Enjoy Sapporo, Otaru, and Lake Toya | Hokkaido Itinerary by TripToJapan

Arrival at New Chitose Airport, the gateway to Hokkaido, 12:00

When you arrive at New Chitose Airport, it's convenient to rent a Wi-Fi device first! You can rent one at a 20% discount.

[20% OFF] Rent a Wi-Fi device at New Chitose Airport

When you arrive in Hokkaido, head to Sapporo first.

On your first day in Sapporo, Hokkaido's vibrant capital, enjoy a leisurely stroll through Odori Park on a sunny day and a self-guided tour of the Sapporo Beer Museum, Japan's premier beer museum.

Book a private guided tour of Sapporo

13:00 Sapporo TV Tower (Time required: 30-60 minutes)

In the square in front of the Sapporo TV Tower, festivals are held every week during the summer, and the Sapporo Snow Festival is held during the winter! It's also a great spot for meeting up! It's about a 15-minute walk from Sapporo Station. Enjoy a stroll while feeling the fresh air of Hokkaido!

Check out the events at Sapporo TV Tower

Admission fee: 1,000 yen (purchasable on the 3rd floor of the tower)

▶Sapporo TV Tower, located at the eastern end of Odori Park, is a symbol of Sapporo. The 147.2-meter-tall tower has an observation deck, from which you can see the vast Odori Park, the Sapporo cityscape, and even the Ishikari Plain in the distance during the day. At night, the tower is lit up, creating a fantastical view that is completely different from the daytime.

▶︎There are many restaurants around the building, including izakayas, soba restaurants, ramen shops, and coffee shops, making it a convenient place to stop for a meal between sightseeing. It's a classic spot to stop by at the start or end of your Sapporo sightseeing trip.

14:00 Odori Park (Time required: Free)

After enjoying a panoramic view of Sapporo from the Sapporo TV Tower, take a stroll through the 1.5-kilometer-long Odori Park. Here, you can enjoy a relaxing time away from the hustle and bustle of the city while admiring the plants and fountains. You can also enjoy takeout from a nearby restaurant.

15:00 Sapporo Beer Museum (Time required: approx. 60-90 minutes)

After enjoying a stroll through the vast land unique to Hokkaido, enjoy a tasting at the Sapporo Beer Museum and learn about the history of beer! There are three different plans available. Choose the plan that suits you best and enjoy the museum to the fullest. Although it is a beer museum, children are welcome to participate! You can enjoy soft drinks instead of beer.

Premium Tour

You can enjoy the exhibits on a guided tour that will help you learn about the history and legacy of Sapporo Beer. The tour is conducted in Japanese, but audio guides are available in English and Korean. You can also enjoy a tasting of Sapporo Beer at the end of the tour.

Duration: 50 minutes

Time: First session starts at 11:30

ClosedMonday

Admission fee: 1,000 yen for adults, 500 yen for junior high school students and under 20 years old, free for elementary school students and younger

(Includes two tastings or two soft drinks)

Reservations: Required

Black Label THE PERFECT TOUR

This is a guided tour where you can experience the history of Sapporo Black Label draft beer. In addition to learning about the historical story of Sapporo Beer, you will also learn about the attention to detail that goes into making Black Label delicious. At the end of the tour, you will be able to enjoy a tasting.

Duration: 70 minutes

Date: Once a weekday per month

Participation fee: 2,500 yen for adults

Reservations: Required

Free museum tour

Duration: 15-20 minutes

Opening hours: 11:00-18:00 (last entry 17:30)

Admission fee: Free

Reservations: Not required

Star Hall (fee required for tasting) 11:00-18:30 (last order 18:00)

Museum shop 11:00-19:30

Purchase your Sapporo Beer Museum admission ticket with TripToJapan.com tours

18:00 Stay at Sapporo Prince Hotel

After a day of enjoying Sapporo, stay at the Hokkaido Prince Hotel. Enjoy panoramic views of the city from your bright and elegant room. The hotel also has a restaurant, bar, cafe, and hot spring facilities. You can also rent bicycles and skis. Please inquire at the front desk.

On your second day in Sapporo, learn about Japanese food culture!

10:00 Tempura and Soba Making Experience (Time required: approx. 90 minutes)

On the second day in Sapporo, we took part in a Japanese food experience tour supervised by TripToJapan. We experienced making tempura and soba noodles, and enjoyed them with sake, which is the perfect pairing for Japanese food. It can be quite difficult to make authentic soba noodles or tempura on your own, but on this tour we were able to learn from a professional chef.

The location is about 20 minutes by train from Sapporo Prince Hotel.

Soba making, tempura, and Hokkaido sake experience in Sapporo

13:00 Shiroi Koibito Park (Time required: 1-3 hours)

After your authentic Japanese dining experience, visit the theme park for Shiroi Koibito, Hokkaido's most famous confectionery. You can see the manufacturing process and learn about the history of chocolate. You can also try your hand at making sweets, and spend some time relaxing in the spacious garden or cafe.

Book a customizable private tour with a local guide that also visits Shiroi Koibito Park

Sukiyaki dinner 18:00

After enjoying Shiroi Koibito Park, return to the center of Sapporo for a special dinner. Enjoy a luxurious meal of Wagyu beef shabu-shabu at "Wagyu Shabu-Shabu Sukiyaki Fujisan." This extremely popular restaurant has a Google review rating of 4.7! Enjoy the finest Wagyu beef shabu-shabu in a relaxing atmosphere.

