Hokkaido: Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival & Hoshino Tomamu Ice Village Day Trip | Depart from Sapporo

Lake Shikotsu’s ice pillars are made with water from the lake itself, and the towering Blue Tower gives this winter festival a scale that’s hard to capture in a photo. The day pairs that outdoor spectacle with Tomamu’s Ice Village, a small winter world of ice-built rooms, a chapel, bars, and slides.

I like two things about this trip: you get transport to two far-flung winter attractions without driving snowy roads, and the stops include a useful taste of everyday Hokkaido at Tomakomai’s seafood market and Chitose’s local-produce shops. Guides such as Habi, Hazel, and Kalong have been praised for juggling several languages and keeping groups organized.

The trade-off is time. It’s a long day with long drives and short visits, and Tomamu’s Ice Village can close in warm or unsafe weather. If either main event is shut, the plan changes, and the tour’s terms say there is no refund once the tour has begun.

The day at a glance

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• Lake Shikotsu’s Blue Tower: See a 13-meter ice pillar made from lake water, along with the Ice Shrine and more than 30 other ice forms.
• Tomakomai seafood for lunch: Choose a seafood bowl, surf clam curry, grilled seafood, or another meal at your own expense.
• A quick Chitose stop: Browse local goods, produce, salmon-shaped curry bread, and Hokkaido milk ice cream, time permitting.
• Tomamu after dark: Explore the Ice Village, where the chapel, bars, hotel spaces, and slides are built from ice.
• A full day from Sapporo: The scheduled outing runs from 10:00 to about 20:30, with return times subject to traffic and weather.
• Weather can rewrite the plan: Ice attractions may close in unsafe conditions or high temperatures, so book with that uncertainty in mind.

👉 See our pick of the 10 Best Guided Tours In Sapporo

Lake Shikotsu’s ice takes center stage

The first main stop is Shikotsuko Onsen, where the Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival creates a temporary exhibition from ice formed using water drawn from the lake. The Blue Tower, nearly 13 meters tall, is the showpiece. Around it are an ice shrine and more than 30 ice pillars in different shapes.

This is a visual stop, not a guided museum visit. You’ll have about an hour to walk among the structures, take photos, and appreciate how sunlight and the ice’s blue-green tones alter their appearance. The cold is part of the setting, but it also means you’ll want warm gloves and footwear with good grip.

I find this the most dependable part of the outing for its sense of place. The sculptures are not just generic winter decorations: their color and material connect them to Lake Shikotsu. Still, an hour goes quickly, especially if the paths are crowded or you want to stop for photos. Keep an eye on the meeting time so a late return by one person does not shorten the group’s visit elsewhere.

The festival is seasonal, with the supplied dates running from January 30 through February 23. Dates and operating conditions can change from year to year, so check the event status for your chosen departure. Outside the festival period, the itinerary may substitute a Lake Shikotsu visit or the Hill of the Buddha.

Lunch in Tomakomai, with seafood on the menu

Lunch is scheduled for about an hour in Tomakomai, and it is not included in the tour price. The area is known for surf clams, called hokki in Japanese, and you can look for them in seafood bowls, curry, or grilled dishes. Other choices described for the stop include grilled fish, oysters, shrimp, scallops, Chinese food, and Italian-style fare.

This is a practical meal stop rather than a leisurely food tour. You’ll need to choose, order, eat, and be back on the bus within the allotted time. If you have a particular dish in mind, move with purpose once you arrive. A whole surf clam may be available as an add-on, but prices and options depend on what is being served that day.

The seafood stop adds welcome variety to a day built around ice and bus travel. It also gives you a chance to try a local specialty rather than relying only on convenience-store snacks. Bring some spending money, since meals and drinks are personal expenses.

One seasonal complication: the Tomakomai Seafood Market may close during Japan’s early-January New Year holiday period. In that case, lunch is moved to Chitose Northern Snow Land or Mitsui Outlet Park Sapporo Kita-Hiroshima.

Chitose Salmon Park is a short local-food stop

The next stop is Roadside Station Salmon Park Chitose, renovated in August 2023. It sells produce and local products from farms around Chitose, along with souvenirs. The food treats highlighted here include salmon-shaped curry bread and fresh-milk ice cream from Kobayashi Farm in Ebetsu.

The planned visit is only 15 minutes. That can be enough to use the restroom, pick up a snack, and have a quick look around, but not enough for a relaxed browse. Treat it as a brief pit stop, not a major attraction. If you see something you want to eat, buy it promptly and keep track of the departure time.

I like this stop’s modest, everyday appeal. A roadside market gives you a glimpse of local food shopping and makes a good contrast with the larger festival settings. But if you’re counting on time to shop, you may be disappointed; the schedule is tight, and delays elsewhere can squeeze this stop further.

Tomamu’s Ice Village is the evening finale

Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU’s Ice Village is the last main attraction, with about an hour scheduled for exploring. The village uses ice blocks to build features such as an Ice Chapel, bars, slides, and hotel spaces. The resort’s winter temperatures can fall as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius, which helps make this temporary architecture possible.

This is the more theatrical of the two ice experiences. At night, the village’s lights bring out the shapes and textures of the ice, and the chapel and bars give you more than sculptures to look at. You can take photos, walk through the different areas, and sample the atmosphere, but the one-hour visit leaves little room to linger, shop, wait in lines, and explore every feature.

