Hokkaido│Kurodake Ropeway, Asahiyama Zoo Autumn Leaves Tour

The best part of this full-day outing is the mix: autumn views from the Kurodake Ropeway, close animal encounters at Asahiyama Zoo, and a hot bowl of Asahikawa ramen before the ride back to Sapporo. You get three very different Hokkaido experiences in one organized day.

I like that the ropeway and zoo tickets are included, so you do not need to manage separate admissions. I also like the practical food stop at Asahikawa Ramen Village, where you can choose your own shop and meal. The drawback is the long coach day, with several hours spent on the road and only about an hour at both the ramen village and zoo.

Key points

• Kurodake Ropeway: Ride above Daisetsuzan’s autumn colors during a 1.5-hour visit.
• Asahiyama Zoo: See polar bears in their aquatic enclosure and penguins during their famous walk, subject to the zoo’s schedule.
• Asahikawa ramen: Choose and pay for your own lunch among several ramen shops.
• Long-distance coach ride: The day lasts 630 minutes, with the return to Sapporo taking more than two hours.
• Included value: Bus transport, ropeway ticket, zoo admission, and an English, Chinese, or Japanese guide are covered.
• Weather matters: Road conditions can change the schedule, and there is no refund after departure if conditions make the tour impossible to continue.

A full autumn day from Sapporo

This tour begins in the first-floor lobby of ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Sapporo. You need to find the tour meeting point yourself, since hotel staff cannot direct you to it. That is a small detail, but an important one. Arrive early, check the lobby carefully, and have your booking information ready.

From there, you board a coach for the long journey toward Daisetsuzan Sounkyo. The first ride is listed at about three hours. That is a serious stretch of road time, so this tour works best if you want to see several major sights without arranging trains, buses, ropeway tickets, and zoo admission on your own.

The coach is also where you will spend much of the day. You may eat and drink on board, but you must take your rubbish with you. There is no toilet on the bus, so use facilities whenever you have the chance at the stops.

The route is designed around the autumn season. The exact color display depends on the date and weather, and the schedule can change because of road conditions. If seeing the leaves at their peak is your main reason for booking, keep your expectations flexible. Nature does not follow a tour timetable.

Kurodake Ropeway and Daisetsuzan’s fall colors

The first major stop is the Daisetsuzan Sounkyo Kurodake Ropeway. Its main appeal is simple and powerful: you rise above the forest rather than viewing the trees from a roadside pullout.

From the gondola, you can look across the autumn forests of Hokkaido, with red, gold, and orange color spread across the slopes. The changing height gives you a different view from a normal walk through a park. You can watch the ground fall away, frame the scenery through the gondola windows, and take photographs without needing a long hike.

The scheduled stop lasts about 1.5 hours and includes a photo stop, a visit, and guided time. That is enough to enjoy the ride and scenery at a steady pace, but it is not a full mountain outing. You should think of this as a scenic ropeway visit, not an extended hiking day in Daisetsuzan.

Wear comfortable shoes, even though the ropeway itself does not require strenuous walking. You may need to move between the coach, ropeway facilities, and viewing areas, and the ground can feel less forgiving in autumn weather.

Rain planning matters here. Umbrellas are not provided, so bring your own if the forecast looks unsettled. Weather can affect both the views and the operation of the schedule. Once the tour has begun, there is no refund if the operator decides that conditions make it difficult to continue.

This stop is the visual high point of the day. If you want autumn scenery but do not want to arrange a mountain excursion on your own, the included ropeway ticket adds real value. The tradeoff is that the journey from Sapporo is long for a stop that lasts less than two hours.

Asahikawa Ramen Village for a self-chosen lunch

After the ropeway, the coach continues for about an hour to Asahikawa Ramen Village. The stop is scheduled for one hour, including lunch and time to look around.

This is not a single restaurant. It is a themed food area with several ramen shops, giving you a choice of styles and flavors in one place. Asahikawa is especially associated with soy sauce ramen, so this is a useful chance to try a local specialty rather than settling for a familiar chain meal.

The cost of lunch is not included. That keeps the choice in your hands, which I see as a plus. You can pick the shop and bowl that suit your appetite and budget. The short stop, however, means you should not spend too long comparing menus or browsing the area before ordering.

The village also has exclusive merchandise and a commemorative plaza for photographs. Those extras are modest, but they give the stop more character than a standard roadside meal break. If you are interested in Japanese food culture, you can look at how the different shops present their versions of ramen and make this a quick local tasting rather than just a necessary lunch.

One hour is enough for a straightforward meal, but it leaves little room for a relaxed restaurant experience. Decide what you want quickly, especially if the coach group is large. You will need to be back on time for the short transfer to the zoo.

Asahiyama Zoo and its close animal encounters

From Ramen Village, it is only about 15 minutes by coach to Asahiyama Zoo. The visit lasts about one hour, with free time for sightseeing.

Asahiyama Zoo is known for exhibits that let you observe animal behavior at close range. The main attractions highlighted on this tour are polar bears and penguins. Polar bears can be seen swimming in their aquatic enclosure, while the penguins are known for their lively walk.

These are not passive displays. The swimming polar bears give you a chance to watch an animal move through water, and the penguins’ walk offers a more active and charming scene. Conditions and animal schedules can affect what you see, so treat the named highlights as possibilities rather than guaranteed performances at a precise time.

