Hokkaido Private Tours vs. Self-Drive: Complete Safety & Experience Guide

Table of Contents：
・Packed with fascination, Hokkaido is fun no matter where you go!
・Is a self-drive trip really the best?
・Private tours are definitely recommended!
1. Freedom from travel stress
2. In-depth experiences guided by professional knowledge
3. Safety and peace of mind
4. Privacy and flexibility
5. Time saved that would have been spent on planning
・One of the tips for your private tour

Hokkaido is far larger than you might imagine. Surrounded by the Sea of Okhotsk, the Pacific Ocean, and the Sea of Japan (East Sea), Hokkaido spans an immense territory roughly 500 kilometres east to west and 400 kilometres north to south.

Rising almost at its centre is Mount Asahidake, Hokkaido’s highest peak at an elevation of 2,291 metres, which is still emitting smoke. Hokkaido has 31 active volcanoes, including Mount Asahidake, and 11 of these are located in the Northern Territories. The Meteorological Agency has installed monitoring equipment at nine of these volcanoes and monitors volcanic activity around the clock. Scattered throughout the areas surrounding the volcanoes and across Hokkaido are hot spring resorts that have existed since ancient times.

Hokkaido boasts approximately 250 hot spring resorts, the highest number in Japan. Many of these hot springs are nestled within Hokkaido’s vast natural landscapes, each boasting its own unique water volume and diverse mineral composition. Hot springs are a deeply rooted social custom in Japan, offering mental healing through bathing and physical healing through their therapeutic properties. They represent a unique culture passed down through the ages that reaffirms the Japanese identity.

Packed with fascination, Hokkaido is fun no matter where you go!

The appeal of travelling in Hokkaido lies in its diverse charms: majestic nature, fresh gourmet cuisine, and unique activities. Alongside vast landscapes, beautiful seasons, and fresh agricultural and marine products, you can enjoy a wealth of experiences unique to Hokkaido, such as walking on drift ice, and the Snow Festival, etc.

Of course, starting with its hot springs, the magnificence of Hokkaido’s nature lies in its vast and diverse topography, unique climate, and rich ecosystems. Specifically, it boasts majestic landscapes such as iconic World Natural Heritage sites like Shiretoko, experiences distinct seasonal changes, and offers comfortable low humidity in summer and heavy snowfall and drift ice in winter.

Hokkaido’s culinary appeal lies in the high-quality ingredients nurtured by its bountiful natural environment and the diverse local gourmet cuisine that showcases them. Rich in fresh seafood, dairy products, and agricultural produce, it offers a variety of dishes rooted in each region, such as Genghis Khan barbecue to enjoy lamb or mutton, soup curry, ramen noodles, and seafood rice bowls.

The appeal of Hokkaido’s seafood lies in its abundant fishing grounds, surrounded by three seas and blessed with an environment where cold and warm currents mix, encouraging the growth of fish. In particular, seafood raised in cold waters has firm flesh and concentrated umami flavour. Sea urchin, salmon and salmon roe, crab, and scallops are prime examples of this.

Hokkaido dairy products boast a rich, creamy, and full-bodied flavour, born from the cool climate and vast open land where dairy cows thrive. Using this high-quality raw milk, a wide variety of products are made, including milk, butter, cheese, and yogurt.

Hokkaido’s unique culture is also captivating, primarily Ainu culture. There are also diverse culinary traditions cultivated by people who gathered from across Japan during the pioneering era, and customs born from geographical and climatic factors distinct from Honshu (the main island of Japan) and other places. Ainu culture developed its own language, spiritual traditions, patterns, and woodcarving crafts.

The appeal of Hokkaido’s Ainu culture lies in its coexistence with nature, its unique artistic expression seen in patterns and crafts, and its rich spiritual culture passed down orally. Characterised by a religious view that all things in nature possess spirits, it features diverse cultural elements such as oral literature and traditional dances.

Is a self-drive trip really the best?

