There’s something beguiling about a Japanese winter. While we sweat it out here in Australia, flyscreens humming with cicadas and pavlovas drooping under the weight of cream, Japan quietly turns into a snow globe. And not the tacky kind you shake on a souvenir shelf, but the real deal: snow so pristine it looks photoshopped, hot springs steaming like they’ve been choreographed, and seafood so fresh it might wink at you from the plate.
And yet, planning a winter jaunt to Japan is a logistical nightmare if you’re going it alone. Trains book out, hotels vanish faster than a tray of lamingtons at morning tea, and festival tickets are gone before you can say “sake warmers, please”. Enter Club Tourism, a tour operator that’s been around longer than most of us have been writing Christmas cards, and who’ve made it its business to solve precisely this sort of headache.
Hokkaido: Where the Snow Doesn’t Quit
Hokkaido in winter isn’t so much a destination as an avalanche of delights. Beyond the well-trodden streets of Sapporo, Otaru and Hakodate, there’s the drift ice of the Okhotsk Sea. Unless you own an icebreaker (unlikely), Club Tourism will put you on one for a close-up. And then there’s the Sapporo Snow Festival, where sculptors carve entire cities out of ice and you suddenly realise your attempts at a snowman would never make the grade.
Food? This is where Hokkaido flexes. Think hairy crab, scallops and bowls of ramen that thaw the soul quicker than you can thaw your fingers. And of course, onsens are everywhere, the Japanese answer to winter’s icy bite, and an acceptable excuse to do nothing while feeling cultured about it.
Tohoku: A Snowy Fairy Tale on a Bullet Train
Two and a half hours north of Tokyo by Shinkansen, Tohoku is where the cold gets serious, but so does the magic. Ginzan Onsen, for instance, could have been designed as a set for a snow-dusted romance film, with gas lamps flickering, timber inns creaking under powder, and steaming baths waiting for you to step in.
Then there are the “snow monsters” of Mount Zao — trees encased in thick ice and windblown snow until they resemble creatures from another planet. Add in festivals, local sake, and food hearty enough to put hair on your chest (even if you don’t want it), and you’ve got winter wonderland ticked.
Chubu & Hokuriku: History Under Frost
Chubu and Hokuriku have you covered for those who like their snow with a side of culture. The gassho-zukuri farmhouses of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama look like gingerbread houses a Bavarian grandmother might approve of. However, they’ve been standing for centuries and will still be there when your gingerbread has gone stale.
Then there’s Kanazawa’s Kenrokuen Garden, one of Japan’s three great gardens, and a reminder that not all beauty is fleeting. In winter, it takes on an almost surreal tranquillity, with snow blanketing every branch and bridge. And yes, seafood markets thrive here too — winter catches that make Sydney Fish Market look like the warm-up act.
Explore Chubu & Hokuriku tours here.
Why Club Tourism?
Because they’ve been doing this longer than most of us have been fumbling with phrasebooks. Club Tourism, part of the Kintetsu Group, has been shepherding travellers around Japan since 2008, backed by more than 40 years of planning expertise. Their tours cater mainly to mature travellers who’d like to enjoy a snow festival without worrying about whether they’ve accidentally booked themselves onto a ski team bus.
Their website is now multilingual, they handle everything from day trips to multi-day extravaganzas, and their itineraries are designed to be as stress-free as slipping into a hot bath. Add in their current discounts — ¥1,000 off bookings over ¥6,000, or ¥2,000 off over ¥20,000 — and it’s the rare case of winter travel warming your wallet.
See full winter tour specials here.
Final Word
So, if you’re ready to swap Bondi’s sunburn for Hokkaido’s drift ice, or trade backyard cricket for an onsen beneath the snow, Club Tourism is the ticket. They’ll handle the nitty-gritty; you bring the sense of adventure (and perhaps a sturdier winter coat than anything hanging in your Aussie wardrobe).
Japan in winter isn’t just a trip. It’s an experience that makes you wonder why anyone would settle for “summer holidays” when the real magic happens in the snow.
By Christine Nguyen
