7. Winter Activities in Hokkaido: December to March

Winter season in Japan is the most admired season by tourists from all over the world. For those heavenly for those who love snow, pure and clean nature, spend your time in Hokkaido, it is definitely a great choice ever! The winter visitors can experience from frolicking in the cold, frozen landscape to dipping in incredibly idyllic natural hot springs. There are 5 experiences you need to complete in Hokkaido in winter season. Challenge yourself to strike everything off this list before you return home!

1. Skiing & Snowboarding

You can’t go Hokkaido in winter season without skiing & snowboarding! The Hokkaido's slopes have the finest powder snow compared to other slopes in Japan and thus, it is the best for skiing and snowboarding activities. For advanced riders, the chance to be shown the best side country runs at each resort through a knowledgeable and safety-first oriented guide is precious. For beginners, it is the best choice to choose Hokkaido as the place for learning ski or snowboard as you will always land on soft powder snow.

Skiing in Niseko
Photo Credit: Outdoor Japan

The best places for ski and snowboard is definitely Niseko. It is known for having powder snow of such quality that it is internationally recognized for it, and it is a holy land for skiers and snowboarders. The landscape in Niseko Village is stunningly beautiful, and it will definitely take your breath away!  There are also a huge variety of courses for everybody from families to experts.

Snowboarding and skiing at Niseko
Photo Credit: IACE Travel

2. Sightseeing Icebreaker

The Sea of Okhotsk
Photo Credit: Inside Asia Tours 

​The shores of Okhotsk in Abashiri receive a huge amount of drift ice. It is located the southernmost place on earth where he ocean freezes and drift ice is observable. The best way to witness this winter phenomena is by icebreaker cruise. The entire boat journey takes about an hour. You will feel as if you have been transported to the Ice Age, where the frozen earth dominates the landscape in every direction. You must take a binocular that would help you spotting some seals, Steller’s Sea Eagles and other birds from the ship. Therefore, go to have a try for a unique sea experience you have never had before!

Ice Breaker Cruise
Photo Credit: 新浪看点

3.  Soak your stress away in natural onsens (hot springs)

The warm soothing waters of a natural onsen will take your worries away! Be sure to complete your winter experience by dipping your body in natural onsens surfacing in many parts of Japan. There are many places in Hokkaido to experience hot spring, from small ryoukans, large hotels, "wild" hot springs, foot baths to even onsen waterfalls.

Onzen in Hokkaido
Photo credit: The Green Leaf Niseko Village

One of the best onzen in Hokkaido which located near Sapporo city is Hoheikyo Hot Spring. This place owns immaculate Japanese gardens, spacious outdoor baths, and a variety of indoor baths. The natural hot spring contains calcium carbonate and iron minerals which help to maintain the health of your body. Another famous hot spring resort is Jozankei Onsen. The onsen is particularly beautiful with snowy landscape in winter season.

Outdoor Onzen
Photo Credit: Bigodino

4. Enjoy the winter festivals

There are varieties of festivals held in Hokkaido to celebrate the winter season. The largest Japanese yearly snow festival is Sapporo Snow Festival. This festival lasts for seven days and is held yearly in the second week of February in Sapporo. Odori Site, Susukino Site, and Tsu Dome Site are the three main different sites where the Sapporo Snow Festival is held. The most attractive site is Odori site where you can witness the gigantic snow sculpture depicting famous structures of the world including Japanese castles. Though, hundreds of small sculpture could be seen here as well.

Sapporo Snow Festival
Photo Credit: CNN.com

Ice Sculpture in Odori Park
Photo Credit: Pinterest

Another attraction in winter season is Otaru Snow Light Path Festival. It is the iconic winter event held in Otaru Canal. Both Sapporo Snow Festival and Otaru Snow Light Path Festival are held at the same time. The whole city gets decorated with different sizes of stunning snow statues and night illuminations. You can stroll along Otaru’s romantic canal and historic side-streets; take pictures of adorable snow sculpture and staying warm with hot mugs tea. If you had experience both festivals before, you may proceed to Sounkyo for its Ice Festival, Jozankei for its Snow Festival and Asahikawa for its Winter Festival. These festivals are popular for its sculptures, ice caves and traditional Japanese cultural activities which cannot be missed!

