Hokkaido Travel Guide: Not Only the Snow Festivals

Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, becomes an integral part of Japanese magic and charm. When you travel to Japan, Hokkaido must be one of the most glamorous destinations you should not ignore. Just within appealing cities like Sapporo, Otaru, and Asahigawa in Hokkaido, you can enjoy a real feast of unspoiled natural scenery, iconic snow powder, vibrant forms of festivals, and more. No matter what you're seeking, Hokkaido lives up to expectations. It is really a visit-worthy haven all year. If you're heading to Hokkaido, read the following travel guide: In this guide, we provide you with all the information you need to plan a satisfactory trip to Hokkaido.

Top Destinations in Hokkaido

Niseko

Niseko is a world-famous snow town southwest of Sapporo, in the northern part of Hokkaido. Every winter, the town attracts flocks of domestic and overseas skiers and snowboarders for its very fine, powdery snow. As one of the largest ski resorts in Japan, Niseko boasts a wide range of terrain and trails for skiers of all abilities. Another highlight of winter in Niseko is catching Mt. Fuji-like views of the iconic Mt. Yotei while enjoying skiing. Outside of the snow season, the town has diverse water and land sports to offer, ranging from trail hiking and golfing to rafting and standup paddle boarding.

Niseko

Furano

If you have a fondness for fresh flowers, you will need to put Furano on your list of places to visit in Hokkaido. Furano is situated in the central area of Hokkaido and has been one of the most photographed attractions in all of Japan. It features many fields and gardens with gorgeous flowers. If you visit around April to October, you're fortunate to admire an extensive blanket of multi-colored blossoms across a large expanse of rolling hills of Mount Tokachi and Shikisai-no-oka. Every year in July, the lavender fields at Farm Tomita are carpeted with dreamy purple lavender blossoms, making it the most popular picturesque landscape in Furano. In addition to sightseeing in the summer, Furano is home to one of the most recognized ski resorts in Japan. With stunningly dry snow and groomed slopes, it offers wonderful ski experiences from mid-December to late March.

Sapporo

As the capital of Hokkaido Island, Sapporo is also one of the top five cities in Japan. The destination is bustling with vitality and new interests, whatever you expect to find in the winter or summer. For exciting celebrations, Sapporo is where the best-known Snow Festival and Beer Festival happen. You have a great time making ice sculptures, and beer drinking are well organized in the Sapporo Beer Museum and Beer Garden. It's also nice to experience the local's biggest entertainment and nightlife in Susukino or sample palatable regional cuisines such as ramen, jingisukan (grilled mutton), soup curry, and the like.

Susukino

Hakodate

Located at the southernmost point of Hokkaido, Hakodate holds mass appeal not only for fresh and yummy seafood but also for remarkable nightlife experiences. There is a myriad of natural beauties that meet your expectations. You can go hiking around Mt. Esan or Mt. Hakodate or soak in an onsen just by Lake Onuma. One of the most impressive parts of Hakodate is its spectacular night views. You can pay a visit to the Motomachi district, shop, dine till night, and capture historic buildings dating back to the 19th century, to see the city's initial modern face. You can also expect a glittering nighttime spectacle of the city from the uppermost floor of Goryokaku Tower.

Otaru

Just a short train ride away, about half an hour northwest of Sapporo, you can reach this small harbor city and give yourself a relaxing and art-filled trip. The city looks like a picture of beautiful historical architecture in Western or Japanese styles. For the iconic scenic views, Otaru Canal, once a busy port in the early 20th century, is a hard-won place for you to relax and please the eye together with local citizens. Otaru is also known for a spectacular winter occasion, the Otaru Snow Light Path Festival, which adorns the city with dazzling lights and beautifully designed snow statues for about 10 days. Besides, it's excellent to do some shopping and enjoy regional cuisine. There is a variety of glassware and music boxes, as well as delicacies like Otaru-style fried chicken, Marusei butter sandwich, and supersize cream puff.

Otaru

Where to Stay in Hokkaido

Hokkaido is home to several beautiful cities in all of Japan, like Sapporo, Hakodate, Otaru, and more. Seasonal highlights all around the year make the area complete with a lot of places with well-equipped accommodations, which in turn attract more travelers' attention to such highlights. From traditional Japanese ryokans to five-star hotels, you could find a comfortable place to stay in Hokkaido without effort. Here are four recommended places to stay, depending on the season and fascination.

