Hokkaido│Kurodake Ropeway, Asahiyama Zoo Autumn Leaves Tour

The best part of this Hokkaido day trip is the jump from a gondola high above the autumn forest to close views of polar bears and penguins at Asahiyama Zoo. You get two very different sides of northern Japan in one outing, with a hot bowl of local ramen in between.

I like that the Kurodake Ropeway ticket and zoo admission are included, since those costs can add up quickly. I also like the choice at Asahikawa Ramen Village, where you can pick your own shop and style of ramen instead of being tied to one set meal. The main drawback is the length: at 630 minutes, with several hours on the bus, this is a demanding day.

Key points to know before booking

• Kurodake Ropeway: Ride above Daisetsuzan Sounkyo’s red, orange, and gold autumn forests.
• Asahiyama Zoo: See polar bears swimming and penguins, with free time to explore the zoo.
• Asahikawa Ramen Village: Choose your own lunch from several ramen shops, with the meal paid separately.
• Long coach day: The advertised duration is 10.5 hours, including about six hours of road travel.
• Flexible booking: Cancel up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, or reserve now and pay later.
• Seasonal caution: Weather and road conditions can change the schedule, and the tour may become difficult to continue after departure if conditions worsen.

Why this tour works as a Hokkaido day out

Hokkaido is wide open, and its best sights are often far apart. That is the charm, but it is also the catch. This tour lets you reach Daisetsuzan, Asahikawa, and Sapporo without arranging separate train tickets, buses, entrance fees, and local transfers yourself.

The route has a clear rhythm. You begin in Sapporo, spend a long stretch on the coach, reach the mountains for the ropeway, stop for lunch in Asahikawa, visit the zoo, and return to Sapporo in the evening. You will not have much freedom to linger, but you will cover a lot of ground in one day.

The trip costs $119 per person. I consider that a reasonable package price for a full-day excursion because it includes bus transport, the Kurodake Ropeway ride, Asahiyama Zoo admission, and an English, Chinese, or Japanese guide. Lunch and personal spending are extra, so bring enough for ramen and drinks.

This is not the right choice if you want a relaxed day with long meals or a slow visit at each attraction. It is a good fit if you want to see major sights outside Sapporo and prefer one organized route over several independent connections.

Meeting the bus at ANA Crowne Plaza Sapporo

The tour begins in the first-floor lobby of ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Sapporo. You need to go to the lobby rather than asking hotel staff for tour directions, since the hotel staff will not be able to tell you where the group meets.

That small detail matters. Arrive early, find the meeting point, and keep your phone available in case the guide needs to identify the group. The tour ends at the north exit of Sapporo Station, not back at the hotel, so plan your evening from Sapporo Station.

The guide service is offered in English, Chinese, and Japanese. The information provided does not name individual guides, so you should not expect a particular guide by name. You can expect language support in one of those three languages.

The three-hour ride to Daisetsuzan Sounkyo

The first bus section takes about three hours. That is a serious amount of sitting, especially before the first major stop, but it reflects Hokkaido’s scale. The ropeway is not a quick hop from central Sapporo.

You can eat and drink on the bus, which is useful for a snack or bottled drink. You must take your rubbish with you, though, so carry a small bag for wrappers and empty containers. There is no toilet on the bus, so use facilities whenever you have the chance at stops.

The road time can also change. Autumn weather and road conditions may affect the schedule, and the planned order or timing can be adjusted. This matters most in fall, when mountain conditions can change faster than those in Sapporo.

Riding the Kurodake Ropeway above the fall colors

The Kurodake Ropeway is the visual high point of the tour. From the gondola, you look down over Daisetsuzan Sounkyo as the forest shifts into autumn colors. Crimson, orange, and gold are the promised colors, with broad mountain views rather than the close-up garden foliage you see in a city park.

A ropeway ride gives you a different view from a roadside stop. Instead of seeing one slope or valley at eye level, you gain height and a wider view of the surrounding mountains. For a short visit, that is efficient sightseeing.

The stop lasts about 1.5 hours and includes a photo stop, a visit, and guided time. That should give you enough time to ride the ropeway and enjoy the views, but it is not a hiking session. Keep your focus on the included ride and the accessible viewing time rather than expecting a long mountain walk.

Autumn color is never an exact promise. The tour is designed around the fall season, but the best color can vary by date and weather. Clouds, rain, or road delays may also affect what you see. Bring comfortable shoes, and take a rain jacket or your own umbrella if the forecast is unsettled. There is no umbrella rental.

The ropeway is also the part of the day most dependent on conditions. If the weather turns poor, the schedule may change. Once the tour has started, there is no refund if the operator decides that continuing is too difficult because of weather or another outside factor. That is a normal risk with a mountain outing, but you should understand it before paying.

Choosing lunch at Asahikawa Ramen Village

After the mountain stop, the coach takes about an hour to Asahikawa Ramen Village. This food area gathers several ramen shops in one place, making it easy to compare menus without crossing the city.

Asahikawa is particularly associated with soy sauce ramen, so this is your chance to try that local specialty. Other flavors are available too, which helps if your group cannot agree on one style. The ramen cost is not included, and you choose and pay for your own meal.

The lunch stop lasts about one hour. That is enough for a straightforward meal, but it is not a leisurely food crawl. Look at the available choices promptly and remember that queues, ordering, and eating all use the same limited time.

