Asahiyama Zoo & Biei Blue Pond Day Trip in Hokkaido

Asahiyama Zoo and Biei’s Blue Pond give you two very different sides of Hokkaido in one long day: close views of animals at a modern zoo, then quiet rural scenery, forest, flowers, and the famous blue water near Shirogane Onsen. The penguin pool tunnel is the zoo’s signature feature, while the Blue Pond is the calmest stop of the day.

I like the included zoo admission, which keeps the $90 price simple, and I like the chance to see Hokkaido beyond Sapporo without arranging several trains and buses yourself. The patchwork farmland views from the coach are also part of the fun. The main drawback is the length: at 570 minutes, this is a full day with considerable time on the road, and the tour operates in Japanese.

Key points to know

• Asahiyama Zoo includes admission: Allow about two hours for polar bears, wolves, big cats, apes, and the underwater penguin viewing tunnel.
• Biei’s Blue Pond is a short but memorable stop: You get about 30 minutes for photos and a walk among the trees.
• Farm Tomita changes with the season: The stop lasts about 30 minutes outside summer and about 50 minutes from June through September.
• The countryside is part of the tour: Patchwork farmland and rural Hokkaido appear from the bus window between major stops.
• The tour runs in Japanese: Translation services may be used, but no other guide language is provided.
• The schedule is strict: Meet at ANA Crowne Plaza Sapporo at 10:50 for an 11:00 departure, and late arrivals receive no refund.

Why this day trip works from Sapporo

Hokkaido is large, and its best-known rural sights are spread across the island. Asahiyama Zoo is in Asahikawa, Biei’s Blue Pond is farther south, and Farm Tomita sits near Furano. Reaching all three by public transport in a single day would take careful planning and leave little room for mistakes.

This coach tour handles the long connections for you. You leave central Sapporo, ride through the countryside, visit the main attractions, and return to Sapporo Station. That convenience is the real product here. You are not simply paying for entrance to a zoo and a pond. You are paying to connect several distant places without changing trains or working out local bus schedules.

At $90 per person, the value depends on how much you want to see in one day. Admission to Asahiyama Zoo is included, as are the sightseeing bus, Japanese-speaking guide, and operator insurance. Meals, drinks, and personal purchases are not included, so bring money or food for the day.

This is a busy outing rather than a slow rural retreat. You will get a taste of several Hokkaido sights, not a long, quiet stay at each one.

Leaving ANA Crowne Plaza Sapporo at 11:00

The meeting point is ANA Crowne Plaza Sapporo, an IHG hotel at Kita 3-Jo, 1 Chome-2-9 Nishi in Chuo Ward. Meet the Wonder Tours staff at 10:50, ten minutes before departure. The coach leaves at 11:00, and the schedule does not allow much room for late arrivals.

That warning matters. If you miss the departure, the operator can leave without waiting, and no refund is available. I would arrive early, confirm the hotel entrance, and keep the tour confirmation easy to find. The finish is at Sapporo Station, not back at the hotel, so plan your evening from the station area.

The first coach ride lasts about 80 minutes. You can use this time to settle in and watch Sapporo give way to open farmland. The countryside views are not a separate walking stop, but they help explain why Hokkaido feels so different from Japan’s larger urban centers.

A brief break at Sunagawa

Sunagawa is scheduled for about 15 minutes. This is a short break and photo stop, with some free time to stretch your legs before the longer sightseeing portion.

Do not expect a major attraction here. Its value is practical. A full day in a coach is easier when you have a quick chance to walk around, use facilities, and reset. Since the break is short, stay aware of the departure time. This tour keeps moving.

For some people, this stop will feel too brief to matter. For others, especially families or anyone who dislikes being confined to a bus, those 15 minutes will be welcome.

Two hours inside Asahiyama Zoo

Asahiyama Zoo is the main scheduled attraction, with about two hours for sightseeing, lunch, walking, and animal viewing. Your admission is included, so there is no extra entrance fee to sort out once you arrive.

The zoo is known for showing animals from different angles rather than presenting only standard enclosure views. You can see polar bears, wolves, big cats, apes, and other animals during your visit. The penguin pool’s glass tunnel is the feature to make time for. From inside the tunnel, you can watch penguins move through the water above and around you.