Sapporo

As one of the most popular cities in Hokkaido, Sapporo serves as an ideal base for touring Hokkaido. The city has convenient public transportation, including local route buses, Sapporo Station and New Chitose Airport, well connected to many other destinations in Hokkaido, like Otaru (39km/23mi by car), Niseko (55km/3h by train) and Chitose(45km/2.5h by car), and major cities in Honshu. Staying in Sapporo gives you easy access to such tourist areas and some ski resorts outside the city, like Niseko and Rusutsu. For time-saving, you can take a taxi to Niseko or Rusutsu just in three hours. Within the city, there are all sorts of facilities, such as ramen restaurants, karaoke stores, and cafes, as well as relaxing parks like Odori Park and Nakajima Park. Sapporo also offers many types of accommodation, from ryokans and guesthouses to vacation rentals and capsule hotels. Hotels in Susukino or Nakajima Koen are easily accessible by the subway to sights like the Sapporo Concert Hall Kitara and Nakajima Koen Park, and Odori and Sapporo Station in five minutes.

Hakodate

Located on the southern end of Hokkaido, Hakodate is home to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station on the Hokkaido Shinkansen line. You can take this Shinkansen bullet train to major cities around Hokkaido, like Sapporo and Otaru. The city, with its local train stations, is full of many popular attractions, such as Mt. Hakodate and Goryokaku Park. The local train network gives you a short 15-minute ride to and from different attractions within the city. In the downtown area, the Motomachi district, you can expect to find self-contained lodging, traditional guesthouses, Western-style business hotels, and other accommodation options near the train station.

Noboribetsu Onsen

This is one of the best onsen resorts in Hokkaido. It is situated in the southwestern part of Hokkaido, in the Iburi Region. The area takes only a 15-20 minute bus ride or drives from Noboribetsu Station, and it is accessible from Sapporo in around two hours by train or car. What you should experience at Noboribetsu Onsen is having a bath in refreshing, mineral-rich waters and catching a dramatic plume of volcanic steam escaping from natural springs dotted with breathtaking colors of leaves. Inside the area, accommodations are concentrated around Jigokudani (Hell Valley) and the ropeway station. Here are some worth-visit places: Oyunuma and Okunoyu to enjoy a magnificent hot spring lake painted gray and black. Hotels like Oyado Kiyomizuya, Noboribetsu Grand Hotel, and Hotel Mahoroba earn great reputations with a wide range of lodging options, from large hotels with hot springs to budget but cozy guesthouses.

Niseko Ski Resort

If the purpose of your Hokkaido journey is to fully enjoy the winter and snow, Niseko Ski Resort is the best destination to stay on the mountain, Niseko Annupuri, southwest of Hokkaido. The ski resort is accessible from Sapporo, with a transfer to Otaru taking three hours by train, and 2.5 hours close to Chitose Airport by car. It consists of four connected resorts with all sorts of terrain and trails, enabling you to indulge yourself with a long ski. Niseko Grand Hirafu and Niseko Village within the resort have a great variety of options for accommodation and entertainment. You can see high-end hotels, shopping malls, restaurants, and bars that show their distinct features in each season.

The Best Time to Visit Hokkaido

Like many regions of Japan, Hokkaido has four distinct seasons, each offering its own iconic color. Given that, it's quite hard to decide the best time to visit this magical land. You can travel to different places in Hokkaido during different seasons according to your interests and expectations for specific seasonal sights and activities.

Spring in Hokkaido, like other major cities in Japan, is an ideal time to capture the cherry blossoms between March and April. You can appreciate such a fantasy of pink and white at Moerenuma Park, Sapporo while having a picnic or riding a bicycle with family and friends at a moderately cool temperature of around 50°F.