Otaru Snow Light Path Festival
Photo Credit: govoyagin.com

5. Celebrate Christmas at Hokadate Christmas Fantasy

The gigantic tree in Hokodate
Photo Credit: http://www.beautifuljapan.or.kr

Hakodate Christmas Fantasy is a popular yearly Japanese Christmas event and is known as Seaside Winter Wonderland in Japan. A huge Christmas tree is put up on a barge in front of Red Brick Warehouses in the Bay area. The gigantic tree stands 20 meters tall and colored with illumination of 50,000 lights. This event is lasts for the whole month of December. From December 2^nd to December 22^nd, the daily lighting up ceremony of the Christmas tree is held. During the Christmas Eve, there will be the magical Christmas illuminations, fireworks display and Christmas concerts held to create a truly romantic Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, the tree is turned off at 8 PM for the final time. The night is celebrated by one last fireworks display with romantic illuminations to liven up the event.

Christmas illuminations in Hokadate
Photo Credit:  FAST JAPAN

Last fireworks display on Christmas Day
Photo Credit: Travel Hokadate

6. Autumn Activities in Hokkaido: October to December

Among the region in Japan, Hokkaido is known for its unspoiled nature. When people mentioned about Hokkaido, the first thought in our mind is its beautiful winter. But actually autumn is another beautiful tourism season in Hokkaido. In the fall, the leaves turn from green to a vivid palate of fall yellows, organs and reds all across the Hokkaido region. There are many foliage spots in Hokkaido. And, as fall rolls in to this region, you can pay you visit to many of its national parks, mountain slopes, river banks, gardens, temple grounds, city parks to enjoy the autumn foliage.

1. Enjoy Fall Sightseeing

Daisetsuzan National Park
Photo Credit: Enjoy Your Holiday!

Sounkyo Autumn
Photo Credit: InHokkaido

Daisetsuzan is the largest national park in Hokkaido region and also the first place to see fall foliage each year in Japan. The entire park consists of mountain ranges, hiking trails, hot spring resorts and diverse wildlife while viewing colorful autumn leaves.  Another beast autumn leaf viewing spots is Sounkyo Gorge which located in Daisetsuzan National Park, with two magnificent waterfalls, one giant gorge and home to several world class hot spring baths. Apart from enjoying colorful leaves there you can have a relax time taking a bath in an onsen. Best time to see outstanding fall color is between early to mid-October.

Waterfalls near Sounkyo
Photo Credit: InHokkaido

2. Experience Hot-air balloon rides

Hot Air Balloon Ride
Photo Credit: The Active Time

Hokkaido Balloon Festa
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The experience of flying in a hot air balloon over the stunning Hokkaido scenery will sure impress you. Hot-air balloon rides provide a panoramic 360-degree view of Hokkaido’s magnificent landscapes from the sky. With a tethered ride, anybody can enjoy the incredible foliage of endless forest in fall. There are three best places that hot air balloon operators fly daily when the weather cooperates.  They are: Niseko, Furano and some places in eastern Hokkaido.

3. Celebrate Autumn Festivals

Ikeda Autumn Wine Festival
Photo Credit: Weekender Singapore

Autumn Wine Festival is held to celebrate grape harvests and the start of wine making. Ikeda, in eastern Hokkaido is known for its wine. Wine production in Ikeda started when people started growing grapes that are suitable for the cold weather. Thus, you can spend your autumn trip and enjoy local fare at the event, which offers all-you-can-drink wine, okachi beef, beef sausage, beef hamburger steak, Chan-Chan Yaki and local potatoes boiled in a giant pot, although these are limited in quantity.

Sapporo Autumn Festival
Photo Credit: sapporo.travel

Besides that, Sapporo Autumn Fest is held during the autumn season in order to showcases the richness of food production around Hokkaido and its capital city Sapporo. The main venue for this festival is Odori Park where agricultural and livestock products, processed foods, wine and sake, and other items from all over Hokkaido are served.

4. Fruit picking

Fields of seasonal fruits ready for picking
Photo Credit: takarajima-travel.com

Fruit Picking in Fruit Orchard

The fall season also offers ripe harvests and fruit picking, with apples, pears, plums and chestnuts available across Hokkaido. Orchards in central Hokkaido (most notably Yoichi and Niki) as well as southern and northern Hokkaido allow visitors to pick and eat fruit straight from the trees. 

