Asahiyama Zoo, Fascinating Aoi-Ike Light Up and Shirohige Falls in Winter!
Overview
・Explore Hokkaido’s signature spots in winter and spend a cheerful day with different activities. Considerately late departure and less morning rush to start a laid-back day trip.
・Go for Japan's one of most popular zoos Asahiyama Zoo, home to various animals! "Penguin's Parade" is the symbolic gesture in winter. It has drawn many visitors for the admirable scene of strolling penguins!
・The can't-miss alluring Blue Pond (Aoi Ike) in Biei of Hokkaido! The pond light up only in winter just creates a dreamlike mysterious wonderland!
・Another illumination sightseeing spot will be Shirohige Falls. There will be time for stop-by and taking photos.
・Pick-up and drop-off points are different. but drop-off points are JR Sapporo station, Odori park ,Susukino, Nakajima park.(All points are near subway station)
・Go for Japan's one of most popular zoos Asahiyama Zoo, home to various animals! "Penguin's Parade" is the symbolic gesture in winter. It has drawn many visitors for the admirable scene of strolling penguins!
・The can't-miss alluring Blue Pond (Aoi Ike) in Biei of Hokkaido! The pond light up only in winter just creates a dreamlike mysterious wonderland!
・Another illumination sightseeing spot will be Shirohige Falls. There will be time for stop-by and taking photos.
・Pick-up and drop-off points are different. but drop-off points are JR Sapporo station, Odori park ,Susukino, Nakajima park.(All points are near subway station)
Inclusions
- All activities
- Driver/guide
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- All Fees and Taxes
- Entry/Admission - Asahiyama Zoo
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Asahiyama Zoo, Higashi Asahikawacho Kuranuma, Asahikawa 078-8205 Hokkaido
Asahiyama Zoo, in the northernmost part of Japan, is the landmark sightseeing spot of Hokkaido, and visited by huge number of visitors. This zoon has been designed to see not only animals’ appearance, also their behaviors through daily life display. In “Hippopotamus Hall”, ostrich and warthog could be found here as that in a natural environment; in “Seal Hall”, the movement of seal swimming in a glass pipe called “Marine Way” can also be clearly watched.
※Please note that 2.5 hours will be allocated for this stop during March. "Penguin's Parade" will not be seen during March.
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Stop At: Blue Pond, Matsukami, Fukaura-machi, Nishitsugaru-gun 038-2206 Aomori Prefecture
Biei is renowned for its gentle flower slopes, as well as its painting-like Blue Pond. The waterfall gushes with aluminum merges into Biei River, a colloid is produced and clashes with sunlight, therefore the lake presents the unique blue color. Moreover the withered Japanese birch and larch standing in the lake bring about a still yet gasping beauty.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Shirahige Falls, Shirogane, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun 071-0235 Hokkaido
Another illumination sightseeing spot will be Shirohige Falls. Shirahige Falls is a waterfall at about 600 m above sea level in Shirogane Onsen in Biei town of Hokkaido, and was named after splashes of the falls like the white mustache. Its winter light up brings a magical harmony between pure nature and amazing electronic lights.
Duration: 20 minutes
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Asahiyama Zoo, Higashi Asahikawacho Kuranuma, Asahikawa 078-8205 Hokkaido
Asahiyama Zoo, in the northernmost part of Japan, is the landmark sightseeing spot of Hokkaido, and visited by huge number of visitors. This zoon has been designed to see not only animals’ appearance, also their behaviors through daily life display. In “Hippopotamus Hall”, ostrich and warthog could be found here as that in a natural environment; in “Seal Hall”, the movement of seal swimming in a glass pipe called “Marine Way” can also be clearly watched.
※Please note that 2.5 hours will be allocated for this stop during March. "Penguin's Parade" will not be seen during March.
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Stop At: Blue Pond, Matsukami, Fukaura-machi, Nishitsugaru-gun 038-2206 Aomori Prefecture
Biei is renowned for its gentle flower slopes, as well as its painting-like Blue Pond. The waterfall gushes with aluminum merges into Biei River, a colloid is produced and clashes with sunlight, therefore the lake presents the unique blue color. Moreover the withered Japanese birch and larch standing in the lake bring about a still yet gasping beauty.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Shirahige Falls, Shirogane, Biei-cho, Kamikawa-gun 071-0235 Hokkaido
Another illumination sightseeing spot will be Shirohige Falls. Shirahige Falls is a waterfall at about 600 m above sea level in Shirogane Onsen in Biei town of Hokkaido, and was named after splashes of the falls like the white mustache. Its winter light up brings a magical harmony between pure nature and amazing electronic lights.
Duration: 20 minutes
Additional information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- Pick-up and drop-off points are different.（Drop-off points are JR Sapporo station , the Odori park, Susukino(These points are near subway station)
- 「JR Sapporo Station」 have been added as places to get off.
- Staff who can speak English ( simple)and Japanese will accompany the tour.（About 3, 000 people who do not understand Japanese participate every year, but there is no problem.） No detailed tour sightseeing guidance will be provided. Please kindly be noted.
- Please choose departure location while booking. Departure time at each hotel is slightly different.
- Joining this tour on your last day in Hokkaido is not recommended. As there is a possibility of traffic congestion or other delay during the tour. In this case, no compensation will be made.
