Hokkaido Self-Guided Tours

Explore Hokkaido at your own pace with local support

A hike stops to take a photo of Midori pond at Daisetsuzan Kogen. In the distance snow clings to the ridgeline.

Your adventure, your way. Experience the best of Hokkaido at your own pace with the help of our local knowledge. Whether you prefer to travel in small private groups at your own pace, keep the group to just family, or even a honeymoon, let us take the load off your shoulders and help plan your self-guided outdoor adventure through Hokkaido.

Our Self-Guided Tours are coming in Autumn 2023

Thank you for your interest in our brand new Self-Guided Tours!

Everyone loves to be popular, which is why we are very happy that we have had more interest than expected in our Guided Tours for 2023. The flip side of this is that our team is currently focused on the operations of a large number of summer and autumn departures. In order to ensure our Self-Guided clients do not fall through the cracks and receive the best service possible, we have decided that we will be opening reservations for Self-Guided tours from Autumn 2023, accepting bookings for Winter 2023-24 and 2024 onwards.

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We can’t wait to see you in Hokkaido!

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Why Travel Self-Guided in Hokkaido

Getting around by public transport is fun and green

Hokkaido is the northernmost prefecture in Japan and also has the lowest population density. The island of Hokkaido is vast, with scenic landscapes, which you can enjoy taking in while travelling slowly on local trains and buses. Finding the right bus stops and paying the correct fares in coins can be challenging if you do not speak the language. However, we believe traveling alongside with local people makes for a fun adventure. People from Hokkaido can be shy when it comes to speaking English but they are warm at heart and are willing to help visitors in any way they can.

You are the guide...

Going independent allows you to enjoy the freedom and flexibility during the day. Although we pre-arrange accommodation (and some activities with guides) and suggest places to visit and activities to do, what you actually do during the day is up to you. You are your own guide, deciding where to go, where to eat, and what to do during the day. You are free to set your own daily schedule. Having a smartphone equipped with a local SIM is indispensable, as it will serve as your capable assistant guide, helping you with navigation and translation.

... but you are not alone

We are here to support you throughout the planning process and while you are traveling. We make reservations for the accommodations with included meals as described. We will arrange dinner with hotels where dining out is not an option, especially in remote villages. Activities that require bookings in advance will be arranged by us.

We provide daily cue sheets and vouchers for each day. The cue sheets provide the information about the details of public transport you should take on each day, where and what time the bus or train departs and arrives, and how much it costs. The vouchers are to be handed in to the receptionist or the guide at check-in, just to avoid any confusion and lost in translation moments.

In an emergency, whether you've missed your transport, gotten lost or are unwell, we are also just a phone call away. You can travel independently with the confidence of knowing you have a local friend ready to help if things don't go quite to plan.