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Quick facts
- Region: Hokkaido
- Capital: Sapporo
- Population: 5.0 million
- Climate: Hokkaido (subarctic)
- Cherry blossom (average): 1 May
- No. 1 in Japan: Japan's largest prefecture and its food basket — 22% of the national land area. No. 1 producer of wheat, potatoes, sugar beet, raw milk and many other farm products
⭐ Top sights
Shiretoko Peninsula
One of the densest brown-bear populations on Earth; in winter drift ice reaches the shore. Natural World Heritage.
Biei Blue Pond
Dissolved aluminium scatters light and turns the pond a glowing blue. Once an Apple wallpaper.
Sapporo Snow Festival
Every February, giant snow sculptures up to 15 m tall draw two million visitors. Some are built by the Self-Defense Forces.
Farm Tomita Lavender Fields
In July, hillsides of purple lavender — and admission is free.
Hakodate Morning Market
250 stalls by the station. Fish a live squid from the tank and eat it as sashimi on the spot, from 5 am.
Sapporo Ramen Alley
Seventeen miso-ramen shops in a Susukino alley. Miso ramen with butter and corn was born in Sapporo.
Niseko Powder Snow
Fifteen metres of snow a year and the lightest powder on Earth — 'Japow'. A world-class ski resort from December to April.
Otaru Canal
Stone warehouses line a canal completed in 1923. Gas lamps at dusk, glass crafts and a street of sushi restaurants; in February the Snow Light Path festival.
Goryokaku Fort
A star-shaped fort built in 1866. From Goryokaku Tower the star turns pink with about 1,500 cherry trees in spring. Scene of the 1869 Battle of Hakodate.
Sapporo Miso Ramen
Miso ramen was born in Sapporo around 1955: a broth of stir-fried bean sprouts and minced pork, topped Hokkaido-style with butter and corn. Ramen Alley in Susukino is where it started.
Goryokaku
A star-shaped Western-style fortress. The final battleground of the Battle of Hakodate
Noboribetsu Onsen
Nine types of spring water welling up from Jigokudani ("Hell Valley"). The "department store of hot springs"
🍲 Local food
Jingisukan (grilled lamb), Ishikari nabe, zangi
Jingisukan, lamb grilled at the table, spread thanks to postwar wool policies. Ishikari nabe is a miso hotpot of salmon and vegetables
🏮 Festivals & events
- Sapporo Snow Festival — Early February. Giant snow sculptures line Odori Park. Over 2 million visitors make it Japan's biggest winter festival
- Asahikawa Winter Festival — Early February. Colossal snow sculptures on the banks of the Ishikari River. Runs alongside the Sapporo festival, a staple of any winter Hokkaido tour
- YOSAKOI Soran Festival — Early June. Kochi's yosakoi dance meets Hokkaido's Soran Bushi folk song. Around 270 teams dance through the streets of Sapporo
- Hakodate Port Festival — August 1–5. Famous for its squid dance. Opens with a fireworks display
🌸 Flowers & autumn leaves
- Goryokaku Park — Cherry blossom · Early May. Around 1,500 trees inside the star-shaped fort. Golden Week is cherry blossom season in Hokkaido
- Matsumae Park — Cherry blossom · Late April to mid-May. 10,000 trees of 250 varieties. From early to late bloomers, a whole month of blossoms
- Autumn leaves of the Daisetsuzan range (Asahidake and Kurodake) — Autumn foliage · Mid to late September. Japan's earliest autumn colours. Rowan and alpine bearberry
- Lavender of Furano and Biei — Flowers · Mid to late July. The purple hills of Farm Tomita. Biei's rolling hills and the Patchwork Road
- Hokuryu Sunflower Village — Flowers · Late July to mid-August. 2 million sunflowers across 23 hectares. One of the largest sunflower fields in Japan
🏨 Where to stay in Hokkaido
The area around Sapporo, the capital, has the best transport links and the widest choice of hotels; a night at a hot-spring town is also worth it.
Other prefectures in the region
Frequently asked questions
What is Hokkaido famous for food-wise?
Hokkaido's best-known local dishes are Jingisukan (grilled lamb), Ishikari nabe, zangi. Jingisukan, lamb grilled at the table, spread thanks to postwar wool policies. Ishikari nabe is a miso hotpot of salmon and vegetables
What are the top sights in Hokkaido?
Top picks in Hokkaido include Shiretoko Peninsula, Biei Blue Pond, Sapporo Snow Festival, Farm Tomita Lavender Fields.
When do cherry blossoms bloom in Hokkaido?
In Hokkaido (Sapporo), Somei-yoshino cherry trees usually start blooming around 1 May, reaching full bloom about a week later.