5. Horseback riding

Horseback Riding in Sapporo
Photo Credit: Hokkaido Treasure Island Travel

Horseback riding is a popular activity in every season in Hokkaido as it is the largest horse producing area in Japan and has many facilities for horseback riding. These facilities offer visitors opportunities to enjoy riding in varied landscapes, such as beaches, hills, forests, fields, rivers and even snow-packed terrain. The horses are gentle, well-cared for and suitable for all riding levels. Rides can last from 30 minutes to all day.

Horseback Riding around Kushiro Marsh
Photo Credit: The Mixxer

There are few destinations for horseback riding: ​Frontier Horse Riding Club (Ishikari), Sonny's Stable (Onuma Nat'l Park), Furano Mountain View Farm (Furano), and Gensei Bokujo Kanko Center (Abashiri)​​. Horseback riding is a great activity to include in your tour at any time of year.  

5. Summer Activities in Hokkaido: July to September

You may start your journey to Hokkaido any time of year, but it is the best to if you can visit it the summer months. No matter where you come from, you would be delighted experiencing a wide range of fun summer activities on the island. Moreover, its diverse and breath-taking landscape, fascinating summer festivals, attractive hiking trails, the mystic of flower fields, beautiful hot spring and so on will sure made your days wonderful during your trip in summer. In Hokkaido, unlike Tokyo, even it is summer season but the weather is still cool and is hardly to experience a hot and humid weather. In this post, I will share some summer activities that all tourists should never missed!

1. Discover the colourful Flower Fields and Gardens

Farm Tomita, Furano
Photo Credit: Ikidane Nippon

Visiting Hokkaido’s most popular flower fields are definitely a good starting point of your journey during summer time. When people think of uncovering the mystic beauty of various kinds of summer flowers in Japan, they first think of Hokkaido. Indeed! Summer season (Mid-July) is absolutely the best time to enjoy flower viewing in Hokkaido. One of the popular places to witness the scenery is at Farm Tomita, Furano and Biei area. These two areas are where the flowers grow in great abundance with superb rainbow flower fields.

Lavender Fields at Farm Tomita
Photo Credit: Ikidane Nippon

Expansive purple fields are also a signature landscape of Hokkaido in summer. Lavender flower reach its peak from mid- to late July. Lavender goods, including potpourri, aromatic oils and herbal tea, are popular with visitors.

Hokuryu Sunflowers
Photo Credit: jp.zekkeijapan.com

What is more, you will experience a great joy and satisfaction during the Hokuryu Sunflower Festival. Hokuryu, which located in northern Hokkaido, is known for its 1.3 million sunflowers blooming on 23 hectares of hillside from late July to early August, when they are at their best. You can either rent a bike or hop on the touring car to travel around the sunflower fields in Hokuryu. There is a sunflower maze which is also not to be missed by tourists.

2. Join the Summer Festivals

Sapporo Summer Festival
Photo Credit: Sapporo Travel

Every year, Hokkaido organise plenty of festivals & events to celebrate and enjoy in the summer season. As the summer season in Hokkaido is short, most of the festivals are held in outdoors to enjoy the warm weather. The locals are so much enjoying the festivals. Some of them wears colourful outfits, join the parade, together they dance, and increase the feeling of excitement of the spectators. You can join in the dancing and make your trip full of excitement too!

Sapporo Beer Garden
Photo Credit: KRMR

​One of the famous summer festivals in Hokkaido is Sapporo Odori Beer Gardens. The beer gardens are stretched for 12 city blocks along Odori Park, with hundreds of types of beer from dozens of breweries represented. There are over 13,000 seats and great food stalls for the locals and tourists to taste the delicious beer and foods.

Firework Display at Kachimai
Photo Credit: Must-see-japan

Besides, if you are interested to firework viewing, summertime in Hokkaido is also a fireworks festival season. The largest fireworks festival in Hokkaido is held in Kachimai, where 20,000 fireworks of all kinds blaze the night sky. There are few more popular festivals in summer season. For example, Hokkaido Shrine Festival, Sapporo Summer Festival, Shiretoko-Shari Neputa Festival, Yosakoi Soran Festival, and Hokkai Heso Festival. Thus, make sure you don’t miss it!

