Hokkaido, located in the northern part of Japan, is the biggest prefecture in Japan. The Whole area is covered by heavy snow during winter, so it is also a perfect paradise for ski lovers. Not only winter sports, you can also plan a road trip in spring or summer time, enjoying amazing view of nature beauty on this wild wide land. Here are 10-things-you-don't-wanna-miss when traveling in Hokkaido, let's check them out!
Asahiyama Zoo
Impressive for its various methods to charm visitors with the animals’ lifestyles and conduct
Asahiyama Zoo is not just limited to the animals but also covers the natural ecologies that thrive there. There have been particular efforts given to breeding in the cold regions, and the zoo has been successful in the natural reproduction of animals such as polar bears.
Displays that have become famous overnight Currently visited by over 3 million people annually, Asahikawa Zoo has naturally been popular with the Japanese but has also attracted overseas tourists. In the 1990s, annual visits had dropped to 200,000 people, but through various tactics to be able to view the animals up close and have them live in their own environments, it progressed to the point of becoming Japan’s No. 1 zoo. As a good example in recreating different regions, it is a zoo that has gotten attention from the rest of the nati...
Business hours
- Everyday (9:30 AM ~ 3:30 PM )
Please check the homepage for opening schedule
Phone
0166-36-1104
Price
- Adult: 820 JPY
Website
www5.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp
Mt. Hakodate
The 3 Michelin Star night view of Hakodate has a beauty that is a must-see
From Mt. Hakodate, you can get a panoramic view of the city of Hakodate below. In front of your very eyes, the wide Hakodate Bay and the Tsugaru Strait spread out. The expressions change with the seasons but it is especially the night view that has an overwhelming beauty.
Also enjoy the view on the ropeway There are many ways to get up to the peak. Mt. Hakodate has an altitude of 334m, and because there are paths available to get up the mountain, you can climb up there in a little under 1 hour. For example, there are gentle walking trails. You can also try recommended routes to reach the peak while feeling the nature of Mt. Hakodate. As well, there are tour buses and a direct bus from JR Hakodate Station to the peak, but a ride to the top on the ropeway via a large gondola is wonderful. The gondola holds 125 p...
Price
- Adult: 660 JPY
- Child: 330 JPY
Admission is required when using the ropeway to get up the mountain.
Website
www.334.co.jp
Lake Mashū
A beautiful crater lake in Mashū Blue whose clarity is the highest in Japan
The beautiful scene of volcano, forest and lake enjoyed in Hokkaido’s Teshikagacho District. The crater lake of Lake Mashū has also been chosen as a heritage site for the prefecture, and the surrounding area can also be enjoyed for its onsen villages.
A grand landscape born from nature Lake Mashū has a depth of up to 200 meters and is a crater lake which boasts a clarity that is one of the highest in the world. A crater lake is formed when the crater part of a volcano collapses into itself, and since there are no rivers and few impurities to flow into it, the lake water that is conserved there has a high transparency. It is a lake whose surface changes expression with the season and the daily weather. It is also a lake which is often foggy to the point that it is referred to as Foggy Lake...
Price
- Free
Website
en.wikipedia.org
Ningle Terrace
A shopping area whose log houses produce a warm atmosphere
Located in the forest of the New Furano Prince Hotel, it’s an area where you can enjoy shopping in the middle of nature. Its craft shops and cafes have become famous so that it has even been used for filming on TV.
A shopping area of a string of log houses Hokkaido’s Furano is a city of sights to see from the lavender in summer to the skiing in winter, and Ningle Terrace is a shopping area located in a forest next to the New Furano Prince Hotel. “Ningle” refers to a 15cm-tall character known as The Wise Man of the Forest in a book of the same title written by So Kuramoto, famous for the popular drama “Kita no Kuni kara” (From the North Country), and the shopping area was created based on the writer’s ideas. The craf...
Business hours
- Everyday (12:00 PM ~ 8:30 PM )
Niseko Village Ski Resort
Enjoy sports, shopping and cuisine as you enjoy nature on Mt. Niseko Annupuri
The super popular ski resort will satisfy even the most advanced of skiers. The high-quality powder snow is the selling point. In 2014, a shopping area reminiscent of an old Japanese town was also opened.
It’s not just about skiing! You can enjoy a variety of activities Mt. Niseko Annupuri at Hokkaido’s Niseko. The lovely natural scene that spreads out there is especially full of winter sports, and during that season, many tourists visit so that they can enjoy skiing and snowboarding. Among the numerous ski resorts on Annupuri, the Niseko Village Ski Resort has a lot of slopes with a high degree of difficulty so that the advanced skiers can enjoy them to their hearts’ content. Furthermore, besides skiing and snowboarding, a...