But wait a minute. When you really think about it, if you prioritise much more efficiency, peace of mind, and a deeper experience, and especially greater safety in winter, a private tour is the best choice.

The appeal of private tours in Hokkaido lies in the freedom to travel at your own pace in a dedicated vehicle with a professional driver and a professional guide, combined with the ease of creating memorable, unique experiences. Unlike group tours, you won’t have to worry about other participants, making them ideal for family trips or anniversary celebrations.

Endless flower fields, drift ice that evokes nature’s mysteries, and generously piled seafood bowls—everything is on a grand scale, packed with charms you can only experience in Hokkaido! There is an abundance of urban sightseeing available, from the northern metropolis of Sapporo to the exotic cities of Hakodate and Otaru. If you plan to tour all of Hokkaido, no matter how many days you have, it won’t be enough. Plus, you can enjoy breathtaking seasonal views and diverse activities throughout the year.

One common pitfall when travelling in Hokkaido is to overbook your schedule with sightseeing and activities, thinking “since I’m going all this way…,” only to find you couldn’t enjoy the trip at a leisurely pace.

As mentioned earlier, Hokkaido is the largest prefecture in Japan by area, and travel time must be factored in when visiting multiple cities. For example, the distance from Sapporo to Asahikawa via the Hokkaido Expressway is approximately 140 kilometres, taking about two hours each way by car. Moreover, it takes over an hour just to get from central Asahikawa to the Asahidake Ropeway station.

Therefore, depending on the schedule, sightseeing itself may be limited, potentially resulting in a trip where you simply go and come back. Furthermore, it’s common to find that unfamiliarity makes it difficult to gauge distances, leading to fatigue just from travelling.

Private tours are definitely recommended!

A private tour is one exclusively chartered for your own group, such as family or friends. Its key feature is the freedom to sightsee at your own pace without worrying about other participants, with the itinerary and content customised to the group’s preferences. In other words, the reason private tours are recommended is that they are services that enhance the quality of your trip beyond being mere transportation and, as you may already know, the following five points are the key to an enjoyable tour.

1. Freedom from travel stress

First, there’s less need to make detailed plans in advance as we, the tour company, handle the arrangements, reducing the stress of planning. We can also create travel plans incorporating special experiences tailored to your interests and preferences. Furthermore, having a professional and knowledgeable guide accompany you allows you to shorten travel times and efficiently visit tourist spots, enabling you to enjoy unique local experiences in greater depth and more safely. Additionally, it is relatively easy to make sudden schedule changes in response to unexpected events or shifts in mood. That’s definitely a weight off your shoulders!

2. In-depth experiences guided by professional knowledge

3. Safety and peace of mind

Hokkaido’s winter season presents harsh driving conditions, including reduced visibility due to blizzards and the formation of snowdrifts. Consequently, snow fences and windbreak forests have been installed as blizzard countermeasures, effectively mitigating blizzard-related disasters. However, in recent years, rapidly developing low-pressure systems have led to unprecedented disastrous blizzards. These make snowy roads unmanageable for drivers unfamiliar with them.

This is where the skills of experienced professional drivers ensure your safety. We do not recommend renting a car to those unfamiliar with driving on snowy roads. You can also expect the driver to select safe routes and adjust the driving style according to weather and road conditions.

One accident, for example, involved the vehicle’s rear sliding out of control after the driver turned the steering wheel to the right, causing it to collide with a median barrier pole and roll over. At the time, the local man driving on the icy road could only sigh, saying, “I was keeping my speed down, but I still skidded.” Additionally, other incidents occurred, such as an RV (campervan) mounting the median at a city road intersection, and a passenger car colliding with an estate car waiting at a traffic light.

Even outside of winter, should unexpected issues such as a flat tire occur, professional drivers can swiftly and effectively handle the situation, ensuring the tour proceeds smoothly. Better safe than sorry!

