38 Tour Reviews

Custom Group Travel | Leisure Groups Tour Code: GTP6558488

9-Day Hokkaido Summer Tour
38 Reviews
9 days 8 nights

Price On Request

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.

Unwind this summer in the beautiful northernmost region of Japan on this custom private group tour.

Experience the very best of Hokkaido’s seasonal summer beauty. While many people think of Hokkaido as a winter wonderland, it also enjoys a beautiful summer full of flowers and seasonal fun.

Tour beautiful Furano and Biei, known as the top flower-viewing spot in Hokkaido. We start at the Furano Cheese Factory in Hokkaido, which showcases cheese-making processes, offers workshops, and allows tastings of various cheese products. Adjacent is the Furano Winery, providing insight on wine production in Hokkaido and concluding with wine tastings, allowing visitors to savor locally produced wines. After, we visit Tomita Farm. The vast fields of lavenders at Farm Tomita are especially popular. Other attractions include tulips on Shikisai Hill, the view from Panorama Road, and the Blue Pond of Biei.

In Sounkyo, the Ginga and Ryusei Waterfalls cascade through picturesque landscapes, creating a serene natural spectacle. Abashiri hosts the intriguing Abashiri Prison Museum, which dives into Japan's former prison life, and the Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum, exploring the sea ice ecosystem. Shiretoko, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, invites exploration through its Nature Cruise, while Lake Mashu is known for its crystal-clear waters. Kushiro boasts the Akan International Crane Center, dedicated to crane conservation, and the picturesque Kushiro Marshlands. Biratori's Nibutani Ainu Culture Museum showcases the rich heritage of the Ainu people, while Noboribetsu's Jigokudani unveils an enchanting geothermal landscape. Then, we drive to beautiful Lake Toya – a volcanic caldera filled with clear cobalt-blue water. Lake Toya in Hokkaido offers a serene boat ride with picture perfect views. The Usuzan Ropeway ascends Mount Usu with sights of the lake and Showa Shinzan volcano, formed from a 1940s eruption. Showa Shinzan allows visitors to witness unique volcanic landscapes, perfect for nature lovers and those intrigued by volcanic formations.

Otaru, a charming port city in Hokkaido, boasts several attractions. The Otaru Canal, adorned with vintage warehouses and gas lamps, offers a nostalgic atmosphere perfect for a leisurely stroll. Nearby, Sakaimachi Street entices visitors with its quaint shops, including Kitaichi Glassworks and the Otaru Music Box Museum, showcasing beautiful music boxes and glassware. In Sapporo, the Clock Tower stands as a historic symbol, a relic from the city's early days. Odori Park, a spacious green oasis, hosts various events and seasonal festivals throughout the year. Susukino, Sapporo's lively entertainment district, bustles with restaurants, bars, and vibrant nightlife, offering a glimpse into the city's energetic ambiance. After, return to Sapporo, stopping at Shiroi Koibito Park along the way for some delicious chocolate treats. Then take time to experience some of the city’s top must- sees: Nijo Market, Odori Park, Sapporo Beer Museum, Okura Ski Jump Observatory, Sapporo TV Tower, and Hokkaido Shrine. Spend some time shopping in the Susukino District before the tour ends.

Plan a Hokkaido Summer Custom Tour with AJT for a perfect summer vacation that includes beautiful landscapes, unique cultural experiences, seasonal foods and activities, and deluxe accommodations. Our Custom Leisure Tours can be full tailored to suit your vision. Transportation is facilitated by our comfortable and convenient private coaches, and you will be accompanied by one of our friendly, professional English-speaking guides.

AJT makes itinerary planning simple: start with one of our classic itineraries below and customize it to suit your group. Our Japan tour specialists will be happy to consult with you to coordinate the best itinerary for your group. Please feel free to CONTACT US to get started.

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Tour Information

Please Note:

● The price depends on the group size and travel dates. The larger the group size, the lower the cost per person. Please contact us. for more information.
● The itinerary can be customized based on your group's interests and budget, please contact us to plan a perfect vacation for your group 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 coach transfers between destinations in Japan
• Comprehensive escorted with AJT professional English speaking tour guide

Meals
• Breakfast everyday
• 7 lunches and 5 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
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 private airport transfers on arrival and departure included

Itinerary In Brief

Day1 Arrive in Chitose
Day2 Furano - Biei - Sounkyo
Day3 Sounkyo - Abashiri - Shiretoko
Day4 Shiretoko - Lake Mashu - Kushiro
Day5 Biratori - Noboribetsu - Lake Toya
Day6 Lake Toya - Niseko
Day7 Niseko - Otaru - Sapporo
Day8 Sapporo
Day9 Tour Ends

Click here for detailed itinerary

Tour schedule and prices subject to change without notice

Day1

Welcome to Hokkaido!

