Enjoy the surf smelt fishing on the ice in the heart of Hokkaido winter.
【Ice Fishing Experience】 Wakasagi Smelt Fishing & Shinshinotsu Onsen Tour
* Reservations require advance payment.
Summary
| Operation Period | Jan 21 – Mar 6, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 6 hours and 28 min (5 hours and 58 min on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays) |
| Distance | 73km |
| Embarkation Point/Departure and Arrival Times | Sapporo Station / Weekdays (I-1) : Dep 10:20 Arr 16:48 Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays (I-2) : Dep 11:20 Arr 17:18 |
| Our Price | Adult | 9,200yen |
| Child | 5,200yen |
*Includes lunch, a full smelt-fishing experience set, and a Tappunoyu bathing ticket.
Departs from Sapporo Station Sightseeing Bus Terminal – Exchange your ticket in advance!
Must see sights
Enjoy the surf smelt fishing on the ice in the heart of Hokkaido winter.
This is the best course to experience and fully enjoy the harsh winter of Hokkaido and enjoy ice fishing from January to February.
Shinshinotsu Village, about an hour from Sapporo, sits in the heart of the Ishikari Plain. With strong winds and heavy snowfall, this area lets visitors experience Hokkaido’s true winter.
❶ Lunch: “Japanese-style Bento with Smelt Dish” [Approx. 40 min]
After finishing lunch, those who are ready will move to the fishing area and learn how to fish for smelt (wakasagi).
❷ “Wakasagi (smelt) fishing experience” at Lake Shinotsu (about 120 minutes)
It is extremely cold outside (freezing), but inside the tent is a different world. There is a kerosene heater, and plywood boards are laid underfoot so fishers don’t have to kept their feet in the snow. No matter how cold it is outside, the tent stays toasty warm and comfortable. What’s more, if you wish, the smelt you catch can be cooked at the restaurant for your to enjoy (¥500 per cook).
・The tour bus will come back to Sapporo at 17:00 (around 17:30 on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays), and this is a perfect deal for those who want to spend a satisfying day-trip in Hokkaido.
Weekdays
| 10:20（departures） | Sapporo Station |
| via National Route 275 and the Iwamizawa-Ishikari Prefectural Road | |
| 11:48～15:30 | Shinshinotsu Onsen “Tappunoyu” Lunch (11:50–12:30) *① Smelt fishing experience (12:30–15:30) *② Hot springs (after fishing–15:30) |
| via the Iwamizawa-Ishikari Prefectural Road and National Route 275 | |
| 16:35（arrivals） | Sapporo Factory (D/O available) |
| 16:40（arrivals） | Sapporo Clocl Tower (D/O available) |
| 16:48（arrivals） | Sapporo Station |
Saturdays, Sundays, and Public Holidays
| 11:20（departures） | Sapporo Station |
| via National Route 275 and the Iwamizawa-Ishikari Prefectural Road | |
| 12:48～16:00 | Shinshinotsu Onsen “Tappunoyu” Lunch (12:50–13:30) *① Smelt fishing experience (13:30–16:00) *② Hot springs (after fishing–16:00) |
| via the Iwamizawa-Ishikari Prefectural Road and National Route 275 | |
| 17:05（arrivals） | Sapporo Factory (D/O available) |
| 17:10（arrivals） | Sapporo Clocl Tower (D/O available) |
| 17:18（arrivals） | Sapporo Station |
●After finishing lunch, each participant will go to the Tappunoyu (hot springs) front desk, and a front-desk staff member will guide you along the route and take participants to the fishing site.
At the fishing site, staff will teach participants how to fish. Seating inside the temporary tents may be shared.
※①Smelt Fishing Experience
- The fee includes the temporary tent usage fee, rental fishing rod, bait, chair, bucket, stove, ice scoop, and liability insurance.
- Participants will fish for smelt inside special (windbreaking) tents by fishing through holes in the ice (holes are preapred in advance).
- Even if the inside of the special tent is kept warm with stove and plywood sheeting, wear warm clothes while ice fishing outside.
- No open flames and no smoking inside the temporary tents. Eating an drinking are allowed.
- Each participant will be attaching bait to their fishing lines themselves.
- The smelt participants catch can be prepared as tempura at the restaurant for ¥500 per cook.
Participants may also take the fish home as-is (plastic bags are provided by the facility). - Participants may also catch fish other than smelt (fish other than smelt cannot be prepared as tempura at the facility).
Please note that some participants may not catch any fish. - Note that if a rental rod is damaged, compensation will be required.
Not covered by insurance: rod tip ¥2,000, fishing rod ¥7,000, reel ¥700 - After the fishing experience, please enjoy the hot springs or relax in the relaxation room until bus departure time.
- An optinal banana boat ride experience is available. Per ride: Junior high school students and older ¥1,500, elementary school students and younger ¥1,000 (may be suspended due to weather or other reasons)
※②Hot Spring Facility
- A relaxation room is available for hot-spring facility users.
- Towels are not provided. Face towels sold for ¥300, bath towels sold for ¥600 on site. (no rentals)
- If you do not use your bathing ticket while on this tour, it can be used at these facilities from the next day onward. One ticket is valid for one use.
- Meals and bathing fees are included in tour fare. (Please be sure to bring towels or purchase them on site.)
- A boxed lunch has been prepared for lunch.
Japanese-style Bento with Smelt Dish
・Zangi Hokkaido fried chicken and grilled sirloin steak
・Smelt simmered in soy sauce-style tsukudani, shibazuke pickles, and rol cake
・Albacore tuna sashimi
・15-grain rice
・Smelt escabeche, chicken terrine, and picked vegetables
*Photo is for illustrative purpose only. Menu items are subject to change based on availability.
◎Please understand that the bus may have to turn around and cancel the tour in the event of heavy snowfall or snowdrifts that make driving hazardous.
◎Tour will be cancelled when there is no reservation by 15:00 the day before. Same-day walk-in participation without a reservation is not accepted.
◎Tour time at each facility will depend on traffic that day, the number of passengers and other factors.
◎Arrival time for this course may be earlier depending on whether or not the facility is open or not, or limitations on tours.
◎Please note that the buses may be delayed due to inclement weather or traffic conditions, so please allow ample time for transfers to other means of transportation.
◎The tour may be cancelled due to disasters or other unavoidable circumstances, so please be sure to contact us about whether the tour is in operation during unusual weather.
●Please note that you cannot complete your application unless the credit card payment is successfully processed.