Hokkaido’s drinking culture is characterized by liquors that leverage its cool climate and abundant nature. It offers a diverse range of alcoholic beverages including beer, whisky, wine, and Japanese sake, and a thriving tourism culture centred around these drinks has taken root as well.

Hokkaido’s beer has developed as a diverse tradition rooted in history, environment, and community, and centred around Sapporo—the birthplace of beer brewed by Japanese people. It benefits from an environment blessed with pure air and water, the establishment of a beer brewery by the Hokkaido Development Commission, and its historical significance as the birthplace of Sapporo Beer. Today, craft beer brewing using locally sourced ingredients thrives alongside major manufacturers, with the number of breweries estimated at around 50.

Hokkaido’s whisky is characterized by distillery locations that leverage its cool climate with significant temperature variations and the use of peat. Representative distilleries include Nikka Whisky’s Yoichi Distillery and Kenten Jitsugyo’s Akkeshi Distillery, each producing distinctive, high-quality whiskies. Furthermore, the number of distilleries in Hokkaido is now approaching 10.

Hokkaido wines are cultivated primarily from European and Middle Eastern grape varieties, with original Hokkaido varieties like Yamasachi and Kiyomai emerging in recent years. The number of wineries continues to grow annually, and is now approaching more than 75. The production of high-quality wines, increasingly attracting attention both domestically and internationally, is shaping the current Hokkaido wine culture.

Hokkaido’s Japanese sake culture is characterized by “cold brewing,” which leverages the region’s cold climate, and unique Japanese sake rice varieties such as Ginpu, Suisei, and Kitashizuku. Fifteen sake breweries producing high-quality Japanese sake are scattered throughout Hokkaido.

4. Privacy and flexibility

5. Time saved that would have been spent on planning

Private tours save you the time that would have spent on planning the trip yourself. Since the travel agency handles all the transportation, accommodation, and itineraries, travellers can leave the major planning tasks to them. Plans are based on destinations and routes selected by professionals, so you can expect efficient and high-quality travel. In addition to standard plans, it is often possible to customise the itinerary to suit your preferences, making it easier to make your ideal trip a reality.

For wheelchair users and guests who prefer not to walk extensively, we arrange private tours in advance, taking into account each facility’s barrier-free amenities, winter road conditions, and especially snow removal status. This allows us to select facilities equipped with lifts, ramps, and barrier-free restrooms.

Furthermore, we can arrange access to special locations not open to the general public and opportunities to interact with local residents, as we try to offer you an unforgettable and unique experience.

Your favourite activities to experience in Hokkaido can also be easily incorporated into private tours according to the season.

When winter arrives, Hokkaido is enveloped in a world of silver. Snow quietly blankets the towns, creating a season of fantastical scenery. Amid the cold, a variety of uniquely winter experiences await, such as skiing and drift ice walks. Other irresistible activities include snowshoeing, ice fishing for wakasagi (a kind of freshwater smelt), sledding, snow rafting, and building an igloo-like snow shelter.

When spring comes, the land of Hokkaido is a riot of flowers and fresh greenery. This season, when life returns to the fields and mountains, is truly a time to feel the breath of nature. Enjoy a Genghis Khan barbecue under cherry blossom in full bloom, horseback riding, cycling, hiking, trekking, and more… The list goes on and on.

Summer in Hokkaido is a season of refreshing breezes and expansive blue skies. Unlike in the muggy heat of Honshu, the main island of Japan, you can comfortably enjoy outdoor activities. Enjoy rafting and canoeing on rivers and lakes, as well as opportunities to try your hand at milking and horseback riding.

In autumn, Hokkaido is enveloped in vibrant autumn colours. The crisp air makes your journey even more special. You might enjoy apple and grape picking, and soaking in hot springs while admiring the autumn foliage.

Additionally, year-round activities like stargazing tours, and opportunities to experience making things such as ice cream, sushi, soba noodles, tofu, and washi paper—all while interacting with locals—are sure to create incomparable memories.

One of the tips for your private tour