Most reviewed among the four
Noboribetsu and Lake Toya day tour from Sapporo
★ 4.3 · 323 ratings
- Farefrom $47
- Time away10 hrs
- Cancel for freeIncluded
Hold your Hokkaido seat
Pick the day for your Sapporo trip. See the fare.
Say when and for how many people: the estimate changes as you do, and the next page lists the exact fare and the open departures.
- No-fee cancelling until a day ahead
- Book now, pay nearer the date
- Usually full 6 days out
The practical part
Covered by the fare, what to bring, what you pay on the spot
Included3
- Coach transport for the day
- Live guide in English or Japanese
- Pickup, with locations shown when you pick a date
Bring3
- Reach the meeting point 10 minutes ahead
- Infants aged 0 to 2 ride free without a seat
- Cash or card for lunch and entry fees
You cover this3
- Lunch
- Every entrance fee
- Child seats and children's meals
323reviews
guest reviews of this coach day
10hours
the listed length of the day away
8km
by road from Noboribetsu Station to the onsen town
20minutes
bus from Noboribetsu Station up to the hot springs
Compare
Four coach days to Noboribetsu and Lake Toya
Best rated among the four
Hokkaido: Lake Toya & Noboribetsu Jigokudani Valley
★ 4.7 · 193 ratings
- Farefrom $54
- Time away1 day
- Cancel for freeIncluded
Stops at Fukidashi Park
Hokkaido: Noboribetsu Hell Valley & Lake Toya Day Trip
★ 4.5 · 45 ratings
- Farefrom $45
- Time away10 hrs
- Cancel for freeIncluded
Ends at Lake Shikotsu
Hokkaido Tour: Noboribetsu, Lake Toya /Mt.Usu From Sapporo
★ 4.2 · 76 ratings
- Farefrom $56
- Time away1 day
- Cancel for freeIncluded
How the four day tours differ
Our day and three rivals leaving Sapporo, laid out on the same four rows.
Cheapest adult fare shown on GetYourGuide today.
Reviews
What passengers wrote afterwards
4.3
★★★★★323 checked guest ratings
the coach day, stop by stop
What the coach day covers, stop by stop
This is a coach day of 10 hours with a live guide in English or Japanese. The listing names the stops in order: Jigokudani, Cape Chikyu, the Shikotsu Toya National Park Silo Observation Deck, Mt. Usu-Shinzan, Showa-shinzan and a closing break in Shikotsu-Toya National Park. You do not buy a train ticket, find a bus stop at Noboribetsu Station or work out a connection to the hot springs; the order is set and the guide explains each stop as it comes.
The listing also says the price covers transport only, so lunch and every entrance fee are paid on top, and that an optional ropeway ride on Mt. Usu is available. Meeting-point and pickup details appear on the booking page once you choose a date. Aim to reach the meeting point at least 10 minutes ahead of the coach leaving, because late arrivals and no-shows get no refund.
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Every Sapporo tour on GetYourGuide
Open Sapporo listingsGallery
Steam vents, a crater lake and a young volcano
Photos from the day trips
why the south
A crater valley, a caldera lake and a young volcano in one outing
The southern route packs a lot of geology into one day. Jigokudani sits in a 450-meter-wide crater, and as much as 10,000 tons of hot spring water gush out of the area every day. Many of Noboribetsu's hot springs come from Jigokudani, which was created by volcanic activity about 10,000 years ago. It is a place where the smell and the steam tell you what is underfoot.
Lake Toya came from a huge eruption about 110,000 years ago, and the caldera it left is about 10 km across. Mt. Usu, beside it, has recently erupted once every 20 to 30 years. Few day trips from a city show you a crater, a caldera and an active volcano on the same afternoon.
Check seats, cancel for freeWeather
Temperatures and rain in Sapporo
Highs, lows and rainy-day counts come from NOAA's Sapporo station, 1.8 km from the center, averaged over 1971 to 2020; day length is worked out by us.
Pick a month to see its warmth and rainfall.
Midday-to-evening highEvery dot stands for 20 mm of rainfallNOAA 1971 to 2020 · Station Sapporo
what the fare leaves out
Lunch, entry fees and other things you pay for on the day
The fare buys the coach and the guide. The listing says the price includes transportation only, with lunch and all entrance fees paid separately, and that child seats and children's meals are not included. Bring cash or a card for lunch near the valley and for any fee you choose to pay at a viewpoint or on the ropeway.
