71 Tour Reviews

Private Journey | Deluxe

Tour Code: GTH5462068

Hokkaido Snow Festival Private Tour
71 Reviews
9 days 8 nights

fromUSD $7960.00

currency

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Room Type Explained

Single Room

Single room types are rooms for single room occupants.
One person will be occupying the hotel room throughout the tour.

Twin Room

Twin room types are rooms set for two people who will occupy one room, but will have two separate beds.

Double Room

A double room is a room that has one bed for two people to share.

Triple Room

A triple room is one room where three people may share the same room. It has three separate beds.

Japanese Style Room

A Japanese-style room traditionally does not have a western-style bed, it is a tatami floor room with futon bedding. However, if you prefer a western-style bed, you may request one though we cannot guarantee it.

Please note: If you would like to request neighboring rooms next to your traveling companions, you and your traveling companions must have the same room types in order to be next to each other. For example, if you have requested a double room, but your traveling companions have requested a twin, or triple room, then neighboring rooms cannot be accommodated. However, if both you and your traveling companions match in room type, then neighboring rooms will likely be arranged for your convenience.

Enjoy the winter attractions throughout Hokkaido and visit several fun winter festivals!

Hokkaido is Japan's northernmost island and is home to several National Parks, unique wildlife, and an abundance of beautitful scenery. With amazing snow sculpture festivals in winter and an abundance of wildlife, Hokkaido is a must- see for any nature enthusiast.

Start your journey at Nibutani Ainu Culture Museum, learning about the indigenous people of Hokkaido at their unique culture. Spend a full day in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido, which serves as the host to the famed Sapporo Snow Festival every February. The Sapporo Snow Festival transforms the city into a winter wonderland of snow and ice sculptures. The festival draws millions of visitors to Sapporo for seven days each February to witness the international teams that compete in creating elaborate sculptures. The next day, explore Sapporo, where you will visit Nijo Market to buy some of the freshest seafood in Japan before traveling to Otaru, where you will have the chance to walk along the canal, lined with several small shops, restaurants, and museums.

In Asahikawa, visit the Asahikawa Winter Festival where many small sculptures, in addition to one massive sculpture, are showcased each year. To warm up, enjoy ramen at one of the eight famous ramen shops located at the Ramen Village. In the evening, travel to Sounkyo, where you will visit the Ice Fall Festival. This unique ice festival allows guests to enter sculpted ice castle, slides, and more! This festival also boasts festive performances and even a firework display, lighting up the night sky. Head to Lake Akan, where guests can try Wakasagi Smelt Fishing. This method of fishing uses a drill to make a small hole into the ice as you secure bait to a pole. After the smelt is caught, fishers typically fry up their fish or grill them on site for a tasty snack. You tours ends in Kushiro, where you can observe the Red-Crowned Crane at the Kushiro Marshlands before heading to your hotel for the last night.

This itinerary can be customized based on your budget and interests. Please feel free to CONTACT US to plan your dream trip to Japan.

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Tour Information

Please Note:

● The price is per person with minimum 2 people, based on twin/double or triple room occupancy.
● The itinerary can be customized based on your interests and budget, please contact us to plan your perfect vacation to Japan.

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 transfers between destinations in Japan
• Comprehensive escorted with AJT professional English speaking tour guide

Meals
• Breakfast everyday
• 3 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 van between destinations, baggage handling free.
Arrival Departure Airports
This tour starts and finishes in Sapporo for arrivals and departures at New Chitose Airport (CTS).
Meal Requests
Vegetarian or special meals can be arranged.
Meet and Greet
Meet and greet and airport transfers on arrival and departure included

Itinerary In Brief

Day1 Arrive in Chitose
Day2 Biratori - Lake Shikotsu - Sapporo
Day3 Sapporo
Day4 Sapporo - Otaru
Day5 Otaru - Asahikawa - Sounkyo
Day6 Sounkyo - Abashiri
Day7 Abashiri - Lake Tofutsu - Lake Akan
Day8 Akan National Park - Kushiro
Day9 Tour ends

Click here for detailed itinerary

Tour schedule and prices subject to change without notice

Day1

Welcome to Chitose!

