Sapporo to Noboribetsu & Otaru: Volcanic landscapes tour

Steaming volcanic crater, playful bears, and a lantern-lit canal in one day

A full-day tour from Sapporo through three of Hokkaido's most distinctive regions: Noboribetsu Hell Valley with its otherworldly geothermal landscape, Lake Toya with its volcanic hot spring lake and bear ranch, and Otaru's nostalgic port town. A Chinese, English or Japanese-speaking guide leads the route, which runs 9 to 10 hours and includes transportation between stops. Meals and some entrance fees are at your own expense.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Noboribetsu, Lake Toya, and Otaru

• Visit Noboribetsu Hell Valley
• Walk along wooden pathways
• See Ōyunuma hot spring lake
• Meet bears at Shōwa-Shinzan Bear Ranch
• Enjoy Lake Toya scenery
• Lunch break at Lake Toya
• Stroll along Otaru Canal
• Visit Kitaichi Glass Company
• Explore Otaru Music Box Museum
• Dinner free time in Otaru

The experience

The day opens at Noboribetsu Jigokudani, Hell Valley, where a volcanic crater releases steaming vents, bubbling hot springs and sulfurous streams across barren white terrain. You walk wooden pathways built into the crater to see the geothermal activity up close and photograph the raw landscape. The tour then moves to Ōyunuma, a steaming hot spring lake whose vivid colors mark the volcanic energy beneath. Weather and capacity can shift which trails and viewpoints open on the day you visit, but the core experience of standing inside an active geothermal zone stays intact.

At Lake Toya, the route includes Shōwa-Shinzan Bear Ranch, where you observe brown bears at close range and can feed them special snacks: a moment most travelers come for. The lake itself sits ringed by mountains and volcanic landscape. You have free time to eat lunch at a local restaurant. The bear ranch entrance is ¥850 for adults and ¥500 for children, paid separately. Depending on weather or how full the ranch is that day, the itinerary may shift, but the lake and its surroundings remain the anchor of this leg.

Otaru, a port town an hour from Sapporo, closes the day. You walk the Otaru Canal where historic warehouses line the water and lantern-lit paths create the backdrop most visitors come to photograph. The route includes the Kitaichi Glass Company, known for handmade glassware, and the Otaru Music Box Museum, which holds thousands of music boxes from around the world. You have free time for dinner at your own expense, with local seafood and Hokkaido specialties available. The guide speaks Chinese, English or Japanese depending on which option you select at checkout.

What’s included

• Transportation between Sapporo and all three regions.
• a live guide in your choice of Chinese, English or Japanese.
• access to Noboribetsu Hell Valley and Ōyunuma hot spring lake.
• entry to Shōwa-Shinzan Bear Ranch and the chance to feed the bears.
• time to walk the Otaru Canal, visit Kitaichi Glass Company and explore the Otaru Music Box Museum.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

AgesAdult (3 and older) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 20

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 due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteJP¥ 969

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by TrevoTour Travels

Is this one for you?The 9 to 10 hour commitment means you leave Sapporo early and return in the evening, so plan the rest of your day around those bookends. The route covers three distinct landscapes (volcanic crater, mountain lake and historic port) in a single loop, which works well if you want to sample Hokkaido's variety without splitting the day across separate bookings.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Japanese and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 3): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is Hell Valley and what will I see there?

Noboribetsu Jigokudani, or Hell Valley, is a volcanic crater where steaming vents, bubbling hot springs and sulfurous streams rise from barren white terrain. You walk along safe wooden pathways built into the crater to view the geothermal activity up close and photograph the otherworldly landscape created by the volcanic energy.

Can I feed the bears at Lake Toya, and what does that cost?

Yes, at Shōwa-Shinzan Bear Ranch you can feed the brown bears special snacks and watch them up close. The entrance fee is ¥850 for adults and ¥500 for children, paid separately on the day of the tour.

What is there to do in Otaru, and how much free time do I have?

Otaru is a historic port town where you walk the famous canal lined with old warehouses and lantern-lit paths, visit the Kitaichi Glass Company to see handmade glassware, and explore the Otaru Music Box Museum with thousands of music boxes. You have free time to browse these sites and eat dinner at a local restaurant of your choice.

How long is this tour, and does it include meals?

The tour runs 9 to 10 hours total, including travel time between stops. Meals are at your own expense. You have free time for lunch near Lake Toya and dinner in Otaru, with local Hokkaido specialties available at both stops.