The island of Hokkaido sits at the top of the Japanese archipelago, a vast land sometimes referred to as Japan’s “nature island” or its “final frontier”. It’s stunning – wild and largely untamed, where brown bears roam in the woodlands, white-tailed eagles soar above national parks and sea otters swim off the coast.
The geography is equally spellbinding with natural hot springs and smoldering volcanoes, dense forests and belching sulphur mountains, sacred lakes and drift ice floating along the jagged northern coastline.
Having spent time in the big cities of Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima, I was keen to explore more of Japan’s wilderness and so when the opportunity arose to explore Hokkaido, I jumped at the chance. The result is this Hokkaido winter itinerary, which is the perfect introduction to this special corner of Japan.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I have been or could be if you click on a link in this post compensated via a cash payment, gift or something else of value for writing this post. See our full disclosure policy for more details. I was a guest of JTB Travel for the purpose of producing this guide.
7-day Hokkaido winter itinerary
Table of Contents
In the last 20 years or so Hokkaido has become synonymous with skiing. Home to 115 ski resorts, the island’s winter season has become popular with skiers and boarders eager to float along the region’s legendary light and fluffy powder.
But while the skiing is incredible, there are so many other winter activities to enjoy here. Not to mention the myriad cultural activities from charming coastal villages and historical monuments to the fascinating – and not well known – history of the Ainu people.
Hokkaido has been the native homeland of the indigenous Ainu people since around the 13th century; they called Hokkaido “Ainu Moshiri” (Land of the Ainu) and lived mainly along the warmer southern coastline. Their traditional ways of life included salmon fishing, bear and deer hunting, and foraging, and they would trade with people from mainland Japan.
After the Meiji Restoration and Japanese colonisation of the northernmost island, however, mainlanders started emigrating to Hokkaido and discriminatory practices were put in place. The Ainu language – purely verbal and distinct from Japanese – was outlawed, their traditional ways of life were banned and their lands repossessed.
Today, efforts are being made to preserve and promote this unique people and culture and the island is scattered with interesting initiatives aimed at keeping traditional Ainu culture alive. In 2020 the Upopoy Museum opened, dedicated to the Ainu people. It’s the first national museum in Japan to be focused on the county’s indigenous population.
The best time to visit Hokkaido
If you are reading this Hokkaido winter itinerary then it’s highly likely that you are planning to visit Japan’s northernmost island during the winter time.
Winter arrives early in Hokkaido and it’s not uncommon for snow to start falling in September in the mountains.
November is when the real snow starts to fall and January and February are peak season, particularly for skiing. We visited in mid-January, when a big storm passed through shutting off roads in and around Sapporo. Road closures are not uncommon so be aware when planning your trip, or visit with a professional tour operator such as JTB who will take care of all your transport.
The region’s most famous festival takes place during the winter months. The Sapporo Snow Festival takes place in early February and welcomes tens of thousands of visitors who come to see the fanciful ice sculptures created by sculptors from around the world.
It’s highly likely that, like me, you will fall in love with Hokkaido during your visit and will want to return. In which case, consider visiting during the spring when the cherry blossoms are in bloom or even during the summer months. While the rest of Japan swelters in the heat and humidity, Hokkaido’s temperatures hover in the low 20Cs.
Getting to and around Hokkaido
New Chitose Airport near Sapporo, is Hokkaido’s main airport with direct international flights across Asia. Regular daily flights run between New Chitose and Narita and Haneda airports in Tokyo (1hr 35mins). There are also flights to Kansai International Airport for Osaka and Kyoto (2hr 20mins).
The shinkansen, Japan’s incredible bullet train, runs from Tokyo to Hakodate, located on Hokkaido’s southern tip. A planned shinkansen to Sapporo is scheduled to open in 2030. For now, an express train connects Hakodate with Sapporo.
Local buses and trains crisscross the region making public transportation a reality if you are on a budget. Alternatively, you may choose to hire a car and driving in Hokkaido is very straightforward compared to driving in Tokyo for example!
However, if you are visiting in the middle of winter then snowfall can cause havoc on the roads. Remember that if you do want to hire a car in Japan you will need an international driving licence.
An alternative would be go work with a travel agency such as JTB who can help organise your trip, including on-the-ground transfers and guides.
Your Hokkaido Itinerary
This itinerary focuses on the southern area of Hokkaido. If you feel like adventuring further north, take a look at this post on exploring Lake Akan.
This Itinerary focuses on the following destinations:
- Biratori Town
- Shiraoi Town
- Noboribetsu
- Jozankei Onsen
- Sapporo
Day 1: Sapporo to Biratori Town
It’s highly likely that you will start your journey arriving in New Chitose Airport. Save Sapporo for the end of your trip and hit the road straight away, heading for Biratori town.