Meet your tour guide in the airport's arrival hall and travel to the hotel by shuttle bus.

ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Chitose or similar class

Day2

Biratori - Lake Shikotsu - Sapporo

We begin our tour in Biratori, where we will visit the Nibutani Ainu Culture Museum, dedicated to the indigenious people of Hokkaido. Learn more about the Ainu's way of life and their unique culture before heading to Lake Shikotsu for their annual ice festival. Enjoy the stunning ice sculptures as they line the lake's shore and provide a fantastic ice adventure. In the evening, we travel to Sapporo, where we will visit the Sapporo Beer Museum. Sapporo Beer has been one of the oldest and most popular beer brands in the country since 1877. Enjoy the exhibits of the museum and a sampling of the fresh brewed beer.

Breakfast

ANA Hotel Sapporo or similar class

Day3

Sapporo

Today, we will spend our day enjoying the nearby Sapporo Snow Festival. This festival was started in 1950, when high schoolers built several statues in Odori Park using the snow. It has since then become the most popular snow event in Japan, attracting over two million visitors from around the world. Enjoy the three sites of this festival: Odori Site, Susukino Site and Tsudome Site. Odori site contains the larger snow sculptures as well as several smaller ones throughout the streets. Susukino Site is located in Sapporo's popular entertainment district, offering stunning sculptures and a fun environment. Tsudome Site is a fun place to hangout, as there are snow slides, snow rafting, and other fun attractions.

Breakfast

ANA Hotel Sapporo or similar class

Day4

Sapporo - Otaru

We will start our day by visiting Nijo Market in Sapporo, where guests can buy the freshest seafood and fruits in Japan. Afterwards, we will visit the Mt. Okura Observatory, which offers spectacular views of the city and is near a former Olympic Ski Jump. We then visit Sapporo's Historic Village, an open-air museum exhibiting Hokkaido's development during the Meiji Era, which includes a town, fishing village, farm village and a mountain village. We then travel to Otaru Canal, once an important part of the city's port where goods were loaded into the warehouses lining the canal. Today, the canal contains several small shops, restaurants, and museums. We will then make our way to the city's center, Sakaimachi Street, where we can find several museums, including Kitaichi Garasukan and the Otaru Music Box Museum. We will first visit Kitaichi Garasukan, a shop famous for its glasswork, before making our way to Otaru Music Box Museum, where we can find unique music boxes, ornaments, and more.

Breakfast

Grand Park Otaru Hotel or similar class

Day5

Otaru - Asahikawa - Sounkyo

In the morning, we will travel to Asahikawa, where we will visit the Asahikawa Winter Festival. This festival often showcases many small sculptures in addition to one massive sculpture each year. The giant sculpture also takes on a new theme each year. To warm up, we will head to the nearby Ramen Village. With eight famous ramen shops located here, you will be able to indulge in a warm meal. After, we head to the Otokoyama Sake Brewery, where we enjoy a tour of the brewery and taste the sake made with water from local springs. In the evening, we will travel to Sounkyo, where we visit the Ice Fall Festival. This unique ice festival allows guests to enter sculpted ice castle, slides, and more! We then head to our inn in the evening, where you will have a chance to warm up in the natural hot spring bath water.

Breakfast / Dinner

Sounkyo Choyotei Hotel or similar class

Day6

Sounkyo - Abashiri

After breakfast, we will first visit Sounkyo, where we can see Ginga and Ryusei Waterfalls, which freeze during the winter. These two magnificent waterfalls are divided by a rock formation, and are known as the 'Milky Way Waterfall' and 'Shooting Star Waterfall'. We will then travel to Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum, a well-known science museum in Abashiri. Here, you can learn about the process of breaking up drift ice and seeing creatures native to Hokkaido. Before heading to our hotel for dinner, we will also stop at the Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples. This museum introduces the culture and everyday life of the peoples inhabiting the northern, subarctic regions of the globe, including the Ainu, the Inuit, and the Siberian peoples.

