All Reviews for Things to Do in Winter in Hokkaido

The tour itself was very satisfying, but I was quite disappointed with the morning gathering and the reception. The reason for this is that since I booked through VELTRA, I was continuously searching for a staff member holding a sign or a small flag with the VELTRA name in the entrance lobby of the hotel where we were supposed to meet. In the end, I had to approach a staff member holding a small flag that said "EASY GO," and that turned out to be the staff for the VELTRA tour I had booked. Moreover, that staff member never entered the entrance lobby as previously indicated; they remained on the sidewalk in front of the hotel the whole time. If I hadn't approached them and the meeting time had passed, I might not have been able to check in. I believe it was necessary for the staff to hold a small flag with the VELTRA name and to be present in the hotel entrance lobby as specified.

ツアーそのものは、大変満足のいく内容だったのですが、朝の集合〜受付の対応はとても残念でした。
その理由としては、VELTRAで申し込んだため、集合場所だったホテルのエントランスロビーで、VELTRAの掲示や社名が書かれた小旗を持ったスタッフをずっと探していたのですが、最終的には、"EASY GO"と書かれた小旗を持ったスタッフに、こちらから声掛けして、それが申し込んだVELTRAのツアーのものでした。しかも、そのスタッフは、事前に案内されていたエントランスロビーに入ってくることはなく、ずっとホテル前の歩道でした。
もし、こちらから声掛けすることなく、集合時刻を過ぎていたら、チェックインできなかったかもしれません。
スタッフは、申し込みをしたVELTRAの社名の入った小旗を持つこと、集合場所とされたホテルのエントランスロビーにいること、は、必要だったと思います。

This time, I was the only Japanese participant, which made me feel like I was joining an optional tour abroad. However, for someone like me who wanted to enjoy some alone time, it was a very satisfying tour.

Our guide, Lisa, is a quadrilingual who speaks Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and English. She provided me with attentive support in Japanese throughout the tour, and I am truly grateful for that!

I was thrilled to finally see the Great Buddha, and after enjoying delicious seafood, I was able to relax in a hot spring at the end, making it a very meaningful day.

Next time, I would love to participate during the lavender or snowy season. Thank you for a wonderful time!

今回まさかの日本人ひとりということで、まるで海外のオプショナルツアーに参加しているような感覚でしたが、ひとり時間を満喫したい私にとっては大満足のツアーでした。

ガイドのLisaさんは、日本語・中国語・韓国語・英語を話せるクワドリンガルで、たったひとりの参加だった私にも終始日本語で丁寧にサポートしてくださり、本当に感謝しています！

念願だった頭大仏を実際に見ることができて大感激でしたし、美味しい海産物を堪能した後、最後には温泉まで楽しめて、とても有意義な1日になりました。

次回はぜひ、ラベンダーや雪の季節にも参加してみたいです。素敵な時間をありがとうございました！

I'm glad I could go to various places. The foot bath at Jozankei Onsen was especially nice. I bought a kappa towel there.

色々なところへ行けてよかったです。特に定山渓温泉の足湯が良かったです。河童のタオルをそこで買いました。

I thought the schedule might be a bit tight, but once I arrived in Sapporo, there were so many places I wanted to visit, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. The guide was also very kind and provided a wealth of information, making it a fun experience.

少々ハードなスケジュールかとも思いましたが、札幌にきたら、行っておきたいところばかりで、札幌を満喫しました。
ガイドの方も親切で、情報盛り沢山で楽しかったです。

We came for a family trip after 10 years! Since it was a free trip, we signed up for a one-day bus tour. I was looking forward to it because last year we had a great time on a half-day tour, but I was surprised to find that we were the only Japanese family there 💦. My sons, aged 26 and 30, along with my husband, were really down about it, and we even talked about canceling right in front of the bus. But since we had already paid, I insisted we go, and when we got on the bus, there was a strong smell of perfume and body odor, which really put a damper on the start of the trip!

We were a bit loose with the meeting times, and I wasn't sure if it was because we didn't know the locations or what, but our tour guide, Mr. Tang, was on the phone every time 💦. We visited various places, and by the end, everyone had gone from being dissatisfied to satisfied, so that was good. Mr. Tang was kind and helpful.

