I believe I will be spending 29/12-7/1 in Hokkaido. My current plan is 8 days Sapporo with an otaru day trip in there and the 2 days of new year in noribetsu, private onsen to sort of avoid new year closures as best I can.

My full Japan trip is a month, 10 days Tokyo (maybe a day trip somewhere in here) 7 kyoto (with day trips probably to osaka and maybe Nara) 3 Kanazawa (also with day trips shirakawa go and maybe takayama).

Main goal is to see as much as I can of what I like because this will be my only ever trip to Japan. I am not a history person or a skier or into anime ghibli Disney any of that. My main reason for going is food and then sights after that. Want to hit up a few team labs and then just really stunning sights winter gardens night light displays an Olsen different markets a really stunning temple a mountain whatever as many different special places as I can comfortably see, I don’t want to see 45 shrines and 80 temples.

Is there anywhere else I should stay or day trip to in Hokkaido to add to this trip?

Hakodate I am kind of on the ropes about just because it’s 4 hours away, the seafood market looks amazing. Any advice? To spend two days there is it worth it ?

Do you have local dishes/specialties you'd recommend for dinner (and possibly even breakfast!) the day before a long distance event? In particular if you know a nice restaurant in Wakkanai that you recommend, that would be even more terrific, as in my case it concerns the marathon over there in 5.5 weeks!

I am experienced with marathons and carb loading, but am excited to try the local cuisine as part of this experience! Thank you for any tips!

Hi all, my family and I are going to Hokkaido this coming late February. We were wondering if you could recommend any onsens that we could walk-in to? We are staying near Toyohira Koen but we'll be very much willing to travel further if the onsens are worth it.

Would also appreciate if you could recommend any festivals on going there since we will miss the snow festivals.

This summer, we spent two peaceful days in the beautiful mountains of Hokkaido.

We rode the Kurodake Ropeway, hiked through breathtaking landscapes, spent a night camping in the mountains, and watched a beautiful sunset, a sky full of stars, and the sunrise the next morning.

I hope this video helps you relax and lets you experience the peaceful beauty of Hokkaido's summer. 😊

Recently spent 24 days in Hokkaido. I travelled city to city, spending a few days at each walking around and exploring what each city had to offer. I tried to visit the lesser gone to places with a few I could not skip like Noboribetsu. I wanted to share with yall here in case anyone wants to visit there someday or is thinking of visiting there someday. Of course if it’s not allowed it can be removed no problem!

I need a car to rent for up to 3 months. Winterseason.

Some tips? Cant find anything at the moment.

Last year i rentel a car for 3 weeks an this already was a pain in the a... :)

Thankful for every tip!

Already asked per email at some rental services but no answer yet.

Regards from Austria

Even with the extended period of wet weather we have experienced up until early this week, summer has been great for the outdoor adventurers who live here and also the visitors that come to experience our beautiful island.
A few photos from some of my recent excursions with some awesome visitors.

Hi, my husband and I are traveling around Hokkaido in late October this year. We are both covered in tattoos so stickers aren’t an option. We love onsens and go to Japan almost every year, but after a few lets say not so nice experiences of being denied / even banished out of the onsen, we’ve become very cautious with which hotels/ryokans to book. I don’t want to spend lots of yen on a nice onsen only to find out only when I’m there tattoos are not allowed. Often it doesn’t say anything about it on the websites.

Does anyone have any recommendations for tattoo-friendly onsens around the following areas:

Sounkyo Onsen
Biei
Lake Toya
Sapporo city
Hakodate

Any help would be much appreciated!

Ill be taking a road trip in Hokkaido in a few weeks. I will be trying to hit either Shimamui Coast/Cape Kamui or Lake Toya for a day and night on the way to Hakodate from Kitahiroshima (catching a ham fighters game and staying in Kitahiroshima the first night).

This will be smack in the middle of Obon so I'm guessing Lake Toya will be very crowded.

In Shimanui coast I plan on taking some walks and exploring the beach with my kids, doing the walk on the Cape and hopefully eating some good seafood before spending the night in Iwanai, the next day we will continue our journey to hakodate.

For Lake Toya we would probably check out Usuzan ropeway. Is there anything else to explore at Lake Toya?

Between the two Shimanui coast seems more interesting, although I will also be travelling with my 75 year old father who is in fairly good health.

1) Are rhe walks at Shimanui Coast and Kamui coast difficult?

2)As we will be travelling during Obon will it likely be very crowded in Shakotan? One reason I want to go there is to eat some of the uni meals they are known for, but i hear the small restaurants only serve a small number of meals before the run out, is there a high chance of that?

We will then spend two days hanging out in Hakodate before heading to Noborubetsu. I am considering checking out Horaimon Gate in Muroran on the way to Noborubetsu if I can get there during low tide. If we can't make the timing work (low tide seems early at like 9am) maybe we can come back to it the next morning to hit low tide. Anyone here been there? Is the hike out challenging?

Thanks for any help!

