Hokkaido Highlights of Flower Blossom, Asahiyama Zoo& Blue pond「Aoi-ike」!

This long day takes you from Sapporo into Hokkaido’s open countryside, linking flower fields, Biei’s famous Blue Pond, patchwork farmland, and one of Japan’s best-known zoos. You cover a lot of ground without renting a car or working out several awkward public transport connections.

I like the strong mix of scenery and sights, especially the chance to see the unusual Blue Pond and the animal-viewing design at Asahiyama Zoo. I also like the value: for $87.76, your coach, driver-guide, entrance fees, and listed activities are covered. The main drawback is time. This is a 12-hour outing, and several stops can feel rushed, while the two-hour zoo visit may be longer than some people want.

• Farm Tomita gives you a seasonal flower stop, with 50 minutes from June through September and shorter visits in spring and autumn.
• Blue Pond is a striking photo stop, formed by mineral-rich water and the pale trunks of dead birch and larch trees.
• Asahiyama Zoo focuses on animal behavior, including seals swimming through the glass Marine Way.
• Biei’s famous trees and patchwork fields add rural Hokkaido scenery, sometimes viewed from the train window or along the route.
• The tour handles difficult distances for you, connecting Sapporo, Biei, Furano, and Asahikawa in one day.
• English assistance can vary, so guides such as Shizuka, Helen, or Noguchi may make a major difference to how much you get from the day.

Why this Sapporo day trip works

Hokkaido is spacious. Sapporo’s city center may feel easy to navigate, but the flower farms around Furano, Blue Pond near Biei, and Asahiyama Zoo near Asahikawa are spread across a wide area. Reaching all three by local transport in one day would be complicated and tiring.

This coach tour solves that problem in the simplest way. You meet at the ANA Crowne Plaza Sapporo at 7:35 a.m., settle into an air-conditioned vehicle, and let someone else handle the long drives. The return is planned for Sapporo Station Bus Terminal at about 6 p.m., though traffic can change that.

I see this as a sightseeing sampler rather than a slow country day. You will get a broad taste of central Hokkaido, but you will not have hours to wander each site. That tradeoff is the heart of the decision.

Farm Tomita and the flower season

Farm Tomita is one of the major flower stops in the Furano area. Lavender is the star, and July is usually the best month for it. In other months, the experience depends heavily on the season, so do not book this tour expecting full purple fields outside the main flowering period.

The scheduled visit lasts 30 minutes from April 26 through May 31 and again from October 1 through November 3. From June through September, you get 50 minutes. That extra 20 minutes matters, since the farm has flowers, paths, and places to pause for photographs.

Still, 50 minutes is not a leisurely visit. You can see the main flower displays and take pictures, but you may need to skip some corners, shops, or slower browsing. Several people have wished for more time here, particularly when the flowers were at their best. If flower fields are your main reason for coming to Hokkaido, a dedicated Furano tour would give you more breathing room.

Timing also matters. Early in the season, you may find only patches of flowers or a greenhouse display rather than broad fields. A sunny day can make the colors and surrounding scenery look wonderful, but weather and bloom timing are outside the tour’s control.

Shirogane Blue Pond near Biei

The Blue Pond is the most unusual natural stop on the route. Its color comes from water carrying aluminum compounds from a nearby waterfall into the Biei River. The resulting colloid catches sunlight and gives the pond its famous blue appearance.

Dead Japanese birch and larch trees rise from the water. Their pale trunks and bare branches create a stark scene that looks especially striking in photographs. On a clear day, you can expect this to be one of the most memorable stops.

Your scheduled time here is about 30 minutes. That is enough to walk to the viewing area and take pictures, but not enough for an extended stroll. The pond can be very busy in the high season, and the visit is focused on the main viewpoint rather than quiet nature time.

There is also an important caveat. Heavy traffic around Biei can force the operator to replace Blue Pond with a hill to the northwest. That is not a minor detail if the pond is your top priority. The tour warns that road conditions and other events can change the schedule, so you should treat the exact stop as weather and traffic dependent.

Biei’s famous trees and patchwork fields

The countryside around Biei is known for rolling fields divided into broad blocks of crops. The changing colors and gentle slopes give the area a picture-book quality, especially in good weather.

Along the route, you may see the Parent and Child Tree, Seven Star Tree, and Ken and Mary Tree. These trees became familiar through advertising and commercial photography. They are not major attractions with long visits. Instead, they are brief scenic markers that make the coach ride more interesting.

The tour information also notes that some of these views may be seen from the train window. In practice, this means you should not expect a guided walk to every tree. Keep your camera ready, but do not build your whole day around getting close to each one.

This part of the tour is valuable because it gives you a sense of Hokkaido beyond the formal stops. You see working farmland and wide rural views, not only places arranged for sightseeing. The downside is that your experience depends on the route, weather, and traffic.

Asahiyama Zoo and its behavior-first design

Asahiyama Zoo is the longest scheduled stop, with about two hours inside. It is in northern Hokkaido and is known for showing how animals move and behave, not just placing them behind ordinary barriers.

The seal exhibit is a highlight. At Seal Hall, you can watch seals swim through a clear glass tube called the Marine Way. The underwater movement gives you a better sense of their agility than a simple poolside view.

The Hippopotamus Hall includes hippos along with ostriches and warthogs. The stated aim is to present animals in settings that encourage you to watch their daily behavior. Penguins are also a popular sight, and seeing them moving through the exhibits can be a real treat for children.