Upon arrival, proceed through customs and meet your guide just outside the exit gate, they will be holding an “All Japan Tours” sign for easy visibility. Proceed to your hotel by private coach. Upon arrival at the hotel, you will be free for leisure.

ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Chitose or similar class

Day2

Furano - Biei - Sounkyo

On a private coach, we will travel to Furano. The flower fields of Furano offer a wide variety of flowers from June to September. One of the best spots to see the beautiful flowers against the Tokachi Mountains is Farm Tomita. In addition to flowers, Furano is celebrated for its local wine. Located on a hill overlooking the city, the Furano Winery is open to the public and there are free wine tastings. You can see how local camembert cheese is made at the Furano Cheese Factory. Sample the black cheese, which gets its color from squid ink, and a number of other cheeses at the factory shop. Don't forget to visit the ice cream factory and pizzeria, or participate in one of the many hands-on workshops. In the afternoon, we will proceed to Biei, a small town surrounded by a picturesque landscape of gently rolling hills and vast fields. Visit Blue Pond, then enjoy the beautiful landscapes of Panorama Road from the window. From the Larch tree grove running alongside the hills, to the overlapping layers of hills, the majesty of this landscape unfolds before your eyes. Among the area's highlights is Shikisai Hill, a spacious flower park with various flower fields. Stop by Takushinkan, an exhibition hall with beautiful landscape photography by renowned photographer Maeda Shinzo and his eldest son Akira. The exhibition displays landscape photographs from across Japan with an emphasis on photos from the local Biei region. Tonight, we will stay at the onsen ryokan at Sounkyo Onsen, where you can soak in the therapeutic waters of a spa bath and feast on a traditional Japanese Kaiseki banquet dinner.

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Sounkyo Choyotei Hotel or similar class

Day3

Sounkyo - Abashiri - Shiretoko

After breakfast, we will explore the Sounkyo Gorge area including Ginga and Ryusei Watefalls. Enjoy beautiful scenery as we drive to Abashiri and visit Abashiri Prison Museum. Abashiri Prison was constructed in the 1890s to hold more than one thousand dangerous criminals. The prison gained national fame through a popular yakuza movie series by director Ishii Teruo in the 1960s. Following a major modernization of the Abashiri Prison in 1984, the prison's old buildings were moved into the Abashiri Prison Museum, which opened its doors to the public in 1985 as an open-air museum. Next, visit Abashiri Drift Ice Museum, where we meet the curator and discover how the sea freezes here in winter. Stay at Shiretoko tonight and enjoy dinner at the hotel.

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Shiretoko Grand Hotel or similar class

Day4

Shiretoko - Lake Mashu - Kushiro

After breakfast discover nature treasures within Japan's newest World Heritage listed site, Shiretoko Peninsula, a mountainous wilderness protruding into the Sea of Okhotsk. We will take a small boat and cruise close to Shiretoko's sheer rocky cliffs and observe colonies of sea birds and brown bears. Then, we transfer to Lake Mashu where you can look down into the volcanic crater lake. Continue our journey to visit the Akan International Crane Center, a museum and breeding center and sanctuary for Tancho "Red- crowned" Cranes. Lastly, visit Kushiro Marshlands, the largest wetland in Japan, protected by the Ramsar Convention in 1980 and incorporated in the Kushiro Shitsugen National Park in 1987. We will spend a night at the Tokachikawa Onsen, renowned for its excellent spa waters where you can enjoy a relaxing soak.