The village has more than restaurants. You can browse exclusive ramen merchandise and visit the commemorative plaza for photos. Those extras are pleasant, but lunch is the main reason for the stop. If you are hungry after the long first bus ride, this is a useful break.

I like the independence here. Some organized tours serve a fixed lunch that may not suit your taste or budget. At Ramen Village, you choose what to eat. The tradeoff is that you need to budget separately and manage your time carefully.

One hour with polar bears and penguins at Asahiyama Zoo

The zoo is only about 15 minutes from Ramen Village, so there is little extra road time before the afternoon visit. Asahiyama Zoo is known for exhibits that let you see animals in active settings, including polar bears in an aquatic enclosure and penguins during their famous walk.

The polar bear area is likely to be a highlight for families and animal lovers. Watching the bears swim gives you more to see than a static enclosure view. Penguins bring a different kind of appeal, especially when they are moving together during the walk.

You have about one hour at the zoo. That is the biggest limitation of this stop. Asahiyama Zoo has enough animal areas to reward a longer visit, but this tour gives you a brief sample rather than a full day. Decide in advance which animals matter most to you, and move with purpose once inside.

The zoo visit is described as free time and sightseeing, so you will not be tied to one fixed path. That freedom is helpful, but the short clock means you should keep track of time. Do not let the first exhibit consume the whole visit if you want to see both polar bears and penguins.

Follow every fence and restricted-area rule. Do not approach animal cages beyond the barriers, and never enter a restricted area. This is important for your safety and for the animals.

The long ride back to Sapporo

The return bus ride takes about 2 hours and 10 minutes. Added to the three-hour outbound journey, the road time is the central fact of this excursion. You should be comfortable sitting for long periods and prepared for a full day away from your hotel.

The tour finishes at Sapporo Station’s north exit. Since the advertised duration is 630 minutes, expect to return in the evening, though the exact arrival time can shift with traffic, weather, and road conditions.

You can eat and drink on the bus, but you need to take your rubbish away. Since there is no onboard toilet, avoid overloading on drinks just before departure and use facilities at the stops.

A coach trip also means you can rest between attractions rather than navigate transfers yourself. For many people, that is the value of the tour. You trade control and flexibility for a simple route through distant parts of Hokkaido.

What the $119 price really covers

At $119, the tour is not simply an admission-ticket package. You are paying for the transportation needed to reach three separate destinations, plus the ropeway, zoo entry, and guide service.

The included items are:

• Kurodake Ropeway riding ticket
• Asahiyama Zoo admission
• Bus transportation
• English, Chinese, or Japanese guide service

You pay separately for lunch at Ramen Village or the zoo, drinks, souvenirs, and any other personal expenses. Plan for at least one meal and allow extra if you want ramen merchandise.

The value is strongest if you want both the mountain view and the zoo on the same day. Buying each element separately could give you more freedom, but it would also require careful planning across long distances. If you are already comfortable arranging Hokkaido transport, an independent trip may offer more time at each stop. If not, this package removes much of the work.

Who will enjoy this day most

I would recommend this tour to first-time Hokkaido visitors based in Sapporo who want to see beyond the city. It also suits families who like animals, photographers hoping for autumn color, and anyone who wants to try Asahikawa ramen without planning a separate food stop.

It is less suitable for visitors who dislike long bus rides, need frequent toilet access, or want a slow pace. The listed restrictions also exclude wheelchair users, people with heart problems, people over 95, and people with hearing impairments.

Comfortable shoes are required. Bring weather protection, since umbrellas are not provided. You should also be ready for a full day with changing temperatures between Sapporo, the mountain area, and the zoo.

The tour has received a 5.0 rating from two verified bookings, including a short October 29, 2025 comment calling the experience very nice and fun. That is a small sample, so I would treat it as a positive signal rather than proof that every departure will run perfectly. The practical details matter more here: this is a weather-sensitive, tightly timed day.

Should you book the Kurodake and Asahiyama day tour?

Book it if you want a high-value sightseeing circuit and accept the long coach rides. The combination is hard to arrange casually from Sapporo, and the included ropeway and zoo tickets make the $119 price fair.

Skip it if you want extended time at Asahiyama Zoo, a long ramen lunch, or a mountain hike. You should also think twice if poor weather would spoil the main reason for your trip, since the mountain schedule can change and there is no refund after departure when conditions make continuing difficult.

For most visitors with only a few days in Sapporo, this is a practical way to reach Daisetsuzan and Asahikawa in one day. Pack light, bring rain protection, watch the clock, and decide your zoo priorities before the bus arrives.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

The meeting point is in the first-floor lobby of ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Sapporo. Hotel staff will not be able to tell you where the tour group meets.

Where does the tour finish?

The tour finishes at the north exit of Sapporo Station.

How long is the tour?

The listed duration is 630 minutes, or 10.5 hours. Road conditions and weather may change the timing.

Is lunch included?

No. You pay for lunch yourself at Asahikawa Ramen Village or Asahiyama Zoo.

What languages are available?

The live guide service is available in English, Chinese, and Japanese.

Is there a toilet on the bus?

No. There is no toilet on the bus, so use facilities during the stops.

What should I bring?

Bring comfortable shoes and your own umbrella or rain protection if rain is possible. Umbrellas are not provided for rental.