3. Explore summer Wildlife & Zoo

Polar Bear at Asahiyama Zoo
Photo Credit:  Club Tourism YOKOSO Japan Tour 

Penguin at Asahiyama Zoo
Photo Credit: pop japan

Summer is the best time to witness the wildlife in Hokkaido. You will have the chance to see endangered species of animals such as Polar bears, Brown bears, Orca whales, dolphins, seals, red panda, cranes, big cats and etc. The best recommendation for wildlife viewing is Asahiyama Zoo, the best Zoo in Hokkaido. According to Asahiyama Zoo, it has more than 800 animals of 150 species.

Whale watching during summertime
Photo Credit: japanbook.net

Moreover, you can also sit the cruise ships from Abashiri, Rausu and Nemuro to observe the marine life in the Sea of Okhotsk in the month of May. Additionally, sightings of dolphins, killer whales, seals and even on-shore brown bears on Shiretoko Peninsula become more and more likely in the summer months. If you're not lucky enough to spot wildlife during your tour, Hokkaido has some fantastic zoos and aquariums where you can quickly become acquainted with the island's local fauna.

4. Experience the beautiful surroundings by joining cycling tour.

Cycling around Furano
Photo Credit: Furano Tourism

You can have one of your most memorable days in your life just by enjoying a pleasant bike ride through beautiful surroundings to see a different side of Hokkaido. It has smooth roads with very little traffic, and spectacular scenery everywhere you go.

Both in Furano and Biei area are well-known with the flower fields and gently rolling hills. The joy of riding bike and experience the summer atmosphere either in Biei or Furano area will make you feel want to come back over and over again. There is an exclusive guided cycling tour program operated by Guided Cycling Tour Biei. Their dedicated team members know all the hotspots to make your cycling-tour a great adventure.

Furano Biei Tourism Centre
Photo Credit: Furano Tourism

5. See the slight of Lakes

Lake Shikotsuko
Photo Credit: 我趣旅行网

Hokkaido is known for its unspoiled nature and diverse wildlife. It attracts millions of outdoor explorers who know the perfect way to admire its cool & tranquil nature. Most of the lakes located throughout Hokkaido are incredible to visit. Summer is an ideal time to visit them as the weather turns out to be just fine, while you have a great opportunity not just to gaze at the crystal clear surface of the lakes but also enjoy the natural surroundings.

Lake Toya
Photo Credit: Japan Tour

Hokkaido showcases some of the coolest lakes in the world such as Lake Shikotsuko, Lake Toya, Shiretoko Five Lakes, Lake Mashu, Lake Akan, and Lake Kussharo. All of these lakes are abundant in diverse nature and wildlife! In search of the most beautiful caldera lake in Japan, you head towards Lake Akan, located in Akan National Park.

4. Spring Activities in Hokkaido: April to June

Spring represents the season of rebirth in Japan. Spring usually takes place from April to June. At this moment where Hanami arrives, many regions of Japan will get crowded with foreign tourists to witness the beautiful of cherry blossom. In Hokkaido, winter snow and ice melt from the city streets, rolling farmland and snow-laden mountains, new shoots take their place in multi-hued greens. If you think only summer and winter seasons offer plenty of things to do in Hokkaido, you are wrong! There is a large variety of activities you can do in Hokkaido during spring time. This post would sure make you fall in love with Hokkaido’s spring beauty.

1.    Witness the beauty of Pink Moss 

Pink Moss at Shibazakura
Photo Credit: Tabijikan website

Moss carpeted pink in their peak season
Photo Credit: TripZilla.sg

Pink Moss is a ground-hugging plant with small flowers similar to cherry blossoms. In the early of May to early June, the hillside will gets covered with countless pink moss. You will see a vast flower fields with the moss carpeted pink when they reach their peak season. The eastern Hokkaido towns of Ozora and Takinoue are well known for their pink moss flower blossom. The locals of Takinoue celebrate the Shibazakura festival during the peak season of pink moss which is the most popular photogenic spots in Hokkaido.

