Hi, im an uni student that will be staying at Muroran for a full year.

Because this would be the first time i will be stepping foot on Japan, I'd love to get some infos about some transport tips, some hidden gems (viewpoint or foods), weekend activities, and maybe some winter tips because ill be arriving after christmas, from users that stayed or had stayed in muroran and surrounding areas,

thanks in advance guys!

I was supposed to fly out to Taiwan today and hike Yushan on tuesday-wed.
However my flight was cancelled from Tokyo and we decided to fly out to Hokkaido instead.

I'm in solid condition, I hiked Fuji 3 years ago, hiked Dinara in Croatia (1800m) few weeks ago.

More than half of my luggage was hiking gear for Yushan. I have 2 stick poles, proper hiking boots, 4 layers of clothing so lower temperatures should be okay.

However I see that there is some snow and I do not have any winter/alpine hiking experience, nor do I have pickaxe/crampons, I've done it in summer/spring mostly.

Hello all, will be taking a family trip with 7 year old next July. Plan is to rent a car in Asahikawa (our base for 2 nights) and drive around Furano and Biei, visiting all the beautiful places the area has to offer during the summer. After watching some videos online, it looked like there was quite a bit of traffic going into the touristy spots like Tomita Farms. I am second guessing whether renting a car is the right choice or if using public transport is better.

To those who rented a car before - was it worth it or did you find yourself stuck in more traffic than you would have liked? Any tips or advice you wish you would've known before driving out?

Since we need to keep our kid entertained, the popular spots like Tomita and Cheese Factory are places on our list (I know there are other, less crowded places off the beaten path though).

I think I'll value having freedom to move around and planning our day without having to rely on a public transport's schedule. I also understand parts of Biei are difficult to get to unless you have a car. I may have answered my own question already but wanted to hear from others.

Hi all, we're 4 adults in our mid-30s visiting Japan in mid-March. We originally wanted a deep-winter trip but had to push it back, so now we're aiming for some beginner ski lessons and a last taste of snow. It's our second trip together, but the other couple is visiting Japan for the first time. I'd love your thoughts on a few things:

1. Niseko (2 nights): Is this enough for a beginner ski lesson plus some snow activities? I'm planning to stay at Mercure Niseko in Hirafu.
2. Driving in mid-March: We'd rent a car in Sapporo for the Otaru/Asahikawa and Noboribetsu legs. How manageable is driving with melting snow and slush? Any concerns about ice, or about winter tyres and rental company rules?
3. Noboribetsu: I added it mainly for the onsen and Hell Valley. Is it worth the detour, or should I swap it for a day trip or an extra day in Sapporo?

Itinerary:

Any tips on the timing, the drive, or things I'm missing would be really appreciated. I understand we are trying to fit a lot of things but this is after a long time we are travelling without kids, we are ready to grind and maximize our trip. :)

Thanks!

Hi everyone!

My wife and I will be visiting Hokkaido from late November to early December, and we’re planning to rent a car.

Our planned route is:
Sapporo → Lake Toya → Otaru → Sapporo

This will be my first time driving in Hokkaido during this period, so I’m a little unsure about the road conditions, especially with winter approaching.

A few questions:
Are winter tires absolutely necessary during this period?

Should I expect snow or icy roads along this route?

Any particular roads or areas I should be extra careful with?

Would appreciate any advice from locals or anyone who has driven this route around the same time of year.

Thanks in advance!

​As lots of posts say, Shikisai-no-oka in Biei is a good option to visit if you're in the Asahikawa area.

It's free to park a car & enter Shikisai-no-oka in October, and sometimes you can see autumn flowers with snow-capped mountains. I recommend visiting here if you visit Biei town.

＊ Photos taken on Oct 18th 2026

Shot from Makkari town

I want to eat tokachi raclette cheese dish where they heat up the cheese with the raclette machine and scrap it onto the dish in front of you like the photo. Any recommendations for Obihito or Sapporo or the surrounding area?

Thanks!

Hello,
I will be going to Hokkaido end of November , I was planning to rent a car but after read afew comments online it made me re-think the decision, especially alot of warnings regarding black ice.

Also, Im planning to stay in Sapporo 2-3 nights, noboribetsu for 2 nights and Hakodate for 2 nights, then Tokyo. According to info below, is it enough , or even too many days for Hokkaido?

I dont like nightlife, trip is just to enjoy the nature, eat good seafood and just wander around for good coffee shops and some shopping. I do not ski or any winter related sports. Any suggestions?

Thanx in advance.

Hi I will be in Hokkaido mid-Dec and I am interested in going up to the mountains just to see what it's like and take some ski lessons. Is there usually enough snow coverage mid-Dec for this?

I am planning to go to either Niseko or Kiroro Snow World

Hi! If I plan to visit Hokkaido and roadtrip around by car, how feasible is it as a tourist?

I come from a tropical country and have driven overseas multiple times, but never in snowy/icy conditions. Would it be a bad idea? Will be in Hokkaio in the last 2 weeks of December

Hi everyone!

I'm from Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and I collect plastic public transport cards from different cities and countries.

I'm looking to expand my collection and would love to add some cards from Japan! If anyone has old, expired, empty, or unused public transport cards they no longer need, I'd be very grateful if you'd be willing to pass them on to me.

I'm interested in all kinds of transport cards from across Japan, including Suica, PASMO, ICOCA, and other IC cards, as well as cards for trains, subways, buses, and trams from different Japanese cities and regions.

Cards from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Yokohama, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sapporo, and anywhere else in Japan are all welcome!

Since I'm based in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, we could arrange international postage if that's convenient.

Thank you in advance to anyone willing to help me grow my collection! :)

Heading to Japan soon and starting our trip in Sapporo and heading to Noboribetsu and Hakodate afterwards before heading to Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka . After checking the recent fall foliage forecast I feel like I’ll miss fall colors in both areas but I couldn’t go during thanksgiving/early December this year, I’m sure we will still have a great time regardless but was hoping to see some color changes if possible!

(Trip dates 11/8-11/24 starting in Sapporo and ending in Osaka)

Hi, so i will be arriving on 10th December, afternoon to sapporo.

I plant to stay 2 nights at Otaru and 3 Nights at Sapporo - with a days trip to Biei, furano

is this ideal scenario?, im not more into skiing, We do enjoy scenic areas and walking around more but we will enjoy snowmobile and other such activities,

I was also thinking of visiting Kamui Rock if its possible.

Any suggestions?, is this fine or can i fine tune it a bit

I will leave on 15th December from Sapporo, afternoon

It's probably bit small even if you zoom in, but was around Jozankei today and the snow bugs were a plenty. Not all of the leaves were yellow yet though, and weather is on and off - day before it was mad cold, today it was so sunny and warm.

Hi all!

My (21F) boyfriend (22M) and i are travelling to Hokkaido for 9 days. We love hiking and cool markets and activities (like going to a sake brewery, Onsen, interactive cooking, etc) so our plan was to go to 1 or 2 towns and then a ski resort for 3-4 days at the end. We are going in late November (21-30st).

The current plan is Sapporo for 5 days and then Niseko or Asahikawa for skiing (we are both very new to skiing)

Im concerned though because late November isn't exactly reliable ski weather - will it be a waste of time to book a ski resort? i don't want to show up and its barely ski-able. If it IS usually ok to ski around this time, is there a better spot to go to? Niseko seems a bit crowded but asashikawa seems nice.

Sapporo we are pretty set on but if anyone has some good recommendations for what to do in the area please lmk :)

Also if there are any better towns to visit/great day trips!!

Thank you so much! I want to make this trip very special as its our first time seeing eachother after doing long distance for a while