Last checked: October 23, 2026
Ever fancied dropping a line through a hole in a frozen lake, with a stove at your back? Hooked on the idea already? Lake Shinotsu, about 45–60 minutes by car from central Sapporo, lets you try it.
You fish for wakasagi (Japanese smelt), a small fish. Afterward, you get smelt tempura. The season is short, from late December to March, so plan your Sapporo dates around it.
Two KKday trips run here, both from the same local operator, Cycling Frontier Hokkaido. The Premium trip picks you up in Sapporo. The Economy trip costs less, but you get yourself to the lake. Below, we say which one to book.
We built this guide from the two KKday listings, the operator’s website, Shinshinotsu Village, the local bus company and the Japan Meteorological Agency.
At a Glance
- Price: from about US$45 per person for the afternoon trip, about US$51 for the morning trip, on KKday (as of October 2026)
- Pickup: your hotel in central Sapporo for the morning trip, Sapporo Station north exit for the afternoon trip. The drive takes about 45–60 minutes
- Times: morning 8:20–13:00, afternoon 13:30–18:00, both including the drive
- Season: the operator lists December 26 to March 20
- Group size: 2 to 20 people per booking, ages 3 and up
- Included: guide, fishing fee, gear, bait, heated hut, smelt tempura, Jingisukan udon tasting, local sake tasting, rubber boots and warm clothing
- Language: KKday lists English
- Free cancellation: up to 2 days before
Prices and available dates vary. Check the booking page before you book.
Where Is Lake Shinotsu?
Lake Shinotsu (しのつ湖) sits in Shinshinotsu Village (新篠津村), northeast of Sapporo in Hokkaido. Both trips fish from the lake’s South Fishing Spot.
HOKKAIDO REGION
Lake Shinotsu, Shinshinotsu Village (Hokkaido)
Premium trip: Pickup in central Sapporo, about 45–60 minutes by car
Economy trip: Meet at the lake's South Fishing Spot
Two Ways to Fish Lake Shinotsu
Prices below are what KKday showed in October 2026 and change with the date and availability.
| Premium (pickup) | Economy (meet there) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you meet | Your hotel in central Sapporo (morning) or Sapporo Station north exit (afternoon) | The South Fishing Spot at the lake, not at Tappu-no-Yu |
| Ride to the lake | Included, about 45–60 minutes | Not included |
| Where you fish | Heated hut with a stove. Groups of two may share | Tent with a small stove |
| Guide | Stays with you and handles the bait | Waits around the tent |
| Food | Tempura, Jingisukan udon, local sake tasting | Tempura |
| Times | 8:20–13:00 or 13:30–18:00 | Meet 9:50 or 14:50. Fishing ends 12:00 or 17:00 |
| Price, afternoon | from about US$45 | from about US$32 |
| Price, morning | about US$51 | from about US$32 |
Source: KKday listings for the Premium and Economy trips, checked October 2026.
If you don’t have a car, we’d pick the Premium trip. It starts in Sapporo, while Economy meets at the lake and has no ride.
Who Should Book, and Who Should Skip
✅ Great if you…
- have never fished. On the Premium trip, the guide baits your hook for you
- travel with kids. Ages 3 and up can join
- worry about the cold. You fish in a hut or tent with a stove, and warm clothing and boots are lent to you
- don’t have a car. The Premium trip starts in Sapporo
⚠️ Think twice if you…
- travel alone. Each booking needs at least 2 people
- want to drill a hole and fish outdoors. The Premium listing says you can try drilling, but one reviewer was told it wasn’t possible, so don’t count on it
- want a big catch. Results change from day to day
- want Economy but have no car. There is no direct bus from Sapporo (see Getting There)
When Does the Season Run?
Ice fishing here runs in winter only. In the warmer months the lake has no ice. In 2026, the lakeside campground ran from late April to mid-October.
📅 When you can ice fish
Open Part of the month Closed
February had the most reviews. Check the booking page for the dates you can actually book.
Source: operator’s website and KKday reviews, checked October 2026.
The KKday Economy listing starts a few days later, on December 29. Reviewers joined in December (2 reviews), January (18), February (29) and March (7). A March 2024 reviewer was told that March is not a good month for catching.
Is the ice OK at the end of December?
The operator lists December 26 as the first day, and KKday shows dates from then. Neither says what happens if the ice is thin. The public fishing area run by Tappu-no-Yu opened on January 4 in 2025 and January 10 in 2026. If your dates are flexible, we’d pick January or February over the last week of December. If you can only go in late December, ask KKday after you book.
Your Half Day, Hour by Hour
This table shows the Premium trip. Pickup details come from the guide company after your booking is confirmed.
| Morning trip | Afternoon trip | |
|---|---|---|
| Pickup | 8:20–8:40 at your hotel | 13:30 at Sapporo Station north exit (札幌駅北口) |
| Drive | About 45–60 minutes | About 45–60 minutes |
| Fishing ends | 12:00 | 16:45 |
| Back in Sapporo | 13:00 at Sapporo Station north exit | 18:00 in central Sapporo |
Source: KKday Premium listing, checked October 2026.
