Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan. It as a cooler weather than other parts of Japan. It is popular skiing destination. This post explains the experience of my tour in summer. I have visited in in the mid of the summer(July) when Hokkaido have highest temperatures. Sapporo is the main City of Hokkaido. I think it is better to start there.

How to Arrive

By Air

You can take a flight to Sapporo Chitose (CTS) airport. You can take train from airport to the destination. If you go to the Sapporo you can take the Rapid airport train. Pls follow the google map to find the best route always. This trains are managing by JR Hokkaido Railway company. If you have JR pass or JR Hokkaido pass you can use it here. I will explain about JR pass in a different post.

By Train

If you are coming from Tokyo taking train is the best option. You can take Shinkansen from Tokyo station until Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station. This is the last station of Shinkansen. (There is a new line under construction until Sapporo but not finished yet.) It will take around 4hrs and 15 mins to arrive here if you start from Tokyo station . You will have to take a normal train from here to your destination. If you go to Sapporo it will take around 3hrs and 30 mins from shinkansen station to Sapporo. It will take around 8 hrs totally to travel from Tokyo to Sapporo.

Things to know before coming

• Hokkaido is not very busy are like Tokyo. Public transport(Buses) may not be frequent if you go to a rural area. (Sapporo and Hakodate have frequent busses.)
• You can use Suica card to travel inside city.
• Taxi prices in Japan is very high. Better to use public transport.
• Taxi apps does not work here. you should call and book taxies.(If you go to see attractions you can ask the staff to book a taxi to go back.)
• if you are taking public transport you will have to walk a lot and it is very tiresome.
• Some hotels do not have private bathrooms. They only have public bath houses. (one for each gender) if you are not comfortable bathing naked with many other people you should check and confirm about private bathrooms. (There are ethics to follow inside a public bath house. pls check about these rule before going to a bath house)
• There are coin laundries in all the hotels so no need to worry about laundry. It will cost around USD 4-5 for one round.
• Shinkansen from Tokyo have reserved seats only. There are no unreserved seats. During the weekends it gets fully booked so better to reserve a seat as soon as possible if you are taking shinkansen.

Main Tourist Areas

Hokkaido island is a very island. So it will take a long time if you visit all the places. you can select some areas based on the time available.

Sapporo

Sapporo is the Capital city of Hokkaido. Public transport is very good here. but if you go to some places like Itsujigaoka Observation Deck sometimes busses available only every hour. If you traveling in the city can take tram or bus.

if you are planning to go all the places mentioned here it will take around 4 days. Since you can travel to anywhere from here easily you can start tour from here.

Places to visit

• Odori Park
• 3 Sapporo TV Tower
• Sapporo Beer Museum
• Mt. Moiwa
• Historical Village of Hokkaido
• Moerenuma Park
• Sapporo Hitsujigaoka Observation Deck
• Hokkaidō Government Office
• Hokkaido Jingu

Where to eat

• Ganso Ramen Yokocho Sapporo
• Sapporo Crab Market
• Singapore beer museum restuarant
• Coffee House near Mt. Moiwa Ropeway
• 7 – Eleven shops

Where to Stay

There are many hotels and hostels available to stay. I stayed in “The Stay Sapporo” hostel. if you are looking to stay in a budget place it will be a good option.

Where to Work

If you want to work while traveling there are many spaces available. The hostel I stayed. hostel had 2 common areas I worked from there.

Otaru

Otaru is the port city of Hokkaido. There is a canal and can take a boat ride. This can plan as a day trip if you stay in Sapporo.

How to Arrive

You can easily take the train from Sapporo to here. It is possible to use JR pass in the train. You should get out of the train from Minami-Otaru station and walk through Sakaimachi Hondori Street till the Otaru Canal.

Places to visit

• Shopping in Sakaimachi Hondori Street
• Otaru Canel
• Otaru boat Ride
• Otaru bay cruise

Where to eat

There are many restaurants in the Sakaimachi Hondori Street. you should try to eat from many shops as possible.

Furano

Furano is a must visit place in the summer. Furano have some lavender farms lavender bosom happens in the mid of the July. If you are going in Summer better to select the lavender blossom period to go. These farms allow you to go and see the farms for free. you may need around 2-3 days to cover all the places.

How to Arrive

Easiest way to arrive is by train. If you are taking train from Sapporo, you can take train to Asahikawa Station or Takikawa Station. There are trains start from both stations goes to Furano. Road from Asahikawa station to Furano is very nice I think better to arrive from this side. It will pass Biei and you will be able to see lavender farms from far. There is a special train called lavender train you will be able to catch it if you are lucky. (if couldn’t can take from Furano later) You can use JR Pass in the both trains I mentioned.

