Sapporo & Hill of the Buddha tour: Sake tasting included

A 45-meter Buddha lying in peace, then 360-degree views from the city's tallest tower

A full-day guided tour of Sapporo visiting two major Buddha sites (the enormous Sleeping Buddha at Butsuganji Temple and the 13.5-meter Hill of the Buddha sculpture) plus the Sapporo TV Tower and sake tasting at a local bar. The tour includes an English-speaking guide, all entry fees, and transport from Sapporo Station to each stop. Lunch is not included, but the day spans roughly 8.5 hours with time built in to explore each site.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Sapporo TV Tower2h · entry included
2. Susukino2h 10m · entry included

Explore Sapporo's spiritual and city highlights

• Visit Butsugan-ji Sleeping Buddha
• Walk around Jodo Pure Land Garden
• See Hill of the Buddha statue and rotunda
• Walk through tunnel to Buddha statue
• Visit Sapporo TV Tower observation deck
• Taste sake at Yata Sake Stand Bar

The experience

The tour opens at the Butsuganji Temple, where a 45-meter-long Buddha Nirvana statue lies horizontally on the roof of the Great Nirvana Temple Hall. The sheer scale of it (and the reputation of the temple as one of Japan's strongest spiritual power spots) draws visitors from across the country and around the world. You'll walk through the Jodo Pure Land Garden with its authentic Japanese design, pond, waterfall, and scattered ancient rocks before moving on to the Hill of the Buddha, a modern sculpture site that sits within a cemetery. There, a 13.5-meter stone Buddha weighs 1,500 tonnes and sits at the center of a rotunda. Approaching through an arched concrete tunnel and emerging into the light creates what the operator describes as a halo-like effect around the statue.

After these two spiritual sites, the tour returns to central Sapporo for a visit to the Sapporo TV Tower, built in 1957 and standing 147.2 metres tall. You'll ride up to the observation deck for 360-degree views of the entire city, and your guide will point out landmarks and neighborhoods visible from above. The day ends at the Yata Sake Stand Bar in Susukino, a small, cozy bar where staff are knowledgeable about the different types of sake and can walk you through a tasting. The bar draws both locals and visitors, and the sake tasting is included in the tour price.

What’s included

• English-speaking guide throughout the day.
• entry fees to Butsuganji Temple, Hill of the Buddha, and Sapporo TV Tower.
• transport from Sapporo Station to all tour stops.
• sake tasting at the Yata Sake Stand Bar.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SaturdayDeparts at 09:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

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.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Snow Monkey Resorts Tours (Machinovate Japan Ltd.)

Is this one for you?Choose this shared group tour if you want a guide handling the pace and commentary at each stop, moving from temples to downtown to the TV Tower in one day.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 12 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What exactly is the Sleeping Buddha at Butsuganji Temple?

The Sleeping Buddha is a 45-meter-long Nirvana statue lying horizontally on the roof of the Great Nirvana Temple Hall. It is considered one of the most spiritually powerful places in Japan, and visitors can also explore the Jodo Pure Land Garden with its pond, waterfall, and traditional Japanese landscaping.

How tall is the Hill of the Buddha sculpture, and what is it like inside the rotunda?

The Hill of the Buddha is a 13.5-meter-tall stone sculpture weighing 1,500 tonnes, positioned at the center of a rotunda on an artificial hill within a cemetery. You walk through an arched concrete tunnel to reach it, and the circular opening above lets sunlight stream in, creating a halo-like effect around the statue.

What views do you get from the Sapporo TV Tower observation deck?

The Sapporo TV Tower stands 147.2 metres tall and was designed by the same architect who planned Tokyo Tower. From the observation deck, you see 360-degree views of the entire city of Sapporo, and your guide points out specific neighborhoods and landmarks in each direction.

What is included in the sake tasting at the end of the tour?

The tour ends at the Yata Sake Stand Bar, a small local bar in Susukino where the staff are knowledgeable about different types of sake. The sake tasting is included in the tour price, and the bar is popular with both locals and visitors.