Lake Toya & Noboribetsu tour: Volcanic landscapes & bear ranch

A volcanic crater formed 10,000 years ago still steams and smolders at Hell Valley.

A 10-hour tour from Sapporo through Hokkaido's volcanic heartland, visiting Noboribetsu's Hell Valley and Oyunuma Pond, Showa Shinzan mountain, the Bear Ranch with over 100 brown bears, Lake Toya's observatories, and the canal-lined town of Otaru. The tour includes pickup and drop-off from Sapporo, a multilingual guide in English, Japanese or Chinese, and transport by air-conditioned bus. Weekend and holiday traffic may extend the return past 6 PM. The operator covers guide and driver overtime in those cases. Bear Ranch entry is available as an add-on choice at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Hokkaido's nature and culture

• Gather at Sapporo Station
• Travel to Noboribetsu Hell Valley
• Visit Jigokudani volcanic crater
• View Oyunuma Pond
• Visit Showa Shinzan volcanic mountain
• Observe bears at Bear Ranch
• See Lake Toya and observatories
• Arrive in Otaru for canal walk
• Visit Kitaichi Glass Shop
• Explore Music Box Museum
• Enjoy local delicacies in Otaru
• Return to Sapporo city

The experience

The day starts at Sapporo Station at 8 AM, where you board an air-conditioned bus with a professional guide. The first stop, Noboribetsu, sits about an hour away. Jigokudani, Hell Valley, is a volcanic crater spanning 450 meters across, formed roughly 10,000 years ago. White smoke rises constantly from the barren ground, and the sulfur smell is sharp enough that the name sticks. A viewing platform lets you stand at the rim. If trails are open, you can walk closer to the crater itself. Oyunuma Pond, a steaming crater lake fed by 130°C sulfur springs, sits nearby with its own viewing platform overlooking the geothermal activity that supplies hot spring water to local inns.

Around midday you reach Lake Toya and its surrounding attractions. Showa Shinzan is a volcanic mountain that rose after an earthquake in 1943 and has kept growing ever since. It now stands 398 meters tall with white smoke still visible on its reddish-brown slopes. The Bear Ranch, positioned near the ropeway entrance, houses over 100 Hokkaido brown bears, the largest wild mammals in the region. You can watch them and feed them if you choose that option. Lake Toya itself is a crater lake 10 kilometers across, 180 meters deep, and it never freezes. The Toya Lake Observatory offers panoramic views across the water to Nakajima Island, Mt. Yotei, and the volcanic peaks you've already seen.

The final stretch takes you to Otaru, arriving around 4:30 PM with free time to explore before the return to Sapporo at 6 PM. The town's canals are lined with red-brick warehouses from the Meiji era, and the streets carry a European feel. Kitaichi Glass Shop is known for its glasswork. The Music Box Museum holds over a thousand music boxes from around the world. Local food (the famous LeTAO cheesecake and other Hokkaido specialties) fills the small restaurants and shops. If you're visiting in early February, the Otaru Snow Light Path festival lights the canals and surrounding snow with candles. Weekend and holiday traffic in Japan can push the return past 6 PM. Plan accordingly and avoid scheduling activities or transport immediately after.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop-off from designated Sapporo areas.
• multilingual guide in English, Japanese or Chinese.
• air-conditioned bus transport.
• all fees and taxes.
• entry to Hell Valley, Oyunuma Pond viewing platform, Showa Shinzan, Lake Toya Observatory, and Otaru's public areas.
• Bear Ranch entry available as an add-on selection at checkout.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (13 to 90 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupUp to 45

Live guideEnglish, Chinese and Japanese

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteJP¥ 948

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Hotel Takitei

Is this one for you?The tour departs from Sapporo Station at 8 AM and returns around 6 PM with included pickup and drop-off, so you don't need a car or local transport knowledge to reach the starting point or get back to your hotel. The fixed schedule fits all four major stops (volcanic valleys, the mountain, the bears, and the canal town) into a single day without gaps or backtracking.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Chinese and Japanese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3).

What exactly is Hell Valley at Noboribetsu, and can I walk around it?

Jigokudani (Hell Valley) is a volcanic crater formed around 10,000 years ago, spanning 450 meters across with constant white smoke, barren sulfur-stained ground, and a strong sulfur smell. A viewing platform sits at the rim. If trails are open, you can walk down closer to the crater floor for a better look, though access is closed during winter for safety.

Can I actually feed the bears at the Bear Ranch?

The Bear Ranch houses over 100 Hokkaido brown bears, the largest wild mammals in the region. Feeding and observing them is possible, though bear entry is an add-on choice you select at checkout rather than included in the base tour price.

How much free time do I get in Otaru?

You arrive in Otaru around 4:30 PM and have free time to explore the canals, visit shops like Kitaichi Glass or the Music Box Museum, and eat dinner before the bus departs for Sapporo at 6 PM, giving you roughly 90 minutes on the ground.

What happens if traffic delays the return to Sapporo?

Weekend and holiday traffic in Japan can push the return past the scheduled 6 PM time, sometimes extending to 9 PM or later. The operator covers all overtime fees for the guide and driver in those cases, so don't schedule activities or transport immediately after the tour ends.