Hokkaido

Hokkaido Guides

Sapporo, Furano, Hakodate — Hokkaido in every season. (15 in-depth guides)

Sapporo Travel Guide 2027: Odori Park, Snow Festival & Mt. Moiwa

Hokkaido's gateway and food capital — Odori Park and the Snow Festival, the Clock Tower, Mt. Moiwa's night view, miso ramen, Genghis Khan and soup curry.

Hokkaido · Winter

Sapporo Snow Festival 2027: Which of the 3 Sites Is Worth It?

Official 2027 dates: Feb 4–11 across three sites. One evening only covers two — which to pick, when to dodge crowds, and why lodging needs booking now.

Hokkaido · Winter

Hokkaido Drift Ice 2027: Abashiri vs Monbetsu Icebreakers

Abashiri Aurora, Monbetsu Garinko-go, or a Shiretoko ice walk — fares, cruise length, and why sightings hinge on weather, not the calendar.

Hokkaido · Winter

Otaru Snow Light Path 2027: Canal vs Temiya Line

A free candlelit event with two venues — Canal reflections vs Temiya Line stalls, best timing, and how to pair it with the Sapporo Snow Festival.

Hokkaido · Winter

Sapporo White Illumination: Odori vs Ekimae-dori

Japan's first citywide illumination (since 1981) — three free venues with different run dates, plus the Munich market and Snow Festival pairing.

Hokkaido · Asahikawa

Asahiyama Zoo Guide 2026: Penguin Walk & Behavioural Exhibits

Japan's northernmost zoo, famous for behavioural exhibits — the winter penguin walk, the seal column tank and diving polar bears — plus Asahikawa ramen and a Biei combo, 1h25 from Sapporo.

Hokkaido · Shiretoko

Shiretoko Travel Guide 2026: Five Lakes, Cruises & Drift Ice

A UNESCO World Heritage wilderness — the free Five Lakes boardwalk, cruises past waterfalls and shore bears, and a February drift-ice walk. Remote enough that a car is the honest answer.

Hokkaido · Kushiro

Kushiro & Lake Akan Guide 2026: Cranes, Marimo & Ainu Kotan

Red-crowned cranes over Kushiro Marsh in winter, marimo algae balls and Japan's largest Ainu Kotan at Lake Akan, plus the ultra-clear Lake Mashu — the ¥2,700 marimo cruise and Dec–Mar crane feeding grounds.

Hokkaido · Noboribetsu

Noboribetsu & Lake Toya Guide 2026: Hell Valley & Volcanoes

The easiest onsen overnight on the Sapporo–Hakodate run — free Hell Valley boardwalks and ten spring types at Noboribetsu, plus Lake Toya's Showa Shinzan, the ¥2,000 Usuzan Ropeway and nightly fireworks Apr–Oct.

Hokkaido · Obihiro

Obihiro & Tokachi Guide 2026: Butadon, Banei Racing & Onsen

A Tokachi food day-trip — the home of charcoal butadon, the world's only Banei draft-horse racing (free entry), the Rokkatei and Ryugetsu sweets HQs, Happiness Station and rare moor hot springs, 2h40 from Sapporo.

Hokkaido · Hakodate

Hakodate Travel Guide 2027: Night View, Motomachi & Goryokaku

Hokkaido's open-port southern gateway — Mt. Hakodate's night view, the Motomachi church slopes, the Goryokaku star fort and morning-market live squid.

Hokkaido · Otaru

Otaru Travel Guide 2027: Otaru Canal, Sakaimachi, Glass & Music Boxes

A canal port town near Sapporo — the gas-lamp-lit Otaru Canal, Sakaimachi glass and music boxes, the steam clock, sushi street and LeTAO cheesecake.

Hokkaido · Sightseeing Train

Furano-Biei Norokko Train Final Year 2026: Last Summer to Ride

JR Hokkaido has announced 2026 as the final year for the Norokko sightseeing train, with the last run on Sept 28. Full timetable, fare structure, KKday booking, and which segment is worth riding.

Hokkaido · Winter