When Hokkaido’s long winter arrives, the landscape turns into a world of silver-white snow. Just before that season begins, set out on a late-autumn journey to some of the best sights in the Toya and Noboribetsu area. Feel the end of the green season and the coming of winter in the crisp air.
After departing Sapporo Station, the first stop is the roadside station Boyo Nakayama, located at the top of Nakayama Pass. It is also a scenic viewpoint with views of Mt. Yotei. Its local specialty is ageimo, deep-fried potato balls that sell around 300,000 servings a year and have remained a bestseller for more than 50 years.
Next, visit Silo Observatory at Lake Toya. Here, enjoy lunch and a sweeping panoramic view of Lake Toya from above. Lunch features Kitano Kaisen Nabe, a hearty hot pot filled with seafood. The special miso soup is rich with the flavor of the seafood, and can be enjoyed to the very last drop with udon noodles added at the end.
After lunch, take an aerial ride on the Usuzan Ropeway and enjoy the magnificent scenery shaped by nature from the mountaintop terrace and walking trails. You may also visit Showa-Shinzan Bear Ranch as an optional activity. Watch the bears playing and relaxing, or try feeding them yourself.
The final highlight of this course is Noboribetsu Jigokudani Valley. This massive explosion crater was formed by volcanic activity, and the sight of volcanic gas and steam rising from the rugged rock surface truly lives up to its name, “Hell Valley.” A wide variety of hot spring waters that make up the Noboribetsu Onsen area gush from this site, totaling 10,000 tons per day. Walk through the sulfur-scented valley and experience the power of the earth with all five senses.
Hokkaido’s autumn, tucked between its long summer and winter, passes in the blink of an eye. Yet this season offers many sights found only at this time of year, from autumn foliage and clear skies to trees shedding more leaves with each passing day. Set out on a bus journey and enjoy the atmosphere of late autumn.
Category Archives: 秋の北海道を楽しむコース
A journey through the lakes and mountains of the Toya and Noboribetsu area in autumn
Niseko Nature Discovery Tour: Hidden Gem Shinsen Marsh, Local Flavors, and Kyogoku’s Famous Spring Water (Excluding Multilingual Audio System)
Before Niseko is blanketed in snow, the region offers everything that makes Hokkaido’s short autumn so special: crisp blue skies, brilliant fall colors, delicious local cuisine, and relaxing hot springs. Let our sightseeing bus take you into the heart of the Niseko area, where mountains, forests, and crystal-clear streams create some of Hokkaido’s most beautiful landscapes.
About three hours after departing Sapporo, the first stop is Shinsen Marsh. Named for its otherworldly beauty, as if inhabited by gods or immortals, this mystical pond is one of Niseko’s hidden gems. A well-maintained boardwalk leads to the pond, about a 20-minute walk from the parking area. Enjoy the vivid autumn foliage and the pond’s mirror-like reflections of the surrounding scenery.
After your hike, enjoy a hearty Sukiyaki Hot Pot Set featuring herb-fed pork from Makkari Village. Niseko Nook Annupuri, located at the foot of Niseko Annupuri, serves dishes made with carefully selected local ingredients. Raised on herb-enriched feed in neighboring Makkari Village, the pork is known for its sweetness, richness, and exceptional flavor, all of which can be fully appreciated in this warming hot pot meal.
After lunch, enjoy free time in the surrounding area. Nearby attractions include the Niseko Annupuri Gondola, Ikoi no Yuyado Iroha hot spring, and Niseko Distillery. Optional activities include an autumn gondola ride above the colorful landscape, a soak in a hot spring renowned for its skin-beautifying waters, or a tasting of award-winning gin recognized as the world’s best at an international competition. (Gondola operating dates had not yet been determined as of May 25.)
Next, visit Niseko Milk Kobo, located in a scenic setting with views of Mt. Yotei. Famous for its sweets made with fresh milk from the adjacent Takahashi Dairy Farm, the shop offers a tempting selection of soft-serve ice cream, drinkable yogurt, cream puffs, pudding, roll cakes, and more, all highlighting the natural flavor of the milk.
The final stop is Kyogoku Fukidashi Park. Around 80,000 tons of snowmelt from Mt. Yotei gushes from the ground here every day, making it one of Japan’s finest natural spring water sites. The spring has been selected as one of the Ministry of the Environment’s 100 Remarkable Waters of Japan and as a Hokkaido Heritage site. The park features walking trails that make the most of its abundant water and natural surroundings, along with numerous spring water collection points. Visitors can drink the water on-site or take some home, so bringing a bottle or other container is recommended. The adjacent roadside station, Meisui-no-Sato Kyogoku, is also popular for products such as spring water coffee and coffee jelly made with the famous water.
Every stop on this tour showcases the natural beauty of Niseko and the majestic presence of Mt. Yotei. Enjoy Niseko’s fleeting autumn season before the arrival of winter.
Autumn Hoheikyo, Red Leaves Gondola and Exploring Otaru Tour (Excluding Multilingual Audio System)
As autumn deepens, the Jozankei area transforms into one of Sapporo’s most spectacular fall foliage destinations. Admire vibrant crimson and brilliant gold landscapes from prime viewing spots at a scenic dam and soaring gondola, making this the perfect tour to experience the beauty of autumn in all its glory.
