Itinerary
- Day 1
Sapporo
You'll land at Shin-Chitose Airport and head to your Sapporo hotel for check-in. Once you're settled, your tour leader takes you out that evening to see the Sapporo Snow Festival illuminated after dark. The giant snow and ice sculptures look completely different under the lights, so it's worth getting out there even if you're tired from traveling.
Included Activities
- Visit Sapporo Snow Festival at night - illuminated snow and ice sculptures
Landmarks/POIs Sapporo Snow Festival Shin-Chitose Airport - Day 2
Sapporo
After breakfast at the hotel, you'll spend the whole day at the Sapporo Snow Festival. More than 60 international teams have built massive snow and ice sculptures, some towering over 15 meters high. The area has hot food stalls and pop-up ice bars scattered throughout, so you can grab something warm between viewing different sections. If you want, there's an optional day trip to Otaru, where you can check out the glass workshops and artisan shops that the town is known for.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel)
Included Activities
- Full day exploration of Sapporo Snow Festival
Optional Activities
- Day trip to Otaru - glass industry and artisan trades
- Explore local seafood and beer venues in Sapporo
Landmarks/POIs Sapporo Snow Festival Otaru - Day 3
Sapporo to Kushiro
Breakfast comes first at the hotel, then you'll board an express train heading east to Kushiro, about four hours away. This coastal city is called the 'town of mist' for a reason. You'll visit the Tsurui Village Tancho Crane Sanctuary to get close views of red-crowned cranes. These birds are among the largest east Asian cranes and incredibly rare, and the sanctuary's setup with fenced areas helps with breeding while giving you good photo chances.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel)
Included Activities
- Express train journey Sapporo to Kushiro (reserved seats)
- Visit Tsurui Village Tancho Crane Sanctuary
Landmarks/POIs Tsurui Village Tancho Crane Sanctuary Kushiro - Day 4
Kushiro to Lake Akan
Start very early to catch sunrise at Setsuri River, where hundreds of red-crowned cranes gather. Pack heavy winter gear since temperatures drop to around minus 20°C/minus 4°F. After watching the cranes and having a packed breakfast, you'll drive to Lake Akan and check into a lakeside ryokan. You can either visit the local Ainu community or try the ice activities on the frozen lake. Dinner is an all-you-can-eat buffet, and afterward you'll experience one of Japan's best onsen hot springs, then watch fireworks over the frozen lake.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Packed meal), Dinner (All-you-can-eat buffet with Japanese and Western dishes (drinks separate))
Included Activities
- Early morning sunrise viewing at Setsuri River with red-crowned cranes
- All-you-can-eat buffet dinner (Japanese and Western dishes)
- Onsen hot spring experience
- Fireworks on frozen Lake Akan
Optional Activities
- Visit indigenous Ainu community at Lake Akan
- Ice activities on frozen Lake Akan - snowmobile, four-wheel buggy, or ice skiing (pay separately)
Landmarks/POIs Setsuri River Lake Akan - Day 5
Lake Akan to Shiretoko
After hotel breakfast, you'll explore Lake Akan, a crater lake in Akan National Park with rare marimo algae. From there, you drive to Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo. There's a viewing point on Lake Mashu where you can see why it's called one of the world's clearest lakes. At Lake Kussharo, you'll watch whooper swans swimming in a natural onsen hot spring right alongside the frozen water. That evening brings an authentic Ainu performance with traditional dress, language, and dance.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel), Dinner (Buffet dinner at hotel (Japanese style))
Included Activities
- Drive to Lake Mashu viewing spot
- Visit Lake Kussharo - whooper swans in natural onsen hot spring
- Traditional Ainu performance with authentic dress, language, and dance
- Buffet dinner and hot spring at hotel
Landmarks/POIs Lake Akan Lake Mashu Lake Kussharo - Day 6
Lake Akan to Shiretoko
Today takes you to Shiretoko Peninsula, one of Japan's most remote areas in eastern Hokkaido. This UNESCO World Heritage Site in Shiretoko National Park has brown bears, deer, winter red foxes, and eagles. You'll choose between drift-ice walking or forest snow shoeing to experience the winter landscape. Your hotel offers dinner and a hot spring at the end of the day to warm up.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel), Dinner (Dinner and hot spring at hotel)
Included Activities
- Shiretoko National Park exploration
- Dinner and hot spring at hotel
Optional Activities
- Drift-Ice Walking (subject to availability)
- Forest Snow Shoeing (subject to availability)
Landmarks/POIs Shiretoko National Park Shiretoko Peninsula - Day 7
Shiretoko to Abashiri
You'll finish up in Abashiri, which hosts the Okhotsk Abashiri Drift Ice Festival. Local sightseeing includes a visit to Abashiri Prison Museum to learn about the area's history, and an Okhotsk Abashiri Drift Ice Cruise where you'll see the unique ice formations in the Sea of Okhotsk up close.
Included Activities
- Abashiri Prison Museum
- Abashiri Drift Ice Cruise
Optional Activities
- Lunch at local restaurant (pay locally)
Landmarks/POIs Abashiri Prison Museum Okhotsk Abashiri Drift Ice Festival - Day 8
Abashiri
Your tour wraps up today with breakfast at the hotel before heading to Memanbetsu Airport for your transfer. From there you can fly back to Tokyo or Osaka depending on where you're headed next. If you need to arrange internal flights, the Japan travel experts can help with that for an additional fee.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel)
Optional Activities
- Internal flights to Tokyo or Osaka (priced separately)
Landmarks/POIs Memanbetsu Airport
