6 BEST REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT HOKKAIDO IN JAPAN

Sapporo Factory

THINKING ABOUT VISITING HOKKAIDO? WONDERING WHAT TO SEE IN HOKKAIDO? HESITATING BETWEEN HONSHU AND HOKKAIDO? WHAT ARE THE BEST REASONS TO VISIT HOKKAIDO?

Hokkaido is one of our favorite places on earth! We love the abundant nature, the culture, the tons of snow in winter the food and so many other things! In this post we tell you why we think you should visit Hokkaido!

Made up of 4 main islands (and more than 6,000 in total!), the Japanese archipelago is a fascinating mix of culture and tradition. If your are thinking about Japan, Tokyo or Kyoto on the main island of Honshū will come to mind first. However do not miss the northernmost island of the country: Hokkaido!

Its mountainous terrain as well as Sapporo, its dynamic capital with the air of an American city, will seduce those who wish to discover a generous and authentic Japan.

WHY VISIT HOKKAIDO?

Further north to Hokkaido, it’s simple, there is Siberia! With 20% of the country’s area for only 5% of its population, Hokkaido is the wildest place in Japan. A paradise for lovers of nature and wide open spaces.

We traveled many times to Hokkaido and did multiple road trips in various different seasons. We also wrote many different posts on our blog about the best things to see in Hokkaido.


CHECK SOME BEAUTIFUL IMPRESSIONS OF HOKKAIDO

READ: 20 AWESOME THINGS TO SEE IN HOKKKAIDO



Furano
OYUNUMA POND IN NOBORIBETSU

Wide open spaces and unspoiled nature, the island of Hokkaido is a destination to all lovers of the great outdoors thanks to its many national parks. This is one of the best reasons to visit Hokkaido!

If you only had to choose one National Park? Perhaps Shiretoko National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its pristine rainforest, crystal clear lakes and exceptional wildlife.

The rest of the island is not to be outdone: you can for example see the common crane, the country’s emblematic bird, at Kushiro Shitsugen National Park, hike on the roof of the island of Hokkaido at Daisetsuzan Park, walk through the Hell Valley in Noboribetsu, take a boat tour on Lake Toya or still discover the cradle of the Ainu people by visiting the reconstruction of an Ainu village within the Akan-Mashu park.

READ: 12 UNIQUE WINTER ACTIVITIES IN HOKKAIDO


Best Ski Resorts in Hokkaido

Thanks to it tons of snowfall every year, Hokkaido is one of the best destinations in the world for ski and snowboard enthusiasts. Indeed, Hokkaido is known for its powder. LOADS OF IT! Here in Japan we call it the JAPOW!

There are many amazing resorts to Hokkaido, the most famous one is called Niseko.

Niseko is a collection of five ski resorts including Hanazono, Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village, Annupuri and Moiwa, where four major ski resorts are connected at the top. And not only it snows a lot in Niseko, the snow here is much dryer than most places in the world! This makes it even more enjoyable when riding!

READ: 6 BEST SKI RESORTS IN HOKKAIDO

This is one of the best reasons to visit Hokkaido!


What to do in Sapporo
The view of Sapporo from the TV Tower

Every year in February, the Sapporo Snow Festival is held, an event that attracts more than 2 million tourists who come to visit the capital of the island of Hokkaido. During the Snow Festival, you can admire hundreds of huge snow and ice sculptures. Sapporo is completely transformed into a winter wonderland during the festival!

Beside the festival, Sapporo is an awesome city to visit. You can visit historical buildings such as the Clock Tower, eat some amazing seafood at Nijo Market, or even climb Mount Moiwa for a stunning view.

READ: 30 INCREDIBLE THINGS TO SEE IN SAPPORO

Sapporo is another great reason to visit Hokkaido!


Curry Udon
Morning Market in Hakodate
Seafood place in Otaru

A stay on the island of Hokkaido means you will taste some of the most delicious food in Japan!

Main agricultural region of the country and major seafood port, Hokkaido has some of the freshest vegetables and best seafood in Japan!

Here are some of the traditional dishes to try in Hokkaido:

Kaisen-don: a delicious bowl of rice served with seafood (sea urchins, salmon roe, scallops, shrimps or crabs)

Ishikari-nabe: a salmon stew with vegetables, tofu and konjac served in a miso broth

Jingisukan or “Genghis Khan”: specialty of Hokkaido, this dish made from finely cut lamb or mutton meat is traditionally prepared on a grill in the shape of a Mongolian soldier’s helmet. It is usually served with grilled vegetables such as bean sprouts, cabbage and pumpkin

Another must-try dish: ramen! The birthplace of miso ramen, Sapporo is the perfect place to sample this quintessentially Japanese gourmet dish. Its classic version is made with a miso broth (soybean paste), medium curly noodles, bean sprouts and onions.

You can even book your personalised food tour with a local guide in Sapporo. Check it out here.

The food is one of the best reasons to visit Hokkaido!


The good thing about Hokkaido is that there is something to see in every season. While Winter is the most popular season to visit Hokkaido due to its abundance of snow, the other seasons have something special too.

In summer for instance, you can visit the amazing colour flower fields in Furano. From May to October, you can successively admire fields of tulips, lavender, poppies, cosmos and baby’s breath as far as the eye can see!

Jozankei onsen, is one of the best reasons to visit Hokkaido

In Autumn, our personal favorite season in Hokkaido, the tree foliage is spectacular. Jozankei Onsen near Sapporo offers stunning scenery (READ: 16 BEAUTIFUL THINGS TO DO IN JOZANKEI ONSEN IN HOKKAIDO). It is also a great time to visit Otaru, Lake Toya or Noboribetsu and its Hell Valley!

In Spring make sure you visit Hakodate with its spectacula Goryokaku park full of cherry trees!


Onsen is one of the best reasons to visit Hokkaido
River in Noboribetsu

What would a trip to Japan be without a day spent in an onsen?

If you come to Hokkaido you won’t be disappointed, as there are onsen pretty much everywhere on the island!

The most popular places though for a great onsen is at Jozankei Onsen located near Sapporo. Here you can enjoy the benefits of the sodium-rich waters of the region. To prolong the experience, do not miss spending the night in a ryokan, the guarantee of a moment of relaxation in an exceptional environment. (READ: 16 BEAUTIFUL THINGS TO SEE IN JOZANKEI ONSEN)

Another amazing places for onsen, and actually our favorite ones in Japan is Noboribetsu. Blessed with the sea, mountains, and lakes, the Noboribetsu area is full of unspoiled nature, typical of Hokkaido. While Noboribetsu is most famous for its amazing onsen there is so much to see in this part of Hokkaido. Visit the “Hell Valley”, the beautiful Oyunuma Pond, Sengen Park, the National Ainu Museum and so much more. (READ: 18 INCREDIBLE THINGS TO SEE IN NOBORIBETSU)


What to do in Sapporo

Hokkaido is one of our favorite places in the world. If you are a nature lover, this place is all about that!

We traveled extensively through Hokkaido and wrote many posts about it. See below:

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2 Comments

  1. I love your blogs on Hokkaido about things to see, do & eat. They are amazing. May i check if you have blogs on the National Park of Hokkaido? I will be visiting (in July 2023) Daisetsuzan National Park, Shiretoko National Park, Akan Mashu National Park, Kushiro-Shitsugen National Park. i hope to get some inspiration from your blogs. Thank you.

    1. Hi Teo, thanks a lot for your comment and for reading our blog. Hokkaido is amazing indeed! One of our favorite places on earth. We haven’t had the chance to write detailed posts about the National Parks though…