Our pick: the morning trip, if your hotel is in central Sapporo. It is the only trip with pickup at your hotel door, and you’re back at 13:00. The afternoon trip costs about US$6 less, but you start from the station.
The morning pickup is for central Sapporo only. Write your hotel name in the notes field when you book. If you leave it blank, pickup is at Sapporo Station.
How Wakasagi Ice Fishing Works
You fish over a hole in the ice, from inside the hut or tent. The rods are short and thin, and the hooks and bait are small. You watch the tip of the rod for tiny movements.
The Premium trip uses Daiwa Cristia rods. The guide puts the bait on your hook and replaces it when needed. After fishing, you get your catch as smelt tempura.
Do I have to touch the bait?
Not on the Premium trip. KKday says the guide handles the bait. On the Economy trip, the guide waits around the tent instead of staying with you.
How Many Fish Will You Catch?
Catches change from day to day. These numbers come from reviewers, not from the operator.
| Reviewer’s day | Reported catch |
|---|---|
| A good day, 2 people | about 30 fish in total |
| A snowstorm day | 2–3 fish each |
Source: 58 KKday reviews, checked October 2026.
Reviewers also say warm days and March bring fewer fish. KKday doesn’t promise a catch, so think of this as a winter outing, not a fishing haul.
Cold, Clothes and the Hut
The numbers below are 1991–2020 averages for each month at the Shinshinotsu weather station. January’s average daily high is -2.3°C.
| Month | Average daily low | Average deepest snow |
|---|---|---|
| December | -7.6°C | 76 cm |
| January | -11.3°C | 112 cm |
| February | -10.9°C | 126 cm |
| March | -5.9°C | 110 cm |
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency, Shinshinotsu weather station, checked October 2026.
The Premium hut has a stove. KKday says it is warmer than outside, and no special winter gear is needed. Warm clothing and rubber boots are lent free, and you try them on at the lake. Restrooms are at the fishing site.
Should I pack ski clothes?
No. KKday says ordinary winter sightseeing clothes in Hokkaido are enough. Warm clothing and boots are lent for free.
What to Bring
- Warm clothes and shoes
- Gloves. You don’t need them while fishing, but they help outside
- Tissues
- Snacks and drinks. We couldn’t confirm any shop near the fishing spot
- As few valuables as you can. KKday suggests bringing few
Food: Tempura and Jingisukan Udon
Both trips include smelt tempura. The Premium trip adds a Jingisukan udon tasting and a tasting of the local sake Oobora (大法螺). Jingisukan is a Hokkaido lamb barbecue.
Some reviewers found the udon portion small. We’d bring a snack, since we couldn’t confirm any food shop near the spot.
KKday doesn’t list vegetarian or allergy options. Udon and tempura are made with wheat, and Jingisukan is lamb. If that matters, ask KKday before you book.
Getting There
Plan A: the Premium pickup (our pick)
The Premium trip drives you from central Sapporo. Morning pickup is at your hotel. Afternoon pickup is at Sapporo Station north exit. You pay KKday when you book, and the listing mentions no extra payment on site.
Plan B: drive yourself to the Economy trip
If you’re renting a car anyway, we’d pick Economy. It costs less, and you meet right at the lake. The village says the drive from Sapporo takes about 50 minutes, and the operator says 45–60, so plan on 60.
The route in the Tappu-no-Yu directions: Do-o Expressway (道央道) to the Ebetsu-Higashi (江別東) interchange, then National Route 337, National Route 12 and Hokkaido Route 81. We couldn’t confirm parking at the South Fishing Spot. Ask KKday.
Winter roads need care. The Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau’s winter driving guide says hard braking at 50 km/h on an icy road takes about 112 meters to stop. The village also warns that Shinshinotsu can have a blizzard while nearby towns are clear. If you’ve never driven on snow, we’d book Premium even with a car.
Plan C: bus and a long walk (we don’t recommend it)
There is no direct bus from Sapporo. The village says its only bus is the Shinshinotsu Kotsu (新篠津交通) line between Iwamizawa and Shinshinotsu. For the 9:50 Economy trip, you’d take a 6:57 train from Sapporo to Kami-Horomui Station (上幌向), then the 8:13 bus. The bus ends at Tappu-no-Yu.
From the bus stop it is 2.2–2.4 km to the South Fishing Spot. That is a 30–33 minute walk in summer, and snow will slow you down. We couldn’t confirm sidewalks or snow clearing.