Hell Valley itself is free to enter, according to the tourism association, and the Jigokudani car park charges 500 yen for a passenger car, which is irrelevant to coach guests. The ropeway on Mt. Usu is a paid extra, and a round trip costs 2,000 yen for an adult and 1,000 yen for an elementary school child at the operator's own price list. Treat those as optional and budget before you board.
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Your volcano day
Steam, a cape and a caldera lake.
Choose a date and a pickup point, and you can still drop out for free the day before.
the honest rating
Why the score sits a little below five stars
A star rating of 4.30 from 323 reviews is a good one, not a perfect one, and we show it as it is. The listing is the most reviewed of the Noboribetsu day trips from Sapporo we compared, ahead of rivals with 193, 76 and 45 reviews. A larger crowd of reviewers tends to pull a score down from the top, because more people means more variation in weather, pickup and group size.
If the score is your first filter, the best-rated of the larger rivals is a Lake Toya and Jigokudani Valley day rated 4.66 from 193 reviews, from $54. Another rival, the Hell Valley and Lake Toya trip, is rated 4.52 from 45 reviews, from $45. Compare them in the table below and open the one whose stops and language suit you.
Check seats, cancel for freeThe rating
323 guests rated this day
4.3
Very good★★★★★
The bars come from the 0 newest reviews we hold, ordered by GetYourGuide; the overall score is based on all 323 and is not a perfect one.
Check dates and seats
from $47 a seat · no-fee cancelling
Confirmation arrives right after you book · GetYourGuide
voices from the coach
Guides people remember, and one small caveat
The newest ten reviews on file are all five stars. They single out guides described as knowledgeable, kind and funny, and they praise the variety of places seen in a single day. One reviewer says the loop could not have been done by public transport and would have been too tiring to drive, which is the strongest argument for a coach day.
Two small notes keep the picture honest. One reviewer says the guide spoke English a little quickly at times, and another says the weather was poor but the tour was still great. Those are the sort of remarks that suit a 10-hour day on a volcanic coast: pace and weather matter more than anything else. The booking page shows the latest reviews, so read them before you pick a date.
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FAQ
Hokkaido day trip,questions answered.
Where does the Sapporo coach day start?
At one of two pickup locations in Sapporo.
The listing shows the options once you pick a date; reach the spot 10 minutes ahead.
What does the route visit?
Hell Valley, Cape Chikyu, Mt. Usu and Lake Toya.
The Silo Observation Deck and Showa-shinzan are also listed.
How much of the day does it take?
Ten hours in total.
The listing gives the duration as 10 hours.
Does the fare include lunch?
No.
Lunch and all entrance fees are paid separately; the price covers transport only.
Which languages the guide speaks?
Both English and Japanese.
The listing says live tour guide in English and Japanese.
Why is the rating 4.30?
It is based on 323 reviews.
Ten recent reviews on file are all five stars, with a note on fast English and one on bad weather.
Can infants join?
Yes, aged 0 to 2 travel free without a seat.
Tell the operator at booking; children aged 3 and over pay the adult price.
Can wheelchair users ride the coach?
Yes, it is listed as accessible.
Check the booking page for the exact pickup arrangements.
Is there a way to go without the tour?
Yes, by train and bus.
The limited express takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes, then a 20 minute bus.
Will bad weather cancel the trip?
The itinerary can change.
The listing says stops may be dropped because of weather; no fee if you cancel 24 hours ahead.
independent trips
Doing the loop without a coach
You can reach Noboribetsu by train: the tourism association lists the limited express Hokuto and Suzuran from Sapporo at about 1 hour and 10 minutes. The springs are not at the station, though. JR Hokkaido lists a 20 minute bus between Noboribetsu Station and Noboribetsu Hot Springs, and the town is about 8 km from the station by road.
Lake Toya is the harder half. From JR Sapporo Station to Lake Toya Onsen by Donan Bus takes about 2 hours 45 minutes and needs a reservation. By car via National Highway 230 it takes about 2 hours 10 minutes. Doing both places on public transport in a single day is possible only with hard choices, which is the gap a coach day fills. Our guide to the journey sets rails, road and coach side by side.