Places to visit

• Farm Tomita
• NakaFurano Lavender Fields
• Shirogane Blue Pond
• Take lavender train to Biei
• Furano Winery
• Furano Cheese Factory

Where to eat

• Farm Tomita Restaurant
• Furano Cheese Factory Restaurant
• Furano Wine House Restaurant
• EZO DINING KOKO

Where to Stay

Public transport is not much available in this area. It is best to select a place near to the Furano station or you can stay a bit away and rent a bicycle go travel nearby places. I stayed in “Pension Ressha Guest House” which cheap and nicer but not in the walking distance. Other thing to mention is they don’t have private bathrooms inside. They have 2 public bath houses instead for male and female. you will have to bath naked with many other people(same gender) in bath houses. if you are not conformable with it pls check do they have private bathrooms or not.

Noboribetsu

Noboribetsu well known for it is natural hot springs. So if you are willing to try going for a Onsen this will be a perfect destination. If you are going to a Onsen there are ethics to follow. Pls check about them before going to a Onsen. You will need 2 days to complete all these places.

How to Arrive

Easiest way to arrive is take train to Noboribetsu station and take bus from there to Onsen area. There is a bus few mins after a train arrives. you should come out of the station quickly to catch it. but stop is next to the station. Bus is going until the top of the mountain where hot spring starts. If you took train from Tokyo to Sapporo you will pass the Noboribetsu station. If you are coming from Tokyo or Hakodate you can take train goes to Sapporo side and vice versa. you can use JR pass for train. but need to use Suica card or cash to pay for bus.

Places to visit

• Go to a Onsen
• Take a tour in tour bus around the area.
• Jigokudani (Hell Valley)
• Oyunuma Pond
• Noboribetsu Bear Park

Where to eat

There are many places in the are that you can eat. If Stay in a Ryokan and eat their unique cuisine would be a different experience. but if you want to eat like that you need to book it when you book hotel. you cannot just order and eat.

Where to Stay

There are many Onsen hotels here. I stayed in “Noboribetsu Onsen Dai-ichi Takimotokan”. It is the first hotel in the hot spring. Everyone I met says that first hotel in a hot spring is the best. if you are in budget you can stay in a budget friendly place and go to onsen taking day pass.

Lake Toya

Lake Toya also very nearby place to Noboribetsu. I you are going one place it is better to visit both places together. There are islands inside the lake you can take a boat tour to and go to the main island. This main island have trekking paths if you like to go. This also near to a volcano. This lake also formed due to a volcano eruption happened arond  110,000 years ago. 2 days will be enough to cover all the places.

How to arrive

Best way to arrive is taking train to like most other places. It is few stations after Noboribetsu when you come from Sapporo. There is a bus from Toya station near to lake Toya area just after train arrives. You can use JR pass in the train. but need to pay from suica or cach card for bus.

Places to visit

• Walk near Lake Toya
• Take boat tour to the island inside lake Toya and hike inside the island
• Visit mount Usu

Where to Eat

There are many restaurants around lake Toya. But most of them close around 8.00 – 9.00PM. So if you got late for dinner 7 eleven or Lawson marts will be the for dinner.

Where to Stay

I stayed in “Granvillage Toya Daiwa Ryokan Annex” which is next to Lake Toya. Lake can see from the window of the room. It was walking distance to the boat rides and restaurants. So It was a perfect place for me. As I remember they also didn’t have a private bathrooms. They had a bath house only.

Hakodate

Hakodate is the other main city in Hokkaido. It as great public transport compared to other parts. There is a tram service also cover most part of the city. you can cover all the places within a day.

How to arrive

Hakodate is few stations from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station shinkansen station. So if you coming from Tokyo in shinkansen you should change the train in the station and take normal train few stations. If you come from Sapporo you don’t need to change the train most of the time. train goes until Hakodate.

Places to visit

• Goryokaku Park
• Goryōkaku Tower
• Mount Hakodate

Where to Stay

I stayed in “HOTEL MYSTAYS Hakodate Goryokaku”. It is next to the tram station and walking distance to goryokaku park and the tower.

My Favorite places from the list.

I have listed all the places most favorite places are top. So you can get a idea if you don’t have enough time to visit all places.

• Furano
• Otaru
• Lake Toya
• Noboribetsu
• Sapporo
• Hakodate

I like Furano and Lake Toya due to the beautiful nature and peacefulness. I liked Sakaimachi Hondori Street very much. So I put Otaru it also higher top of the list. Noboribetsu Onsen is good but nothing much to do there. I find Sapporo and Hakotade cities are very busy. So I put them at the last. But that does not mean they are not good places. I put in a list only for you to select easily if you have limited time.

I’m planning to create different post about each places so you can get a better understanding about each places.