Hokkaido Classic Photo Spot Day Tour: Winter Fun Experience, Popular Photo Spots, Biei Furano Flower Fields (Winter optional snowmobile experience + Asahiyama Zoo penguin walk) Multiple routes departing from Sapporo (Chinese and English service)
- Visit Hokkaido's super popular zoo, with seasonal limited experiences like snow penguin walks in winter.
- Shikisai no Oka transforms into a pure white snowy world in winter, with hills, snowscapes, and distant mountains unfolding layer by layer, allowing you to enjoy the full winter panorama of Hokkaido.
- Step into the fairytale wooden cabins in the Furano forest and experience the romantic and healing winter forest.
- Optional snowmobile experience to feel the speed and passion of the winter ice and snow world.
- One-stop tour of Hokkaido's winter scenery, checking off animals, snowfields, forests, and fairytale lights, easily experiencing Hokkaido's limited winter charm.
What to expect
❄️Asahiyama Zoo | Hokkaido’s Super Popular Animal Park · Japan’s highly popular zoo, offering close-up observation of animals in their natural state through unique “behavioral displays” · Must-see popular animals such as penguins, polar bears, and seals, full of interaction and fun · The winter-exclusive penguin walk is especially spectacular, with waddling penguins in the snow being super therapeutic · Suitable for family outings, and also for tourists who love animals and nature experiences
🌲Ken & Mary’s Tree | Biei’s Classic Advertising Location · One of Biei’s representative landscapes, a white birch tree standing alone in an open丘陵, simple yet sophisticated · Once used as a filming location for Japanese advertisements, it boasts Hokkaido’s highly recognizable pastoral scenery · Blue sky, snowfields, and the solitary tree complement each other, with the winter’s silver-clad landscape appearing even more serene and healing · No complex composition needed, a casual shot captures a great Hokkaido winter scene
🌈Shikisai no Oka | Winter Snowfield Panorama · In summer, it’s a colorful sea of flowers; in winter, it transforms into an endless world of pure white snow · Rolling hills covered in snow, paired with distant mountain views, present a highly layered Hokkaido winter landscape · Experience winter snow activities and enjoy Hokkaido’s unique ice and snow fun · Great for taking photos of scenery, people, or family
✨Ningle Terrace | Fairy Tale Cabins Deep in the Forest · A cluster of unique wooden cabins hidden in the Furano forest, as if stepping into a real-life fairy tale world · Each cozy cabin lights up the night, and the atmosphere becomes even richer after being covered in winter snow · The cabins gather handmade crafts and unique small items, perfect for leisurely browsing and experiencing · From dusk to night, when the lights come on, it’s a must-visit healing spot in winter Hokkaido
⛄Winter Hokkaido | Snow Country Exclusive Romantic Experience · Connects Asahiyama Zoo, Biei’s classic scenery, Shikisai no Oka, and Furano’s Ningle Terrace in one trip · From cute animals to pure white snowfields, and then to forest light cabins, experience a variety of Hokkaido winter landscapes in one day · The itinerary pace is reasonable, arranging popular attractions while also reserving ample time for photos and sightseeing · Especially suitable for first-time visitors to Hokkaido, checking off classic winter landscapes and experiencing the true atmosphere of Hokkaido’s snow country in one go










Reviews
Reviews summaryAn unforgettable trip! Our guide Hong was incredibly knowledgeable about Hokkaido and Ainu culture, and his multilingual skills were impressive. The itinerary was seamless and well-organized. The Blue Pond, Shikisai-no-Oka, and Farm Tomita were absolute highlights. Highly recommended!
