All Reviews for Japan Winter Tours 2025

I boarded the ship at the end of the year, but I got quite seasick. I took motion sickness medication, but whether the weather is favorable or if you can see whales is all up to luck. It's not about the quality of the tour company. I did catch a glimpse of a whale's tail! (*^_^*)

年末に乗船しましたが、かなり船酔いしました。
酔い止めを飲んでいましたが、天候に恵まれるか、クジラに会えるかは運です。
催行会社の善しあしではありません。
クジラのしっぽ少し見えました(*^_^*)

Since the day I participated was the beginning of April, I was picked up at the hotel around 5:50 AM.

The river water wasn't cold, and as we moved out toward the sea, the water temperature felt warm enough. I participated in stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) and fell into the river once, but the water temperature was just right, making for a refreshing wake-up call, haha. The water level was shallow enough to stand, so it wasn't a problem when I fell.

I also got to see flocks of birds taking off over the mangroves, and it was wonderful to enjoy the sunrise amidst the gentle sound of the waves.

I took many photos with the sunrise in the background, which made for great memories.

I definitely want to experience this again!

参加した日が4月の最初だったため、5時50分ごろにホテルまでお迎えに来ていただきました。

川の水は冷たくなく、沖に向かって進んでいくと温かいと感じるくらいの水温でした。
supで参加して、一回川に落ちましたが、水温もちょうど良く、良い目覚めになりました　笑
足もつく水位なので、落ちても問題なかったです。

鳥の群れがマングローブの上を飛び立つ様子も見られましたし、緩やかな波の音の中、朝日を拝むのは最高でした。

朝日をバックにした写真もたくさん撮って頂いていい記念になりました。

またぜひ体験したいと思います！

Since it was my second time in Shirakawa-go, I felt like I was reconfirming it as a tourist spot, but Gokayama was quiet and still had some snow, allowing me to enjoy a more enriching experience.

白川郷は2回目だったので、観光地として再確認した感でしたが五箇山は静かで雪も残っていましたのでより味わい深い時間を過ごせました。

It was during a time when heavy snow was falling, so I was worried about going by my car and decided to join a tour. Most of the participants were from overseas.

The guide provided information in both Japanese and English, which helped us understand the key points to see and the best photo spots, allowing us to tour efficiently. The bus stop for Shirakawa-go at the station had a long line, so it was great to have made a reservation in advance and be able to board right away. The tour that allowed us to visit two locations was excellent. Additionally, since we stayed on the same bus, we could leave our luggage on the bus and enjoy sightseeing without being weighed down, which I thought was another advantage of the tour.

I had always wanted to see Shirakawa-go in the snow at least once in my life, and I was very satisfied.

大雪が降った時期だったので、マイカーで行くのが心配でツアーに参加しました。
参加者は海外の方がほとんどでした。

ガイドさんは日本語と英語、両方で案内してくださり、見るべきポイントや写真スポットなどが分かり効率的に周ることができました。
駅の白川郷行きのバス停は長く列ができていたので、事前に予約してすぐに乗れ、二箇所まわれるツアーは良かったです。
また、同じバスに乗り続けるのでバスに荷物を置いて身軽に観光できるのもツアーのメリットだと思いました。

人生一度は雪の中の白川郷を見てみたかったので、大満足でした。

I think the guide must have had a tough time providing information in both English and Japanese, but I felt they were kind and it was great. Thank you for your help.

ガイドさんも英語と日本語での案内で大変だったと思いますが、親切で良かったと思いました。お世話になりました

The reservation made the day before was fine. Shirakawa-go and Ainokura had different atmospheres, which was nice. The guide explained the highlights, so we were able to tour efficiently. I think the time from 8:30 to 15:50 was just right.

前日予約で大丈夫でした。
白川郷と相倉、雰囲気が違って良かったです。
ガイドさんが見どころを説明してくれるので、効率よくまわれました。
8時半から15時50分という時間もちょうど良かったと思います。

I participated for the first time. I was so nervous that at first, it was really scary, but once I got used to it, I had so much fun that I want to participate again.

初めて参加させてもらいました
緊張しすぎて最初は怖くて仕方がなかったがなれてきたら楽しくて楽しくてまた参加したい

Shirakawa-go, where snow still remains, had beautiful scenery. The guide was fluent in English and impressive. Since all the restaurants were crowded, I think a meal plan is reassuring. I am very satisfied.

雪がまだ残っている白川郷は景色が良かったです
ガイドさんが英語ペラペラで凄かったです
飲食店はどこも混雑しているので食事付きのプランは安心だと思います
とても満足しています

I thought I would be able to see them up close, so it felt more like a confirmation of their existence, and I couldn't really gauge their size. Since whether a whale appears near the boat is a matter of luck, I guess I just have to accept that I wasn't lucky this time. I hope for better luck next time.