Check seats, cancel for free10,000tons a day
Hell Valley, counted
Up to 10,000 tons of hot spring water gush out of Jigokudani every day.
The water is of various types and is supplied to the resort's hotels and inns.
cold months, warm months
How the same day changes with the season
Snow arrives early in this part of Hokkaido. A snow play area opens at the Silo Observatory from late December to early March, so a winter visit to that viewpoint includes a snow park that a July one lacks. The listing warns that the itinerary may change or stops be dropped because of weather or bus operating-hour limits, which matters most on icy roads.
Summer is the softer season. JNTO says June averages about 20 degrees C and July to August daytime temperatures can exceed 30 degrees C with lower humidity than the rest of Japan. That makes a hat and water bottle more useful than a coat. In either season, dress for the coldest hour of the day, not the average.
Check seats, cancel for freeVolcano day, Sapporo start
Steam from the valley floor.A cape above the sea.A lake in a caldera.
Our pick among the Sapporo day trips is a coach day south to the volcano country. It lists Jigokudani, Cape Chikyu, the Silo Observation Deck, Mt. Usu-Shinzan, Showa-shinzan and a closing break in Shikotsu-Toya National Park. It is rated 4.30 from 323 reviews and starts from $47, for transport only: lunch and entrance fees are paid separately.
Free to cancel up to the day before
nearby extras
The bears and the Edo village you can add yourself
Two attractions in the same hot-spring town are not on the listed stops: Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura and Noboribetsu Bear Park. Adults pay 3,300 yen at the village and 3,200 yen at the bear park, which includes the ropeway. Neither appears on the stop list of this tour, so adding them means a separate day or a night in town.
A stay of one night in Noboribetsu Onsen makes the whole area easier. Date Jidaimura is 10 minutes by car from the onsen town, and the bear park ropeway takes about 7 minutes up. Our guide to the two parks lays out tickets, closing times and the ticket for overseas guests, so you can choose between the coach day, a second day, or both.
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other days out
If volcanoes are not your thing, try the hills or the harbor
Sapporo has two other classic day trips. The Furano flower and Blue Pond day has 122 reviews, is rated 4.56 and starts from $48, and the Cape Kamui coast and Otaru day runs 10 hours from $47. Both are covered in their own guides here, with times, seasons and what each tour includes.
Otaru is also a short train ride on its own. JR Hokkaido lists Sapporo to Otaru by Rapid Airport at 35 minutes, and the canal is a downhill walk from the station. That makes Otaru the easiest half day, while the volcano route is the most varied full day. Our comparison page sets all the trips side by side so you can choose by season and effort.
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Seats still open, price for your date
Prices and open dates below are pulled live from GetYourGuide; nothing here is typed in by hand.
Check availability
- No-fee cancelling until a day ahead
- Book now, pay nearer the date
- from $47 for each seat
Local time in Sapporo: --:--
kids and mobility
Children, wheelchairs and small passengers
The listing says infants aged 0 to 2 travel free if they do not occupy a seat, and that this must be reported at booking, while children aged 3 and over pay the same price as adults. Child seats are not included, so request one in advance if you need it. The coach itself is listed as wheelchair accessible.
A 10-hour day is long for small children, so plan snacks and a quiet activity for the coach legs. The stops are outdoors and the ground at the viewpoints can be wet or icy. Check the pickup options on the booking page and pick the closest one to your hotel to save energy at both ends of the day.
Check seats, cancel for freewho should go
Who this day is for, and who should skip it
The coach day suits travelers who want a volcano landscape without renting a car or reading a timetable, and who are comfortable with a full day on a bus. Its rating of 4.30 is a fair summary of a very full program, and its 323 reviews make it the best-tested listing of its kind from Sapporo. Guide languages are English and Japanese.
Skip it if you want long stays at a single place, if you prefer to set your own pace or if you are chasing the bears and the Edo village rather than the crater. For those aims, the train and a night in Noboribetsu Onsen work better, and our guides explain how. Free cancellation closes 24 hours before departure; cancel earlier and the whole fare comes back.
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