Two hours is enough for a useful visit, but it is not enough to examine every part of a large zoo at a leisurely pace. I suggest checking the map or asking the Japanese-speaking guide which areas matter most before you set off. Start with the animals you most want to see, then fit in the penguin tunnel and any remaining time for lunch.

The tour description includes lunch in the stop, but meals and drinks are not included in the price. Read that as time to eat, not a provided meal. Bring something with you or plan to buy food at the zoo if available. You do not want to spend your entire two-hour visit looking for lunch.

The famous penguin walk is seasonal. It takes place only after enough snow has accumulated, so you cannot count on seeing it outside the snow-covered season. Even in winter, snow conditions determine whether it runs. The underwater viewing area is the more dependable penguin attraction mentioned for this visit.

The zoo stop suits families, animal lovers, and anyone who wants an attraction with more substance than a quick photo stop. It may feel rushed if your main interest is quiet observation or detailed photography.

Biei’s patchwork farmland from the coach

After the zoo, the route passes through Biei’s patchwork farmland. This is a scenic drive rather than a scheduled walk, so your view comes through the coach windows.

Biei is known for broad agricultural fields divided into changing shapes and colors. Here, the interest is the pattern of the countryside and the open scale of Hokkaido. You may find the bus ride itself rewarding, especially if you enjoy seeing how rural areas connect the major sights.

Window seats will help, but the scenery can change with weather, season, and traffic. The tour does not promise a dedicated photo stop along the Patchwork Road. Keep your camera ready, but do not treat every passing view as a guaranteed stop.

This section also gives the day some breathing room after the zoo. You move from animal enclosures to farmland, then on to the Blue Pond. It is a good reminder that Hokkaido’s appeal is not limited to its named attractions.

Farm Tomita and its changing seasonal schedule

Farm Tomita provides the flower-viewing portion of the day. The time here changes according to the date:

• From April 26 through May 31, you get about 30 minutes.
• From June 1 through September 30, you get about 50 minutes.
• From October 1 onward, you get about 30 minutes.

That seasonal difference is important. The longer summer visit gives you more time among the flower displays, while the shorter periods make this more of a quick walk and photo stop. The exact appearance of the garden will also depend on the season of your visit, so do not book this day expecting the same flowers in April and August.

The stop adds color and variety after the zoo. It also gives you another chance to walk before the final scenic locations. Still, 30 minutes is not a long garden visit. If you love flowers and want time to browse, take photographs, or shop, you may wish for more time here.

The schedule places Farm Tomita among several major stops, so the short visit is part of the trade-off for seeing more in one day. You get range, but not deep time at every location.

The Blue Pond near Shirogane Onsen

The Shirogane Blue Pond is the visual centerpiece for many people. You get about 30 minutes for sightseeing and photographs near the pond, which sits just outside the hot spring town of Shirogane Onsen.

The pond’s blue color is the reason for the stop. Trees around the water give it a quiet, slightly otherworldly setting, and the contrast with the straight trunks and still surface makes it an easy place to photograph. You do not need a long hike to appreciate the view, which makes this a practical stop on a packed day.

Thirty minutes should allow time for a walk and photographs, but it will not support a slow visit or extended exploration. Stay aware of the coach departure. The pond may be the place you most want to linger, yet the day’s schedule has several more hours of transport ahead.

Weather and seasonal conditions can affect the scene. The operator also notes that traffic and weather may change the schedule. You should treat the timing as a working plan, not a promise down to the minute.

The long ride back to Sapporo

The return coach ride is listed at about two hours before arrival at Sapporo Station. Combined with the morning ride and the other transfers, this explains the 570-minute duration.

For some people, the return trip will be a chance to rest after walking at the zoo, pond, and flower garden. For others, it will be the hardest part of the day. Bring water, snacks, and anything you need to stay comfortable. Meals and beverages are your responsibility, and the tour does not include personal expenses.

The final station arrival is useful if you have dinner plans or another evening activity in central Sapporo. Just avoid booking anything with a tight, fixed start time immediately after the tour. Traffic and weather can alter the schedule.