It would be nice to know in advance that we were the only Japanese participants when signing up, but it seems like most of the tours are for foreigners, so I think I’ll do more research before participating in the future!

10年ぶりの家族旅行へ来ました！
自由な旅行だったので1日バスツアー申込しました。
昨年、半日のツアーに申し込みして良かったので楽しみにしてましたが‥日本人が私達家族だけでビックリしました💦
26歳と30歳の息子➕旦那もテンション下がりまくりでバスを目の前にしてやめようなんて話もしてました。
お金も払ってるから行くよと強制でバスに乗ったら香水や体臭の凄い匂いがしてかなりマイナスな気分でスタートしました！
あちこちの集合時間にルーズなんだか場所がわからなくなったかわからないけど‥ツアーガイドの唐君が毎回、電話してました💦
色々まわって最後にはみんな不満から満足に変わってたので良かったです。
ガイドの唐君は親切で良かったです。
申込時に日本人が私達だけとかわかると有難いですけど‥ほとんどが外国人のツアーみたいなのでこれからはよく調べて参加しようと思います！

There were about 30 participants, and I was the only Japanese person. At the beginning, the guide (a Chinese man) mentioned that since there was only one Japanese participant, my seat on the bus would be right behind him, and I would be sitting alone (no one would sit next to me). However, one person from a family of seven from Vietnam ended up sitting next to me, which was quite noisy the whole time. The guide only provided explanations in English, covering the next destination, viewing time, and meeting time. Since he only conveyed this information, I declined the Japanese explanation, saying I understood English. I felt that the guide was not as enjoyable or knowledgeable as others have described.

Regarding the schedule, the initial viewing time at Hokkaido Shrine was supposed to be 50 minutes, but it was cut down to 30 minutes, which felt rushed. Yet, we spent a generous 90 minutes for lunch at the market. While others seemed to visit the shops guided by the guide, I wished they had adjusted the viewing times better if they could allocate that much time for lunch.

Additionally, this is a personal impression, but both the driver and the guide were wearing wrinkled sweatshirts, and the driver looked like he had just woken up with messy hair. There was a lack of cleanliness, and when I said "thank you" while getting off the bus, I was ignored. The driver was not the kind of person that others had described in their reviews.

The weather was very nice, and the Great Buddha was a wonderful sight. Lastly, I wish the entrance fee for the Great Buddha had been included in the tour. All 30 of us (and everyone else was a foreigner) had to pay for the entrance fee one by one at a single ticket machine. With such a short viewing time, this took even more time. Please consider this.

30人ほどの参加者
日本人は私1人でした
最初にガイドさん（中国人の男性）から
日本人の参加は1人なのでバスの座席はガイドさんのすぐ後ろ
1人で座って（隣に人は来ない）
と、言っていたのに、ベトナム？の家族7人のうちの1人が隣に座りました
うるさかった、ずっと
ガイドさんは英語のみの説明
次に行く場所、見学時間、集合時間
これだけ伝えるだけでしたので、日本語の説明は
英語分かりますので、とお断りしました
他の方々が書いていらっしゃるような楽しくて知識豊富なガイドさんでは、なかったかな、と

スケジュールについても最初の北海道神宮の見学時間が予定は50分だったのが30分で足早なんてものでない
それなのに昼食は市場でたっぷり90分
他の方々はガイドさんの案内されるお店に行かれたようですが
昼食にそれだけ時間を割けるなら、他の見学時間の調整をもう少しちゃんとして欲しかったです

あと、これは個人の感じ方もありますが
ドライバーさん、ガイドさん共によれよれのスウェット、ドライバーさんに至っては起きたばかりのようなボサボサの髪でした
清潔感もなく、バスを降りるときに「ありがとうございます」と声をかけても無視
このツアーに参加された方々が感想で書いていたようなドライバーさんではありませんでした

お天気はとても良くて
頭大仏など素晴らしい景色でした
最後にもう一つ
頭大仏の拝観料、ツアーに組み込んで欲しかった
30人が（しかも他は全員外国人）が1つの券売機で1人ずつ拝観料を支払います
見学時間短いのに、更に時間がかかります
ご一考ください

I had a great time visiting various places in one day. I don't think I could have explored them on my own, so I'm glad I participated. The guide was amazing, fluent in Japanese, English, and Chinese. I was surprised by the number of foreign participants, which made a strong impression on me. If I have the chance again, I would like to join this tour.

