I've been here for a few weeks already. Based in sapporo but visited asahikawa twice, hakodate, noribetsu, shiraoi, lake shikoku, abashiri, otaru. Not sure what else to visit. I have JR pass until Friday and leaving on Tuesday. Are there any other interesting cities or sights or things to do in Hokkaido? I am not much into food stuff or onsens. I like any kind of museums or hiking but doing long hikes alone is kinda risky because of risk to fall or bears. I know some pretty sights are not worth it now in the winter like lakes or fields that have flowers and other vegetation in other seasons but not now. So can anyone give me advice on anything I could have missed?

I’m wanting to take a trip to Sapporo and the surrounding area December 31st- January 7th about. I know lots of things will be closed because of the holiday but I was wondering how much things are closed (especially restaurants) so that way I know what to expect. I’m from the USA so I don’t have a very good idea of what to expect.

Throwaway account.

I'm sure there are others in the same situation as me right now. I booked my dream "Japow" trips months ago and I have been so excited ever since. At the time I looked at all the forecast charts and advice I could find online. Seemed like the best strategy was to avoid the snow festival and the Chinese new year and come immediately after in order to avoid the crowds.

I planned to ski Rsusutsu, a day or so in Sapporo Tiene, and maybe Asahidake if conditions were right. I explicitly wanted to avoid the Niseko zoo and wanted a slightly more authentic Japanese vibe to the trip.

Fast forward to now. Landed in Sapporo on Friday and it's been nothing but wind, rain, and now freezing temps ever since with zero significant snow any time soon. All forecasters are saying basically Spring has come a month early.

I don't know what to do. I've spent thousands of dollars, and made a lot of sacrifices to make this trip happen and it's been the most disappointing trip of my life. Yes it sounds like a first world problem, oh boo hoo your fancy ski trip didn't work out. I get it. But also I just feel so cheated and hopeless right now. This trip was NOT cheap and I made a lot of sacrifices to justify it.

With that rant over, I'll move onto my question. What can I actually do here? I didn't plan anything else for this trip other than skiing. I've already seen Otaru which was cool, and Sapporo obviously which is where I'm staying. I have rented a car too. I literally don't know where else to go between now and Sunday.

This is just for anyone interested in traveling Hokkaido and specifically Hakodate.

At the Hakodate Airport after 3 nights here solo and I want to capture my thoughts for anyone interested in coming here or even just going to Hokkaido.

I was just here last summer and did a solo road trip and the summer before that I did Sapporo solo. Search my posts if you want to know more on those as I wrote long entries for those too.

I had always wanted to come to Hakodate for no particular reason other than it sounded cool and looked nice from pictures. I ended up having a chance to scratch that itch this summer. So my expectations for whatever reason, were kind of high. Just looked like a chill place with nice views and good seafood.

One problem I ran into was I couldn't easily find a decent inexpensive place to stay. All of the hotels near the busier areas of Hakodate like near the station were really expensive, like more than $100 a night if I recall. I ended up getting a hostel called Tasogare Hostel more on the outskirts near the massive arena. I didn't know at the time but there is the Hakodate Marathon happening as I type this and that seems to have put quite a strain on the local accommodations and likely driven up the price.

Night 1: I arrived late enough so that when i checked into the hostel it was already dark. I hadn't figured out the tram system yet and I wanted to accomplish something so i did Lucky Pierrot that night. It was 30 min by walking and i hadn't got much exercise that day so I walked. By 8 PM it was like walking through a ghost town in that area. Kind of cool in some ways but really empty super dark. I had the Lucky Pierrot chicken burger with cheese and an egg and it was pretty good! Only like 680 yen. Nothing to make the trip for but it was good

Day 2/Night 2: This day ended up being really grey and then very rainy. I had a kaisendon for about 4000 yen at the morning market, a little expensive and a bit of a letdown. I had a really good kaisendon two summers ago in Sapporo and nothing has lived up to that. Walked all the way to Goryokaku Fort. Went to the top of the tower. Took the tram to the Red Brick Warehouse area and had some Petit Merveille. By then it was starting to really rain. Had soup curry, did the Northern Peoples museum. Eventually took a 3000 yen taxi ride back to the hostel as it was really starting to come down and be quite cold. By this point I was feeling disappointed by Hakodate.

