Two-Day Hokkaido Winter Tour: Drift Ice, Local Food, and Adorable Animals

A True Winter Wonderland! The Unique Charm of Hokkaido in Winter

When most people think of Japan’s northernmost Hokkaido region, images of Niseko’s ski resorts and perfect powder snow often come to mind.

However, there’s far more to explore in the region than just its ski resorts. Hokkaido’s unique environment has given rise to truly distinctive landscapes and animal species only to be found in the area - it is a real-life winter wonderland!

A huge part of Hokkaido’s appeal lies in how untouched its vast wilderness is. However, this also leads to one of the area’s main drawbacks for visitors - the difficulty in accessing many of its most fascinating spots. Travelers eager to explore the rugged region need not worry though, as now it’s possible to explore Hokkaido via a bus tour!

In this article, we introduce a unique two-day, one-night tour that affords travelers the rare opportunity to experience some of the main highlights of this isolated and fascinating region.

The Winter Experience of a Lifetime: The Hokkaido Winter Bus Tour

Departing from Hokkaido’s capital Sapporo, this incredible tour takes visitors all the way to the northeastern city of Abashiri. Directly facing the Sea of Okhotsk. Abashiri is famed for the extraordinary sight of the drift ice that gathers along its coast each winter.

As well as affording participants the rare opportunity to experience a frozen sea of drift ice, the tour takes participants on an adventure to see various animals such as penguins, foxes, seals, and more!

Stops along the way include Hokkaido Fox Village, Northern Daichi Aquarium, Tentozan Observation Deck, and the unique Ashiyama Zoo (immensely popular in winter for its penguin walks!)

Participants will be able to relax and enjoy traveling to each destination via a comfortable, heated coach. An experienced English-speaking guide will also be on board and will accompany them throughout.

Watch the following video to take a sneak peek into the tour.

Below we’ll take a closer look at some of the tour highlights, as well as why it’s such a fantastic way to experience winter in Hokkaido!

Discover a Whole New Frozen World on a Drift Ice Cruise!

One of the most exciting and unique experiences on this tour is undoubtedly embarking on a drift ice cruise, which takes passengers right out into a stunning white sea.

Abashiri is the southernmost point where this striking and somewhat surreal phenomenon can be witnessed, and for many, drift ice sightseeing is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Named the Aurora, the impressive icebreaker ship gently carves a path through the ice, affording its passengers a truly unique sight of a bewitching frozen world. Those on the cruise can often capture a glimpse of the extraordinary wildlife that traverses the ice in winter. These animals include majestic Stellar’s Sea Eagles, as well as adorable seals and even foxes which sometimes venture out onto the ice.

Participants can enjoy this astonishing scenery all from the comfort of the ship’s heated interior - though most also choose to venture outside onto the deck for a truly incredible view! The ship’s movement is steady, and it’s fully equipped with facilities including a shop and toilets.

Temperatures in Abashiri can drop to -10 degrees Celsius in winter, and the chill can really be felt at sea, so it’s strongly recommended that passengers wear proper winter coats and attire - particularly if they want to enjoy the outdoor view!

Enter the Unique World of Ashiyama Zoo

Far from being the typical zoo, Asahikawa City’s Ashiyama Zoo is a vast zoological garden housing a wide variety of species, including several native to Hokkaido. Among the animals housed at the zoo are penguins, polar bears, seals, wolves, tigers, and Hokkaido’s famed cranes and eagles.

Habitats are designed to be as natural as possible and to encourage the animals to behave as they would in the wild.

They’re also designed to give visitors to the zoo unique perspectives on the animals and their daily lives. For this reason, Ashiyama Zoo is among the most famous in Japan, and one of Asahikawa’s most famous spots.

Among the stars of the zoo are its penguins, and winter is the perfect time to visit, due to the zoo’s extremely popular penguin walk!

From the time that the first snow settles on the ground (usually mid-December) until March, the zoo’s beloved king penguin colony waddles their way along a set course twice a day. This charming penguin parade originally began as a way to help the birds exercise during the winter months, but the event has become a major Ashiyama Zoo attraction!

It’s also possible to get an entirely different view of the penguins by entering a unique underwater glass tunnel that runs through the pool of their enclosure. In contrast to their adorable shuffling gait on land, visitors can appreciate the elegant gliding movements of the penguins while underwater.

Savor a Delicious Winter Speciality: Kitami Yakiniku Barbecue

Another one of Hokkaido’s main claims to fame is its delicious and high-quality food, much of which is rich, filling, and great for warming oneself in the colder months! Guests on the tour will be able to sample some of Hokkaido’s excellent beef and other types of delicious meat by enjoying a scrumptious yakiniku barbecue meal in Kitami!

Nicknamed the ‘City of Yakiniku’, Kitami has an unusually high concentration of excellent yakiniku (barbecue-style) restaurants, and the city is also famed for its Yakiniku Festival held each February outdoors in the heart of winter.

As well as premium wagyu beef, a variety of ingredients including fresh vegetables and pork can also be enjoyed at Kitami’s yakiniku restaurants.

Yakiniku is not only delicious, but it’s also one of the most enjoyable food experiences in Japan! Diners are able to cook the meat and vegetables to perfection themselves on a traditional-style charcoal grill, and it’s very much a group activity. The mouthwatering aroma of the food, paired with the jovial atmosphere of most yakiniku restaurants creates a fun shared experience and a fantastic memory for travelers!

Experience a True Winter Wonderland in Hokkaido This Year!

Whether you’ve already booked a Hokkaido ski trip or are simply excited by the idea of seeing the region’s phenomenal frozen scenery and adorable animals, this winter tour offers the perfect way to explore some of Hokkaido’s hidden gems - hassle-free and in total comfort!