Hokkaido Travel Guide for Japanese Learners

Japan's wild north — powder snow and onsen in winter, lavender fields and cool air in summer, and some of the country's best seafood and dairy year-round.

Hokkaido is huge and far less crowded than Honshu. It rewards travelers who pick a season and a region rather than trying to see it all: Sapporo and Niseko for winter, Furano and Biei for summer, the eastern national parks for raw nature. Distances are long, so plan around them.

Getting around

Unlike the rest of Japan, Hokkaido often makes sense by rental car, especially in summer when flower fields and lakes are spread out. In winter, stick to trains and resort shuttles unless you're confident on snow. Fly into New Chitose Airport (near Sapporo).

What to see

• Sapporo — the capital; ramen, the Beer Museum, and February's Snow Festival.
• Niseko — world-famous powder snow and ski resorts.
• Furano & Biei — summer lavender and rolling, painterly farmland.
• Lake Akan & the east — onsen towns, marimo, and Ainu culture.

What to eat

Seafood (uni, crab, salmon, ikura), Sapporo miso ramen, soup curry, and the famous dairy — soft-serve ice cream and cheese. In winter, nothing beats a bowl of ramen after the cold.