Breakfast / Dinner

Abashiri Kanko Hotel or similar class

Day7

Abashiri - Lake Tofutsu - Lake Akan

While in Abashiri, we will take a cruise that will show us the brilliance of the drift ice out at sea. As you are surrounded by the white ice, see if you can spot native animals such as Sea Eagles or seals. We will then make our way to Abashiri Prison Museum, which was built in 1890 to house dangerous criminals. Today, it is an open air museum exhibiting how prisoners lived and the many facilities in the building. After, head to Lake Tofutsu, an important habitat for the winter birds. Later, we will head to Lake Akan, where we can try our Wakasagi Smelt Fishing. This method of fishing includes drilling a small hole into the ice and securing the bait a pole. After the smelt is caught, fishers typically fry up their fish or grill them for a tasty snack.

Breakfast / Dinner

New Akan Hotel or similar class

Day8

Akan National Park - Kushiro

We will head to Kushiro, home to Japan's largest marshland. It is here that we will visit the Akan International Crane Center, where we will observe the Red-Crowned Crane. The crane sanctuary provides a breeding center, feeding ground, and a museum for guests. We will then head to the nearby Kushiro Marshlands, where the cranes and other wildlife can be seen in their natural habitat. In the afternoon, we will visit a market known as Washo Market. Known mostly for their fresh seafood, vendors also sell fresh produce and several souvenirs for last- minute shoppers.

Breakfast

ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Kushiro or similar class

Day9

Tour Ends

After breakfast, our tour officially ends! The rest of your day is free for leisure until your transfer to Kushiro Airport for your flight.

Breakfast

Experiences

Accommodations

PLEASE NOTE: These are the hotels All Japan Tours generally uses on the touring styles and regions shown. There is no guarantee that you will stay in the lodgings listed on the website. We encourage you to check your travel documentation for confirmation of the exact accommodation you will be staying in.

Sapporo Snow Festival

Ginga Waterfall

Sounkyo Ice Fall Festival

Akan International Crane Center

Lake Tofutsu

Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival

Ice Breaker Cruise

Abashiri Prison Museum

Kushiro Marshlands

Washo Market

Wakasagi Smelt Fishing

Kitakitsune Farm

Destinations

Biratori / Lake Shikotsu / Sapporo / Otaru / Asahikawa / Sounkyo / Abashiri / Lake Tofutsu / Lake Akan / Akan National Park / Kushiro