Hoheikyo Dam is both a vital water source for Sapporo and one of the region’s most impressive scenic landmarks. Steep rocky cliffs, brilliantly colored autumn forests, and the dam’s graceful arch combine to create a truly breathtaking panorama. If you’re lucky, you may even spot a vivid rainbow forming in the mist of the dam’s water discharge.
Next, enjoy an aerial stroll aboard the gondola at Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort. The colorful mountain slopes spreading out below offer a completely different kind of beauty from Hoheikyo, resembling a grand autumn picture scroll. Take in the magnificent scenery painted by nature at your leisure.
After traveling through the mountains, you’ll arrive in charming and nostalgic Otaru, where you’ll have free time to explore. Stroll along Otaru Canal, browse the many shops lining Sakaimachi Street, including Kitaichi Glass, the Otaru Music Box Museum, Kitakaro, and the Nitori Museum of Art, and enjoy local specialties wherever you wish.
To conclude the journey, visit Shiroi Koibito Park※, Hokkaido’s famous confectionery theme park. Highlights include its beautiful English garden and the delightful mechanical clock tower parade that takes place every hour.
*Admission to paid areas is optional.
Experience the vibrant yet delicate beauty of autumn created by Hokkaido’s dramatic temperature changes. Enjoy these unforgettable seasonal landscapes on a relaxed and comfortable sightseeing bus tour.
Drive along the deepening autumn coast and enjoy a hot spring bath!
Spectacular Autumn Cape Shakotan Tour: Take a Bath at Misaki no Yu Shakotan (Meal Included)(Excluding Multilingual Audio System)
Jutting out into the Sea of Japan, the Shakotan Peninsula is known for its jewel-like waters called “Shakotan Blue,” dramatic cliffs, and striking rock formations. A scheduled sightseeing bus is the perfect way to enjoy this scenic coastal area.
This tour visits three spots in Shakotan: Cape Kamui, Misaki no Yu Shakotan, and Shimamui Coast.
Cape Kamui sits at the northwestern tip of the Shakotan Peninsula, offering sweeping views of the open sea. Take in the rugged, majestic cape as it extends into the sparkling water beneath the autumn sky.
After viewing Cape Kamui, enjoy lunch and a bath in the hot springs at Misaki no Yu Shakotan. Lunch features a hamanabe seafood hot pot prepared with plenty of seasonal seafood, perfect for warming up after the cool autumn sea breeze. After lunch, relax in the hot spring while gazing out over the vast sea.
Once you have warmed up to the core, continue to Shimamui Coast. Selected as one of Japan’s 100 Best Beaches, this scenic site is reached by passing through a 30-meter tunnel once used to transport herring. When you emerge from the dark tunnel, the emerald-green sea opens up before you in a truly breathtaking view.
Two more highlights are Roadside Station Space Apple Yoichi on the outbound route and Tanaka Sake Brewery Kikkogura on the return route. Roadside Station Space Apple Yoichi is popular for its apple pies made with Yoichi-grown apples and its creamy soft-serve ice cream. At Tanaka Sake Brewery Kikkogura, you can shop for local Otaru sake and enjoy tastings.
This course follows a varied and dramatic coastline, making the scenery from the bus window part of the journey itself. Enjoy the spectacular views at each stop on a comfortable scheduled sightseeing bus tour.
Hike through autumn colors at Hokkaido’s highest peak.
Asahidake “Garden in the Sky” Walking Tour (With Lunch, Excluding Multilingual Audio System)
At 2,291 meters, Asahidake is the highest mountain in Hokkaido. After a scenic 190-kilometer drive from Sapporo, enjoy a hike in this “garden in the sky” near the center of Hokkaido.
The journey from Sapporo takes about three hours, with a rest stop along the way Upon arrival at the Asahidake Ropeway, enjoy lunch at the Sugatami Shokudo on the second floor. The menu features a hearty stewed hamburger steak topped with chunky locally grown Higashikawa vegetables. Made with 100% Hokkaido beef, it’s juicy and well-balanced, perfect for fueling up before your hike.
After lunch, take the ropeway at your own pace up to Sugatami Station at 1,600 meters. From the station, set out on a scenic hike. A 1.7-kilometer walking loop (about one hour) leads past alpine plants such as chinguruma, the reflective Sugatami Pond that mirrors Asahidake on calm days, and occasionally wildlife such as the Ezo pika.
On the return journey, stop at Sunagawa Highway Oasis, where products from across Hokkaido come together. Brows Oasis Plaza for famous sweets, local sake, and regional specialties, or visit Soraichi Market for fresh produce and local goods from the Sorachi area. The site also features the first shop of the popular confectionery maker Kitakaro, offering exclusive items you can only find here.
With about three hours each way and roughly 400 km in total, this comfortable journey is made easy by the sightseeing bus. Don’t miss the chance to experience these seasonal views that can only be enjoyed for a short time each autumn.
