Hokkaido's Winter Awe-inspiring Drift Ice & Sounkyo Ice Sculpture!
Overview
・Make a refreshing cool experience on the awe-inspiring Sea of Okhotsk and watch the huge chunks of drift ice only in this season! Ticket of the Ice Crusher Cruise "Garinkogo " is included.
・Ice Crusher "Garinkogo II" is specially designed for sightseeing. With a total weight of 150 tons, it can accommodate maximum 195 people. Air-conditioning, heating, vending machines etc. are equipped on board, providing a comfortable sail experience for passengers.
・Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival is a snow event held in Sounkyo Onsen in east of Asahikawa city, and has a history of over 30 years. The purified ice sculptures are in different shapes, even with amusing creative character to be found! Warm outfit is strongly recommended for this outdoor activity.
・Late morning departure is scheduled, to allow time for watching illumination at Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival.
・Ice Crusher "Garinkogo II" is specially designed for sightseeing. With a total weight of 150 tons, it can accommodate maximum 195 people. Air-conditioning, heating, vending machines etc. are equipped on board, providing a comfortable sail experience for passengers.
・Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival is a snow event held in Sounkyo Onsen in east of Asahikawa city, and has a history of over 30 years. The purified ice sculptures are in different shapes, even with amusing creative character to be found! Warm outfit is strongly recommended for this outdoor activity.
・Late morning departure is scheduled, to allow time for watching illumination at Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival.
Inclusions
- Air-conditioned vehicle
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Marukaichi Suisan, 2-chōme-11番地7 Shinkōchō, Mombetsu, Hokkaido 094-0012, Japan
Shop for local seafood products.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Monbetsu, Monbetsu, Hokkaido
Embark on "Garinkogo II" to sail on the northern sea of Okhotsk to see floating ice. Feel the vastness and powerfulness of this nature's view. You may encounter marine creatures too if lucky!
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Okhotsk Tower, 1 Kaiyokoen, Monbetsu 094-0031 Hokkaido
Free time for visit on your own to the ocean park area including Seal Center, Okhotsk Tower and Seal Sea Paradise. There will be chance to see lovely seal, clione (also known as naked sea butterfly), and to witness the water zone world under floating ice. (Admission fees to these places are not included. Seal Center is 200JPY; Okhotsk Tower is 800JPY; Seal Sea Paradise is 500JPY)
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Sounkyo Hot Spring Ice Fall Festival, Sounkyo Onsen, Kamikawa-cho, Kamikawa-gun Hokkaido
Visit the festival with various ice sculpture. Admission is 500 JPY per person.
Duration: 40 minutes
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Marukaichi Suisan, 2-chōme-11番地7 Shinkōchō, Mombetsu, Hokkaido 094-0012, Japan
Shop for local seafood products.
Duration: 20 minutes
Stop At: Monbetsu, Monbetsu, Hokkaido
Embark on "Garinkogo II" to sail on the northern sea of Okhotsk to see floating ice. Feel the vastness and powerfulness of this nature's view. You may encounter marine creatures too if lucky!
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Okhotsk Tower, 1 Kaiyokoen, Monbetsu 094-0031 Hokkaido
Free time for visit on your own to the ocean park area including Seal Center, Okhotsk Tower and Seal Sea Paradise. There will be chance to see lovely seal, clione (also known as naked sea butterfly), and to witness the water zone world under floating ice. (Admission fees to these places are not included. Seal Center is 200JPY; Okhotsk Tower is 800JPY; Seal Sea Paradise is 500JPY)
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Sounkyo Hot Spring Ice Fall Festival, Sounkyo Onsen, Kamikawa-cho, Kamikawa-gun Hokkaido
Visit the festival with various ice sculpture. Admission is 500 JPY per person.
Duration: 40 minutes
Additional information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Most travelers can participate
- Local Japanese travelers may join the tour together.
- Schedule may be changed or cut due to actual traffic condition or other uncontrollable incidents. Please kindly be noted.
- This tour is operated on the basis of Japanese tourist industry regulation.
- 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.
- There is a possibility that arrival is delayed due to traffic conditions. When meeting with adverse weather or other uncontrollable factors, the tour may be changed or delayed. In this case, if there is cancelation on the departure day, no refund will be made. Please kindly be noted.
- Pick-up and drop-off points are different.（Drop-off points are JR Sapporo Station ,near the Odori park, Susukino(All points are near subway station) ※ANA Crowne Plaza Sapporo is near JR Sapporo Station）※We will not be returning to Nakajima Park.
- There is a possibilty that floating ice may not be seen on the departure day. In this case, please refer to the following remarks: 1) If "Garinkogo " cruise is not operated, presents will be given to participants and adult 1600JPY/ child 1000JPY will be refunded. Alternative will be offered to visit OKHOTSK SEA ICE MUSEUM OF HOKKAIDO. 2) If "Garinkogo " cruise is not operated, and Monbetsu is not reached, adult 2300JPY/ child 1000JPY will be refunded.
- For dinner, we offer an optional seafood bento box from the Sea of Okhotsk (crab or crab roe bowl bento). We will inform you on the day.※about 1700 Jpanese yen.
- This course will be shared with another course that includes lunch.
- Staff who can speak English (very simple)and Japanese will accompany the tour. No detailed tour sightseeing guidance will be provided. Please kindly be noted.（About 3, 000 people who do not understand Japanese participate every year, but there is no particular problem.）
- Large luggage such as suitcases will be stored in the trunk of the bus. You will not be able to take your luggage in or out during the tour, so please prepare everything you need for sightseeing in your hand luggage. When checking in on the day, please let the staff know that you have luggage to check.
- The emergency contact number on the day is 080-9194-1151. English is available.
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Temperature checks for travelers upon arrival
- 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.
Peter_T
February 2023
The ice driving experience was good worth spending a long hour journeying to there. The guide and driver was good. It is truly a good experience.
The ice driving experience was good worth spending a long hour journeying to there. The guide and driver was good. It is truly a good experience.KokYee_C
February 2020
Very dissatisfied and disappointed!!! Insignificant sighting of drift ice. The tour operator should cancel the tour so that we are not left feeling disappointed. A total waste of money and time and even my children think it’s a scam. I fully understand that it’s due to weather but think it’s only...
Very dissatisfied and disappointed!!! Insignificant sighting of drift ice. The tour operator should cancel the tour so that we are not left feeling disappointed. A total waste of money and time and even my children think it’s a scam. I fully understand that it’s due to weather but think it’s only fair that the operator decide to cancel. Wasted one whole day.