Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, is a vast sightseeing paradise popular with both Japanese and international travelers.
From spring to summer, an incredible array of colorful flowers bloom, while autumn sees stunning fall foliage and winter with luscious, white snow, making each season a completely different encounter.
Hokkaido is also renowned as a foodie destination, with a tapestry of distinctive dishes changing between region and season.
In this complete guide to Hokkaido, we will introduce essential information and tips to ensure a successful trip, including the island’s most famous spots, seasonal sightseeing, must-eat dishes, and how to get around. Read on to make sure your Hokkaido itinerary is up to scratch!
Why visit Hokkaido?
Hokkaido has become one of Japan’s premier sightseeing destinations, receiving more attention from international travelers in recent years. One reason behind this explosion of popularity is the abundance of untouched, pristine nature.
Within the forests dwell brown bears and Ezo red foxes, while cities and towns are filled with vibrant birdlife and small animals like squirrels and more.
In addition, Hokkaido boasts 6 national parks managed by the government, teeming with an incredible range of ecosystems. One of these is the Shiretoko National Park, which remains undisturbed by human activity and has thus been recognized as a Natural World Heritage Site.
A variety of activities run throughout the year within this wilderness, including rafting and canoeing during summer and skiing and snowboarding in winter.
Of course, there are plenty of sights to take in as well, such as the colorful flower and lavender fields of Furano, the shimmering abundance of fresh, white winter snow, gorgeous onsen hot spring towns like Noboribetsu and Toyako, and the retro atmospheres of traditional port towns like Hakodate and Otaru.
25 Ideas For Your Ultimate Hokkaido Sightseeing Itinerary
In addition, Hokkaido is a treasure trove of seafood, vegetables, fruits, dairy, and more, which are used to make regional specialties like jingisukan, ramen, soup curry, and loads of seafood dishes, making exploring Hokkaido through food alone a perfectly acceptable way to travel!
Even within the cu…