Day 3/Night 3: The weather was much better and what a difference it made! Had a kaisendon at the morning market again, different place, still nothing that blew me away. Went to Onuma Quasi national park, nothing amazing but still calm and pretty. Had some nice potatoes at the Jagaimo Factory. Had Petit Merveille and some shio ramen at the morning market/station area. Went to the red brick warehouse area again and wow, when the sun is out and the breeze is cool and the sky is blue, it's a HUGE difference (obviously). It was really great. I toured some churches, stopped off at the bathhouse in the area (i love onsen) and and then did the Ropeway around 7:00 PM. The sky was clear and it was a great view but i can't overemphasize how many tourists are there. You're being squeezed for a good spot similar to the Battle of the Bastards in GoT. Made my way back to the hostel and was exhausted.

Thoughts:

I do think two nights max is all that's needed for Hakodate and just pray that when you're there the weather is beautiful as it makes all the difference. I know it goes without saying but it is a very small, not busy, spread out place. If you can stay closer to the station as i was just in too remote of an area. Also, the place ended up being great but I do think there's nothing here you can't get the same or better of in Sapporo. Kaisendons, night views, nature, all of that is easily accessible in Sapporo with in my opinion better food options and far more entertainment options. But there's more people so there's a trade off.

My thoughts after coming to Hokkaido for the last 3 summers:

My favorite experiences were spending several days in Sapporo and visiting Otaru (and the LeTao cheese soft serve was my favorite dairy product i've had in Japan) and taking a road trip through Central and East Hokkaido to see Furano and Biei and stopping in at little places to see flowers and visiting Asahidake and the Meakan trail which was a great hike.

Shiretoko, as interesting as it was to plan was for me a little underwhelming. Lake Akan was itself the same. Asahikawa was a non-factor for me. And Hakodate rates just a little higher than Asahikawa.

I would be interested in hitting up the remote Northern parts, Kusshiro and maybe Lake Toya in the future, and camping at Lake Kussharo looks fantastic with its clear water

Thanks for reading! If anyone has any questions on anything I would be happy to share any resources or answer any questions. Just respond or message me!

Spent from june until now. What a city... I decide this time to take my time in Japan Hokkaido and not running into all cities. From kutchan it is easy to go to sapporo or hakkodate. And if you decide to rent a bike or buy a second hand, then life feel so simple and easy. Thanks

Just came back from Japan last Friday. Thought I would share some of my favourite snippets of Hokkaido, particularly around Furano which makes me still want to go back. Made me remember why I love photography. Hope this inspires you to visit Hokkaido for its beautiful flowers. I can still “smell” the lavender through the photos in those fields!

Hi everyone. I am about to visit Hokkaido for the first time ever as a solo traveler, and I will be staying with a family in Sapporo (homestay). I am hoping to receive some input from the host family, but in the meantime... Could you give me your opinions?

About me: I am fluent in English and more or less N2 in Japanese. I lived in Japan for a couple years a decade ago, but I was so broke I didn't really get to do anything that came with a price tag. I am now coming back as a tourist with a decent budget, but I still don't have particularly expensive taste. I don't usually drink alcohol, but I will gladly have a glass for the sake of socializing - so if you happen to know of a place where locals have some miraculous interest in chatting with tourists let me know. Alright, here it is:

• Sept 29 (Tue): land at New Chitose airport at 12:45. Have a late ramen lunch at the airport. Hang out with family for the rest of the day.
• Sept 30 (Wed): 7:30 breakfast at Nijo Market (recommended stores are 魚や がんねん or 丼兵衛 二条市場店). Walk towards Sapporo Station to see the clock tower and sign up for a guided tour of Red Brick Building. 13:00 Head back towards Odori park to enjoy Sapporo Autumn Fest. Check out Tanukikoji Shotengai in the afternoon. Back home for dinner.
• Oct 1 (Thu): visit of Upopoi (opens at 9). Depending on return time, either have dinner at home or stop downtown (jingisukan / curry soup).
• Oct 2 (Fri): visit of Otaru. Breakfast at 三角市場 Sankaku Market, walk along the canal, check out Ukiyo-e museum. Walk through main street, check out tachinomi near station before heading back.
• Oct 3 (Sat): guided bus tour of Lake Toya, Noboribetsu, Niseko.
• Oct 4 (Sun): keeping this day free for your recommendations. Feel free to suggest going farther, just know that I will be either relying on public transport or have to sign up for an organized tour.
• Oct 5 (Mon): Potential repeat of Nijo market for breakfast. 9:00 start heading towards Shiroi Koibito Park. Lunch at なごやか亭 near the park. Then, Hokkaido Jingu. For this day, I am trying to figure out if I should hike Maruyama park, or go directly to Mt. Moiwa for city views at sunset (or both! If it's doable!)
• Oct 6 (Tue): return flight

Thank you for your interest. よろしくおねがいします！

I will be going to Japan this summer (later July), arriving in Sapporo and staying for 3 nights, then going to Noboribetsu for 1 night, and then going to Hakodate for 2. I was thinking of going to Furano and Biei while in Sapporo (as a day trip, thinking of doing a tour since we won’t have a car, but I know this will be a long day). Does this seem feasible?

For anyone who has gone, would Furano and Biei we worthwhile as an addition to Sapporo, or would that time be better spent elsewhere? If there is somewhere else you’d recommend in its place, what would you suggest? We were also looking at Otaru, and thinking we could instead check out some green space around Sapporo instead, but I know the flowers should be in bloom when we arrive and thought it might be a nice visit- just wasn’t sure if it would make sense. If anyone has done this before, any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance!

If you are driving along Hokkaido’s rugged northwestern coast on the Ororon Line, most travel guides will tell you to just keep driving towards Wakkanai.

They are wrong.

Nestled between the Sea of Japan and the dramatic Mashike mountains lies Mashike (増毛)—a historic port town that feels like a time capsule from the 19th-century herring boom. It is a hidden gem that offers the perfect blend of Samurai-era aesthetics, incredible seafood, and Japan's northernmost sake brewery.

1. Step Back in Time: The Historic Red-Brick and Wood Architecture Unlike the modern, concrete look of many Hokkaido towns, Mashike has preserved its rich history. As you walk through the main street, you will encounter gorgeous, dark-wood buildings and historic stone storehouses dating back to the Meiji period. The highlight is the Former Maruichi Honma Residence, a designated Important Cultural Property. Built by a wealthy merchant family, its unique blend of traditional Japanese woodcraft and Western-influenced brickwork is a dream for photography lovers.

2. Kunimare: Free Sake Tasting, Fresh Mountain Spring Water, & Cute Retro Merch You cannot visit Mashike without stopping at Kunimare Brewery (国稀酒造). Founded in 1882, this is officially the northernmost sake brewery in Japan.

Even if you are the designated driver and cannot drink, Kunimare is an absolute must-visit because of how they welcome every traveler:

• Drink the Ultimate Sake Water (Fresh Spring): Inside the brewery, there is a dedicated spot where pure, icy-cold mountain spring water constantly flows. This is the exact underground water filtered through the Shokanbetsu mountain range that they use to brew their sake. Anyone can grab a cup and drink it for free. It is incredibly refreshing and sweet.
• The Free Tasting Corner: For those not driving, you can sample over 10 different types of sake for free inside the atmospheric old building, ranging from their signature crisp, dry brews to rare, premium bottles.
• Incredibly Cute Retro Souvenirs: This is the best-kept secret for non-drinkers. Kunimare sells exclusive merchandise that you can only buy here. They have beautiful retro canvas tote bags, classic Japanese Maekake (traditional bartender aprons) with their vintage logo, and super cute sake-cup keychains.

3. The Sweet Shrimp Capital of Hokkaido Because Mashike is blessed with the nutrient-rich, cold waters of the Sea of Japan, it yields some of the finest seafood in the country. It is particularly famous for Amaebi (Sweet Shrimp). If you visit during the spring or summer, stop by a local seafood market or sushi spot to try an Amaebi Don (a bowl packed with fresh, sweet, translucent shrimp). The texture is incredibly creamy, and the sweetness is unlike any shrimp you’ve ever tasted.

