[Hokkaido 5-Day 4-Night Group Tour Travelogue] Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival × Abashiri Icebreaker × Otaru Canal × Sapporo Snow Festival

Trip Overview This was my first group tour in a long while — a Colatour trip to Hokkaido, Japan, for five days and four nights. In the past, whenever I traveled abroad I always insisted on independent travel, enjoying the fun of planning my own itinerary. But driving yourself around Hokkaido in winter is really too difficult — snow, ice, blizzards — both safety and time are major concerns. In the end I decided to leave it to a travel agency, and simply relax and enjoy the "being led around" style of travel. Itinerary outline: Day 1: Arrive in Hokkaido → Sounkyo Ice Fall Festival Day 2: Ginga & Ryusei Falls → Abashiri Icebreaker Ship → Overnight in Shiretoko Day 3: Drift Ice Walking → Lake Mashu → Lake Akan → Tokachigawa Onsen → Sairinka Light Show Day 4: Hot Air Balloon Experience → Otaru Canal → Sapporo Snow Festival Day 5: Sapporo Snow Activities → Return Home Day 1｜Arrival in Hokkaido, Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival Season Early in the morning I took a bus to the Airport MRT, but I couldn't find the entrance for the longest time, and ended up being intercepted by an illegal unlicensed taxi. Feeling a bit anxious, I made it to Taoyuan Terminal 2. Next came the usual group tour process: check-in, getting the luggage tags, checking in baggage… After more than three hours of flying, we finally arrived in this snow-covered northern country.

Right after landing, we drove straight to Sounkyo. Along the way, I picked up a cup of corn chowder recommended by our tour guide at a rest stop—its rich and creamy taste instantly warmed away the chill. It was my first time truly experiencing Hokkaido's subzero cold air, and watching the white breath I exhaled mixing with the snowy landscape was absolutely exhilarating.

After a short rest, we continue for about another hour's drive to arrive at the Sounkyo Ice Fall Festival, where local residents craft ice sculpture displays out of frozen flowing water during the harsh winter. Although the scale can't compare to the Harbin Ice Festival, you can still feel the winter romance that the local residents have lovingly created.

In the evening, we checked into the traditional Japanese-style Sounkaku Hotel. The dinner buffet was quite ordinary, but the outdoor fireworks gave the trip a perfect start.

After finishing our meal, we geared up and headed out for an adventure! That day, Hokkaido happened to be hit by a snowstorm, with temperatures around minus 20 degrees. The wind and snow stung our cheeks, and a 10-minute walk felt incredibly far — it really felt like a true adventure~

During this trip, the hotels for three nights have hot springs, so every day I could put on a Japanese-style yukata and go enjoy the open-air hot spring, experiencing the feeling of the towel on my head freezing while my body stays warm and toasty.

Day 2 | Milky Way Meteor Waterfall, Abashiri Icebreaker Ship First thing in the morning, we visit the Milky Way Waterfall and Meteor Waterfall. The ice waterfalls are frozen into delicate white silk threads in winter, like precious artworks where time itself has crystallized.

We arrived in Abashiri at noon and boarded the winter-only icebreaker ship. The vessel cut through the thick drift ice, the roaring sound of ice cracking filling our ears, while eagles circled in the sky above us, and every now and then we could spot wild animals resting on the floating ice. Although we didn't get to see any seals this time, the entire voyage was still full of delightful surprises.

I especially love the drifting-ice beer sold on board — the blue liquid paired with the fragrance of lychee, ice-cold and smooth going down, it makes you want to bring a few bottles home.

We had Chinese cuisine at a members' club that allows tea to be brought in, with ingredients all being seafood (salmon, scallops, sweet shrimp, etc.). I especially loved the grilled scallops — they were incredibly fresh and sweet!

In the evening we checked into KIKI Shiretoko Hotel. Although the room was simple, the meal was the best we'd had in days, and the imported wine at a nearby small supermarket was cheap and delicious—we bought a bottle of champagne for 500 yen to toast with. Little moments of happiness like this on a trip are worth savoring.