      2. View the epic Rape Blossoms 

Japan’s largest area of rape fields is located at central Hokkaido, in the city called Takikawa. There are about 60 canola flower fields in Takikawa city and is in full bloom from late May to early June. You can enjoy scenery of the canola flower in Ebeotsu district (江部乙地区) like typical Hokkaido scenery. An observatory deck is built for tourists to look over the canola flower field from the top.

Rape Blossom at Takikawa
Photo Credit: Good! Hokkaido!

Takikawa Canola Flower Festival (滝川菜の花祭) is held while canola flowers are blossoming. In addition to admiring the canola flowers at the main venue of Ebeotsu district, there are stands and a stage at Maruka Heightland (丸加高原). At that place, many entertainments are performed. Admission and the parking lot are free of charge. Portable restrooms are established too. The yellow canola flowers and the blue sky will sure take your breath away.

 Observatory Deck at Takikawa
Photo Credit: Good! Hokkaido!

The Pathway to view the rape blossom
Photo Credit: Good! Hokkaido!

3. Experience the mystic of Cherry blossoms 

Due to geographical location, Hokkaido welcomes hanami (sakura viewing) bit later than other parts of Japan. Shizunai Nijukken Road in Shinhidaka Town, central Hokkaido, is said to have one of the longest rows of cherry blossom trees in Japan. Approximately 3,000 trees are in full bloom along the straight 7-kilometer-long road from early to mid-May.

Hanami in Shizunai Nijukken
Photo Credit: Pam, Inc.

In the early of May, the popular Hanami sightseeing spots such as Hakodate, Matsumae, Sapporo and Asahikawa will have their gorgeous Sakura Hanami Festivals. You can spend your time picnic or BBQ alongside locals to celebrate the joys of spring.

Cherry Blossom Trees in Shizunai Nijukken
Photo Credit: JapanPhotoTrip

Cherry Bloosom
Photo Credit: GaiJinPot

        4.   Celebrate Sapporo Lilac Festival

Started in 1959, the Sapporo Lilac Festival is eagerly awaited by Sapporo's residents. As the official tree of Sapporo, the lilac is held in high esteem. There are two locations which celebrate this festival; they are Odori Park in Sapporo and Kawashimo Park in Shiroishi-ku from May 17-28, 2017, when lilac blossoms are at their best. 

Lilac blossoms in Sapporo
Photo Credit: Sapporo Travel website

In Odori Park, it has its beautiful walking paths which you can enjoy drinking a bowl of whipped powdered green tea or listening to live music while viewing around 400 lilac trees in full bloom. Besides that, you can also join their photo contest, various workshops, taste wine and have delicious street food form the food carts. While in Kawashimo Park, there are about 1700 lilac trees of 200 different kinds. It is very relaxing when you take a stroll around the park and view such a large number of lilacs in a single place.

Sapporo Lilac Festival in Odori Park
Photo Credit: DoHokkaido website

Liliac trees in Kawashimo Park
Photo Credit: Sapporo Travel website

       5. Involve in Adventure Activities

Hokkaido contains many lakes, wetlands, rivers and other natural resources. It offers opportunities to enjoy canoeing in beautiful natural surroundings. Furthermore, in the end of winter and arrival of spring signals the start of the whitewater rafting season in Hokkaido. Rivers swell with large amounts of melting snow that raise water levels to create fantastic rapids. The locations that offer whitewater rafting and canoeing are Toyohira River outside Sapporo, Chubetsu River outside Asahikawa, Mukawa and Saru Rivers in Hidaka etc.

Canoeing during Spring season
Photo Credit: Flickr

Whitewater Rafting activity
Photo Credit: Outdoor Japan Website

If you love to hike and trek, Hokkaido is the best place for you to experience it as it owns plenty of mountains. As Hokkaido has a low population density compare to the rest of Japan, you can have sufficient trails, campsites and mountain accommodation. The central Hokkaido’s mountains are the most popular hikes among the mountains in other states of Hokkaido. One of the well-known hiking destination is Mt. Yotei, or "Fuji of the North", which towers impressively over the farmlands of the Niseko area. Hikers can enjoy the landscapes, flowers, trees, gentle forest aromas and birdsong of Hokkaido, while trekking through the field and mountain.

Central Hokkaido: Most Popular Hikes
Photo Credit: Hokkaido Nature Tour

Hiking and trekking in Hokkaido
Photo Credit: Walk Japan website