Located in southwestern Hokkaido, about an hour’s drive from the airport, Biratori sits cupped in the valley of the river valley of the Saru River, a sacred river for the indigenous Ainu people. Biratori still has the largest Ainu population in Hokkaido and is at the forefront of trying to revitalise the indigenous culture and heritage.
The region is also famous for its racehorses and a patchwork of thoroughbred horse farms pepper the plains – you’ll spot them as you drive along.
Once you arrive in town, stop for lunch at Ikoi (meaning ‘cosy’) a traditional Japanese restaurant that serves excellent yakisoba noodles as well as the wagyu beef, black pork and tomatoes for which the region is well known. If you arrive at midday you will hear a siren go off; this happens daily at both noon and 5pm to signal lunchtime and the end of the working day.
Keep a look out for Birakky painted on walls when wandering around town. Otherwise known as “Be Lucky”, this cute tomato cow / pig hybrid is the symbol of the Biratori region and combines the three things for which the area is famous: its beef, its pork and its tomatoes! It also has a lily for a tail.
Mascots – called yuru-kyara in Japanese – are everywhere in Japan. Regions, prefecture, companies all have their own mascots and many of them are incredibly kawaii (cute).
Ainu culture in Biratori
There are various places in Biratori where you can experience Ainu culture including the Historical Museum of the Saru River, the Nibutani Kotan (where you can see replicas of traditional Ainu homes) and the Kayano Shigeru Nibutani Ainu Museum.
We went instead to the Biratori Ainu Crafts and Heritage Centre Urespa. This cultural centre opened in autumn 2023 and is the best place to visit if you want to combine activities with learning about the traditional Ainu way of life. They offer a range of workshops including textile weaving, wood carving and embroidery.
The Saru River
We met our guide Atsushi Monbetsu outside the centre. Dressed in a bright orange jacket with long hair and knives hanging from his belt, he looked like a true adventurer. Mr Monbetsu led us through an Ainu prayer traditionally carried out before entering the forest, that involved creating a fire from white birch bark, sake an a ceremonial bowl and ikupasuy (Prayer Stick).
Shortly after, snowshoes on, we were led across the frozen Saru River towards the forest on the other side. At one end of the river is a Nibutani Dam, the controversial construction of which ended up being a major turning point in the Ainu people being officially recognised by the Japanese government.
Two Ainu landowners refused to sell their land to the government for the dam construction. When the government went ahead anyway, the elders sued and won. The Sapporo Supreme Court ruling was the start of the Japanese government acknowledging Ainu as indigenous people of Japan.
Today the area around the Saru River has been designated as an “Important Cultural Landscape by the Agency for Cultural Affairs” and the centre is working hard to regenerate the forest, traditionally used by the Ainu people as hunting grounds. One of the animals they are hoping to encourage to return is the Blakiston’s fish owl, the largest living species of owl and one of the highest gods in Ainu culture.
Learning to cook traditional Ainu food
That evening we joined the cheerful Misaki Kimura in the kitchen of the cultural centre where she patiently taught us how to make traditional dumplings known as shito. Made from millet flour, these dumplings are traditionally used for ceremonies.
Once the dumplings were ready, we enjoyed them for dinner alongside a generous serving of other traditional Ainu foods including venison soup (known as oahu), wild garlic served with kimchi, fresh salmon, millet rice and bear, which had been caught by Mr. Monbetsu.
This really is a unique experience and a wonderful way to learn more about the traditional Ainu way of life.
Overnight in Biratori Onsen Yukara
Our home for that evening was the Biratori Onsen Yukara, a characterful traditional Japanese ryokan (inn) with tatami flooring and futons in the rooms and an onsen open to the public.
Onsens, for the uninitiated, are natural hot spring baths, heated naturally by underground volcanic activity. Onsens are separated by sexes – no clothing or bathing suits are allowed – and are often considered a social activity; you will see friends and mothers and daughters (or fathers and sons) going to onsens together.
The onsen at this inn is delightful with a handful of pools of differing temperatures, including two outside overlooking the snowy gardens. There is also a cold pool and a sauna.
All guests at the inn are given a yukata (cotton robe) to wear to the onsen with a haori (jacket) on top. Not only can you wear these to the onsen but to breakfast as well! Incidentally, the traditional Japanese breakfasts here are excellent.
