Day Trip from Sapporo: Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival & Tomamu Ice Village Bus Tour

Two Winter-Only Ice Worlds in One Day from Sapporo

This day-long bus tour leaves from Sapporo and takes you to the Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival and the Ice Village at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu in about 10 hours. By day, you will see blue ice pillars on the lakeshore; by night, an illuminated village made of ice. Two very different ice landscapes, back to back.

Lake Shikotsu and Tomamu lie in different directions, so visiting both on your own in a Hokkaido winter means snowy-road driving and a lot of planning. With the bus handling all the transfers, you can simply focus on the scenery.

Along the way, you will have lunch at Tomakomai Seafood Market (at your own expense) and stop at Michi-no-Eki Salmon Park Chitose, a roadside station. It is a chance to enjoy both the views and the flavours of winter in Hokkaido. Guide service is available in Chinese, English, Cantonese and Japanese.

First Stop: Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival, Greeted by Gleaming Blue Ice Walls

Your first stop is the Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival, a seasonal winter event filled with ice sculptures made from the lake's own water. Each winter, staff spend nearly three months spraying lake water onto wooden frameworks, layer upon layer, to grow the ice pillars.

Inside the venue, you will find a giant ice pillar about 13 metres (43 ft) tall, an ice shrine, and more than 30 differently shaped ice formations. Made from the famously clear water of Lake Shikotsu, the ice takes on a translucent pale blue on sunny days.

You can walk through ice tunnels, pose for photos in front of the ice walls, or toast marshmallows over a bonfire, all as you stroll around the site. The scale really stands out next to a person, so be sure to take a full-body shot.

Lunch at Tomakomai Seafood Market: Choose Your Own Taste of Hokkaido's Sea

Lunch is on your own at Tomakomai Seafood Market (at your own expense). The market has a range of options, including kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) shops, grilled seafood, Chinese food and an Italian restaurant.

Tomakomai has been Japan's top producer of hokki clams (surf clams) for more than 20 years in a row. Thick and sweet, hokki clams are even used in the local speciality, hokki curry. You can also choose something like a seafood rice bowl topped with shrimp and scallops, whatever suits your taste.

Once you have warmed up after the chilly morning with a hot meal, it is on to Michi-no-Eki Salmon Park Chitose.

Michi-no-Eki Salmon Park Chitose: Hunt for Local Breads and Sweets

Michi-no-Eki Salmon Park Chitose was renovated in 2023, and here you can browse the souvenir shops at your leisure. At the in-house Salmon Bakery, salmon-shaped curry bread, which draws queues even among locals, is lined up fresh from the fryer at set times.

There are plenty of exclusive souvenirs available only at Salmon Park Chitose, including soft-serve desserts made with milk from Kobayashi Farm in Ebetsu. It is also a handy place to pick up a snack for the evening at the Ice Village.

Finally, Tomamu Ice Village: A Village of Ice That Appears Only at Night

The day ends at the Ice Village, which opens only on winter nights at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu. Taking advantage of Tomamu's climate, where temperatures can drop to minus 30°C in winter, a village built from ice and snow appears for a limited season.

As night falls, white dome-shaped buildings glow under the lights, and a dreamlike scene unfolds alongside the frozen water's surface. The site features an ice bar, ice slides, an ice rink and other facilities made from ice and snow. Depending on the time of year, you can also visit an ice chapel or an ice hotel.

If the ice chapel is open during your visit, you can step inside a magical space built from a single seamless block of ice. You can toast marshmallows over a bonfire here too, so you can stay warm as you enjoy the village at night.

Outside the Ice Festival Season or in Bad Weather, the Itinerary May Change

Outside the Ice Festival's operating period, the itinerary is changed to Atama Daibutsuden (the Head Buddha Hall).

In cases of bad weather, venue closures due to high temperatures, or road restrictions caused by heavy snow, the itinerary may also be changed to other spots such as Atama Daibutsuden or Chitose Hoppo Snow Paradise. Refunds may not be available even if the itinerary changes, so please check the latest information before departure.

Things to Check Before Booking

• Duration is about 10 hours. Departure from JR Sapporo Station is around 10:00, with return around 20:30
• Please arrive at the meeting point at least 15 minutes before departure
• Guides are available in Chinese, English and Cantonese
• Lunch at Tomakomai Seafood Market is not included in the tour price and is paid for yourself
• Outside the Ice Festival season or in bad weather, the itinerary may change to Lake Shikotsu, Atama Daibutsuden or other spots
• Refunds may not be available if the itinerary changes due to venue closures caused by weather, high temperatures or similar conditions

The dates, prices and itineraries of the Ice Festival and the Ice Village are subject to change. Please check the latest information before booking.

Summary

This winter-only bus tour departs from Sapporo and takes you to both the Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival and the Ice Village at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu in a single day.

First, you walk among giant ice pillars and an ice shrine made from the water of Lake Shikotsu, then choose a lunch you like at the Tomakomai seafood market. After that, you head to Michi-no-Eki Salmon Park Chitose to look for Hokkaido-style breads, sweets and souvenirs.

The day ends at Tomamu's Ice Village, which appears only on winter nights. You will stroll among illuminated ice domes and enjoy the ice bar, ice slides and more, an ice world quite different from daytime at Lake Shikotsu. Operating periods vary by facility, so be sure to check what is open on the day.

Blue ice at Lake Shikotsu by day, a town of ice bathed in light at Tomamu by night. It is a great fit for anyone who wants to enjoy Hokkaido's winter scenery and food in one day without driving on snowy roads themselves.

You can check details and availability at Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival & Hoshino Resorts Tomamu Ice Village Day Tour.