Tour overview

This 12-day adventure travels north from Tokyo by bullet train to the island of Hokkaido, with its volcanoes, lakes and Ainu culture. A local leader travels with the group, which numbers no more than twelve. You stay eleven nights in hotels and ryokan, with breakfast on most days and three dinners.

From Tokyo you head to Aomori and visit the castle town of Hirosaki, then cross to Hokkaido for the port of Hakodate. You stay in a ryokan in the hot-spring town of Noboribetsu and enjoy a traditional kaiseki dinner at Lake Shikotsu.

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In Asahikawa you learn about the indigenous Ainu people, ride the ropeway up Mount Asahi in Daisetsuzan National Park and visit the flower fields of Furano. The trip ends in Sapporo with a day trip to the canal town of Otaru and a Genghis Khan lamb dinner.

The physical rating is low. This trip suits returning visitors who want to discover Japan's wild north.

Trip highlights

  • Hirosaki Castle (Day 3)
  • Hakodate (Day 4)
  • Noboribetsu hot springs (Day 5)
  • Lake Shikotsu (Day 6)
  • Ainu culture (Day 8)
  • Daisetsuzan and Furano (Day 9)

Your route

12 stops from Tokyo to Otaru

12-day route: Tokyo – Aomori – Hirosaki – Hakodate – Noboribetsu – Lake Shikotsu – Asahikawa – Furano – Sapporo
  1. Tokyo Day 1
  2. Aomori Days 2–3
  3. Hirosaki Day 3
  4. Hakodate Day 4
  5. Noboribetsu Day 5
  6. Lake Shikotsu Day 6
  7. Asahikawa Days 7–8
  8. Mount Asahi (Asahi-dake) Day 9
  9. Blue Pond (Aoike) Day 9
  10. Furano Day 9
  11. Sapporo Days 10–12
  12. Otaru Day 11

Why choose this tour

Japan's wild north and Ainu culture. Two ryokan nights with traditional dinners.

Best suited to

  • Returning visitors to Japan
  • Nature lovers
  • Culture lovers
  • Solo travellers
Sapporo at dusk in winter

Day-by-day itinerary

12 days from Tokyo, Japan to Sapporo, Japan

  1. Day 1 · Tokyo Tokyo

    A welcome meeting.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  2. Day 2 · Aomori Aomori

    By bullet train north.

    Hotel
    Hotel
  3. Day 3 · Hirosaki Castle Hirosaki

    A castle town.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  4. Day 4 · Hakodate Hakodate

    To Hokkaido.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  5. Day 5 · Noboribetsu Noboribetsu

    Hot springs.

    Hotel
    Ryokan hotel
    Meals
    Dinner
  6. Day 6 · Lake Shikotsu Lake Shikotsu

    A kaiseki dinner.

    Hotel
    Ryokan hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner
  7. Day 7 · Asahikawa Asahikawa

    Hokkaido's second city.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  8. Day 8 · Kawamura Kaneto Ainu Museum Asahikawa

    Ainu culture.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  9. Day 9 · Asahidake Ropeway, Furano Furano

    Daisetsuzan.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  10. Day 10 · Tomita Farm, Sapporo Sapporo

    Flower fields.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Breakfast
  11. Day 11 · Otaru Otaru

    A canal town.

    Hotel
    Hotel
    Meals
    Dinner
  12. Day 12 · Sapporo Sapporo

    The trip ends.

    Meals
    Breakfast
Lake Shikotsu in winter

Where you stay

  • Tokyo (1 night) Hotel
  • Aomori (2 nights) Hotel
  • Hakodate (1 night) Hotel
  • Noboribetsu (1 night) Ryokan hotel
  • Lake Shikotsu (1 night) Ryokan hotel
  • Asahikawa (2 nights) Hotel
  • Furano (1 night) Hotel
  • Sapporo (2 nights) Hotel

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 11 nights in hotels and ryokan
  • Meals 8 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 3 dinners
  • Bullet trains and private transfers
  • Hirosaki Castle and Hakodate
  • Ainu museum and Mount Asahi ropeway
  • Otaru day trip
  • Local leader throughout

Not included

  • Flights and airport transfers
  • Meals not included 3 breakfasts, 9 lunches and 8 dinners
  • Optional activities
  • Travel insurance and personal spending
A tram on a snowy street in Hakodate

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You want the classic Kyoto and Tokyo route
  • You want luxury hotels
  • You want most meals included
  • You want flights included — they are not

Good to know

Meals by day Breakfast: Days 3–4, 6–10 and 12 · Lunch: Day 8 · Dinner: Days 5–6 and 11
Lavender fields in Furano, Hokkaido

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £3,925 per person, twin share, tour only. 55 upcoming departures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

Do I need a visa for Japan?

No, UK citizens can visit Japan visa-free for up to 90 days.

What are ryokan and minshuku like?

Traditional Japanese inns with futon bedding on tatami floors, often with shared or communal hot-spring baths.

When are the flower fields at their best?

Lavender at Furano peaks in July; other flowers bloom from spring to autumn.

Are airport transfers included?

No, they are not included.

Can I have my own room?

A single supplement is available on request.

How many people travel together?

No more than twelve travellers, with a local leader.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary
From £3,925
See dates & prices