Day 2: Isabella Bird Footpath Walk & Upopoy Museum
In 1878 the British explorer Isabella Bird visited the Biratori area of Hokkaido, the first Western woman to explore beyond Hakodate. She was also the first woman fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Isabella Bird travelled on horseback, accompanied by an interpreter, and spent time in the homes of Ainu people. She documents her time in Japan, including her stint in Biratori, in her book Unbeaten Tracks in Japan.
The Isabella Bird Footpath
Today, a 15km trail, the Isabella Bird Footpath follows in her footsteps in the Biratori area, which you can explore solo or with one of the friendly and highly knowledgeable volunteer guides although you will need to be able to speak Japanese or have a translate with you.
We met our guides Noriko and Tetsa and walked a small section of the snowy signposted trail, with the dappled sunlight through the trees. There’s a wonderful Japanese word, komorebi, which means “sunlight leaking through the trees”.
The path led to the Yoshitsune Shrine (Yoshitsune Ginja), a Shinto shrine dedicated to the famous samurai Yoghistsune who lived in the 12th century. He fled to Hokkaido to escape his brother who had ordered him to be sentenced to death.
Although he’s known to have died on the mainland, countless legends about him abound, including one that he fled to Mongolia where he changed his n name to Genghis Khan.
The Yoshitsune Shrine was one reason that Isabella Bird came to Biratori, and although a landslide meant that the shrine is no longer in the original position that it was during Bird’s time, the building remains the same.
Today the shrine sits at the top of 88 steps, flanked by age-old chestnut trees. Outside is a sign detailing the unique steps, akin to a dance, that visitors need to follow for entering the shrine.
The Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park
It’s just over an hour from Biratori past snow covered fields and big red barns that resemble Fisher Price toys, to the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park in the town of Shiraoi. We met our guide, Yoko, at the entrance next to the museum mascot, Tureppon (a turep is a giant lily bulb). If you do plan to visit the museum then I highly recommend getting a guide as you will get so much more out of your visit.
The Upopoy Museum – its name is an Ainu word meaning “singing together in a large group” – is the first of its kind in Japan and the perfect place to learn more about the Ainu history, culture and its people.
Opened in the summer of 2020, the museum spreads out across a grassy space on the edge of Lake Poroto. When we visited, the frozen lake was dotted with green and orange tents belonging to ice fishermen.
The museum is divided into three different areas and an electric bus runs between them. The Cultural Exchange Hall hosts six different performances daily, often by different Ainu groups. We enjoyed a medley of songs and dances performed by Ainu men and women wearing traditional Ainu dress. They told stories about bear hunting and nature and provided a fascinating insight into this age-old culture.
At the other end of the park space, past the grassy Cikisani Square, is a small replica Ainu village known as a kotan. Several traditional houses stand here, one with potatoes fermenting outside and salmon skin drying on tall wooden racks, just as they would have done in times gone by.
Outside another home stands a bear hut; bears are believed to be sacred in Ainu culture. Traditionally, families would catch a bear as a cub and raise them as a member of the family. When it came time to sacrifice the bear, the Ainu believed that spirit of the animal would look after their community, having treated it well in life.
In one house is a rack of traditional Ainu clothes that visitors are welcome to try these on.
Nearby is a Crafts Studio where visitors can try activities like archery, embroidery and playing traditional musical instruments such as the mukkuri, a mouth harp made of bamboo and string.
At the heart of the space is the museum itself, a two-storey building home to a large Permanent Exhibition showcasing Ainu history from 30,000 years ago to present day. The displays are fascinating, covering everything from traditional dress and beliefs to hunting and trading, as well as the assimilation of the Ainu by the Japanese over the centuries.
The museum collection is so large that they rotate the displays every two months. Some of my favourites when we visited were the intricately embroidered ceremonial gowns that differed according to region as well as the everyday clothes made from sealskin and the wonderful shoes made from salmon skin.
Signs are in English and Japanese and there are some very good interactive exhibits too. On the ground floor is an excellent gift and souvenir shop.
We did not have enough time here but you can easily spend half a day or longer (the Hinna Hinna kitchen at the museum entrance is a good place to have lunch).
Overnight in Noboribetsu, Jigokudani (Hell Valley)
It’s only 30 minutes to the town of Noboribetsu, is a resort town that is one of the most famous in Hokkaido for hot springs. North of the town is Jigokudani, a hot spring resort home to a 24-acre geothermal crater filled with bubbling, belching sulphurous streams and steaming vents. Its otherworldly appearance has given it the nickname Hell Valley and it’s guarded by some fierce-looking Oni (demons).
It’s well worth taking a nighttime stroll along the boardwalk to see this fiendish landscape in the dark.