This trip to Hokkaido, I was most looking forward to this "Winter Limited Day Trip" departing from Sapporo. No need to worry about the stress of driving in the snow, you can comfortably sit on a bus and visit all the popular attractions at once, which is a great choice for those who want to easily see the snow scenery! 🐧 First stop: Asahiyama Zoo - Heart-melting Penguin Walk The winter-limited "Penguin Walk" is definitely the highlight! Watching the king penguins line up and waddle along the snow, their adorable appearance is super healing. The outdoor temperature that day was about -1.1°C, and looking at these snow elves, the cold instantly disappeared. 🌊 Second stop: Biei Blue Pond and Shirahige Falls - Nature's Icy Blue Aesthetics The Biei Blue Pond in winter presents a minimalist and pure beauty. Although the lake surface is frozen and covered with snow, the tranquil atmosphere is still charming. The Shirahige Falls next to it surprised me even more, with the cobalt blue Biei River intertwined with vertical ice pillars, accompanied by rising water vapor, as if walking into an ice and snow kingdom from a movie. 🌳 Third stop: Biei Patchwork Road - Proud and Magnificent Winter Tree In the vast silvery-white land, the "Ken & Mary Tree" stands tall. Biei in winter loses the colors of summer, leaving only the ultimate white and the black of the tree shadows, and even a casually taken photo has a high-end cool tone texture. 🏠 Fourth stop: Furano Area - Leaving regrets is for the next visit The last part of the original itinerary was the super popular Ningle Terrace, but due to the very strict crowd control on site, I unfortunately couldn't visit it in the end. Although I was a little disappointed, the snowy atmosphere I felt in the Furano area, and the winter scenery I saw from the car window, still brought a beautiful end to this trip.
I went on a one-day trip to Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa on January 15th, 2026, with Tenzo as our tour leader. It was really fun, even though there was a snowstorm that day and the highway was closed. Tenzo handled everything so well and made the trip unforgettable, making sure we got to every place safely and stayed warm. He also shared stories along the way and patiently took photos of me and my husband. The best part was that we arrived at Asahiyama Zoo on time to see the penguin walk, and still managed to visit Ningle Terrace at night!
This tour was amazing! I got to visit all the famous spots without having to worry about transportation, which made everything so easy and stress-free. It’s a shame i didn’t get to spend much time exploring the zoo because i was too focused waiting for the penguin walk, but it was still totally worth it. We also didn’t visit Ningle Terrace because it was the weekend (definitely something to check before booking). Special shout-out to our amazing tour guide, Hong, you’re awesome! I didn’t bring gloves for the snowmobile ride, and he kindly lent me a pair. He also reassured me to go ahead and try the snowmobile, and honestly, that was the best decision ever. Overall, a 10/10 experience. Highly recommended!
Overall, it was a great one-day trip! Special thanks to our tour guide, Sunny, for organizing everything so well. He was very professional, kept the trip running smoothly, and gave us some great food recommendations, they were really delicious. One thing to note: if you’re joining this tour mainly to see the lavender, I wouldn’t recommend going in mid-August because most of the lavender has already been harvested. That said, Shirahige Falls was absolutely beautiful, and I really enjoyed the tractor bus ride at Shikisai no Oka. It was a fun and unique experience. Overall, I still had a great time!
The scenery in Furano is absolutely stunning! The rolling flower fields and majestic mountains are truly breathtaking. Today's trip to Furano gave me a new appreciation for nature, especially that field of purple lavender – it was like a dream! The air in Furano is so fresh; every breath feels like a treat. I wish I could stay here forever. Today's itinerary was well-planned, offering both beautiful natural scenery and rich cultural experiences. I'm very satisfied! The people of Furano are warm and friendly, allowing us to experience the rich local culture. It was truly an unforgettable trip!
Asahiyama offers a completely different experience [specially for someone coming from a tropical country]. You’ll get to see animals that are quite unusual. After the penguin parade, you can leave the area & explore the rest of the zoo. There’s many other animals worth seeing. for the Ken and Mary Tree, not much to see. I recommend choosing a package that includes a view-from-the-bus option. It’s not really worth spending extra time. Shirahige Falls is definitely a must-visit. It’s not just about the falls—the entire area is beautiful and worth exploring. Ningle Terrace. privately owned by a hotel but open to the public. tourist buses can only drop you off and park at the far end, which means a 5–10 min walk (or 10–15 min in the snow). you’ll likely only have about 10 min to stay as another 10–15 min walk to go back. so, if you’re traveling in at least grp of 4, I recommend hiring a private car. The time allocated for this tour is too tight, and you won’t fully appreciate each stop
it’s a comprehensive tour but starts early in the day. It was still the tail end of winter and the scenery was beautiful and white. The zoo was nice but rather rushed within the 2 hours allowed which included lunch time. Regretted missing the penguins.