- Staying time at each sightseeing spot is subject to change depending on realtime traffic condition.
- There is a possibility that arrival is delayed due to traffic conditions. When meeting with stormy weather, the tour may be unavoidably canceled. Please kindly be noted.
- Lunch is at your own expense in the zoo.
- Admission fee for Asahiyama Zoo is included. Please kindly be noted that guide will not accompany to enter the zoo.
- Return time is about 21:00~21:30
- Lunch can be taken on your own in Asahiyama Zoo. You can also buy it at Asahiyama Zoo. but there is no place to buy dinner, so please bring your own food. Also, eating and drinking is prohibited on the bus, so please eat at each sightseeing spot.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 45 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 3 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
Pavan_H
December 2021
Excellent service and time , would recommend for those who would like to cover the main spots in one day
Excellent service and time , would recommend for those who would like to cover the main spots in one dayLayKuan_C
December 2022
Tour was conducted in full Japanese . Tour guide speaks a bit of English . Wanted to get off at Sapporo station only to realise that the bus was not stopping at the station at end of trip. N guide did not check with us on where we wanted to stop as all were communicating in Japanese . That’s the ...
Tour was conducted in full Japanese . Tour guide speaks a bit of English . Wanted to get off at Sapporo station only to realise that the bus was not stopping at the station at end of trip. N guide did not check with us on where we wanted to stop as all were communicating in Japanese . That’s the disappointment of the tripyuhaox2022
December 2022
TLDR: 1. A completely waste of one day. 2. Car crash (luckily seems like no one hurts), delayed us by 3 hours. We missed the zoo. 3. Super bad time arrangement and schedule after the crash. 4. Aoi-Ike Blud Pond has nothing to see in Dec. 5. Basically no English support while half of the group do...
TLDR: 1. A completely waste of one day. 2. Car crash (luckily seems like no one hurts), delayed us by 3 hours. We missed the zoo. 3. Super bad time arrangement and schedule after the crash. 4. Aoi-Ike Blud Pond has nothing to see in Dec. 5. Basically no English support while half of the group don't speak Japenese. Here is the story: 1. We are in our honeymoon and this is the last day of our stay in Hokkaido. This trip was listed as English friendly while the guide barely speaks any English. 2. The tour starts super late (we departure at around 10.30 while usually it's already dark at 4pm in Hokkaido) 3. The reckless driver hits another car (luckily no one hurts) We have to wait there for 2 hours. 4. Then the tour guide could have just let us leave the tour and we'd still have time to see other attractions. However, the tour guide took us to Asahikawa for another 1 hour, only to tell us that we'd miss the zoo. "You guys either continue to other attractions or take another bus back for 2 hours". Basically at this point, we wasted our entire day in a bus and we had nothing else to do. The zoo was supposed to be the key part of the trip. 5. Normally I'd understand it if it's for bad weather conditions. However, this worst experience is only caused by reckless driving, poop schedule, poor time management and risk handlings.Vera_W
November 2022
2.5 stars for Asahiyama Zoo and 0.5 stars for the manmade blue pool. The waterfall was forgettable (especially with no info). There was no explanation whatsoever by the tour leader (who couldn’t speak English) throughout the 11-hour journey, save for constant nagging about not eating on the bus, ...
2.5 stars for Asahiyama Zoo and 0.5 stars for the manmade blue pool. The waterfall was forgettable (especially with no info). There was no explanation whatsoever by the tour leader (who couldn’t speak English) throughout the 11-hour journey, save for constant nagging about not eating on the bus, disinfecting our hands, going to the toilet and not being late to return to the bus. Because of the later start time there was no room for dinner, until well after 9pm. Drop off locations were also not properly explained beforehand (they aren’t the same as pick-up points). I felt more like a convict being ferried from one prison to another, rather than a traveller trying to enjoy learning about new places. If you take this experience as just an organised transfer service (chasing after complex Japanese public transport schedules is a different level of stress), and arm yourself with provisions to see you through the day (but be forewarned you are not allowed to eat on the bus), you will probably not be left wanting. Asahiyama Zoo deserves special mention; the enclosure design may raise eyebrows for some animal rights activists but it is probably one of the very few zoos in the world that give visitors an upclose-enough experience with the animals.Nor_H
November 2022
Despite no English speaking tour guide post covid-19 pandemic, we managed to enjoy the trip using google translate, ha ha ha… Asahiyama Zoo is beautifully landscaped with various exotic animals and the blue pond is mesmerising. Great trip despite long 2 hours journey and our guide is helpful
Despite no English speaking tour guide post covid-19 pandemic, we managed to enjoy the trip using google translate, ha ha ha… Asahiyama Zoo is beautifully landscaped with various exotic animals and the blue pond is mesmerising. Great trip despite long 2 hours journey and our guide is helpfulWilliam_C
November 2022
My tour suppose to have an English speaking guide. Unfortunately our guide doesn’t speak a word of English. We didn’t have a clue what she was on above the whole journey. At one point she has to ask a Japanese girl to let us know where to alight the coach after the tour. Sad experience
My tour suppose to have an English speaking guide. Unfortunately our guide doesn’t speak a word of English. We didn’t have a clue what she was on above the whole journey. At one point she has to ask a Japanese girl to let us know where to alight the coach after the tour. Sad experience