一日で色々な場所をまわれて楽しかったです。
個人ではなかなか回れないと思うので参加して良かったです。
ガイドさんも日本語、英語、中国語がペラペラで凄いと思いました。
予想以上に外国の方の参加が多くインパクトを感じました。
また機会があればこちらのツアーに参加したいと思いました。

I made a last-minute reservation at 9 PM the day before. It was amazing to go to the flat without any issues! There were six participants, and besides me, everyone was from Taiwan and China. The guide, who was only 30 years old, spoke English very well! He was attentive and engaged each participant in conversation, adjusting the pace as needed. There were some older participants, but he created an atmosphere where everyone cheered together, making it a fun three hours!

The guide had a wonderful smile! I’ll definitely request him again next time!

前日21時急遽予約しました。
何もなしでフラット行けて最高😃
参加者は6人！私以外は台湾🇹🇼と中国🇨🇳の方でした。
ガイドのお兄さんは30歳と若いのに、英語も上手！気配りができて、参加者一人一人に話題を振って話したり、ペース調整をしてくれました。高齢の方も居ましたが、みんなで応援📣する雰囲気を作ってくれ、楽しい3時間となりました！

お兄さんは笑顔😊が素敵！次来る時もお兄さん指名で👍

This is a wildlife exploration tour in a park close to downtown Sapporo. We put on snowshoes and ventured into the snowy forest. Along the way, we saw the footprints of red foxes and the sight of Eurasian red squirrels dashing by, as well as heard the tapping of woodpeckers and the calls of the endangered black woodpecker. However, we were disappointed not to encounter the Ural owl, which we had hoped to see.

It seems that the encounter rate varies greatly depending on the year and season, so I would like to try again for a second chance.

札幌中心部から程近い公園での野生動物探索ツアーです。スノーシューを履いて雪の森へ。道中キタキツネの足跡やエゾリスが駆け抜けていく様子、木を叩くアカゲラ、天然記念物のクマゲラの鳴き声を聞くこともできました。ただし、期待していたエゾフクロウには会えず、、残念でした。
年や時期により遭遇率も大きい異なるようなので、またリベンジしたいと思います。

I participated in the tour feeling nervous and alone. There were 23 people from China and 2 Japanese, but Mr. Yagyu and Dr. Ishii from T/c were experienced, which made me feel at ease. We packed a lot into a short time and had an amazing experience! I also got along well with the Japanese participants, creating wonderful memories of Sapporo! If anyone is hesitating, I highly recommend it! It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience! I wanted you to try the lucky rice cakes from Hokkaido Shrine, so I included a photo!

ドキドキして1人で、ツアー参加しました。中国の方２３人➕日本人2人でしたが、T/c柳生さんとD/r石井さんが慣れてらして安心して参加できました。短い時間に沢山詰め込まれて最高に満喫できました！日本人の方とも仲良くして頂き札幌の素晴らしい思い出になりました！迷ってる方がいらしたら、私は凄く薦めたいです！一期一会是非！北海道神宮の福餅は、食べて欲しくて写真載せました！

It was a very fulfilling tour that allowed us to explore the highlights of Sapporo in just one day! We really enjoyed Sapporo. The guide was very entertaining and considerate, and the driver was kind, making for a very satisfying experience.

札幌の見どころを1日で周るとても充実したツアーでした！札幌満喫です。
ガイドさんもとても面白くてお気遣いがあり、運転手さんも優しく大満足でした。

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。

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!!

Even though it was close to the city, I was able to experience something extraordinary, and it was very enjoyable to reset my daily fatigue. The stories from the experienced guide were also fascinating, and even though I participated alone, I had no problems enjoying myself at all. I would like to join another tour, so I look forward to it again.