10:00 Sapporo Clock Tower (Time required: 60 minutes)

On your third day in Sapporo, visit the Sapporo Clock Tower. This clock tower is the oldest surviving clock tower in Japan. It is a symbol of Sapporo, combining historical value with beautiful architecture. Go inside and learn about the history of this building.

12:00 If you're feeling a bit hungry, try Sapporo miso ramen

It's lunchtime at Teshikaga Ramen Sapporo Ramen, just a short walk from the Clock Tower! This ramen shop offers classic miso ramen, seafood soy sauce ramen, and more. It's a super popular restaurant with a 4.6 Google review! They also serve ramen topped with venison char siu and luxurious snow crab, which are rare in other parts of Japan! Authentic ramen you can only taste here!

15:00 AOAO SAPPORO Cute Animals (Duration: 60-90 minutes)

An aquarium where you can get up close and personal with penguins and other sea creatures. AOAO SAPPORO is open from 10am to 10pm, with admission for adults costing 2000 yen and children 1000 yen.

See the penguins at AOAO SAPPORO

18:00 Former Hokkaido Government Office Building and Red Brick Building (Time required: 60-120 minutes)

This historic red brick building was built during the Meiji period. You can enjoy darts games themed around Hokkaido's cities, towns, and villages, as well as interactive exhibits that use digital signage to learn about history and culture. There is a restaurant on the first floor of the building, where you can enjoy a meal in a historic space.

20:00 Sushi for dinner at Tatsuyoshi 2nd Generation Sapporo Tanukikoji branch

Hokkaido is synonymous with fresh fish! No trip to Hokkaido is complete without trying sushi made with freshly caught fish. Enjoy sushi at "Nidaime Tatsuyoshi Sapporo Tanukikoji Branch"!

Stroll around Otaru (1.5 hours by train from Sapporo)

10:00 Depart Sapporo and board the Airport Express 151 to Otaru!

Otaru is a port town where beautiful nature and historic streets coexist. Craftsmanship, including glassware, music boxes, and sweets, is thriving here. It's famous for tourist attractions like the Otaru Canal and Sakaimachi Shopping Street, where you can enjoy fresh seafood, gourmet food, and shopping.

11:30 Arrive at Otaru Station

12:00 Stroll in Otaru Park

13:00 Shopping at Otaru Sakaimachi Shopping Street

At Otaru Sakaimachi Shopping Street, you can enjoy a wide variety of shops. You can find glass folk art accessories, music boxes, sushi and seafood made with fresh fish, and even sweets at stylish cafes. It's also interesting to see how the former banks and watch shops have been converted into shops.

Learn about Otaru Sakaimachi Shopping Street

Otaru originally had a history of thriving production of floats used in herring fishing and oil lamps, and these techniques were developed into crafts. During the Meiji period, Otaru flourished as a base port for development, and many glass factories were built to produce glass as a daily necessity. These techniques are now being used to create highly designed crafts.

You can find a wide range of items, from large lamps to tiny earrings!

The most famous is Kitaichi Glass, where you can purchase glass products, see them, try them out, eat and drink, and more. In addition to enjoying shopping in a store with a wide selection of beautiful glass products, you can also observe the manufacturing process in an observation workshop where you can see the craftsmanship of the artisans, and try your hand at sandblasting and glass bead arranging.

17:00 Enjoy a boat ride on the Otaru Canal

When you think of Otaru, you think of the Otaru Canal! Enjoy the historic buildings and retro scenery! The magical atmosphere from dusk to night is especially unique to this place. Enjoy a stroll along the canal, or book a cruise.

Book a cruise

13:00 Fresh sushi dinner at Otaru Masazushi Main Branch

Lake Toya

Our final stop in Hokkaido is Lake Toya!

In the Toyako area, you can enjoy relaxing hot springs and evening walks along the lakeside.

Take the Usuzan Ropeway up Mount Usu to see the active volcano's crater. Guests can also play in the snow by the lake or relax in the hotel's hot springs and spa facilities.

Don't miss out on the gourmet food at Lake Toya!

Book a Hokkaido nature and gourmet experience around Lake Toya

This tour offers an immersive gourmet experience at a HOKKAIDian Homestead, where you can savor seasonal Hokkaido meat, seafood, and produce while interacting with your local host.

Discover the culinary secrets of Hokkaido by cooking and enjoying local specialties made with fresh, seasonal ingredients at a HOKKAIDian Homestead in Hokkaido. Surrounded by the breathtaking scenery of Lake Toya, this tour offers a unique blend of cooking, learning, and nature, making it the perfect way to create a wonderful and memorable experience.

If you're traveling with small children, we have a special experience for you! Homestead offers a special menu for children and fun, hands-on activities that they will enjoy. This experience is not only about enjoying delicious food, but also about creating fun memories in a beautiful environment!

What's included in the price

- Ingredients needed for every cooking session

・Professional guidance from the host

Access to outdoor exploration

All cooking equipment and utensils

・Seafood and main dish

Drinks during meals

Finally, we returned to Sapporo to conclude our trip.

The urban culture of Sapporo, the nostalgic streets of Otaru, and the magnificent nature and hot springs of Lake Toya. This 11-day self-travel is a luxurious trip that allows you to enjoy the diverse charms of Hokkaido at your own pace. By using a plan supervised by TripToJapan, you can enjoy a free and secure trip without worrying about transportation or accommodation.

Why not experience Hokkaido to your heart's content, a place where cities and nature, history and modernity intertwine? If you're planning a trip to Hokkaido, be sure to contact TripToJapan.com!