The hour is useful but tight. You cannot cover every corner of a major zoo at that pace. I would make the polar bears and penguins your first priorities, then use any remaining minutes for other exhibits nearby. The guide can help you understand the plan, but this is still a quick visit rather than a full day at the zoo.

The zoo has clear safety rules. Never enter restricted areas or cross fences, and do not approach animal cages beyond the barrier. That may sound obvious, but close viewing can make people forget how much space wildlife needs.

Families and animal lovers will likely find this stop especially appealing. If you prefer a slow zoo visit, with time to read every sign and watch animals for long periods, the one-hour limit may feel rushed. The appeal here is variety: the zoo adds a completely different experience after the mountain scenery and ramen stop.

The return to Sapporo takes patience

After the zoo, the coach returns to Sapporo Station North Exit. The listed return journey is about 2 hours and 10 minutes, and the full activity lasts 630 minutes, or 10 hours and 30 minutes.

That makes this a full day, not a half-day add-on. You should plan a light evening after the tour. By the time you reach Sapporo, you will have spent much of the day seated, even though the stops themselves offer plenty to see.

The long ride is the main weakness of the experience. Driving independently might give you more freedom, but it would also require handling the route, parking, admissions, ropeway arrangements, and mountain road conditions yourself. Here, the coach takes care of the difficult connections.

The guide speaks English, Chinese, or Japanese, depending on the departure arrangement. The guide fee is included, along with the bus fee and both major admission tickets. Since there are no details about group size, you should expect a shared coach experience rather than a private tour.

What the $119 price covers

At $119 per person, the price needs to be judged against what you would otherwise have to arrange. It includes:

• Coach transportation from the Sapporo hotel meeting point
• The Kurodake Ropeway riding ticket
• Admission to Asahiyama Zoo
• An English, Chinese, or Japanese guide

Lunch and other personal expenses are not included. You should budget separately for ramen, drinks, souvenirs, and anything else you buy during the stops.

I consider the price reasonable for visitors who want a simple one-day package. The ropeway and zoo admissions alone would otherwise require separate planning, and the route links places that are spread well beyond central Sapporo. The value is strongest if you want the convenience of one booking and do not want to study regional transport connections.

The value is weaker if you only want a relaxed meal and a short scenic ride. You are paying for a long-distance day, so the tour makes most sense when all three main stops appeal to you.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I would recommend this experience to people who want a broad sample of Hokkaido in one day. It suits you particularly well if you want autumn color, wildlife, and local food, but have limited time in the region.

It is also a good fit if you prefer having tickets and transport handled in advance. The English, Chinese, and Japanese guide options make it easier to follow the day without working out every transfer yourself.

Families may appreciate the animal focus, especially the polar bears and penguins. Food-minded visitors will enjoy choosing from several ramen shops rather than eating a fixed lunch. Photography fans will get the best use from the ropeway, where the elevated view gives you a broader angle on the fall colors.

This is not a good choice for wheelchair users, people with heart problems, people over 95, or people with hearing impairments, since the activity is specifically listed as unsuitable for those groups. Comfortable shoes are required, and you should bring an umbrella if rain is possible.

The tour may also be a poor fit if you dislike fixed schedules. The ramen stop and zoo visit are both short, and the road journey leaves little room for delays or long detours.

Simple ways to make the day better

Bring water, a small snack, and your own umbrella if rain is possible. Since food and drinks are allowed on the bus, these can make the long rides easier, though you must carry your rubbish with you.

Use the restroom whenever you stop. The coach has no toilet, and the route includes long stretches between destinations.

At the ramen village, choose your restaurant promptly. One hour sounds generous until you include finding the shop, ordering, eating, and returning to the coach.

At the zoo, go first to the animals you most want to see. With only an hour, you should not assume there will be time to wander through every area.

Keep the weather in mind when booking. The ropeway views depend on visibility, and road conditions can alter the schedule. The tour can continue only when conditions allow, and no refund is given after departure if the day becomes difficult to continue.

Should you book this Hokkaido day tour?

Book it if you want three distinct Hokkaido highlights in one organized day and you accept the long coach rides. The included ropeway and zoo tickets make the $119 price easier to justify, while the ramen stop gives you control over lunch rather than locking you into a set menu.

Skip it if you want a slow mountain visit, a full zoo day, or a leisurely restaurant meal. The schedule is compact, and the journey from Sapporo is substantial.

For the right person, this is a practical autumn sampler: mountain views from above, animals at close range, and a bowl of local ramen in between. Its five-star rating from Nicole of Hong Kong, who described the day as very nice and fun, fits the straightforward appeal. Just bring patience for the road, comfortable shoes, and realistic expectations about weather.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The activity lasts 630 minutes, or 10 hours and 30 minutes.

Where does the tour start?

You meet in the first-floor lobby of ANA Crowne Plaza Hotel Sapporo.

Where does the tour finish?

The tour finishes at the north exit of Sapporo Station.

Is lunch included?

No. Lunch is on your own at Asahikawa Ramen Village or Asahiyama Zoo, and the cost is not included.

What languages are available?

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

Are the ropeway and zoo tickets included?

Yes. The Kurodake Ropeway riding ticket and Asahiyama Zoo admission ticket are included.

Is there a toilet on the bus?

No. There is no toilet on the bus.

Can the schedule change because of weather?

Yes. The itinerary may change because of weather and road conditions. There is no refund after the tour starts if it is decided that continuing is difficult because of weather or other factors.