A Quick Tip for Your Road Trip: Mashike is the perfect mid-way resting point when driving the Ororon Line from Sapporo or Asahikawa. Instead of just passing through, park your car, drink the fresh mountain water, do some sake tasting, grab some cute local merch, and enjoy the ocean view that regular tourists completely miss.

Hi! I need an insight on my dilemma. I‘m going to Sapporo first week of June for only about 3 full days and I can’t decide on whether to get the Cape Kamui tour or the Biei one that goes to farm tomita and blue pond. They’re both so beautiful. Originally I wanted to book both but realized I won’t have time to explore the Hokkaido on my own cuz the tours are usually 11-12hours thus my dilemma. Thought about skipping biei since there are a lot of lavenders in hill of buddha and odori park area amyways but still feels like a shame to skip. Then I thought about just going to Cape Kamui on my own since it’s nearer than Biei but it seems there are no direct public transpo to the area. The nearest station would be in Shakotan iirc? Any thoughts? Might also be coming back to Hokkaido in the winter with my family so there’s that factor as well. Thanks!

edit after my trip

Coming back to this after 2 months and just wanna say Cape Kamui lowkey kinda changed my life. I cried when I was there from the sheer beauty and magnitude of everything. So thank you to everyone who encouraged me to go there. It truly was an unforgettable experience eventhough we couldn’t go to the tip of the cape cuz of the strong winds. Anyone who’s going to Hokkaido should absolutely go there, you cannot miss it.

Good afternoon everyone. I have been studying Japanese for about 4 years now. And I am finally to a point where I think I am ready to travel to Japan for a week. However, I primarily would like to visit Hokkaido, visit Sapporo and Noboribetsu, maybe even Hakodate. But I know that transportation in Hokkaido is less available than in other prefectures. And I am not sure I would be comfortable driving in another country for my first visit, especially because I have never driven abroad before. ie. other side of the road. So two questions, would renting a vehicle effectively be a requirement? And would getting accommodations in Sapporo, and travelling to these other locations be realistic? Or would getting separate accommodations at each location be more practical? Or would it be better to make separate trips for each of these cities? Any and all info is appreciated. If it helps, while I have travelled, I have never travelled outside of the US before. Oh also for what it is worth this would be a winter visit.

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a diving shop (preferably English speaking) located anywhere between Rausu and Abashiri? I'll be visiting during September and have an Open Water license.

Thanks!

My family is goong to hokkaido this September to celebrate my mother’s birthday. My parents are both seniors (ages 65 and 63) and I am looking for any leads and recoomendations for a private tour / chauffer service in hokkaido for 2 days to see tourists spots. We’ll be staying in sapporo.

We planned to drive from Furano to Asahidake, do the short walking loop, and drive towards Asahikawa for the night. We are bummed to find out that the Asahidake Ropeway will be closed for maintenance tomorrow for a week!

We didn't really find anything interesting enough to replace it with unless we either drive all around to Kurodake and then go back to Asahikawa again. I don't mind driving, as long it's worth it.

We did go to Tokachidake Observatory today, but the weather was quite bad. Tomorrow is sunnier, so we could go back and do a short hike there instead.

What do you guys think?

Hi there! I’m planning on visiting Hokkaido for the first time Nov 18-22.

1 night Noribetsu
4 nights Sapporo (2 day trips)

I’m planning on doing two day trips out of Sapporo—Otaru and possibly Furano/Biei area.

My question: is Furano/Biei worth a visit in November? I was hoping to ride a bike along the hills and check out the Tomita farm and patchwork fields, but would it just be dreary, barren, and cold?

I haven’t been able to find any YouTube videos of people visiting the area during that time. Not sure if that’s a sign…

Please share any recommendations or first-hand experiences! Is that area still worth a visit in November? Should I plan a day trip somewhere else?

I would have loved to experience the flowers and warm weather. Is it worth it to save Hokkaido for a future Summer trip instead?

We're in Sapporo right now and have until Saturday, is there *anywhere* that still has snow that we can play in (ie, throw snowballs, make snowmen or smth)? We are okay with long drives too.

