The Complete Hokkaido Travel Guide to Read Before Your First Visit

Located in the northernmost part of Japan, Hokkaido has the largest land area of any prefecture.
Its area accounts for Approx. 22% of Japan’s total landmass.
One of Hokkaido’s biggest draws is its dynamic and beautiful natural scenery, made possible by its vast landscape.
In spring, you can enjoy cherry blossoms, in summer lavender, in autumn colorful leaves, and in winter snowy scenery, with seasonal beauty throughout the year.
Its wide plains and basins support large-scale farming and dairy production, and potatoes, onions, and dairy products are among its well-known local specialties.
Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Okhotsk, and the Sea of Japan, Hokkaido is also blessed with abundant seafood and is famous for a wide variety of seafood dishes, including kaisendon seafood rice bowls.
There are also many other local specialties made with Hokkaido ingredients, and plenty of people visit Hokkaido just for the food.
On top of that, Hokkaido offers many ways to enjoy your trip, including sightseeing in cities such as Sapporo and Otaru, hot spring areas where you can relax in rich natural surroundings, and leisure facilities for families with children.

Hokkaido has low average temperatures throughout the year, and in midwinter, some days drop below freezing.
It is one of Japan’s heaviest snowfall regions, so careful preparation is essential if you are traveling in winter.
Summer is comfortable and refreshing compared with Honshu because of the lower humidity.
Since Hokkaido is so large, the weather can differ between the north and south even on the same day, so keep that in mind.

It takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes by plane from Tokyo to Hokkaido. From Osaka, it takes Approx. 2 hours by plane.
Hokkaido has as many as 14 airfields, and 12 of them serve as gateways to the region by air.
Three airports have international flights: New Chitose Airport, Hakodate Airport, and Asahikawa Airport.
New Chitose Airport can be reached directly from Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, and other places.
You can also fly directly to Hakodate Airport and Asahikawa Airport from Taiwan.
Choose which airport to start your Hokkaido trip from based on your travel plan.

From here, let’s look at how to get from New Chitose Airport to Sapporo Station, Asahikawa Station, Kushiro Station, and Hakodate Station.
These stations are key transportation hubs for visiting nearby sightseeing spots, and they are often the first destination after leaving the airport.

The main ways to get around Hokkaido are by bus and train. In Sapporo, the subway is the main transportation option.
That said, a rental car is generally recommended.
You should assume that Sapporo and Otaru are the only places where traveling solely by public transportation is easy.
In winter, snow often causes delays and service cancellations.
If renting a car is difficult, consider using sightseeing buses or sightseeing taxis.

Here, we’ll introduce some useful discount transportation passes you should know about if you want to keep travel costs down in Hokkaido.

Because Hokkaido is so large, it is impossible to see every area in just one or two trips.
That is why it is even more important than in other regions of Japan to understand the appeal and highlights of Hokkaido’s four main areas and prioritize them when planning your trip.
Even within the four areas introduced below, getting around takes time, so if a region or sightseeing spot catches your interest, be sure to explore it in more depth.

For a trip to Hokkaido, you should set aside at least 3 days and 2 nights, and ideally 5 days and 4 nights if possible.
That is because not only are there many things to see, but Hokkaido is also vast, and traveling between spots and areas takes time.
If you cannot secure a long trip all at once, it is recommended to narrow your focus to one area and take a 3-day, 2-night trip.

Here is a 3-day, 2-night model itinerary that is perfect for travelers who want to enjoy Hokkaido in a short time.
Day 1 involves getting around by rental car, while Days 2 and 3 use only public transportation.
Since the itinerary focuses on classic must-see spots, using this plan as a guide should help you enjoy the full appeal of Hokkaido.

Hokkaido is a treasure trove of food, not only because of its thriving agriculture and dairy farming, but also because of its abundance of seafood.
Here are three local dishes you should definitely try while visiting Hokkaido.