Summer typically falls from July to August in Hokkaido. The northernmost location offers the area shorter hot months and cooler weather in summer than the other prefectures. The maximum temperature of the warmest months is just around 77°F. What's more, Hokkaido is lucky to escape from month-long, constant rain during the summer. The great chances of sunny days and cool nights allow you to enjoy every day outdoors. The highlights of summer in Hokkaido are July is famous for the blooming of myriads of flowers, and August is the best time to get out and enjoy a rainbow of seasonal flowers of many kinds, such as lavenders, poppies, sunflowers, and marigolds across the hills of Shikisai-no-oka and the Sapporo Beer Festival at Odori Park. Summer is the best time to explore the lush scenery and experience the outdoors, like hiking or kayaking.

Usually from mid-September until November, autumn is a period of intense color. You can capture the picturesque landscape of fall foliage in every corner of the island. Hokkaido throughout September and October enjoys the same moderate temperatures (40°F–60°F) as in the spring. There are stunning hues of autumn foliage in shades of reds, yellows, oranges, and gold. The top fall foliage spots in Hokkaido include Taisetsuzan, Jozankei Onsen, Hokkaido University, Jozankei Onsen, and so on.

Winter falls between December and February. Hokkaido is snowy and chilly, with a high possibility of sub-zero temperatures. Due to its northernmost location, the island features a great consistency of superb snow powder, making it a bustling destination for a full range of winter activities. If you're crazy about skiing or snowboarding, winter is the best time to ski in Hokkaido. Lots of world-famous ski resorts like Niseko, Rusutsu, and Furano are open from mid-December to February. Besides, some large winter festivals, such as the Sapporo Snow Festival, the Asahikawa Winter Festivals, and the Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival, Winter may see the busiest crowds and the most expensive hotel rates in Hokkaido. Be mindful to book your accommodations and tickets early.

How to Get to Hokkaido

By Plane

Hokkaido has a major New Chitose Airport, a 35-minute taxi ride from Sapporo, the capital of the island. The New Chitose Airport services many domestic and international flights from major cities in Japan. There are direct international flights from major Asian cities like Hong Kong, Taipei, Beijing, Seoul, and Bangkok. Travelers from Europe and America need to change flights between Tokyo and Osaka. The airport runs direct flights from Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya, Okinawa, and other major cities. The duration of flying varies, ranging from 90 minutes to several hours.

By Train

Japan has an extensive Shinkansen network that is well-connected to a large number of cities in the country. With an underwater tunnel connecting the mainland of Honshu and Hokkaido, train riding is a highly efficient way to reach Hokkaido. You can take a high-speed bullet train to the destination from one of the major cities in Honshu, including Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Nagoya. The duration of a train journey is always more than 6 hours, sometimes over 10 hours, depending on the starting city. The general and fast route is Tokyo to Hakodate or Sapporo. You can first start from Ueno or Tokyo Station in Tokyo on the Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train to Hachinohe Station in Tohoku, and then take the limited express Hakucho train from Hachinohe to Hakodate or Sapporo Station on Hokkaido. It takes 6–8 hours and costs you about $135. Remember to purchase the JR Rail Pass for a discount.

By Ferry

The long-distance but absolutely comfortable way to Hokkaido is a ferry ride. There are many ferry routes operated by major companies like Shin Nihonkai or Sunflower. Popular ferry service includes routes from Oarai to Tomakomai, Maizuru to Otaru, Niigata to Otaru, and Niigata to Tomakomai Higashi. The luxury ferry offers a wide variety of cabin options and well-appointed onboard facilities like a restaurant, shop, and spa room with a sauna and ocean view. The comfortable voyage comes complete with refreshing and beautiful seascapes and takes around 10 to 21 hours.

Hokkaido boasts an extraordinarily beautiful winter with impressive snow-covered landscapes and snowy activities. In addition, you can capture the subtle hue of the area in the other three seasons. It gives you wonderful opportunities to have an experience of fabulous wilderness, delicious cuisines, and fascinating indigenous Ainu and Jomon Culture, seeing how the Ainu engage in hunting, fishing and gathering, and the Jomon trading and grain farming. We hope you can learn a lot from our travel guide and make the most of your trip to Hokkaido. You can travel alone or, preferably, with Odynovo. We work on the organization of various itineraries, and we'll tailor the best one to your needs and preferences. Travel with us, and we'll leave you with an unforgettable journey.