勝手にもっと近くで見られるのかと思っていたので、生存確認した位の感じで大きさも分からない感じでした。船の近くに鯨が現れるかは運次第という事なので、今回は運がなかったと思うしかないかな?次回に期待したい。

I participated in a day trip tour from Nagoya for the first time, and I really enjoyed it as we efficiently visited the somewhat difficult-to-reach places of Hida Takayama and Shirakawa-go. The tour was aimed at inbound travelers, and there were many foreign participants, but the guide explained everything in Japanese, English, and Chinese, which was great. The driver also efficiently handled the long-distance driving, and despite some traffic, we arrived at Nagoya Station earlier than expected, allowing us to comfortably catch the Shinkansen to Tokyo. Thank you very much. I look forward to participating in other tours as well.

今回初めて名古屋からの日帰りツアーに参加しましたが、飛騨高山と白川郷と行きづらい場所を効率よく回ってくれてとても楽しめました。ツアーはインバウンド向けで外国の方が多かったのですが、ガイドさんが、日本語、英語、中国語とそれぞれの言葉で説明してくれたので良かったです。ドライバーさんも長距離を効率よく運転していただき渋滞があったにもかかわらず時間よりも早く名古屋駅に到着することができたのでお陰様で東京までの新幹線にも余裕で間に合いました。ありがとうございました。また、他のツアーにも参加させていただきたく思います。

We had a perfectly timed free time of two hours in Takayama and two hours in Shirakawa-go. Most of the participants were from abroad, especially of Chinese descent. The guide provided a brief introduction on the bus, but was kind, and considering the price, the content was quite satisfactory.

高山で２時間、白川郷で２時間とちょうど良い長さの自由時間でした。大半が外国からの方（特に中華系）でした。ガイドはバスの車内での簡単なものではありましたが親切で、値段を考えれば十分に満足できる内容でした。

It was a comfortable Shirakawa-go tour. They also prepared lunch for us, allowing me to enjoy my own time. I was very satisfied with the one-person day tour. It was a memorable experience.

快適な白川郷ツアーでした。
お昼のお食事も用意して戴いてて自分だけの時間を楽しむ事が出来ました。
たったひとりだけの１日ツアー満足。思い出ツアーでした。

In Gujo Hachiman, we were guided through the old streets and cultural sites (those who wanted to explore freely could disperse). In Hida Takayama, we had free time to explore (lunch on our own) while enjoying the streets and visiting Takayama Jinya, where we tried Hida beef sushi and gohei mochi. In Shirakawa-go, we had plenty of time to follow the recommended route from our guide, going up to the observation deck and visiting one of the houses. Our guide, Moe, did an excellent job. However, I deducted one star because I couldn't find the meeting place.

郡上八幡では、古い街並みと文化財をガイドさんに案内してもらい、（自由散策をしたい方は解散）飛騨高山は自由散策（各自昼食）で、街並みを眺めながら高山陣屋を訪れつつ、飛騨和牛のお寿司や五平餅を食べました。白川郷では、ガイドさんおすすめのルートをぐるっとひと回り、展望台へ上ったり一軒見学するぐらいは充分時間がありました。ガイドのMoeさんの仕切りが大変良かったです。が、集合場所がわからなかったので星一つ減らしました。

You can efficiently visit the tourist attractions in Abashiri by bus. Personally, I was most looking forward to the Aurora boat tour, but since there were no drift ice and the view from the boat wasn't great, I wished I could have skipped it and spent more time at the Abashiri Prison. However, since it was a tour, it couldn't be helped. The lunch buffet was delicious and satisfying! The guide and the driver were also very kind. I want to come back next year for a revenge tour of the drift ice.

バスで網走の観光名所を効率的に観光できます。
個人的に1番楽しみにしていたおーろら号は流氷がなく、船からの景色が良いわけではなかったので、スキップして網走監獄をもう少しゆっくり見たかったと思いましたが、ツアーなので仕方ないですね。
昼食のバイキングは美味しくて満足でした！ガイドさん、運転手さんも親切でした。
また来年流氷のリベンジをしたいです。

Unfortunately, the waves were high, and we couldn't spot the whales in the direction the guide pointed. I was fine, but many others got seasick.

あいにく波が高くガイドさんが指差す方向にクジラの姿を確認する事ができませんでした。私は大丈夫でしたが、船酔いする方もおおかったです。

Recently, it was rare to have snow, and I was able to see the snowy scenery of Shirakawa-go. Since I had plenty of time, I was able to fully enjoy the highlights. The lunch was delicious, and Gokayama was also great.

What made this bus tour so good was definitely thanks to the tour guide.