市街地から近いのに非日常を体験できて、日々の疲れがリセットされてとても楽しかったです。
熟練のガイドさんの話も興味深く、1人での参加でしたが全く問題なく満喫できました。
別のツアーにも参加してみたいので、またよろしくお願いします。

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。

We participated in a three-hour snowshoe experience as a family for the first time. Following animal tracks and traces, we arrived at a spot where we could see the drifting ice below us—it was truly a magnificent view! We were blessed with good weather; it was warm, and the drifting ice was really wide and sparkling! The day before had bad weather, and the day before that, there was no drifting ice, so I really think we were lucky. The guide was also wonderful, and the conversation was enjoyable. We had fun discovering bear claw marks, pine trees eaten by flying squirrels, animal footprints, and the rare mushrooms known as monkey's seats while snowshoeing for the first time. The three hours flew by in no time. Other participants were also very satisfied! I'm really glad we participated. I still feel moved when I think about it!

初めてスノーシュー3時間体験に家族で参加しました。動物の足跡や痕跡たどりながらたどり着いたところは、眼下に流氷が見渡せる、それはそれは素晴らしい景色でした！お天気にも恵まれ、暖かく、流氷は本当に広く輝いていました！前日は悪天候、その前の日は流氷はなかったそうなので、本当にラッキーだったのだとは思います。ガイドの方も素敵な方で、お話も楽しかったです。林の中を熊の爪痕や、モモンガの食べた松、動物の足跡、珍しい猿の腰掛けのキノコなどを発見しながら、初めてのスノーシューを楽しみました。3時間があっという間に感じました。
他の参加者の方々も大満足されていました！
本当に参加してよかったです。今でも思い出すと感動します！！

It was a cozy little tent, and I was able to enjoy ice fishing for wakasagi without feeling cold. I was taught some tips for catching them at first, and I followed those instructions, but I was also lucky and caught quite a few. The wakasagi we caught were made into tempura, which was crispy and delicious.

Additionally, I was picked up and dropped off at the hotel, so even though there was quite a bit of snow piled up, it was very convenient to participate.

こじんまりとしたテントでしたが、寒さを感じずにワカサギ釣りを楽しむことができました。最初に釣るコツを教えて頂いて、それに従ってやっていただけですが、運にも恵まれて、かなり釣れました。釣ったワカサギは天ぷらにしてくれましたが、サクサクで美味しかったです。
また、ホテルまで送迎してもらったので、雪がだいぶ積もっていましたが、楽に参加できたのはとても良かったです。

Hokkaido in winter has many attractive places, but traveling on snowy roads can be very difficult. This tour takes you to the sightseeing spots in Sapporo, so you don't have to drive on snowy roads, which I highly recommend.

冬の北海道、魅力的な場所が多いですが雪道での移動はとても難しいです。このツアーは札幌の観光名所に連れて行ってくれるので雪道での運転をしなくて良いのでおすすめです。

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

I used the facility on a weekday before noon. There were few customers, so I was able to enjoy all the activities without waiting in line. The weather had been warm for several days, and after some rain, there was a bit less snow, but I was still able to fully enjoy playing in the snow. The rafting, similar to a banana boat on water, was more exciting than I expected and really fun. The staff were all very friendly and kind, which made for a pleasant experience.

The only downside was at New Chitose Airport, where there were many other buses lined up near the bus stop (around number 30), and the shuttle bus I needed came in last. I was waiting before the departure time, but I didn't notice it passing right in front of me and ended up missing it. In the end, I had to take a taxi, so I would have really appreciated it if someone could have checked for any customers who were not on the bus.