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Group Tour Style	Budget	Deluxe	Deluxe-Plus	Signature	Active
Group Tour Style	< View Tours	< View Tours	< View Tours	< View Tours	< View Tours
Feature	Our Budget Tours are designed for our guests who are on a limited budget. Explore the must-see sights and enjoy a hassle-free trip to Japan at an affordable price.	Sample all Japan has to offer, from unique locales to must see tourist attractions. Our Deluxe Tours are fully guided, and use our luxury coaches for your convenience and comfort.	Experience Japanese culture at a slower pace, and with a smaller group size than our deluxe tours. Stay in each city longer so you can soak in the culture and fully appreciate the destinations.	Enjoy upgraded hotels, a slower pace, and a smaller group size for a more intimate experience. Access to a wide range of unique activities that immerse you in authentic Japanese culture.	Explore Japan off the beaten path via Japanese public transportation, walking, hiking, cycling and more. Take more time to enjoy local experiences and picturesque landscape.
Advantage	Our most cost-effective way to see the highlights of Japan while staying in budget-friendly accommodations. If you would like to have a set of quick stops to sample the must-see sights of Japan, or if you plan to explore Japan on your own but would like to take a short trip to learn about Japan before your self-guided journeys, these are the tours for you.	Our most popular tours for everyone. Fully-escorted - the most hassle-free way to visit Japan for the best value. From Hokkaido to Kyushu, the duration of our Deluxe Tours range from 5 to 27 days. Whether you want to see the best of Japan in a shorter time, or take your time in each city, you will find a tour package that suits your preferences.	Smaller group sizes enable our guests to access more of Japanese culture and traditions. Our Deluxe-Plus Tours are carefully balanced for you to discover the unique Japanese culture, history, arts, food and spectacular scenery Japan has. If you love Japan and want to appreciate the best of everything Japan can offer, these are the tours for you.	Dive into the cultural aspects of Japan at a more leisurely pace. Enjoy more than just sightseeing. All of our Signature Small Group Tours feature a wide range of cultural experiences through interaction with the people and places that represent all that is authentic about the destination. Get an alternative, more in-depth understanding of Japanese culture and art.	Our Active Small Group Tours combine the best cultural locations with off-the-beaten-path destinations via Japanese public transportation. Discover the country of Japan the way the locals do and see Japan from a different angle. A focus on getting away from the crowds and into the real Japan, see the diversity of Japan’s countryside unfold before your eyes.
Group Size	20 to 45 people	10 to 35 people	6 to 24 people	4 to 16 people	4 to 13 people
Fully-escorted	Comprehensively escorted by AJT's professional English speaking tour guide				Your guides are local experts and residents of the city you are visiting, they do not always escort the group when traveling between cities
Pace	Fast pace to see as much as possible while in Japan	Perfect pace to see as much as possible while in Japan	More leisurely pace to soak in and fully appreciate the destinations, plus free time to explore on your own
Airport Transfers	Airport transfers are NOT included unless otherwise specified	Airport transfers are included* (If no options are taken: hotels are not requested to be changed and passengers use the correct airports)	Airport transfers are included if arriving on the first day of the tour and returning on the last day of the tour	Private airport transfers are included if arriving on the first day of the tour and returning on the last day of the tour	Airport transfers are NOT included unless otherwise specified
Transfer between cities	Transfer between cities via private coach and Shinkansen (bullet train), depending on the itinerary			Transfer between cities via private coach and first class Shinkansen (bullet train), depending on the itinerary	Transfer between cities via Shinkansen (bullet train) or express train. Private minivans are also used occasionally where public transport is not available or practical
Sightseeing	Sightseeing by private coach with an escorted guide		Sightseeing by private coach and public transportation with an escorted guide		Sightseeing via public transportation (local train, subway & local bus) with local guides
Admission fees and activities	All entry fees to sites and activities listed in the itinerary are included
Luggage Transfers	Luggage transfers by private coach from hotel to hotel, plus separate luggage transfers are included on select tours				Separate luggage transfers are included
Meals	Breakfast every morning, plus meals as indicated (vegetarian or special meals can be arranged)
Accommodation	Carefully-selected budget hotels and ryokans	Carefully-selected superior/deluxe hotels and ryokans	Carefully-selected deluxe/boutique hotels and ryokans	Carefully-selected deluxe/luxury hotels and ryokans	Accommodations range from local Japanese inns (minshuku) to budget hotels, to superior/deluxe hotels depending on the tour and destination
Ages	4 years old and above			6 years old and above
Health & Activity	In order to enjoy our tour, you should be able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surfaces. Some of the most memorable sightseeing activities can only be accomplished on foot. Wheelchairs can be arranged upon request. However, we regret that we’re unable to provide individual assistance to guests with walking difficulties or other personal needs. Guests requiring such individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it.				These tours are tailored to the energetic traveler; guests should feel comfortable walking from 4 to 10 miles a day depending on the tour and destination.

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Hokkaido Snow Festival Private Tour 71 Reviews 9 days 8 nights fromUSD $7960.00 currency

Enjoy the winter attractions throughout Hokkaido and visit several fun winter festivals!

Tour Information

Deposit

What's included

What's NOT included

Additional Information

Itinerary In Brief

Day1

Welcome to Chitose!

Day2

Biratori - Lake Shikotsu - Sapporo

Breakfast

Day3

Sapporo

Breakfast

Day4

Sapporo - Otaru

Breakfast

Day5

Otaru - Asahikawa - Sounkyo

Breakfast / Dinner

Day6

Sounkyo - Abashiri

Breakfast / Dinner

Day7

Abashiri - Lake Tofutsu - Lake Akan

Breakfast / Dinner

Day8

Akan National Park - Kushiro

Breakfast

Day9

Tour Ends

Breakfast

Experiences

Accommodations

Charms of Hokkaido Tour: Hokkaido Winter Festivals

Best of Honshu & Hokkaido: Snow Monkeys & Hokkaido Winter Festival Tour

Best of Japan Tour Winter with Japanese Alps: Snow Monkeys

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Hokkaido Snow Festival Private Tour
71 Reviews
9 days 8 nights

fromUSD $7960.00

currency

Why Travel on Our
Group Tours