Best Hokkaido Travel Tips: Why This Stunning Destination Will Leave You Speechless
Winter in Hokkaido is like a romantic love song, enchanting and unforgettable 😍😍
Powdery snow dances in the air ❄️, cream-colored houses, dreamy forest cabins 🏕️, unbearably cute penguin walks 🐧, the world’s loneliest Christmas tree 🎄…
Every scene is as beautiful as a movie frame—Hokkaido is a must-visit at least once in a lifetime.
☃️ What can you do in Hokkaido during winter?
📍 **Sapporo**: Snow Festival, snow sculptures, skiing, snowmobiling, DIY cookies at the Shiroi Koibito Factory
📍 **Otaru**: Visit filming locations from *Love Letter*, Otaru Canal, Funaoka Slope, Tenguyama Ropeway, Music Box Museum
📍 **Noboribetsu**: Soak in hot springs amid snow, stroll through Hell Valley’s volcanic landscapes, explore Edo-style Edo Wonderland
📍 **Furano Ningle Terrace**: Over a dozen cabins hidden in the forest, blanketed in thick snow—like stepping into an elf’s home.
Visit after sunset when orange lights illuminate the cabins and snow paths for a magical atmosphere and perfect photos.
📍 **Biei**: See the dreamy Blue Pond, where turquoise waters shift hues with the light, then visit the Instagram-famous lonely Christmas tree standing in the snow. Don’t miss the unique blue waters of Shirahige Falls.
📍 **Lake Toya**: One of Japan’s three unfrozen lakes—take a boat to Nakajima Island to see deer.
📍 **Asahiyama Zoo**: Must-see penguin parade! Watch them waddle right past you, along with polar bears, red pandas, and more.
📆 **6-Day Itinerary**
**D1**: Arrive at New Chitose Airport, Sapporo
**D2**: Sapporo → Asahiyama Zoo → Biei Blue Pond → Christmas Tree → Shirahige Falls → Furano Ningle Terrace
**D3**: Furano → Otaru → Tenguyama Ropeway → LeTAO Patisserie/Kerosene Lamp Café → Otaru Art Base or Otaru Aquarium Marine Star Show
**D4**: Jozankei → Lake Toya → Noboribetsu Hell Valley → Edo Wonderland → Lake Toya Observatory
**D5**: Free day in Sapporo
**D6**: New Chitose Airport → Departure
🏨 **Accommodation**: 3 nights at MYSTAYS Sapporo Susukino Hotel
♨️ 1 night each at a traditional hot spring ryokan in Furano and Jozankei
🚘 **Transport**: Distances between Asahiyama Zoo, Furano, and Biei make public transit inconvenient—recommend private transport.
🧥 **Clothing**: Moisture-wicking base layers, wool sweaters, thermal wear, fleece jackets, down coats, ski pants! Waterproof, slip-resistant boots or Dr. Martens, warm masks, hats, scarves, ear muffs, touchscreen gloves.