Thanks to their precise recommendations and efficient advice on how to get around, I was able to manage my time well and enjoy all the sightseeing without missing anything. The explanations on the bus, which included some English, were witty and everyone was able to listen to them with enjoyment.

I would definitely like to request this again on my next opportunity. Thank you very much.

最近では珍しく雪が降って、雪景色の白川郷を見る事が出来ました。
時間もゆとりがあったので、見どころを満喫できました。
昼食も美味しく、五箇山も良かったです。

今回のバスツアーが良かったのは、なんと言っても添乗員さんのおかげです。

おすすめポイントや効率よくまわるアドバイスが的確だったおかげで、うまく時間配分も出来て漏れなく観光出来ました。
英語を交えたバス内の説明もウィットにとんでいて、全員楽しく話を聞けました。

次の機会も、またぜひお願いしたいと思います。
ありがとうございました。

Guide came to pick us right on time. We had four in our party. We throughly enjoyed all the places of interest on the schedule especially the drift ice cruise which was the highlight since guide said that the day before some cruises were canceled due to no drift ice. Great deal for the bucks on this tour. Definitely recommend this for anyone who wants to see lots in a day without planning your transportation to all the places especially in this wintery weather

Guide and driver was well informed and knew best places & times for viewing the cranes. He had all the necessary viewing equipment. Great to have telescope available. Guide was also very friendly and was happy to take photos for us. Vehicle was very comfortable and clean. Overall, quite an enjoyable tour!! Well done, Veltra!!

The male tour guide's explanations were thorough and enjoyable, and his advice on souvenirs was spot on, making the experience very enjoyable! We visited two places, and returning to Kanazawa was quick, giving us extra time, which was also very nice.

男性の添乗員さんの説明が丁寧で楽しく、お土産などのアドバイスも的確で大変楽しめました！
2箇所も周り金沢に帰着も早く時間に余裕ができその点もとても良かったです。

I was lucky to be able to see the drift ice. It felt great to watch as we moved over the ice from the ship.

The Abashiri Prison was also very interesting, but there wasn't enough time.

It's a great tour packed with sightseeing spots in Abashiri. However, it felt a bit rushed because it was too packed, so I think it would have been even better if there had been an additional 1 to 2 hours with the same content.

運が良く、流氷を見ることができました。
船の上から氷の上を進んでいくのは見ていて気持ちよかったです。

網走監獄もとても面白かった分、時間が足りなかったです。

網走の観光スポットをぎゅっと詰め込んだ良いツアーです。
ただ、詰め込みすぎて終始急ぎ足感があったので同じ内容であと1〜2時間プラスであったらなおよかったと思いました。

Seeing the drifting ice and ice falls for the first time was truly moving. It felt like a dream to be able to ride on the drifting ice. The guide was absolutely wonderful. During the trekking, they compacted the snow to ensure our safety and constantly checked in with us. They also shared very easy-to-understand information about the flora and fauna of Hokkaido and the drifting ice. Along the way, the soup they prepared was incredibly delicious! It was such a luxurious time in the great outdoors. Even someone in their late 50s like me felt completely safe participating. Thank you, Takki!

初めて見る流氷、氷瀑は本当に感動的でした。流氷に乗ることができたのも夢のようでした。
ガイドさんが何より素晴らしかったです。
トレッキングでは安全に進めるよう雪を固めて下さったり、常に声かけをして下さったり…また北海道の動植物、流氷の話しなどとても分かりやすかったです。
途中、用意して下さったスープがめちゃくちゃ美味しかった！大自然の中でなんとも贅沢な時間でした。
50代後半のワタシでも安心して参加することができました。
タッキーさんありがとうございました。

The weather was a bit uncertain, but Lake Shikotsu was crystal clear. The staff were friendly, and I had a great time!

天気が微妙でしたが、支笏湖は透き通っていました。スタッフの皆さんがフレンドリーでとっても楽しかったです！

We were able to see whales about every 15 minutes with the naked eye. Additionally, the staff provided explanations about the whales until we reached the viewing point, which helped reduce seasickness.

They also provided etiquette bags, and the restrooms and the interior of the boat were clean. The staff took many photos, which are uploaded to their website, so you can download beautiful images.

It feels like a roller coaster on the waves, and it shakes for about 20 minutes, so it's best not to eat for two hours before boarding.

肉眼でも15分に一回は見れました。またポイントに到着するまでもくじらについて説明をして頂き酔いが軽減されます。
エチケット袋も用意されて、トイレ、船内綺麗でした。
スタッフの方も写真を沢山撮られて、ホームページにアップされているため、綺麗が画像をダンロードできます。
波のジェットコースターみたいな感じで20分は揺れますので、乗船前2時間は食べない方が良いです。

The bus guide was cheerful, polite, and it was a lot of fun. The driver was also wonderful. Thank you for a safe trip. I want to go again.

