【冬】日本遺産のまち小樽と白い恋人パークコース

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Departing from Sapporo Station, we will first head for Otaru City. Passing the Hokkaido University through downtown and onto the expressway where you can enjoy the scenery of Ishikari Bay. We’ll go onto for a pleasant wine tasting tour and visit the historical architecture, which houses the winery Otaru Bine, once used as the central branch of the Hokkaido Bank. Then on to the Otaru Canal, enjoy your free time to explore the streets. For lunch, you can enjoy a buffet meal at Grand Park Otaru, which offers mainly Western and Chinese cuisine, and dessert. After lunch we will visit Tanaka Shuzo Brewery where visitors can sample Japanese sake. After sampling, enjoy your free time to explore the unique sweets shops near the Kitaichi Glass and Otaru Music Box Museum where you can breathe the nostalgic air of Taisho Period. This tour also originates in Otaru which is convenient to visitors staying in Otaru.

Lake Shikotsu and Lake Toya Winter Tour (Multilingual Audio Tour)

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As you drive through the endless old growth forests, the road opens up to the beautiful blue “”Lake Shikotsu”" surrounded by lush nature. The ice-free (does not freeze during the winter) Lake Shikotsu is Japan’s northernmost lake of its kind. It has also been recognized by the Ministry of Environment as one of the most cleanest and clearest lakes in the nation. Nearby is Lake Toya, a large caldera lake created during a violent eruption over 100 thousand years ago. It is also surrounded by rich flora and is the habitat for a wide variety of fauna.
We will have lunch at Toya Kohantei that sits on the shores of Lake Toya.
After we leave Lake Toya the bus will head to Mt Usu, the first in Japan to be inducted as a Global Geopark in August, 2009. A Global Geopark is a natural park where visitors can explore and enjoy the Earth through nature trails, interpretive signs, and guided tours. The Toya-Usu UNESCO Global Geopark, recognized alongside Itoigawa and the Shimabara Peninsula, is part of the Global Geoparks Network supported by UNESCO, and was among the 59th to 61st sites in the world to receive this designation. At Mt. Usu, visitors can take the ropeway to enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.
This course takes visitors to two of Hokkaido’s most popular lakes in just one day.
During the Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival (February 1st to February 23th), you can take an optional tour of the Ice Festival. (The tour fee is at your own expense.)
*Meals are not included on some dates. You will have free reign to eat. (There will be a 50-minute meal time at Mushroom Kingdom.)