Day 3 | Drift Ice Walk, Lake Mashu, Tokachi Sairinka This was the most thrilling day of the whole trip. We got up at 5 a.m., put on professional cold-weather suits, and set off on the unforgettable drift ice walk. Stepping across ice floes of uneven thickness, every step was accompanied by creaking sounds, and in the end everyone broke through the ice together and jumped into the freezing sea water — that moment made our hearts race, but it was also the most exhilarating memory. (Just like in Okinawa, there are Taiwanese staff here to help with interpretation, so even if you come on your own, you can still join in.)

We then headed to Lake Mashu. This crater lake is shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, but we were extremely lucky to encounter a clear, sunny day. The deep blue surface of the lake was calm and still, so pure it took our breath away — no wonder it's hailed as "the most beautiful lake in Japan.

Arrived at Akan Lake in the afternoon. Akan Lake is surrounded by two mountains front and back—Mt. Oakan and Mt. Meakan. Mt. Oakan has a steep, handsome appearance, while Mt. Meakan is comparatively rounded. Akan Lake features a globally unique plant species—marimo (green ball algae). Marimo was first discovered in 1897 and develops through years of accumulation and growth. It is now listed as a protected species, and what's sold in general shops are all artificially cultivated ones. In winter after the lake freezes, it transforms into a natural ice playground where visitors can enjoy ice skating, sledding, fishing, and other activities on the ice.

In the evening, you'll stay at the Tokachi River Daiheigen. The hot spring here is a "plant-based hot spring" with a faint woody fragrance—soak in the bath while taking in the snowy scenery, and let your body and mind completely relax. At night, join the Sairinka Light Show, where the colorful lights sparkle across the snow, paired with the event's special drink, a beverage made by melting chocolate directly into milk.

Day 4｜Hot Air Balloon, Otaru Canal, Sapporo Snow Festival In the morning, we joined a hot air balloon ascent experience. Although the height was only 30 meters, we could still look down over the pure white snowy land.

Next came the Otaru Canal, one of my favorite places. The vintage warehouses lining the canal, complemented by the snow, are beautiful as a painting, whether in daylight or at night. Along the way, I tasted Kitakaro's puff pastry and LeTAO cheesecake, and each bite was truly satisfying.

This Chinese restaurant was converted from a former bank branch after it closed, and its standout feature is the vault-turned-restroom on the first floor.

In the evening, we returned to Sapporo and checked into the Premier Hotel. For dinner, we enjoyed the all-you-can-eat three crab feast we had been looking forward to. Although the quality wasn't quite as good as ordering à la carte, we still got to taste snow crab, hairy crab, and king crab all in one meal.

Visiting the Sapporo Snow Festival at night, the snow sculptures in Odori Park paired with light and sound effects, and there was even a Hatsune Miku projection concert, which let me truly feel Hokkaido's grand winter celebration.

Here we recommend the flow of dining -> shopping (non-drugstore) -> returning to the hotel to drop off your loot -> the Ice Sculpture Festival -> drugstores, because the drugstores on Tanukikoji usually stay open until 1-2 AM, so they're saved for last. Day 5 | Sapporo Snow Activities, Departure On the final day, head to a snow park in the outskirts to experience activities like snowmobiling and snow banana boat rides. Although it's a spot designed for tourists, it still puts a lively finishing touch on this trip.

Flying back to Taiwan in the afternoon, my heart is still full of memories of Hokkaido's snowy scenery and hot springs. Trip Summary and Reflections This time, after a long while, I joined a group tour, and although it lacked the freedom of independent travel, it brought a greater sense of security and convenience, especially given Hokkaido's harsh winter climate. The most unforgettable moments were definitely the drift ice walk and the clear sky over Lake Mashu — that kind of awe-inspiring natural beauty can only truly be felt by experiencing it in person. And then there was walking through the blizzard at night, the cold wind stinging my cheeks, yet feeling like I was in the middle of a real "adventure." If I have the chance in the future, I'd love to visit Hokkaido again — maybe to see cherry blossoms in spring or flowers in summer — but winter Hokkaido will forever remain the purest white, most magnificent page in my travel memories.