バスガイドさん、明るく丁寧で楽しかったです。運転手さんも、素晴らしかったです。
安心した旅をありがとうございました。
また行きたいです。

I enjoyed this tour . I was able to see the places that i wanted to visit . The buffet lunch was grest

I went to the Sea of Okhotsk to see the drift ice, but there was none. It seems that the period when the drift ice comes has become shorter. The temperature was also high, and there was no snow, so it was just a sightseeing boat.

流氷を見にオホーツクの海に行きましたが流氷は無しでした。流氷が来る期間が短く成っているようです。気温も高く雪も無く、ただの遊覧船でした。

I prepared for complete cold protection, but the weather was really nice and warm (even though the highest temperature was 1 degree). Unfortunately, I couldn't see the drift ice ⤵️. However, thanks to the good weather, the Shiretoko mountain range looked incredibly beautiful, so that was nice in its own way.

For lunch, I didn't have high expectations for the buffet, but it turned out to be quite delicious. As expected from Hokkaido, the seafood and potatoes were perfect👌. The tour guide and the driver were also very polite, and if I have the opportunity again, I would like to sign up for other tours as well.

完全防寒をして挑んだものの、凄くいい天気で暖かいのもあり(それでも最高気温1度とか)、流氷は見れずでした⤵️でも天気が良かったおかげで、知床連山が凄く綺麗に見え、それはそれで良かったのかなぁと。
昼はバイキングで期待してませんでしたが、なかなか美味しかったです。さすが北海道、海鮮とじゃがいもバッチリでした👌
添乗員さんや運転手さんも丁寧で、また機会がありましたら、他のツアーでも申し込んでみたいと思います。

I participated in the tour in the afternoon. I was looking forward to seeing a mother and child pair, as they had been spotted in the morning tour, but we couldn't find them at that location. We moved to another spot, and although it took a while, it seemed there was a pair of whales. Everyone moved to the front of the boat and waited for a while until we spotted them surfacing in the distance. We saw their tails, but then they dove back down, and we waited for about 20 to 30 minutes. During the second sighting, we were able to see them again, but they were still quite far away, just enough to confirm their presence.

Since they are wild animals, I believe it's all about luck regarding when, where, and how close you can see them. I asked the staff if they had seen them up close this year, and they said there had been a few occasions. While we did get to see them, I think it's better to manage expectations about the distance at which you might see them.

I realized that nature isn't as forgiving as one might think when actually participating in the tour.

I appreciated the staff's considerable efforts to ensure that the customers could see the whales.

午後便でツアーに参加しました。
午前便では親子が見れたとの事で期待していましたが、その場所では見つけられず別の場所に移動、次の場所でもなかなか見つけられないでいましたがペアのクジラがいたみたいで皆んなで船の前に移動してしばらく待ち続けていたら遠くで息継ぎの姿発見、尻尾が見えたのでまた潜ってしまい、そのまま2〜30分そのまま待機、2度目の発見で見る事ができましたがまた遠くている事が確認できる程度でした。
相手は自然の生き物なのでいつどこでどの位の距離で見れるかは運だと思います。
スタッフに今年近くで見れた事あるか聞いたけど数回ありましたよ、との事。
確かに見る事はできましたが思い描く距離では見れないと思っていた方が良いと思います。

それほど自然界は甘くないと思うのが実際参加して思いました。

スタッフの方はお客さんに見てもらうためにかなりの努力はしていると思うので感謝しました。

It's a great deal to be able to visit both the old town of Takayama and Shirakawa-go in one day. Since I've been to Takayama several times, I treated myself to some luxurious Hida beef yakiniku for lunch. As expected, the Hida beef was delicious.

In Shirakawa-go, I visited the Wada House, which is a must-see. There is a shuttle bus to the observation deck, but it was crowded due to the holiday and there are limited buses, so I walked up. The steep slope was tough, but the breathtaking view at the top made it worth the climb (it takes about 5 to 10 minutes from the base).

I thoroughly enjoyed my day!

高山市の古い町並みと白川郷が1日で両方回れるのはお得。高山は何度も行っているのでお昼は少し贅沢に飛騨牛の焼肉を食べた。やっぱり飛騨牛はうまかった。
白川郷は、お決まりだが和田家見学した。展望台まではシャトルバスが出ているが休日のため混んでいるのと本数がすくないため、徒歩で登った。急坂でしんどいが上った後は絶景が広がるので登る価値あり。(ふもとからは5~10分程度)
十分に一日楽しめました。

The captain and the crew worked hard to find the whales. Thank you very much. The cruising experience was also fantastic.

船長さんをはじめクルーのみなさんが懸命にクジラを探してくれました。ありがとうございました。
クルージングも最高でした。