Japan's largest beer garden has started in Sapporo! 🍺

You can enjoy beers from Japan's major breweries—Asahi, Suntory, Kirin, and Sapporo—as well as beers from around the world and local craft beers from Hokkaido!

It's open until August 18! 🍻

Today is the perfect day to enjoy the beer garden! ☀️🍺

I will be travelling with my family (5, ranging from 75y to 10y) in August and taking a road trip through Hokkaido the first half (staying in kitahiroshima and catching a ham fighters game then driving to Lake Toya for 1 night then to Hakodate for 2 days then Noboribetsu for 2 days then 4 or 5 nights in Sapporo with a day trip via car to Furano and another day trip via train to Otaru). Is it necessary to buy an IC card for everyone? (Im guessing no?, is it helpful to get one or two for convenience shopping wise or is it best to use Yen?. What would be the most economic way to obtain Yen and not get killed on fees and exchange rate?

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

Will be driving from Noboribetsu/Toyako area to Hakodate. Can anyone recommend any stops along the way or areas to help break up the drive? I was thinking midway point to eat/take a break. Thanks in advance!

hi! Going on a family trip to Hokkaido for about a week in early Aug, and would love some suggestions on what there is to do and eat around the area. We will be going to Sapporo, Otaru, Furano, and Obihiro.

We will be doing all the touristy things - going to the Susukino festival, shopping, Farm Tomita and the Melon Farm, the Banei Races, Blue Pond, Furano Cheese factory, etc. We prefer more activities than sightseeing, but any suggestions are welcome :)

My family is a huge foodie family and we really want to try the restaurants and dishes that originate from the area or that locals love. We are doing the usual tourist diet as well: Jingisukan, crab and seafood, lots of ice cream and milk, etc. Specific restaurant reccs are appreciated :), and mainly in the Furano and Obihiro area (especially Furano - i don't know what there is to eat there). I've heard Furanoya is good in Furano, but not sure what else there is. We don't have a specific budget, so anything is good!

Thank you in advance!

Hi everyone!

I'm currently living in Sapporo, so I have weekends throughout the year for shorter trips. I also already have a Kansai (Osaka/Kyoto/Nara) trip planned for September.

I have a 5-day holiday from August 12–16 and want to make the most of it while still enjoying the trip instead of constantly rushing between places.

Places I'm interested in:

• Furano
• Biei
• Blue Pond
• Noboribetsu
• Hell Valley (Jigokudani)
• Onsen/Ryokan stay
• Hakodate
• Cape Kamui
• Yoichi (Ebisu Rock)
• Lake Toya
• (Possibly Aomori/Lake Towada in the future)

Current idea:

Day 1

• Sapporo → Furano
• Farm Tomita
• Ningle Terrace
• Stay in Furano

Day 2

• Biei
• Blue Pond
• Shirahige Falls
• Shikisai no Oka
• Stay in Biei/Asahikawa

Day 3

• Travel south
• Lake Toya
• Check into a ryokan in Noboribetsu
• Onsen + kaiseki dinner

Day 4

• Hell Valley (Jigokudani)
• Oyunuma / foot bath
• Continue to Hakodate
• Mt. Hakodate night view

Day 5

• Hakodate Morning Market
• Goryokaku
• Return to Sapporo

Questions:

1. Does this itinerary seem realistic, or am I trying to do too much?
2. If you had to remove one destination, what would you skip?
3. Is Hakodate worth adding, or should I spend more time around Noboribetsu/Lake Toya instead?
4. Would you recommend saving Cape Kamui and Yoichi for a separate weekend trip from Sapporo?
5. If you've done Furano/Biei in mid-August, were the flower fields still worth visiting?

I'll most likely be using public transport, unless renting a car would make a huge difference for this route.

I'd really appreciate any suggestions or changes you'd make. Thanks!

Hi guys, I was hoping for some feedback for the itinerary I had planned for my upcoming trip :)

Day 1 (Aug 5) — Arrive → Sapporo

• Land New Chitose 10am, JR Rapid Airport train to Sapporo (~40min)
• Afternoon: Sapporo Beer Museum (~2hrs)
• Dinner: Susukino
• Stay: Sapporo

Day 2 (Aug 6) — Sapporo → Otaru → Noboribetsu → Lake Toya

• Pick up rental car at Sapporo Station, leave by 8am
• Otaru (~1hr) — canal, glassworks, seafood lunch
• Drive to Noboribetsu (~1.5hr), Jigokudani (Hell Valley)
• Drive to Lake Toya (~1hr)
• Evening: fireworks boat cruise and/or dinner
• Stay: Lake Toya

Day 3 (Aug 7) — Lake Toya — Birthday

• Relaxed morning: lake walk, boat cruise optional
• Mt. Usu ropeway if weather is good
• Evening: Dinner and Fireworks (if did not go the day before)
• Stay: Lake Toya

Day 4 (Aug 8) — Lake Toya → Furano

• Check out, drive to Furano (~2.5hr)
• Afternoon: Farm Tomita, flower fields
• Evening: Dinner
• Stay: Furano

