This all-season hiking tour will take you out of the hustle and bustle of the city and up to some of the nicest views to be seen in Sapporo. Led by an English-speaking guide, you will be accompanied up and back down two mountains - Mt. Maruyama & Mt. Okurayama.
This tour will start at Sapporo Station in front of “Myomu” (The Circular Stone Structure) in front of the South Exit doors of Sapporo Station. Kindly meet here at exactly 8:00 a.m. Your guide will be there to greet you. After brief introductions and smiles, we will start to embark on our journey first heading to Mt. Maruyama for our morning hike.
The morning begins with a hike up Mt. Maruyama (225m/738ft). The ascent starts at “Maruyama hachi ju hachi kashodai shido,” featuring 88 statues of Kannon the Buddhist “goddess of mercy” along the path. This short, rewarding hike through an old-growth forest offers diverse flora and fauna, including squirrels, foxes, small deer, woodpeckers and various other birds.
The hike up Mt. Maruyama is available all season. June-July is ideal for comfortable weather, while spring brings cherry blossoms, autumn offers fall colours, and winter provides serene, snow-covered landscapes (requiring more time). Our earlier morning starts — just after 9 AM — will ensure fewer crowds and better photography lighting.
While the summit is surrounded by trees, glimpses of Sapporo City are visible along the trail, especially in late autumn or early spring when foliage is sparse. Panoramic views of city centre Sapporo, Ishikari Bay, and distant mountains can also be enjoyed from the summit. By 12:00 PM, the hike concludes, followed by lunch and a rest.
After lunch we will embark on the second stage of this tour. We will go to the Okurayama Ski Jump Facility and visit the Sapporo Olympic Museum and learn about the 1972 Winter Olympics held in Sapporo, Japan. The first Winter Games held in Asia!
The Sapporo Winter Olympic Museum offers interactive exhibits, historical artefacts, and simulations of ski jumping and speed skating. This is great place to go with the entire family because it combines history and the fun of winter sports all into one place!
Next, we'll walk to the adjacent Okurayama Ski Jump, built for the 1972 Olympics. This active competition venue, located on Mount Okura (307m/1,007ft), boasts a hill size of 137 metres and a k-point of 123 metres. A 5-7 minute chairlift ride ascends to the observation deck, offering panoramic views of Sapporo and giving insight into a ski jumper's perspective. Guests will spend about an hour at the observation deck, which includes a cafe for refreshments. After soaking in the views, we will then take the chairlifts down to the base of Okurayama Ski Jump and head to the bus area and make our way back to Sapporo Station.
*Please note - all listed times are estimates of the expected itinerary and can be affected by weather and traffic conditions and peak busy periods.
