It’s taken me a decade to perfect this Hokkaido travel guide—and this makes sense, when you consider what an utter disaster my first trip to Japan’s northernmost island was.
As I explained in one of my posts about Sapporo, an evening with well-meaning acquaintance with zero ability to read the room colored my first swing through the prefecture’s capital. The entire trip was both conceived and executed poorly, however, having come together in response to a hasty email from the official tourism board.
I’ll explain more about how this disaster manifested itself in the paragraphs below, before talking you through the some of the best things to do in Hokkaido. In the process, I’ll hopefully help you avoid the massive delay in gratification I had to endure and answer perhaps the most existential question of all. Namely, is Hokkaido worth visiting?
Is Hokkaido Worth Visiting?
Is Hokkaido overrated? I certainly felt that way as my first-ever day on the island came to a close. It was late January 2015, and I was seated on the water in Otaru. I noticed a dead Starfish frozen in the snow just beneath me, which would’ve been compelling. You know, had my camera not crapped out literally moments before. Instead of waiting for the sun to set, to be sure, I’d soon need to be on my way back to Sapporo to attempt to buy a new one.
My subsequent trips to Hokkaido, for their part, have been significantly more enjoyable—I definitely find Hokkaido worth visiting now. I came back in the summer of 2018 to see the lavender, and in 2021, for the sakura bloom. 2023 saw me return twice: In winter, for a re-do of my 2015 trip; and in autumn, for my first such sojourn around the island. I’ve been back at least once a year since then, most memorably in 2025, when I visited the northern tip of the island (Wakkanai), as well as the remote islands of Rishiri and Rebun.
The Most Amazing Things to Do in Hokkaido
Get your bearings—and some amazing eats—in Sapporo
Sapporo, like Hokkaido writ-large, took me a while to love. Once I fell, however, that love was deep—and permanent. I usually like to start with “sushi for breakfast” at Nijo Market, followed by a panoramic view from the Sapporo TV Tower in Odori Park. Past this point, I’ll often admire the historical façade of the Former Hokkaido Government Building, or make my way up Mt. Moiwa for a night view. If I’m in town for the annual Sapporo Snow Festival, meanwhile, I’ll enjoy that both day and night. Speaking of winter, Sapporo is the closest major city to the ski resorts of Niseko and Hirafu on the slopes of Mt. Yotei.
BONUS: I’ve written an entire article spotlighting day trips from Sapporo. These include close-in options like Otaru Canal and the onsen towns of Noboribetsu and Jozankei, plus more distant excursions such as the underrated central Hokkaido city of Asahikawa.
Let Hakodate blow your mind
To me, the highlight of any Hokkaido itinerary is Hakodate, which sounds strange on the surface. It’s a city (rather than the countryside for which Hokkaido is famous); its literally at the southern tip of the island, to the extent that you can see Honshu on a clear day. Still, I absolutely love this “city between two bays,” whether I’m looking down on its unique shape (and night view) from Mt. Hakodate, eating my way through Hakodate Morning Market, admiring the star shape of Goryokaku Fort or soaking in the hot springs of Yunokawa Onsen.
TIP: Though not in Hakodate itself, nearby Matsumae makes a great day trip, especially during cherry blossom season. It’s home to Hokkaido’s only castle! Another great Hakodate day trip is Onuma Quasi National Park.
See lavender and/or autumn colors in Furano
I first discovered the town of Furano on a rainy summer day, which was less than flattering to its now-famous lavender fields. The good news? I was still able to enjoy delicious Hokkaido milk ice cream served in half of an impossibly tender melon harvested nearby. The better news? Returning to central Hokkaido in other seasons was just as satisfying, whether I was admiring the Blue Pond of Biei in autumn, or continue to even more rural spots like Sounkyo Onsen or even Mt. Daisetsuzan.
Go wild on the Shiretoko Peninsula
Speaking of animals and nature, much of the rest of what to do in Hokkaido unsurprisingly relates to them. For example, you can ride a train southeastward several hours from Sapporo to Kushiro, and head northward into the marshlands, where Japan’s largest population of tanchō (aka red-crested cranes) resides. Continuing northward from here takes you into the heart of the Shiretoko Peninsula, where indigenous Ainu culture unfolds amid the scenery of Lakes Akan and Kussharo, whether you stop there or head for the other coast. The town of Utoro makes a great base for an autumn road trip; Abashiri, meanwhile, is where ships set off through this part of Hokkaido’s famous “drift ice.”
Or wilder in Wakkanai, Rishiri and Rebun
Wakkanai is the furthest north city in all of Japan, and is bigger than you might expect a city so far from the rest of civilization to be. But it’s only the beginning of the adventures to be had in far northern Hokkaido—and I’m not just talking about Cape Soya (which is itself the northernmost point in the country). Rather, it’s worthwhile to take an offshore excursion to the islands of Rishiri and Rebun, which in addition to being some of the wildest and most beautiful places in Japan, are also basically empty of tourists.
How Long Do You Need in Hokkaido?
Hokkaido is an absolutely massive island which, at least until sometime in the 2030s, will be mostly without Shinkansen service. This is to say that it takes a long time to get around; since there are so many destinations to experience (and because many are objectively far away from one another), you really can’t take a comprehensive trip to Hokkaido in less than a week, maybe two.
On the other hand, it can be helpful to see the topic of how many days in Hokkaido you need through another lens: For some people, a comprehensive trip isn’t really the goal. Rather, they’re resigned to returning multiple times, and to discovering the island piece-by-piece like I did: A few days in July in Furano amid the lavender; a week exploring the Shiretoko Peninsula in summer; Hakodate and Matsumae for a couple days in late April amid the sakura.
Other FAQ About Things to Do in Hokkaido
What is Hokkaido famous for?
Hokkaido is famous for being Japan’s northernmost and second-largest island, for hosting the Niseko resort, Japan’s premier ski hub. In recent years, it’s developed tourism throughout the year, including lavender (and other flowers) in summer, and some of Japan’s most amazing autumn foliage in October and November.
What is the best time of year to visit Hokkaido?
Obviously, winter is a great time to visit Hokkaido. Even if you don’t ski—and I don’t—you can attend the Sapporo Snow Festival in early February, and see the famous canal of Otaru lined in massive canals. By contrast, summer is an increasingly popular time to visit Hokkaido, whether you traipse amid lavender farms in Furano, or eat fresh Hokkaido melons filled with sumptuous Hokkaido milk ice cream. Hokkaido is also a fabulous destination for cherry blossoms and autumn colors.
Can I enjoy Hokkaido in winter even if I don’t ski?
I am not a skier, and I can tell you personally that I have never once wished I was, when visiting Hokkaido in winter. For starters, resorts like Niseko and Hirafu are interesting to visit, even as a non-skier. Secondly, Hokkaido is full of interesting winter experiences, whether you attend the Sapporo Snow Festival, admire icicle-lined Otaru Canal or get up-close and personal with red-crested cranes in Kushiro.
The Bottom Line
Is Hokkaido worth visiting? Yes, and I hope my Hokkaido travel guide has proven useful to you, if only to help you avoid the disastrous first trip I took over a decade ago. Japan’s northernmost island can be one of its most enjoyable destinations, provided you know where (and when) to go, not to mention how long to stay there. Some of you, to be sure, will use this post as a complete Hokkaido itinerary; for others, my round-up of what to do in Hokkaido will serve as a starting point for a trip plan you craft yourself. Want to take all the guesswork out of planning the ultimate Hokkaido adventure? Commission a custom Japan itinerary today, and let me sweat the details for you.