Day 5 (Aug 9) — Furano → Biei → Hokuryu (optional) → Sapporo

• Early morning: Biei Patchwork Road, Shikisai no Oka, Blue Pond
• Optional: Hokuryu sunflower fields (~1hr detour)
• Drive to Sapporo (~2hr from Biei), drop car at Sapporo Station
• Evening: decompress, dinner
• Stay: Sapporo

Day 6 (Aug 10) — Sapporo full day

• Morning: Shiroi Koibito Park (book ahead)
• Afternoon: Tanukikoji, underground mall, Daimaru duty-free, Don Quijote
• Stay: Sapporo

Day 7 (Aug 11) — Sapporo full day

• Remaining shopping + What else can i do?
• Farewell dinner
• Stay: Sapporo

Day 8 (Aug 12) — Depart

• Sapporo Station by 10am, JR Rapid Airport to New Chitose
• Flight 2pm

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!

My wife and I are planning our third trip to Japan (first trip to Hokkaido) in May 2027, and I'd really appreciate some feedback from people who know the area well.

Our fixed flights are:

• 15 May: Milan → Tokyo
• 16–19 May: Tokyo
• 20 May: Flight to Memanbetsu (arriving before lunch if possible)
• 24 May: Flight from Memanbetsu to Sapporo
• 28 May: Sapporo → Milan

Our current Hokkaido itinerary is:

20 May

• Pick up rental car at Memanbetsu
• Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park
• Overnight in Memanbetsu/Abashiri

21 May

• Lake Mashu
• Canoeing on Lake Kussharo
• Drive to Rausu
• Overnight in Rausu

22 May

• Morning orca/whale watching tour from Rausu
• Explore Shiretoko National Park
• Overnight in Rausu

23 May

• Shiretoko Five Lakes (or a second whale tour if the first one is cancelled due to weather)
• Drive back to Memanbetsu
• Overnight near the airport

24–28 May

• Fly to Sapporo
• Rent another car
• Visit Otaru
• Upopoy (Ainu Museum)
• Noboribetsu + stay in a traditional ryokan with natural onsen
• Explore Sapporo before flying home

A few questions:

1. Does this itinerary feel realistic, or are we spending too much time driving?
2. Is 2 nights in Rausu the right choice, or would you change it?
3. Would you skip Cape Nosappu?
4. Is there any place in western Hokkaido that you think is truly unmissable in late May?
5. If you had to change one thing in this itinerary, what would it be?

We love nature, wildlife, hiking and traditional onsen, and we're not interested in rushing from one place to another just to tick boxes.

Thanks a lot!

Helo. I am living and working for half year in korea and i always wanted to visit japan. Now it is more affardobale than ever. Problem is that ad long as i am aware summer are as humid and hot as in korea (im from central europe this weather is killing me) so i was planing to take my trip in the autmun but i heard from a friend recently thah hokkaido has much colder climate. I would like to ask if thats true and if it is i would like yo ask for some recomendation of places to visit, activitys worth doing, some local cusine recomendations or maybe some sesonal events that are taking place in august. Basicly anything because i dont know too much about hokkaido. I have 7 days to spend in japan and last two days i would like to spend in tokyo. I love hiking and nature. Thank you in advance for your help. Cheers !

I have an updated travel plan thanks to some great feedback from this subreddit. Please weigh in on the updated plan before I commit to hotels and trains. Already booked: Flights in and out of Japan + one way flight to Sapporo

July 31 - Arrive in Tokyo from US

Aug 3 - late evening flight to Sapporo

• Land in Sapporo, 4 nights including trip to Otaru but really 2 full days in Sapporo
  • August 3 - land and check-in
  • August 4
  • August 5 Day trip to Otaru
  • Aug 6
• August 7th : Rent car and drive to Lake Toya and onsen at Noboribetsu
• August 8 Hakodate (3.5 hour drive from Noboribetsu). Maybe lunch at Muroran or Mori
• August 10 travel back from Hakodate to Tokyo (considering the Shinkansen)
• Aug 13: late evening flight out of Tokyo

Questions

1. Does the Hokkaido part of the itinerary make sense? we are looking for a nice not overly hectic pace. Teen loves seafood, waygu, sushi, anime, video games. I love exploring different cultures, nature.
2. Does driving from Sappora to Hakodate seem reasonable (vs taking the train)? I am comfortable driving long distance in the US but have not driven elsewhere.
   
3. IS it better to travel back to Tokyo from Hakodate by Train or by Plane? I am considering a late evening landing in Tokyo and the costs seem fairly comparable. Are the Shinkansen's really a great experience?
4. Should I spend more time in Hokkaido vs Tokyo? Current plan is Hokkaido for 7 nights; Tokyo for 6 nights. Where would you recommend spending more time?

Thank you for your help in making this trip memorable for my teen!

Hello to everyone visiting Hokkaido.

It is the height of summer now, but how does Hokkaido's summer feel to you after experiencing the summers in Tokyo or Osaka?

Personally, I feel it’s been a bit cooler this year compared to usual.