Best Hokkaido March Travel Guide: Top Attractions & Budget Tips for 2025
March is the Perfect Time to Explore Hokkaido
Hokkaido’s snowy season ❄️ lasts until the end of March.
After the peak season, the crowds of tourists have thinned.
The weather warms up, but the snow remains.
In short:
“Fewer tourists,” “Lower prices,”
“Snow still here,” “Great value for money.”
✅【Transportation Guide】
✈️ New Chitose Airport (CTS) is located in the suburbs of Sapporo, about 50 km from the city center, with a drive time of around 45 minutes.
🚝 JR Trains: JR trains are the main mode of transportation in Hokkaido. We recommend purchasing the JR Hokkaido Rail Pass, which allows unlimited travel on all JR Hokkaido lines (excluding the Hokkaido Shinkansen).
🚗 Private Car Rental: Travelers with irregular schedules or lots of luggage can opt for private car rentals.
✅【Classic Itinerary for First-Time Visitors】
✔ Noboribetsu—Hokkaido’s top hot spring town, perfect for a slow-paced city walk.
✔ Hakodate—Where the road ends at mountains and sea, Japan’s version of Twin Moon Bay, boasting a world-class million-dollar night view.
✔ Lake Toya—A lake that never freezes, with deep, rich blue hues that need no filter.
✔ Sapporo—A rare inland metropolis in Japan, also a vibrant city with lively nightlife.
✔ Otaru—A town with a romantic, artistic vibe, the setting of Shunji Iwai’s *Love Letter* ❤️.
✅ Must-Visit Attractions
✔ Noboribetsu Hell Valley: Eerie and stunning volcanic landscapes 🌋.
✔ Lake Toya Observation Deck: Breathtaking views in every direction.
✔ Otaru Canal: Stroll along the banks, where cobblestone streets and gas lamps create a nostalgic atmosphere.
✔ Tanukikoji Shopping Street: A century-old commercial street offering a unique Japanese market experience.
✔ Music Box Museum: The steam clock here plays a melody every 15 minutes.
✔ Kitaichi Glass Street: A charming street lined with vintage glass workshops.
✔ Bear Ranch: Home to around 100 Hokkaido brown bears, allowing close-up viewing.
✔ Shiroi Koibito Park: A dessert kingdom and fairy-tale wonderland, every corner designed for photos 📸.
✔ Hakodate Night View: A Michelin three-star attraction, one of the world’s top three night views, said to cost a million dollars a night to create—hence its name.
——❄️ 6-Day, 5-Night Hokkaido Itinerary ❄️——
D1 🛫 Shanghai (flight) – Sapporo – Noboribetsu Hell Valley
D2 Onuma Quasi-National Park – Motomachi – Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses – Hakodate Night View
D3 Hakodate Morning Market – Lake Toya Observation Deck – Lake Toya Shore – Showa Shinzan – Bear Ranch
D4 Otaru Canal – Music Box Museum – Tanukikoji Shopping Street – Sapporo Ramen Yokocho – Kitaichi Glass Street – Shiroi Koibito Park
D5 Duty-Free Shops – Hokkaido Shrine – Mitsui Outlet Park – Former Hokkaido Government Office
D6 Shikotsu-Toya National Park 🛫 Sapporo (flight) – Shanghai (morning/afternoon)