平日のお昼前から利用しました。
お客さんも少なく、どのアクティビティも並ぶことなく遊べました。
お天気が暖かい日が続いていたり雨が降った後で少し雪は少なめでしたが、雪遊びを満喫することができました。
水上でいうところのバナナボートのようなラフティングが予想以上に弾んで楽しかったです。
スタッフの皆さんもとてもフレンドリーで優しく、気持ちよく過ごすことができました。
唯一残念だったのは、新千歳空港でバス乗り場（30番付近）に他のバスがたくさん並んでいてその一番後ろに送迎バスが来ており、出発時刻前から待っていましたが目の前を通過後に気付いて乗り損なってしまいました。
結局タクシーで向かうことになったので、お客さんがいないか確認していただければ本当にありがたかったです。

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。

On the last day of our trip, we stopped by before heading to the airport. The free shuttle bus was very helpful.

Since a large group of tourists had just left, we were able to enjoy ourselves without any waiting time. It seems there are many groups from Taiwan.

We had a set plan, but each activity ended quickly, so I think the special plan would be better for those who want to play a lot. It's enjoyable not just for children but also for adults.

The front desk and all the staff were very kind. There are facilities for luggage storage, changing rooms, and a restaurant.

The bus driver pointed out, "Look, there are deer across the river," which allowed us to enjoy the scenery from the bus window.

旅行最終日に空港に行く前に立ち寄りました。無料送迎バスがありがたいです。
大型バスでの団体客がちょうどはけていたので待ち時間なく遊べました。台湾からの団体客が多いようです。
セットプランでしたが一つ一つがすぐ終わってしまうのでたくさん遊びたい方はスペシャルプランがよいと思います。子供だけでなく大人も楽しめます。

フロントやスタッフの方はみなさん親切でした。荷物の預り、更衣室、レストランもあります。
バスの運転手さんが走行中に「川の向こうに鹿がいるよ」と教えて下さり車窓からの景色も楽しめました。

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。

It's amazing, the pure white Shiretoko. I'm really glad I could go trekking. I was able to see both the waterfalls and the drifting ice, which made me even more excited. Now, I really want to come back in early summer.

最高です、真っ白な知床。
トレッキング出来て、本当に良かったです。
滝も流氷、観れたので更にテンション上がる。
次は、初夏に来たい気持ちが大きくなりました。

I was carefully taught the ideal length of fishing line for catching wakasagi and some tips for fishing. As shown in the photo, I was able to catch a lot, and I am very satisfied.

ワカサギが釣れやすい釣り糸の長さや釣る時のコツを丁寧に教えてもらいました
写真の通り、たくさん釣ることができ、大満足です。

There was about an hour and a half of free time, but to be honest, it was cold (depending on the weather), and the roads were icy, which felt a bit scary after sunset. When I returned about 15 minutes early, there were already about 80% of the people on the bus, so I think the timing was sufficient.

Some restaurants were already closed by around 6 PM. The guide will take you to the entrance gate and distribute the tickets, so it's also an option to head back in the direction you arrived and eat first without entering.

自由散策が1時間半程あったが正直寒いし（気候にも寄るが）道路が凍結してて日没後はチョイ怖い
15分前に戻った際は既に8割位はバスに居たので時間的には十分かと

6時ごろには既に閉まってる飲食店もある
ガイドさんが入場ゲートの前まで案内&入場券の配布するから入場せずに一旦到着した方向に戻って先に食べるのもアリ

The view from the top of the mountain after snowshoeing was so magnificent that I was amazed. Of course, the scenery and the warm drink provided by the guide at the summit were fantastic, but simply going down on the sled was incredibly fun. Even as an adult, I couldn't help but get really excited!

スノーシューで山の上まで行って見えた景色は壮大すぎてびっくりしました。
もちろん、景色もてっぺんでガイドさんにもらった温かい飲み物も最高でしたが！、そりで下っていくのがシンプルにめちゃくちゃ楽しかったです。
大人でも大はしゃぎしてしまいました。

There were only two of us Japanese participants, my friend and I, but it was a very smooth and high-quality tour. Most of the participants were punctual with the meeting time when we joined. Both the guide and the driver were friendly and pleasant.

参加した日本人は私とお友人の二人でしたが、非常にスムーズで民度のよいツアーでした。
私たちが参加したときは集合時間もほぼ守れる方ばかりでした。
ガイドさんも運転手さんも気さくで感じが良かったです。