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Tokachikawa Daiichi Hotel or similar class

Day5

Biratori - Noboribetsu - Lake Toya

Today we get the opportunity to learn about the Ainu, the indigenous people of northern Japan. At the Nibutani Ainu Culture Museum, you will have a chance to learn about the mukkuri, a traditional, plucked Japanese ideophone that is indigenous to the Ainu. The mukkuri is made from bamboo and is 10 cm long and 1.5 cm wide. Similar to a jaw harp, sounds are made when the strings are pulled and when the reed vibrates in the musician's mouth. In the afternoon, we will stop at Hokkaido's most famous hot spring resort, Noboribetsu Onsen. The valley generates 10,000 tons of bubbling water everyday, and visitors can walk to the nearby Oyunuma Lake and watch the plumes of steam rise. Then, we will drive past fields and mountains to Lake Toya for dinner and overnight accommodations. Lake Toya is part of Shikotsu-Toya National park, known for its beauty of nature and good hot spring, and was chosen for 100 beautiful landscapes of Japan in 2008. This is the 3rd largest caldera lake in Japan, about 42 km around, with 4 pretty islands, and is the habitat of many kinds of birds and deer. Tonight we will stay in a traditional Japanese style hotel offering hot spring baths with beautiful views of the lake.

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Toya Sun Palace or similar class

Day6

Lake Toya - Niseko

After breakfast, we will take a 30-minute cruise to Nakanoshima Island, an island in the middle of the Lake Toya where you can stroll the island and get acquainted to the local creatures. Then, head to Mt. Usu and take the Usuzan Ropeway to the observation deck and take in the panoramic views of Lake Toya and neighboring Showa Shinzan.

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Hilton Niseko Village or similar class

Day7

Niseko - Otaru - Sapporo

In the morning we will travel to Otaru, renowned for its canals and glassblowing. During the first half of the 20th century, the Otaru Canal was a vital part of the city's busy harbor. The canal allowed large vessels to be unloaded onto smaller ones, then transported to local warehouses. Although the canal became obsolete when modern dock facilities allowed for the direct unloading of large vessels, the canal remains an integral part of the city's history and culture. As part of a citizen's movement in the 1980s, the canal was beautifully restored and former warehouses have been transformed into cafes, restaurants, museums, and shops. Next, we will visit glass workshops and Music Box Museum. In the afternoon, we will visit Sapporo and spend two nights there. The tour includes a visit to the Sapporo Clock Tower and Odori Park, where you can stroll along the promenade and sniff the summer blooms. The next stop is Susukino, Hokkaido's largest entertainment district. This evening is for you to enjoy your free time.

Breakfast / Lunch

ANA Hotel Sapporo or similar class

Day8

Sapporo

This morning our tour of Sapporo continues with a visit to the Nijo Market, where you will see a variety of fresh, local fruits and vegetables. Next is a visit to the Okurayami Ski Jump where the 90-meter ski jump portion of the 1972 Winter Olympics was held. From there we will visit the Sapporo Beer Museum, dedicated to all thing’s beer. Sapporo is Japan's oldest brewery and exports its beer throughout the world. At the Historic Village, you can view architecture from the Meiji and Taisho periods when Japan experienced rapid expansion. Then visit Shiroi Koibito Park, a theme park founded by a local chocolate company. Its famous Shiroi Koibito cookies, buttery cookies with a white chocolate center, are a favorite with locals and tourists alike.

Breakfast / Lunch

ANA Hotel Sapporo or similar class

Day9

Tour Ends

After breakfast, you will be free for leisure in the morning until your departure to the airport via private coach.

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.

Destinations

Furano / Biei / Sounkyo / Sounkyo / Abashiri / Shiretoko / Lake Mashu / Kushiro / Biratori / Noboribetsu / Lake Toya / Niseko / Otaru / Sapporo

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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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9-Day Hokkaido Summer Tour 38 Reviews 9 days 8 nights Price On Request

Unwind this summer in the beautiful northernmost region of Japan on this custom private group tour.

Tour Information

Deposit

What's included

What's NOT included

Additional Information

Itinerary In Brief

Day1

Welcome to Hokkaido!

Day2

Furano - Biei - Sounkyo

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Day3

Sounkyo - Abashiri - Shiretoko

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Day4

Shiretoko - Lake Mashu - Kushiro

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Day5

Biratori - Noboribetsu - Lake Toya

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Day6

Lake Toya - Niseko

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Day7

Niseko - Otaru - Sapporo

Breakfast / Lunch

Day8

Sapporo

Breakfast / Lunch

Day9

Tour Ends

Breakfast

Experiences

Accommodations

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9-Day Hokkaido Summer Tour
38 Reviews
9 days 8 nights

Price On Request

Why Travel on Our
Group Tours