We have reviewed 15 Noboribetsu & lake Toya tours, comparing itineraries, prices, and what each one delivers on the ground. The list below leads with the tours we would book first.
★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 173 reviews · 1 day · from $55Our top pick
Travel from Sapporo to Lake Toya, Lake Hill Farm, Showa Shinzan, and Noboribetsu Jigokudani Valley. Add a snowmobile ride for an extra fee, enjoy bilingual guidance, and look for guides such as Mila, Sunny, or Mr. Hong.
“Beautiful scenery, delicious gelato and amazing nature. Being able to see Mount Yotei in beautiful weather was awesome. Our guide Mila was very nice and knowledgeable, speaking Chinese and English too. Highly recommend this trip if you’re visiting Hokkaido.”
Join an English or Japanese guided bus tour from Sapporo to Hell Valley, Cape Chikyu, Lake Toya, Showa Shinzan, and Lake Shikotsu. Guide Lisa has earned praise for clear instructions and friendly help, though some English commentary may be brief.
“The destinations are great, and you get a good overview of the region. But: The tour was mostly in Chinese. The English explanation was pretty short and seemed like it was memorized. We couldn't answer any questions. One of the stops was the so-called 'Bear Ranch'. The name is totally misleading, as it was a cruel, narrow concrete hole with bears. In short, if you're just looking for 'photo spots,' you might be happy. I wouldn't recommend the tour, though.”
★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 37 reviews · from $404.16Highest rated
Travel from Sapporo with a private driver to Nakayama Pass, Silo Observatory, Lake Toya, Cape Chikyu, and Noboribetsu Jigokudani. Drivers such as Yuki, Kate, and Masaru are praised for safe driving, helpful food advice, and flexible extra stops.
“I booked this trip because I wanted to see Jigokudani. But Lake Toya was so beautiful, when we had some extra time I was able to see Lake Shikotsu as well. Cape chikyu was super beautiful as well. My driver Ms. kishimoto found a hidden, nice restaurant for me for lunch . Overall I had a great time. Very happy I booked this trip.”
Travel from Sapporo by air-conditioned bus to Noboribetsu, Lake Toya, Showa Shinzan, Bear Ranch, and Otaru. English, Japanese, and Chinese guides, including guides such as Rii, Shirley, and XiXi, lead this full 10-hour outing.
“Guide very attentive, with many anecdotes, explanations, with good recommendations. Tour of the natural landscape very interesting and with enough time for the sites visited.Auto-translated”
Travel from Sapporo to Lake Shikotsu, Noboribetsu’s steaming Jigokudani, Lake Toya, and Showa Shinzan. The ticketed option adds the Usuzan Ropeway and Bear Ranch, with English and Japanese guidance.
“Superbe excusions pour découvrir les essentiels au alentours de Sapporo et donner envie de revenir découvrir à d’autres saisons Parfois peu de temps à chaque arrêt mais c’est attendu au vu des trajets”
Travel from Sapporo with a multilingual guide such as Jay or Sophia to Noboribetsu, Lake Toya, Showa Shinzan, and Otaru. Expect a packed 9 to 10-hour day, free exploration, a small bus, and extra fees for the bear ranch.
“Ms Sophia is fluent in both Mandarin & English and is able give good recommendations on which shop & what to buy. The driver is careful & able to keep us safe throughout the trip. Duration allocated is short but enough to give an overview of the places for a first timer.”
Spend 10 hours traveling from Sapporo through Hokkaido’s volcanic country, with stops at Lake Toya, Showa-Shinzan, Noboribetsu’s Jigokudani, an outlet mall, and the Shikotsu Lake Ice Festival. Guides speak English, Chinese, and Japanese.
“Het is een heel mooi gebied, er was echt te weinig tijd op de stops om hiervan te kunnen genieten. De berenfarm is een grote berenellende, deze overslaan (net als de outlet) geeft veel meer tijd op de mooie stops.”
Join Sumi or Taki for a private 10-hour drive from Sapporo through Shikotsu-Toya National Park. See clear Lake Shikotsu, ride the Usuzan Ropeway, visit Lake Toya, and walk Noboribetsu Hell Valley.
“Took this all day tour with Sumi Yamaguchi. Nice day trip that involved a bit of driving but the guide was entertaining and informative. We started at Hell Valley and went on a short hike around the site. Got to soak in a natural foot bath and later Read more”
★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 11 reviews · from $19.55Best value
Use your pass to explore Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura, a recreated Edo-period village with samurai homes, ninja performances, oiran courtesans, theater, games, shops, and old-style dining.
“Went there for a day trip after visiting Noboribetsu's hot springs. Well constructed village that let you experience the culture during Japan's Edo period! Big praise to their theatre shows. Definitely worth a visit if you're near the area!”
Join Aidan or another English or Japanese-speaking guide for a six-hour outing from Noboribetsu. Hike Mt. Usu to its crater rim, visit the Toya-Usu Geopark Center, and stop at a prime Lake Toya viewpoint.
“This was a great day out. Aidan is very friendly and easy to get along with. He put us at ease and made us feel comfortable. The hike was easy enough that my friend who doesnt hike was happy to come along and enjoyed it but alsRead more”
Join Aidan of Nobo Tours for a five-hour, small-group snowshoe hike from Noboribetsu to Orofure Pass. Walk through powder snow and snow-covered trees, reach views of Mt. Orofure, Mt. Yotei, and Lake Toya, then warm up with a drink and snack.
“We had an awesome time with Aidan! It was our first time snowshoeing and he made sure we felt comfortable and prepared. He was very communicative leading up to the tour so we knew what to expect. Hope to come back for more!”
Join guide Aidan or a Japanese-speaking guide for a 6.5-hour small-group hike on active Mt. Usu. Walk through forest to the crater path, enjoy Lake Toya views, then visit an eruption exhibition.
“Excellent trip with incredible views and great history provided by Aidan”
Travel from Sapporo to Jigokudani, Lake Toya, Showa Shinzan, and Lake Shikotsu in 8 to 9 hours. Add Noboribetsu Bear Park, with Lisa sometimes leading the group.
“The guide's English was close to nonexistent. He consistently apologized that it was only his second year learning. When I asked him something, he often didn't understand the question. The lunch on Main Street was one of the worst; I actually got sick afterwards from it. Read more”
Travel from Sapporo to Lake Shikotsu, Noboribetsu Jigokudani, Lake Toya and Mount Usu by air-conditioned bus. Guide Akiko and driver Hashimoto have earned praise for clear guidance and careful winter driving. Ropeway and bear ranch access depend on your selected plan.
“The tour does a good job at seeing various sites in the Noboribetsu and Toya area. As is expected in these tours, one only gets to see each site for a 30 to 1.5 hour period. Our guide Akiko was very helpful and informative - she was a great guide. Our driver Hashimoto was very careful and skilled given the varied road conditions in winter.”
Travel from Sapporo with a bilingual driver to Lake Hill Farm, Silo Observatory, Lake Toya Onsen, Mount Usu, and Noboribetsu Jigokudani. The private car suits families and small groups, but lunch and ropeway tickets cost extra.
“I specifically booked an English-speaking driver, but the driver was actually Japanese and did not speak English. While he was very kind and professional, this was simply not what I had booked. The schedule of the trip was very tight, leaving little time to properly visit some oRead more”
![[Departure from Sapporo] Noboribetsu Jigokudani, Lake Toya, Cape Chikyu by private car - Silo Viewing Platform gives you the Lake Toya postcard](https://visit-hokkaido.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/departure-from-sapporo-noboribetsu-jigokudani-lake-toya-cape-chikyu-by-private-car.jpg)
