes in hand-crafts, cultural items, and other souvenirs from the native Ainu culture. In Akan International Crane Center, you can explore the winter home of the tancho, or Red-crowned crane. The Kushiro Marshlands is Japan's largest wetland, which is protected by the Ramsar Convention in 1980. Since then, it has been incorporated into Kushiro Shitsugen National Park in 1987.

Ready To Plan Your Trip For The Hokkaido Winter Festivals? Book Today!

See Below For The Tour Information For The Annual Hokkaido Japan Winter Festivals:



View More

Tour Information

Dates & Price

2025

Start Date End Date Twin/Triple Start City End City Style Save Status
Sun. Feb 2, 2025 Mon. Feb 10, 2025 USD $3798.00 Sapporo Kushiro Deluxe Guarantee / Book Now  

2026

Start Date End Date Twin/Triple Start City End City Style Save Status
Tue. Feb 3, 2026 Wed. Feb 11, 2026 USD $3798.00 Sapporo Kushiro Deluxe Guarantee / Book Now  

Please Note:

All prices are per person, based on twin (double on request) or triple occupancy.
International flights are not included on our tours - this allows you the flexibility to choose your own departure and get the best value for your money!

We can arrange international flights for US customers if needed, please ask for details.

Deposit

We require US$200 deposit per person to hold the space at time of booking and the final payment is due 2 month prior to departure.

What's included

  • • 5 nights Western style and 3 nights Japanese style accommodation
  • • Meet and greet upon arrival at Sapporo New Chitose Airport
  • • Airport transfers on arrival and departure
  • • Private coach transfers between destinations in Japan
  • • Comprehensive escorted with AJT professional English speaking tour guide

  •   Meals
  • • Breakfast everyday
  • • 5 lunches and 4 dinners

  • Admission fees and activities
  • • All entry fees to sites, activities listed in the itinerary

What's NOT included

  • • International Airfares
  • • Meals that are not included in the itinerary
  • • Travel Insurance
  • • Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks
  • • Personal expenses such as telephone and laundry bills

Additional Information

Transport

Travel by private coach between destinations, hassle free baggage handling.


Arrival Departure Airports

For arrivals at New Chitose Airport (CTS), this tour starts in Sapporo and ends in Kushiro, with departures at Kushiro Airport (KUH).


Meal Requests

Vegetarian or special meals can be arranged.


Meet and Greet

Please note that the meet and greet and airport transfer to the first hotel is ONLY available on the first day of the tour after 11 AM. If you plan to stay extra nights before the start of the tour, we will provide full instructions in advance for you to transfer to your hotel on your own.


Itinerary In Brief

  • Day1   Arrive in Sapporo
  • Day2   Shiraoi - Lake Shikotsu - Sapporo
  • Day3   Sapporo
  • Day4   Sapporo - Otaru
  • Day5   Asahikawa - Sounkyo
  • Day6   Sounkyo - Kitami - Abashiri
  • Day7   Abashiri - Lake Tofutsu - Lake Akan
  • Day8   Lake Akan - Kushiro
  • Day9   Tour ends

Click here for detailed itinerary

Tour schedule and prices subject to change without notice

Get A Trip Estimate Save & Compare
Book Now

Shiraoi / Lake Shikotsu / Sapporo / Otaru / Asahikawa / Sounkyo / Kitami / Abashiri / Lake Tofutsu / Lake Akan / Kushiro


View Itinerary Print Itinerary Share to friends
Call one of our specialists at 1-909-988-8885 Toll Free: 1-855-325-2726 (US/CANADA) Whatsapp: 1-909-818-5901 |

Why Travel on Our
Group Tours

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book.

Best Itinerary

Planned by experts, based on seasonal favorites and must-see sites.

Budget-friendly

Choose your style and split cost with other passengers

Hand-picked Accommodations

Chosen by our experienced staff

Fully Guided

Guide is available to you 24/7 and sleeps in the same hotel

Unique experiences

Learn to create your own Sushi, meet a geisha or maiko, and more

Connect

Meet locals and visit rural areas of Japan you might miss on other tours