Dai-ichi Takimotokan is the oldest hot spring inn in the area. It first opened 165 years ago after a young man, Kinzo Takimoto, brought his wife to the area. She was suffering from a skin disease and they quickly found that the natural spring waters, rich in minerals, cured her. Takimoto later established the first onsen inn and today it’s one of the most famous – and popular – in the area.
Takimotokan is a big resort-like hotel with an equally large onsen open 24 hours that is one of the most famous in Japan. It’s steamy and incredibly busy but if you can find a spot in the hot pool outdoors then you will be rewarded with a truly unique onsen experience.
While I don’t traditionally choose large hotels, Takimotokan is a great option for this area for its history, its onsen and in particular for its buffet dinner which is outstanding.
Day 3: Jigokudani (Hell Valley)
We did not have time to spend an entire day here but if your schedule is flexible then I would highly recommend an additional day in this area, exploring Hell Valley by daylight and making the most of the onsen – and the incredible tempura and sashimi at the restaurant buffer – at Takimotokan.
Day 4: Jozankei
The town of Jozankei sits on the outskirts of Sapporo, roughly a two hour drive from Noboribetsu assuming that the roads are clear. A large snow storm hit dropping 104cm of snow overnight when we were visiting. Consequently, the journey took at least an hour longer.
Nevertheless, this is a really magical corner of Hokkaido where you can experience some of the region’s best winter activities. It’s a regular getaway for Sapporo local for its onsen and is also popular during the autumn season for its vivid fall foliage.
Wild Mustangs
Hokkaido and horses go hand in hand. Isabella bird travelled around Hokkaido by horseback, the Ainu are skilled horse people, horse farms scattered throughout the region and Hokkaido is also where the powerful Bamba work horse comes from.
So it was inevitable that we would spend some time in the saddle during our trip.
Wild Mustangs offers horse riding sessions throughout the year and through the snow during the winter months. Our late arrival owing to the snowstorm meant that we couldn’t do our planned walk through the forest in search of the region’s cutest bird, the shima enaga.
Nevertheless, we did get a taster, mounting our horses and following our cheerful guide Ted on a short circular walk nearby. The Wild West themed stables are great fun and so authentic-looking that they have been used as a shooting location for Japanese films.
Nono Terrace
Located within the town of Jozankei itself is Nono Terrace, where we stopped for lunch. This cafe and activity centre / adventure base opened four years ago and is run by a Tokyo native, Ume, who swapped the bright city lights for life in the mountains.
During the winter months they offer everything from winter river rafting and guided ski touring to more gentle activities such as popcorn making over an open fire and crafting a wooden bird call. We opted for baumkuchen making, a kind of spit cake originating in Germany that is cooked over an open fire.
The forecourt area, although largely covered in huge snow drifts when we were there, is home to a handful of tents with a central fire pit where we took turns making our baumkuchen and toasting ham and cheese sandwiches.
Hoheikyo Onsen
My favourite onsen during our time in Hokkaido was definitely the one at Hoheikyo. This very traditional onsen is 150 years old and is absolutely charming. Indoors, a simple row of hand showers and stool sit alongside one wall. Opposite are several hot pools of varying temperatures.
The star of the show, however, is the large open-air hot spring outside, surrounded by a magical snow covered landscape akin to something you might find in the Moomin storybooks.
Surprisingly, the onsen is also home to a curry house complete with a traditional tandoor oven but we did not have time to order a curry.
Overnight in Sapporo
We stayed in the beautiful Onsen Ryokan Yuen Sapporo in the city center. Based on a traditional Japanese ryokan, this modern hotel celebrates Japan’s past with all the contemporary comforts you might want.
Rooms are not huge but more than comfortable for a solo traveller or a couple and the breakfast was the best that we had during our time in Hokkaido.
The only slight hitch is the onsen; it’s stunning, more akin to a fancy spa than a traditional Japanese onsen but it is not large and can get very busy at certain times of the day. Time your visit right, however, and you may have the place to yourself (we found that early mornings worked best).
Day 5: Sapporo
The city of Sapporo is Japan’s fifth largest city and the capital of Hokkaido. It’s an exciting city – like Tokyo but on a smaller, more manageable, scale with buzzy restaurants, cool cafes, a unique parfait culture and lots of things to do.
Historical Village of Hokkaido
We spent our first morning in Sapporo at the Historical Village of Hokkaido on the outskirts of the city. This open-air museum was one of my favourite things to do in Sapporo.
Home to 52 buildings from around the region that were dismantled and reassembled on the museum grounds, the Historical Village of Hokkaido is a glorious step back in time and a fascinating insight into the city’s young history.