Leaving Sapporo at 6:57 gets you to the 9:50 meeting time, about 2 hours 50 minutes door to door, with the walk and some waiting. The train costs ¥920 and the bus ¥410. The bus listing mentions no IC card, so carry cash. The last bus back leaves Tappu-no-Yu at 18:15. For the afternoon trip, only the bus that reaches Tappu-no-Yu at 12:41 works. You would wait 1 hour 35 minutes, and the hot spring is closed. Around New Year, the bus runs a special timetable with the last bus at 15:10, according to the 2024–25 notice. This plan doesn’t work then.
⚠️ Tappu-no-Yu is closed — Shinshinotsu Onsen Tappu-no-Yu (しんしのつ温泉たっぷの湯) is closed from October 2026 through December 31, 2027 for renovation. Its bath, restaurant and shop are unavailable. Older articles that say to warm up in the hot spring don’t apply
- The Tobetsu bus is suspended — The village’s Tobetsu (当別) line bus doesn’t run until March 31, 2027
- New Year buses are limited — The 2026–27 timetable hasn’t been announced. The 2024–25 notice shows fewer buses, with the last at 15:10
From New Chitose Airport to Sapporo
The JR Rapid Airport train (快速エアポート) takes 36–43 minutes and runs six times an hour in the daytime. A non-reserved seat costs ¥1,230, and IC cards work. Heavy snow in January 2026 stopped trains and left many people stuck at the airport, according to JR Hokkaido’s report. We’d fly in at least a day before your trip, so a delay doesn’t cost you the booking.
Where to Stay
Book a hotel in central Sapporo. KKday lists the pickup area only as “central Sapporo.” For the afternoon trip, a hotel near Sapporo Station keeps the walk short.
Booking, Cancellation and Bad Weather
KKday confirms your booking 1 day after you order, because the operator approves it first. You can book up to 2 days before the trip.
Cancellation
KKday’s cancellation policy for both trips (as of October 2026):
Be on time. If you’re more than 10 minutes late and haven’t contacted the guide company, the tour is canceled that day.
Weather and ice
⚠️ Cancellations for weather or ice — KKday doesn’t spell out what happens if bad weather or thin ice stops the trip. Ask KKday after you book
What’s Included
Both trips
- Guide, fishing fee and fishing gear
- Bait
- Heated hut or tent with a stove
- Smelt tempura
- Rubber boots and warm clothing
Premium trip only
- Ride from Sapporo
- Jingisukan udon tasting
- Local sake tasting
Not covered
- Your ride to the lake on the Economy trip
- Extra food and drinks. Bring your own
Safety on the Ice and Lake Rules
⚠️ Gas vents keep some ice open — Tappu-no-Yu’s notice says Lake Shinotsu has gas vents, and many spots are not frozen. Follow the guide’s instructions and stay inside the fishing area
- Take your trash home — The village and the river office ask visitors to take all their trash with them
- No license to buy — Both KKday listings include the fishing fee
For more on Hokkaido’s rules, see our Hokkaido fishing rules guide.
More Wakasagi Options
- Sapporo, on the Barato River (茨戸川) — Another ice fishing trip near Sapporo. See our Sapporo ice fishing guide
- Lake Yamanaka dome boat — Wakasagi from a dome boat on Lake Yamanaka instead of the ice
- Ishikari, in summer — Sea fishing at Ishikari with the same operator as this trip
Nearby in February: the Shinshinotsu Lantern Festival
The Shinshinotsu Lantern Festival (新篠津天灯祭り) is held at Shinotsu Park (しのつ公園) on weekends in February 2027: the 6th, 7th, 13th, 14th, 20th, 21st, 27th and 28th. The village says it is canceled when winds of 5 m/s or more are forecast from the south, the side where the village center is.
The Economy afternoon trip ends at 17:00, so it leaves your evening free if you have a car. We couldn’t confirm the festival’s start time, so check the village’s festival page first.
FAQ
QHow old do kids need to be?
3. Both trips take ages 3 to 100, and adults and children pay the same.
QCan I go alone?
No. Each booking needs at least 2 people. If you’re traveling solo, bring a friend.
QDoes the guide speak English?
Yes, some. KKday lists English as a service language, and a February 2026 reviewer wrote that the guide “can speak a reasonable range of English.”
QCan I take my fish home?
KKday doesn’t say. Your catch is cooked as tempura on the trip. If you want to take fish home, ask KKday before you book.
QDo I need a fishing license?
No. The fishing fee is included in both trips.
QCan I reach the Economy meeting point without a car?
Only for the morning trip. You’d leave Sapporo at 6:57 by train and bus, then walk 2.2–2.4 km on snow, to make the 9:50 start. We’d book Premium instead.
QCan I visit the hot spring afterward?
No. Tappu-no-Yu is closed until December 31, 2027.
Ready to Book?
A hut, a stove and a plate of tempura made from your own catch. Winter in Hokkaido, sorted.
If you’re staying in Sapporo in winter and want a warm first try at ice fishing, the Premium trip is the easy choice. It picks you up and handles the bait. Rather drive yourself and pay less? The Economy trip meets at the lake.
