Sapporo Heritage Tour: Temples, Views, Sake

Explore Sapporo’s spiritual and secular wonders in a day: visit Hill of the Buddha, enjoy city views, and savor local sake.

Duration: 8 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Butsuganji Sapporohonzan - Upon arriving at The Butsugan-ji (Sleeping/Lying Buddha), visitors are visually captivated by the 45-meter-long Buddha Nirvana statue, peacefully reclining on the roof of the Great Nirvana Temple Hall. This remarkable site is now regarded as one of the most spiritually powerful locations in Japan. It attracts numerous…
What's Included
  • English Speaking Guide
  • Entry fees at all tour locations
  • Transportation fee from Sapporo Station to all listed destinations and activities
  • Sake Tasting
What's Not Included
  • Lunch
  • Accommodation
  • Transport to meet-up point
Additional Information

This delightful one-day tour offers an exploration of Sapporo’s contemporary religious heritage, complemented by breathtaking views of its downtown area and expansive central park, culminating in a sake tasting experience to conclude the day!
The tour includes a visit to the impressive golden sleeping Buddha at Butsuganji Temple and the Hill of the…

Location
Sapporo Station
After exiting the main JR gates of Sapporo Station TURN LEFT. Walk towards the South Exit of Sapporo Station. After a very short walk you will notice the circular white stone art piece. Your guide will be standing in front of this stone structure wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(6 Ratings)
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Adventure16393628557
Dec 16, 2025
Worth it! - If you are visiting Sapporo for a few days, I highly recommend this day trip. I met Scott at the determined meeting spot and he was there waiting when I arrived on time. It turns out I was the only traveler who had booked the tour that day, so we left immediately and took public transportation. It was super easy and we were able to chat on a personal level which made it feel like traveling with a new friend. Hill of the Buddha was the obvious highlight and he was super insightful and gave me pointers on the best photo angles. Having a tour guide there made for a more meaningful experience. From there we headed back to Sapporo and proceeded to do a walking tour of the city. I’m not sure how a regular tour would have been with a full group , but it showed me he was willing to cater the trip to circumstances and my desires and interests. Top notch!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Will_t
Oct 7, 2025
Splendid private tour - Although I was the only person on this tour, my guide Scott worked just as hard at making sure I had a fabulous time. In addition to the original itinerary that he crafted, which was fabulous (Buddha statue, sake tasting, et cetera), Scott further escalated my experience that day by leveling it up with various destinations including the Nakajima Park, the Odori Park, Shiryokan, and JR Tower Observatory. He also helped me shop for omiyage and truly went over and beyond..
Review provided by Viator
B7674wkrichardb
Jul 5, 2025
Hill of the Buddha Tour - Scott was such a great tour guide. He was fun and incredibly knowledgeable about the area. Navigating to all of our stops was a breeze, and not only did Scott provide great insight into the Hill of the Buddha, but to life in Sapporo and Japan in general. Scott also doubled as a personal photographer, he even knew all the best angles to get photos and certainly didnt mind stopping every 10 feet so I could take a picture. The sake at the end of the tour was just the icing on the cake. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ankhangv2025
Jun 17, 2025
Hill of the Buddha - We had a truly great day with Scott E. In our two-week trip to Japan this time, Scott is the only American born tour guide that we had, thus he was the easiest to understand. Besides Scott’s thorough knowledge of the sites we visited, we were able to share many laughs with him while reminiscing about the “good old days” in America. We were already a fan of the work of architect Tadao Ando, so seeing the Hill of the Buddha with Scott was a real treat. We would highly recommend Scott’s service to any visitors to Sapporo.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ankhang_v
Jun 14, 2025
Hill of the Buddha - We had a truly great day with Scott E. In our two-week trip to Japan this time, Scott is the only American born tour guide that we had, thus he was the easiest to understand. Besides Scott’s thorough knowledge of the sites we visited, we were able to share many laughs with him while reminiscing about the “good old days” in America. We were already a fan of the work of architect Tadao Ando, so seeing the Hill of the Buddha with Scott was a real treat. We would highly recommend Scott’s service to any visitors to Sapporo.
Review provided by Viator
From $160
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).