【Hokkaido 5-Day-4-Night Group Tour Diary】Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival × Abashiri Ice-Breaker Ship × Otaru Canal × Sapporo Snow Festival

Trip Overview This was my long-awaited group tour trip — a Cola Tour five-day, four-night trip to Hokkaido, Japan. When traveling abroad, I've always insisted on independent travel, enjoying the fun of planning my own itinerary. But self-driving in Hokkaido during winter is really too difficult: snow, ice, blizzards — both safety and time were 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 Waterfall Festival Day 2: Ginga-Ryusei (Galaxy-Meteor) Falls → Abashiri Ice Breaker Ship → Overnight Stay in Shiretoko Day 3: Drift Ice Walk → Lake Mashu → Lake Akan → Tokachigawa Onsen → Sairinka Illumination Show Day 4: Hot Air Balloon Experience → Otaru Canal → Sapporo Snow Festival Day 5: Sapporo Snow Activities → Return Journey Day 1｜Arrival in Hokkaido, Sounkyo Ice Fall Season Early in the morning I took the 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, arriving at Taoyuan Terminal 2 feeling a bit nervous. Next came the usual tour group process: check-in, getting name tags, checking in luggage… After more than three hours of flying, we finally arrived in this snow-covered northern country.

Right after landing, we hopped on the bus straight to Sounkyo, and on the way we stopped at a rest area where I got a cup of corn potage recommended by the tour guide — its rich, creamy taste instantly chased away the cold. It was the first time I really felt Hokkaido's below-zero, biting air, and seeing my breath turn into white mist against the snowy scenery left me thrilled beyond words.

After a brief rest, continue for about 1 hour of driving and arrive at Sounkyo Ice Waterfall Festival, where residents create stunning ice sculpture landscapes from frozen flowing water during the harsh winter season. Although the scale doesn't rival Harbin's Ice Sculpture Festival, you can truly feel the winter romance that local residents have carefully cultivated.

In the evening, I checked into the traditionally 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 adventure! That day, Hokkaido happened to be hit by a blizzard—the temperature was around minus 20 degrees, and the snow and wind stung our cheeks. A 10-minute walk felt incredibly far, and it truly felt like a real adventure~

This trip has hotels with hot springs for three nights, so we can wear Japanese bathrobes every day and then enjoy the open-air hot springs, experiencing the sensation of having an icy towel on our heads while our bodies feel warm and cozy.

Day 2｜Galaxy Falls, Ryusei Falls, and the Abashiri Ice-Breaker Ship In the morning, we'll first visit Galaxy Falls and Ryusei Falls, where the frozen waterfalls turn into white silky threads in winter, like a work of art formed by time itself frozen in place.

Arrived in Abashiri at noon and boarded the winter-limited icebreaker ship. The vessel cut through thick drift ice, with the thundering sound of cracking ice filling your ears, eagles soaring in the sky above, and occasionally wildlife could be spotted floating on the ice. Although we didn't encounter seals this time, the entire voyage was filled with wonderful surprises.

I especially love the drifting ice beer sold on board — the blue liquid paired with the fragrance of lychee, cold and smooth going down, and I just couldn't help wanting to bring a few bottles home.

We had a Chinese meal at a members' club that also serves as a tea house, using seafood ingredients (salmon, scallops, sweet shrimp, etc). I especially loved the grilled scallops, so fresh and sweet!

In the evening, we checked in at KIKI Shiretoko Hotel. Although the room was simple, the meal was the best one we'd had in days, and on top of that, the imported wines at a nearby small supermarket were cheap and delicious — we bought a 500-yen bottle of champagne to toast with. This kind of small travel happiness is something to savor.

Day 3｜Drift Ice Walk, Lake Mashu, and Tokachi Saihou Kirara This day is the most thrilling day of the entire trip. We got up at 5 in the morning, put on professional cold-weather suits, and began the unforgettable drift ice walk. Stepping on the drift ice of varying thickness, every step was accompanied by creaking sounds, and finally everyone broke through the ice together and jumped into the freezing cold sea water — that moment made our hearts race, but it was also the most exhilarating memory. (Just like in Okinawa, there's a Taiwanese interpreter helping with translation here, so if you're traveling independently, you can still join)

We then headed to Lake Mashu. This caldera lake is shrouded in mist and cloud year-round, but we were incredibly lucky to catch clear skies. The deep blue surface of the lake was calm and still, so pure it left us breathless — no wonder it's hailed as "Japan's most beautiful lake.

We arrived at Lake Akan in the afternoon. Lake Akan is flanked front and back by two mountains — Mount Oakan and Mount Meakan. Oakan has a steep, handsome shape, while Meakan is comparatively rounder and gentler. Lake Akan is home to a plant found nowhere else in the world — marimo (round green algae). Marimo was first discovered in 1897, and it forms only after many years of accumulated growth; it is now a protected species, so the ones sold in the regular shopping streets are all artificially cultivated. In winter, once the lake freezes over, it turns into a natural ice playground, where you can enjoy activities like ice skating, sledding, and ice fishing.

Check in this evening at Tokachi Taiheigens. The hot spring here is a 'plant-based hot spring' with a subtle woody fragrance. As you soak in the bath and take in the snowy landscape, your body and mind will thoroughly relax. In the evening, experience the Cairin Hana light show with vibrant lights twinkling across the snow, accompanied by a signature drink—a beverage made by dissolving chocolate directly into milk.

Day 4｜Hot Air Balloon, Otaru Canal, Sapporo Snow Festival In the morning, we joined the hot air balloon ascent experience, and although the altitude was only 30 meters, we could still look down over the snow-white land.

Next, I arrived at Otaru Canal, one of my favorite places. The vintage warehouses along the canal, combined with accumulated snow, are as beautiful as a painting whether during the day or at night. Along the way, I tasted Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tart puffs and LeTAO cheesecake, and every bite was so satisfying.

The Chinese restaurant is renovated from a former bank branch, and its vault bathroom on the first floor is one of its highlights.

Returned to Sapporo in the evening and checked into the Premier Hotel. For dinner, we finally enjoyed the all-you-can-eat crab feast we'd long looked forward to. Although the quality couldn't compare to ordering à la carte, we still got to try snow crab, hairy crab, and king crab all in one sitting.

Visiting the Sapporo Snow Festival at night, the snow sculptures at Odori Park paired with sound and light effects, and there was even a projection concert by Hatsune Miku, which made me fully feel the grandeur of Hokkaido's winter celebration.

Here I recommend the flow of eating -> shopping (non-drugstore) -> returning to the hotel to drop off your loot -> ice sculpture season -> drugstores, because the drugstores on Tanuki Koji usually stay open until 1-2am, so they're saved for last. Day 5｜Sapporo Snow Activities, Return Trip On the last day we head to a snow park in the suburbs to experience snowmobiling, snow banana boats, and other activities. Although it's a spot designed for tourists, it still brought a lively close to this trip.

In the afternoon I flew back to Taiwan, but my heart was still full of memories of Hokkaido's snowy scenery and hot springs. Trip Summary and Reflections This long-overdue group tour, while lacking the freedom of independent travel, brought me 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 walking through it yourself. There was also the night we walked through a blizzard, the cold wind stinging our cheeks, yet I felt 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 — perhaps for cherry blossoms in spring or flowers in summer — but Hokkaido in winter will always remain the purest, most magnificent page in my travel memories.