I joined a Hokkaido day tour today, and the tour guide, Chen Siyu, was absolutely fantastic! She not only gave lively explanations but also shared a lot of Hokkaido history that we didn't know before. I really gained a lot of knowledge throughout the whole trip. The itinerary was well-organized and reasonable, and each attraction was impressive. I especially loved Asahiyama Zoo. The penguins were so cute; watching them waddle through the snow was incredibly healing. The subsequent Biei attractions were also unique—Ken & Mary Tree was full of stories, Shirahige Falls was refreshing and spectacular, and the cobalt blue water of Shirogane Blue Pond was as beautiful as a dream. Although the Ningle Terrace wasn't open, the tour guide adjusted the arrangements in a timely manner, making the whole process very smooth. The driver's driving skills were excellent. The mountain roads were smooth and safe, allowing people to fully relax and enjoy the journey. The overall experience exceeded expectations, the service was attentive, and the content was fulfilling. It was an unforgettable trip to Hokkaido. Five-star rating, highly recommended!
Mila is a fantastic tour guide with so many great food recommendations. I had a lot of fun on this tour. Infact a day prior to the tour I had an unpleasant snow mobile raft experience at Tsudome so I had already made up my mind to pull out from the snow mobile experience. Mila convinced me that I would enjoy it and reassured there was a helmet visor to protect your eyes from the snow which is the main reason I didn’t want to participate. I’m so glad I listened to Mila because I had great time on the snow mobile and the helmet visor did protect my eyes. I’d recommend this experience and leave this one tip - carry lots of cash as there is no atm at any of the places you’ll be visiting
Good to know
Asahiyama Zoo Closure Dates: November 4-November 10, 2026; December 30-December 31, 2026; January 1, 2027
Pre-trip Notice
* Between 17:00 and 21:00 the day before departure, we will contact you using the contact information you provided. If you do not receive a message, please check your email. Emails may sometimes be mistakenly sent to spam folders. During peak travel seasons, email delivery may be slightly delayed. If you receive multiple emails, please refer to the latest one. If you do not receive travel information, please arrive at the meeting point 10 minutes before the scheduled meeting time on the day of departure, look for the JRT tour guide flag, and inquire. Thank you for your patience and cooperation.
* If the number of participants does not reach the minimum required for a group tour, cancellation will be notified via email one day before departure. In case of extreme weather such as typhoons or heavy snow, cancellation will be confirmed by 18:00 local time one day before departure and notified via email.
Seating and Vehicles
- The itinerary is a shared group tour, and seat allocation follows a first-come, first-served principle. If you have special requests, please note them, and we will do our best to accommodate, but the final arrangement will be subject to on-site conditions.
- The vehicle model will be arranged according to the number of participants and cannot be specified. For smaller groups, a driver who also serves as an attendant may be arranged, and the commentary will be simpler.
- If you need to bring luggage, please inform us in advance. If you bring luggage without prior notice, the tour guide has the right to refuse boarding, and no refund will be given. Eating and drinking are prohibited inside the vehicle. If any damage or stains are caused, compensation will be required according to local standards.
Itinerary Adjustments and Safety
- Japanese law stipulates that commercial vehicles may not be driven for more than 10 hours per day. Overtime will incur additional charges (ranging from 5,000–10,000 JPY/hour).
- The itinerary is for reference only. Actual transportation, stopovers, and sightseeing times may be adjusted due to weather, traffic jams, facility maintenance, and other conditions. The tour guide may reasonably change or reduce attractions based on actual circumstances.
- If cable cars, boats, or other facilities are suspended due to weather or force majeure, the itinerary will be changed to visit other attractions or adjust the stopover time.
- No refunds will be given for late arrivals, temporary changes to meeting points, or leaving the group midway due to personal reasons. Any accidents or additional expenses incurred after leaving the group must be borne by the individual.
Season and Scenery
- In winter, if expressways are closed or access to scenic areas is restricted due to special circumstances, we will reduce or change the route, and no refunds will be given.
Other Information
- Please arrive at the meeting point on time. No waiting for latecomers, and no joining midway.
- We recommend wearing light clothing and shoes. For winter or mountain itineraries, please bring your own warm clothing.
* The itinerary does not include personal travel or accident insurance. We recommend purchasing your own insurance. Outdoor activities and high-risk sports carry certain risks, so travelers should register cautiously based on their health conditions.
* After the itinerary begins, if it is forced to be suspended due to natural disasters or force majeure, no refund will be given, and travelers will be responsible for their return journey or additional accommodation expenses.
* During Japanese public holidays and peak weekend travel, severe traffic jams or early closures of attractions are common. It is recommended not to book flights, Shinkansen, or dinner for the same evening, and to bring light snacks and a power bank.
Contact us
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