The buildings date from 1868 and the 1920s and include everything from an old inn and a sake brewery and bar to a high school for boys filled with education memorabilia and the home of a wealthy businessman who ran a herring factory.
One of the best things about the Historical Village of Hokkaido was the chance to dress up; all visitors are offered the chance to wear a either a black wool cape and bowler hat, as the men of the 19th century would have worn, or a large burgundy shawl, as seen on women of the time.
Have lunch at Toriton
Toriton is a popular chain of sushi restaurants in Sapporo where the sushi whirls around the restaurant on a conveyor belt and diners pick and choose what they would like to eat from their booth.
Only the difference being here from similar conveyor belt sushi restaurants in places like London, pictures are placed on the conveyor belt rather than sushi itself and dishes are then made to order (you can also order from the menu, displayed on an iPad). As our guide, Ken, told us, sushi dries out quickly. The food is excellent and the experience a lot of fun.
Explore Sapporo
There are lots of things to do in Sapporo. Highlights include the Sapporo Beer Museum, Odori Park in the heart of the downtown Sapporo and the Sapporo TV Tower. The latter is a great place to get views of the city; a lift whisks visitors up to the observation deck that stands 90.38 metres high offering uninterrupted views over the capital.
Have dinner in a traditional izakaya
An izakaya is a Japanese bar and restaurant that typically serves drinks and small plates for diners to share. Try ToriHachi No UoYa, an izakaya that first opened in 1963.
Our dinner here was one of my favourite meals during our time in Hokkaido, a low-lit cosy restaurant that serves stupendous food. Sit at the bar and order from the menu – we had grilled cod, handmade tofu, ankimo (steamed monkfish liver), grilled spring onions, chicken yakatori and plenty more including the regional speciality, shirako, cod sperm.
Experience Sapporo’s Parfait Culture
A good night out in Sapporo inevitably ends up in a Parfaiteria, a cross between a cosy cafe, cool ice cream store and late night drinking den. Unique to Sapporo, these parfaiteria serve fanciful and delicious parfaits, elaborate concoctions created using a medley of ingredients: ice cream, fresh fruit, meringues, jelly, jam, cocoa nibs, biscuits and so much more, and inevitably involved a theatrical element as well.
Every parfaiteria has their own signature parfait – try Parfaiteria Mil whose signature parfait has been inspired by the Hokkaido “snow fairy”, the incredibly kawaii fluffy white bird, the Shima-enaga.
Day 6: Sapporo
Today is a good day to tick off the Sapporo sights that you didn’t manage to get to yesterday. Depending on when you visit, you may catch the Sapporo Snow Festival, which typically takes place in early February.
Today is also a good time to do some shopping: stores such as Don Quijote and Hands (formerly known as Tokyo Hands) are great places to stock up on souvenirs. Don Quijote in particular is the place to go for Japanese snacks as well kawaii gifts. One Don Quijote megastore is open 24hours.
Studio Ghibli fans should head to Donguri in the PARCO shopping centre. This is the only official Ghibli shop in the city and stocks a good selection of merchandise themed around Hayao Miyazaki’s films.
Day trip to Otaru
Alternatively, you may want to take a day trip to Otaru. Trains depart regularly from Sapporo train station for the 45 minute journey to the historical fishing port on Hokkaido’s southwestern coast.
Otaru Canal is the town’s main attraction, a pretty canal area originally built in 1923 to allow small ships to transport goods to the warehouses. It’s been carefully restored and today the old warehouses house museums, shops and restaurants.
Sapporo’s Ramen Alley
No visit to Sapporo is complete without a trip to Ramen Alley, a narrow alleyway lined with buzzy ramen shops serving up delicious bowls of piping hot noodles.
Also known as Ganso Sapporo Ramen Yokocho, this popular alleyway dates to 1948 when eight ramen houses first opened. Today there are 17 to choose from, each with their own speciality.
One of the most famous is Aji no Sanpei where, in 1961, the first bowl of miso ramen was served.
Hokkaido Ice Cream
Hokkaido produces more than 50% of Japan’s milk and the region’s fresh-from-the-farm milk is the magic ingredient in its milky, rich and delicious soft serve ice cream. There are dozens of ice cream bars where you can order a cone (including at New Chitose Airport) but one of the best places in Sapporo is Milk Mura.
Sake Bar Kamada
End your evening at Sake Bar Kamada, a cosy bar owned by sake master and sommelier Takashi Kamada. The bar stocks 120 different types of sake, and they all come from Hokkaido. My person favourite was the Kitano Katsu Sake, but Kamada-san speaks perfect English so he’ll be able to guide you through the different options.