What the Japanese-only format means

The guide and driver operate in Japanese, and the activity does not provide English or other-language guiding. Translation services may be used by people who need them, but you should not expect a full English commentary throughout the day.

This matters most at meeting points and during time-sensitive instructions. The tour has several stops, fixed departure times, and a return journey, so you need to understand where and when to rejoin the coach. If you do not speak Japanese, keep the meeting point details, departure times, and stop names available on your phone.

The Japanese-only format can still work well if you are comfortable traveling independently once you arrive at each place. The coach provides the transport, admission, and broad structure. You will need to manage your own sightseeing within the allotted time.

The advertised group format is small, with capacity shown as one participant. Because that wording is unusual, I would confirm the actual group size when booking. A smaller group could make boarding and meeting the coach easier, but the provided details do not guarantee a private tour.

Price, timing, and practical value

At $90, the tour is easiest to justify if you want all of these elements in one day: Asahiyama Zoo, the Blue Pond, Biei farmland, and Farm Tomita. The included zoo ticket removes one major extra cost, and the coach saves you from arranging long-distance transport between Sapporo, Asahikawa, Biei, and the flower garden area.

The value is weaker if you want to spend hours at only one place. The zoo gets about two hours, the Blue Pond about 30 minutes, and Farm Tomita either 30 or 50 minutes. Those limits are fair for a multi-stop day, but they require discipline.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later. If extreme weather or another unforeseen event causes the operator to cancel, you can reschedule or request a full refund. Late arrival and no-shows are different: those do not qualify for a refund.

The tour is marked wheelchair accessible, though the supplied details do not explain the exact vehicle setup or route conditions at each stop. If you use a wheelchair, confirm the arrangements before paying.

Who should book this Hokkaido day trip?

I would choose this trip if you have limited time in Sapporo and want a broad sample of central Hokkaido without renting a car. It suits families, first-time visitors, animal lovers, and anyone who prefers having transport arranged.

It is also a good fit if the Blue Pond is high on your list and you want to add a zoo and flower garden without building a complicated rail and bus plan. The positive experience rating recorded for this activity came from a verified booking in Indonesia, with a 5 out of 5 score for a Blue Pond trip. That matches the tour’s strongest appeal: it makes a difficult day of sightseeing simple to arrange.

I would hesitate if you need English guiding, dislike long coach rides, or want a slow visit at each stop. The schedule is fixed, the Japanese-only format requires preparation, and seasonal attractions can change. The penguin walk, in particular, is not available until snow has accumulated.

FAQ

How long does the Asahiyama Zoo and Blue Pond tour last?

The activity lasts 570 minutes, or about nine and a half hours.

Where does the tour begin?

The meeting point is ANA Crowne Plaza Sapporo, an IHG Hotel, at Kita 3-Jo, 1 Chome-2-9 Nishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo.

What time should I arrive?

Meet the Wonder Tours staff at 10:50. The bus departs at 11:00, and you should arrive at least ten minutes early.

Where does the tour finish?

The tour finishes at Sapporo Station.

Is Asahiyama Zoo admission included?

Yes. Admission to Asahiyama Zoo is included in the tour price.

Are meals and drinks included?

No. Meals, beverages, and other personal expenses are not included.

What language is the tour operated in?

The guide and driver operate in Japanese. Other languages may use translation services.

Is the penguin walk available all year?

No. The penguin walk takes place only during the snow-covered season after enough snow has accumulated.

How long do you spend at Farm Tomita?

You get about 30 minutes from April 26 through May 31 and from October 1 onward. From June 1 through September 30, the visit lasts about 50 minutes.

Should you book it?

Book this day trip if you want efficient access to several of Hokkaido’s best-known sights and accept that the day will be long. The included zoo admission, arranged transport, rural scenery, and Blue Pond stop make $90 reasonable for a first visit from Sapporo.

Skip it if English guidance is essential or if you prefer lingering at one place. For everyone else, arrive early, bring food and water, watch the seasonal details, and treat the coach ride as part of the Hokkaido experience rather than wasted time.