Two hours is enough to see a good portion of the zoo, but it creates a clear compromise. Some people would gladly spend the whole afternoon here. Others feel the visit is too long, especially when they would rather have more time at the flower farm, Ningle Terrace, or the countryside stops.

The zoo can also feel hot and somewhat cramped on a warm day. If you are used to enormous zoos, Asahiyama may seem compact. Its appeal is less about size and more about the way the exhibits let you observe movement at close range.

Lunch is not included. You are expected to buy or arrange your own meal during the zoo visit, so do not assume that food is provided on the coach. Since arrival is expected around 2 p.m., this is also your main meal break at a fairly late hour.

Ningle Terrace and craft cottages

The tour description includes cottages where craftspeople work, and some versions of the route include Ningle Terrace. This is a small wooded craft area with cottage-style shops and walking paths.

You can browse handmade goods and take a short walk, but the stop may feel rushed. The cottages are small, and you will not have time to examine every shop carefully if the schedule is tight. Some people find the setting charming, while others feel it is not worth the long detour compared with extra time at the flower fields.

That makes this a personal preference stop. If you enjoy handmade goods and a quiet woodland setting, it adds variety. If your priority is lavender, Biei scenery, or getting back to Sapporo earlier, you may consider it less important.

The guide and language experience

This is a mixed tour with Japanese participants, and the main commentary may be delivered in Japanese. English support is available, but how much you receive can depend on the guide and how the information is shared.

Guides named in past bookings include Shizuka, Helen, and Noguchi. Shizuka received particular praise for taking extra care with overseas participants and making instructions clear. Noguchi was also noted for using a mobile translator to help explain details.

That said, English communication has not always been consistent. Some English-speaking customers received only a small portion of the commentary or found that translation was limited. You should be comfortable with essential instructions being clearer than the full background information.

This does not necessarily ruin the day. The main attractions are easy to recognize, and the guide will still need to communicate meeting times and return instructions. But if you want detailed cultural explanation at every stop, this may not be the right format.

What the $87.76 price really covers

At $87.76 per person, the price is reasonable for the amount of ground covered. You get an air-conditioned vehicle, driver-guide, entrance fees, and all listed activities. Asahiyama Zoo admission is included, which helps protect you from extra costs during the longest stop.

The real saving is transport. A rental car would give you more control, but driving between Sapporo, Furano, Biei, and Asahikawa requires a long day behind the wheel. Public transport would require careful connections and would make it harder to combine these stops.

The price does not include lunch. You should also plan for the practical limits of a group coach: no seat requests, fixed departure times, and no flexibility to stay longer at a favorite place. The vehicle has been described as comfortable, but it may not have phone-charging outlets, so charge your phone before leaving and bring a portable battery if you have one.

With a maximum of 45 people, this is not an intimate small-group outing. The larger coach keeps the price down, but it also means strict meeting times and less room for individual changes.

The long day and the traffic risk

The tour starts at 7:35 a.m. and lasts about 12 hours. You should expect a full day, with long stretches on the road between the sightseeing stops. Those drives are useful rest periods, but the day can still feel tiring by the time you return to Sapporo.

Traffic is the biggest uncertainty. The Blue Pond area can be especially slow during the tourist season. Road delays may shorten a stop, alter the order, or replace Blue Pond with another viewpoint.

For that reason, do not schedule an important evening train, flight, or separate activity immediately after the planned 6 p.m. return. The operator specifically advises against booking this on your last day in Hokkaido, since delays are possible and compensation is not provided for missed onward plans.

The tour can also be canceled for serious bad weather, such as a typhoon. In that case, you are offered another date or a full refund. Normal cancellations receive a full refund if made at least 24 hours before the start time. Late cancellations and changes are not accepted.

Who should book this Hokkaido tour

I would choose this tour if you have limited time in Sapporo and want to see several famous central Hokkaido sights without driving. It is particularly useful for solo visitors, families, and anyone who values simple transport over a flexible schedule.

You should also like variety. The day moves from flowers to water, farmland, animal exhibits, and craft cottages. That range keeps the outing from feeling repetitive, but it also means no single stop receives a long, relaxed visit.

Families may appreciate the zoo and the straightforward coach ride. Keep in mind that small children may find the early start and late finish demanding. The tour is suitable for most people, but you need to stay on schedule and manage your own lunch.

I would hesitate if lavender is your main goal, if you dislike long coach rides, or if detailed English commentary is essential. A private car, rental car, or focused Furano excursion would give you more control.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a practical one-day introduction to rural Hokkaido and accept the compromises of a group schedule. The strongest reasons are the difficult transport connections it removes, the included zoo admission, and the chance to combine Blue Pond, Biei, and Furano in one outing.

Skip it if you want slow photography time, guaranteed access to Blue Pond, or a full explanation in English at every stop. The tour is best treated as a broad sampler: efficient, scenic, and good value, but undeniably long and sometimes rushed.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at the ANA Crowne Plaza Sapporo by IHG at 7:35 a.m.

Where does the tour end?

The scheduled return point is Sapporo Station Bus Terminal. The planned return time is around 6 p.m.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately 12 hours.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is not included, and you are expected to arrange your own lunch during the visit to Asahiyama Zoo.

Is admission to Asahiyama Zoo included?

Yes. The zoo admission fee is included in the tour price.

When is lavender usually at its best at Farm Tomita?

Lavender is usually best in July. Flower conditions can vary outside the main blooming season.

Can the Blue Pond stop change?

Yes. Heavy traffic or other conditions may lead the operator to replace Blue Pond with a hill to the northwest.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Poor-weather cancellations by the operator offer a different date or a full refund.