Phone
0136-44-2211
Price
8-hour lift ticket (for all mountains in Niseko) Adults: 5600 yen Children: 3100 yen
1-day ticket Adults: 5000 yen Children: 3100 yen
（Peak season 12/13-3/22）
1-day ticket Adults: 4600 yen Children: 2850 yen
（Off season 12/1-12/12, 3/23-4/7）
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Website
www.niseko-village.com
Hokkaido Shrine
Also known as a famous site for cherry blossoms, the shrine is alive with hatsumode visitors during the New Year’s holidays
Hokkaido Shrine has looked after Hokkaido since the days of its development. On its grounds which are lush in nature, wild animals such as the Hokkaido squirrel can be seen. The beauty of the spring cherry blossoms and plum flowers is also something that cannot be missed.
A shrine that has accompanied Hokkaido’s long history Hokkaido Shrine had its origins from 1869 when Emperor Meiji ordered the enshrining of three deities for the reclamation of Hokkaido. At the time, the land that had been known as Ezo became the prefecture of Hokkaido, and from the very beginning of it becoming Japanese territory, the citizens of the prefecture have embraced the shrine. On its 180,000 square-meter grounds filled with history, there are many cherry trees planted there, and with the coming of spring, the intensely bea...
Business hours
- Everyday (7:00 AM ~ 4:00 PM )
2/1～2/14 7:00am～4:00pm
2/15～3/31 7:00am～4:30pm
4/1～10/15 6:00am～5:00pm
10/16～10/31 6:00am～4:30pm
11/1～12/31 7:00am～4:00pm
Phone
011-611-0261
Price
New Year’s Day 0:00am～7:00pm
Jan. 2nd-3rd 6:00am～6:00pm
Jan. 4th-7th 6:00am～4:00pm
Jan. 8th-31st 7:00am～4:00pm
The above opening times apply to the New Year’s season.
Website
www.hokkaidojingu.or.jp
Sapporo Snow Festival
A snow festival featuring snow statues and illumination centering around Odori Avenue in Sapporo
One of the largest events in Hokkaido for which more than 2 million people visit annually. Plenty of events where you can encounter huge snow and ice sculptures only to be found in an environment rich in snow.
The Odori Avenue venue The Sapporo Snow Festival takes place mainly at 3 venues, and the events held there can vary depending on the venue. First, the most well-known part of the festival which involves the gigantic snow and ice sculptures is held on Odori Avenue. This is the main venue for the snow festival. Spanning from Odori Avenue Nishi Itchome to Juu-Nichome, there are snow sculptures so large that you have to look up, as well as citizen-made sculptures all over that are small and cute. There are also interactive events such as a snow...
Price
- Free
Varies according to the event
Website
www.snowfes.com
Biei Hills
There is no doubt about the impressiveness of the horizon and the hills that go off everywhere
The town of Biei in Hokkaido is famous as a town of hills which has been used in commercials and televised dramas. The epic landscape just spreads out and it feels as if you are standing in the middle of a painting.
Patchwork Road The hills of Biei in Hokkaido are characterized by a wealth of agriculture. It is especially the farmscapes on these hills that make it the No. 1 tourist spot for Biei. Forests were cleared to create the farmlands of today which led to the grand hills that can be seen today. Biei, which is located at the foot of the Daisetsuzan Tokachidake Mountain Range, is filled with crops that differ from season to season especially to prevent repeated cultivation so the hills take on different colors resembling a patchwork. For that reason...
Phone
0166-92-4378
Website
www.biei-hokkaido.jp
Abashiri Prison Museum
An outdoor museum to learn about the history of the reclamation of Hokkaido and the prisoners who lived there
Part of the buildings that had actually been used during the Meiji Era has been preserved and opened as a museum. Carvings of the prisoners of the time have been left, and there is a fascinating air to the place.
Learn about the prison during the development of Hokkaido The reclamation of the huge area of Hokkaido occurred during the Meiji Era. It was a time when many hands were needed, so prisoners were also used as a labor force. Abashiri Prison Museum is known as a valuable facility where you can get a glimpse of prisoners working off their sentences through their contributions to the development during this age and their lifestyles. As Japan’s only prison museum, tableware and historical goods that were used in the relocated barracks dur...
Business hours
- Everyday (9:00 AM ~ 5:00 PM )
April-October 8:00am-6:00pm
November-March 9:00am-5:00pm
Phone
0152-45-2411
Price
- Adult: 1080 JPY
- Child: 540 JPY
Website
www.kangoku.jp
Otaru Canal
Recommended for the night lighting which brings a warm atmosphere
Active as the gateway into a developing Hokkaido from 1923, even now, facilities like restaurants have been revived in their original form. Otaru Canal is also known as the venue for the Snow Light Path Festival.
You can feel the atmosphere of a trip back through time During the age of Hokkaido’s development, ships being able to make deliveries directly to the warehouses began with Otaru Canal. Built from offshore reclamation, the canal makes a gentle curve with a total length of 1140m. The former waterway was halved, and currently, it is now a walking path and boulevard garden. In the surrounding area, there is Canal Plaza with stores where you can purchase special products of Otaru, and facilities such as the Otaru Civic Museum. Also, you ca...
Price
- Free
Website
translate.google.co.jp