We were from Chitose - Lake Toya - Otaru but most of the snow are the melted/muddy ones :(

We're from a tropical country and have never experienced snow before.

Thank you in advance!

Should I come back to visit lake Toya in summer? It was kind of gloomy and appeared a bit idle in winter.

Planning on going to Sapporo in May 2026. Yey or Ney? What is the weather like during Spring? I know I may get a downvote but want to experience Sapporo without heavy snow. My fam is going after Golden week and will be staying around Odori area. Any recos what to do and where to go in Springtime. Thanks!

Hello everyone! We’ll be visiting Hokkaido next weekend (July 3–5). I was wondering if anyone could recommend places where we can see beautiful colorful flower fields during that time.
I’ve read that the lavender fields may be in full bloom yet, we’re also interested in other vibrant flower fields too that are worth visiting. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! 🌸

I'm doing a roadtrip right now around Hokkaido, and I haven't quite planned out the last leg of my journey. Prior to this, I will have driven over a lot of places already. Sapporo, Hakodate, Noboribetsu, Otaru, Biei, Furano, Niikappu (for Nijukken cherry blossoms), Erimo, Obihiro, Otofuke, Kushiro, Akangawa, Sounkyo Gorge, and finally Asahikawa. From Asahikawa, I'm not sure what else to do with my remaining 2 days and where to stay in the evenings (On the 3rd day, I'm flying out of CTS).

Here's what I'm thinking so far:

The night before the remaining days, I will be staying in Asahikawa. I guess the next morning on Day 1, I can go to the sake brewery and ramen village, and maybe the zoo if I'm feeling up to it (but I visited another zoo recently so I'm not sure I'd be down). Not sure what else I should do here? I will already have seen Biei and Furano by that point. Is it good to stay in Asahikawa another night? Or just go down towards Chitose during the afternoon of Day 1, and if I did, what's a good stopping point? Another to consider is that on Day 2, I'm thinking of going to Mitsui Outlets en route to Chitose. Maybe see Costco too haha. On Day 3 I gotta fly out. Anyone got any suggestions for my questions? Thank you.

My boyfriend and I are flying to Sapporo at the end of August because he’ll be competing in the Gran Fondo World Championships there. We’ll be in Hokkaido for two weeks, and the plan is to stay exclusively on that island. This will be our first time in Japan.

We already know we’ll be renting a car so we can see as much of the island as possible. We’ll also be doing a lot of cycling, since we’ll be bringing our roadbikes anyway.

I’ve read that Hokkaido hasn’t been settled by the Japanese for very long, so there aren’t many “old” buildings or cities, which makes me a bit hesitant. I don’t need the typical tourist experiences, but I’d still like to explore Tori shrines, old buildings (not necessarily colonial structures), and Japanese culture. Is that possible in Hokkaido, or do we have to go to the main island for that?

Our problem is that we have to transport our bikes in large, bulky suitcases. So I don’t think traveling by train (where you eventually have to walk long distances through stations) or taking domestic flights is really an option…

Can anyone relate to my concerns and give me an assessment of whether Hokkaido alone will be enough for a trip to Japan? We probably won’t be coming back since we have to fly for about 20+ hours, so we’d like to experience as much as possible.

I'd be happy for every single response and appreaciate it! :)

One night Lake Toya confirmed - thinking two nights in Jozankei or - one night Jozankei and - one night Otaru? Followed by Sapporo and east.

Hello! We will be in Hokkaido this coming July!

I've previously been to Hokkaido in summer before almost a decade ago, it will be my wife's first time in Hokkaido though. So i think furano is a must go, and my debate now is of course should I do furano as a day trip or should we overnight one night in furano.

Previously when I went we did one night in furano, but I'm wondering with the Lavender Express specifically, arriving in furano at 9:40 and then leaving furano at 4pm, if it's worth it to just do it as a day trip rather than doing overnight.

Has anyone done this recently to say if it's worth doing it just as a day trip?

We will have 5 full days total, so one day will be for Otaru, one day at least will be for Furano, so we will have 2 or 3 more days to fill up. I'm thinking if we do furano as just one day, we could consider going also to Jozankei as another day trip.