Hokkaido’s vast natural scenery becomes colored with cherry blossoms in spring.
There are also cherry blossom varieties found only in Hokkaido, such as Ezo-yamazakura, so be sure to include famous sakura spots in your spring Hokkaido trip.
If you want to see Ezo-yamazakura, Maruyama Park in Sapporo is recommended.
As you stroll through the park, you can take your time admiring the dark-petaled Ezo-yamazakura as well as Somei Yoshino cherry trees.
In Hakodate, Goryokaku Park, a nationally designated Special Historic Site, is highly recommended.
In addition to walking through the park filled with blossoms, try looking down on Goryokaku Park from the observation deck of the nearby Goryokaku Tower.
You should be able to enjoy the spectacular sight of the star-shaped park covered with Approx. 1,500 cherry trees.
Matsumae Park, selected as one of Japan’s 100 best cherry blossom spots, is also very popular.
In its atmospheric grounds, dotted with residences recreating scenes from the Edo period, Approx. 10,000 cherry trees of about 250 varieties bloom beautifully. The impressive Kechimyaku-zakura tree, said to be over 300 years old, is another highlight.
For Sapporo’s average cherry blossom blooming date, full bloom date, and best viewing period, please refer to the table below.
However, because Hokkaido is so large, the best viewing times can differ greatly between Sapporo and other areas.
Be sure to check the peak blooming season for each area carefully before your trip.

If you are visiting Hokkaido in summer, the lavender fields of Furano, which are at their best from late June to early August, are a must-see.
The vast rural landscape and lavender fields spreading across the foothills of the Tokachi mountain range create spectacular scenery you can only experience in Hokkaido.
Among the many lavender fields, Farm Tomita stands out as one of the most popular and well-known.
Of the 12 flower fields in the park, many people visit each year to see Lavender East, one of Japan’s largest lavender fields, and Irodori Field, where seven colors of flowers bloom brightly.
Flower Land Kamifurano, where you can tour the flower fields by tractor bus, and Hinode Park Lavender Garden, where lavender covers Approx. 4.2 hectares of rolling hills, are also popular spots.

In autumn, Hokkaido’s grand natural landscapes are colored by fall leaves.
Because you can enjoy autumn foliage on such a large scale, be sure to include some famous fall foliage spots in your autumn travel plan.
Onuma Quasi-National Park, centered around Mount Komagatake, the symbol of the Southern Hokkaido Area, with its many lakes and forests, is especially recommended.
The sight of its vast 9,083-hectare grounds turning crimson and gold is truly spectacular.
If you love hot springs, add Noboribetsu Onsen to your itinerary.
The atmosphere of this charming hot spring town combined with the autumn colors of the surrounding mountains is sure to be deeply relaxing.
If you are traveling in early autumn, there is no need to worry.
At Asahidake, famous as the place where autumn leaves appear earliest in Japan, the best viewing period is from mid-September to late September.
Ride the ropeway and enjoy an aerial stroll while looking down on the colorful autumn leaves.

As one of Japan’s heavy snowfall regions, Hokkaido sees large amounts of snow piling up in winter.
The snow-covered natural scenery and cityscapes are beautiful on their own, but during illumination events, the snow reflects the lights, making the scenery even more striking.
During the Sapporo White Illumination, the entire city seems wrapped in light, with creative illuminations held at five venues.
The Blue Canal event at Otaru Canal, known for its nostalgic scenery, is also highly recommended.
About 10,000 blue lights line the canal, creating a magical atmosphere.
The sightseeing boats that cruise the canal are also lit up in blue, so be sure to give one a try.
Hakodate Illumination, which brightly lights up the foot of Mount Hakodate, is also very popular.
The snow-covered, exotic streets of Hakodate, illuminated by lights in the roadside trees, create a beautiful and dreamy scene.
Many of these events are held from November to February of the following year, so if you are planning to visit Hokkaido in winter, be sure to check them out.

In this article, we have comprehensively introduced the information you need for a trip to Hokkaido, including its appeal, the charms and highlights of each area, transportation information, and model itineraries.
If you are traveling to Hokkaido for the first time, be sure to use this article as a guide when planning your trip.
If you want to learn even more about sightseeing spots in Hokkaido, be sure to check out the article below as well.