The distance to Tomamu is the central question of value. You spend a substantial part of the day on the road to reach a site where your time is limited. Some people find the Ice Village the highlight; others feel that an hour is too short for such a long transfer. If this is your main reason for booking, accept that the tour offers a quick visit rather than an in-depth resort experience.

Most important, the Ice Village is not guaranteed to open. High temperatures, unsafe weather, or other force majeure conditions can lead to closure. The tour may then substitute the Hill of the Buddha, Chitose Northern Snow Land, or another attraction. The operator’s stated terms do not provide a refund if a closure forces a change after the tour has started.

Long drives make the bus useful, and the timetable tight

The tour departs from Sapporo Station at 10:00 and is scheduled to return around 20:30. That makes it roughly a 10.5-hour day, though traffic, snow, and road closures can affect the schedule. The main benefit of joining a bus tour is simple: you don’t have to drive a long winter route yourself or work out transport between distant stops.

The bus time is also the main cost in comfort. The route covers several places, and the attractions themselves get limited windows. People who want to explore slowly, shop at length, or take many photos may find the pace rushed. The tour is better suited to you if seeing several winter highlights in one day matters more than lingering at each one.

Guides speak Chinese, English, or Cantonese, with the languages available depending on the group and guide. Guides named Habi, Hazel, and Kalong have been noted for clear explanations, patience, and practical help. Multilingual guiding is useful, but translating information for several groups can take time. Be ready for instructions to be repeated in more than one language, and make a point of listening for the meeting time.

Punctuality matters more than usual on a tightly timed route. Returning late from a stop can cut into everyone’s time, and a delay can affect the remaining schedule. The meeting point can also be tricky to find: it is near the East Midori no Madoguchi ticket counter at JR Sapporo Station’s East Ticket Gate, next to Pocket Change at Hokkaido Shiki Saikan Sapporo East Store No. 1. Arrive 15 minutes early and check the meeting instructions sent before departure.

Is $89.25 good value?

At a starting price of $89.25, the tour can be good value if you want transport and entry to both Lake Shikotsu’s festival and Tomamu’s Ice Village in one day. The price includes admission to those two attractions, round-trip transfers from the Sapporo meeting point, and a guide. You do not have to arrange a rental car or pay separate entry fees for the two listed events.

But the value depends on the attractions being open and on what you expect from the time on site. You pay for access to a broad route, not a slow-paced visit. Meals, drinks, and personal purchases are extra, and the tour may substitute other stops if weather or temperatures close an ice event. If seeing Tomamu is your top priority, the closure risk deserves particular attention before you book.

A private car could give you more control over time and stop length, but it would cost more and put winter driving on you. This group tour makes sense as a lower-cost way to reach both places, provided you are comfortable with a fixed schedule and the possibility of changes.

Who will enjoy this winter day trip?

I’d consider this tour if you have one day to spare in Sapporo, want to see two distinctly different ice attractions, and would rather leave the winter driving to someone else. It can also suit families: children aged three and older pay the adult rate, while children aged zero to two may ride free if they do not need a separate seat. Infants still need to be included in the passenger headcount and noted when booking.

It is less suited to anyone who dislikes long bus rides, needs generous restroom breaks, or wants to spend a half day at Tomamu alone. The route is ambitious, and the 15-minute roadside stop and one-hour Ice Village visit make the pace clear. If an alternative itinerary would feel like a major letdown, think carefully about the weather risk.

Should you book it?

Book this trip if you want a convenient, budget-conscious way to see Lake Shikotsu and Tomamu in winter, and you can treat the Ice Village as a bonus rather than a certainty. The Lake Shikotsu sculptures, especially the Blue Tower, offer a memorable first stop, while the seafood lunch and Chitose market add useful local flavor.

Skip it if you want a relaxed day, long shopping stops, or a guaranteed visit to Tomamu’s Ice Village. Before booking, check the event dates, read the weather-change terms, and decide whether the listed alternatives would still make the day worthwhile. That is the fairest way to judge the value.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The scheduled day runs from 10:00 to about 20:30, or roughly 10.5 hours. Traffic and weather may change the timing.

Where is the meeting point in Sapporo?

Meet near the East Midori no Madoguchi ticket counter at JR Sapporo Station’s East Ticket Gate, next to Pocket Change at Hokkaido Shiki Saikan Sapporo East Store No. 1. Arrive 15 minutes before departure.

What is included in the price?

The tour includes admission to the Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival and Tomamu Ice Village, round-trip transfers from the meeting point, and a Chinese-, English-, or Cantonese-speaking guide.

Are meals included?

No. Meals and beverages are at your own expense. The planned lunch stop is in Tomakomai, where seafood and other food options are available.

When is the Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival held?

The dates provided for the festival are January 30 through February 23. The event is seasonal, so check the dates and operating status for your travel year.

What happens if the Ice Village or festival is closed?

The itinerary may change to the Hill of the Buddha, Chitose Northern Snow Land, or another attraction. The tour terms state that no refund is given if an attraction closes after the tour has started.

Can children join the tour?

Children aged three and older are charged the adult rate. Children aged zero to two can travel free if they do not occupy a separate seat, but they must be included in the passenger headcount and noted when booking.

How late can I cancel for a full refund?

You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least 48 hours before the activity date, based on local time. Late arrivals and no-shows are not refundable.

Is there a minimum group size?

The activity information gives a minimum of six participants. It also states that if the minimum is not met, you may book another date or request a full refund.