Hokkaidō prefecture & Sapporo city guide
Sapporo, capital of Hokkaidō prefecture, is the coldest metropolis in Japan, famous for snow and beer
Here are our favorite times of the year to visit Sapporo city and Hokkaidō prefecture, while at the end of this page you will find an original itinerary to explore the city:
- Around February 10, during the wonderful Sapporo and Otaru Snow Festivals, with suggestive sculptures and illuminations surrounded by powder snow;
- In July to see the suggestive expanses of lavender and many other flowering plants on the hills of Furano, in the heart of Hokkaidō, while also escaping the terrible Japanese summer heat.
Festival & events in Hokkaidō and Sapporo
Chitose・Shikotsuko Hyōtō Matsuri
千歳・支笏湖氷濤祭
When: late January ~ late February
[past dates: 28/01 ~ 23/02 (2023)]
Where: at Shikotsuko Onsen, on Lake Shikotsu-ko
Ice sculptures are sculpted and lit up at night, with many different activities to do in the area, such as the ice tunnel, frozen aquarium, and ice slides for kids.
Otofuke Tokachigawa Hakuchō Matsuri
おとふけ十勝川白鳥まつり
When: late January ~ late February
[past dates: 28/01 ~ 19/02 (2023)]
Where: Tokachigaoka-kōen Park
This festival is held in honor of the swans (hakuchō in Japanese) that fly to Tokachigawa Onsen every year.
In the park, filled with snow and bright decorations, is held a show of colored cones that light up in time with the music.
Sōunkyō Hyōbaku Matsuri
層雲峡氷瀑まつり
When: end of January ~ early March
[past dates: 28/1 ~ 12/3 (2023), 29/1 ~ 13/3 (2022)]
Where: dedicated area at Sōunkyō Onsen
Ice sculptures, typical winter activities, illuminations and fireworks almost every evening.
Sapporo Yuki Matsuri
さっぽろ雪まつり
When: week around February 10
[past dates: February 4~11 (2023), 4~11 (2019), 5~12 (2018)]
Where: Ōdōri-kōen Park
Dozens of snow and ice sculptures are created and displayed along the central street of Sapporo, flanked by many festive stalls. The festival continues even after sunset thanks to the illuminations that give a second face to the sculptures.
Official website
Pic © pong_npu
Otaru Yuki Akari-no-michi
小樽雪あかりの路
When: week around February 10
[past dates: February 9~16 (2020), 8~17 (2019), 9~18 (2018)]
Where: different places in Otaru city, in particulare along the canal
The city of Otaru is adorned with lights and small snow statues creating suggestive sceneries. The main illumination areas are the Unga Kaijō and the Temiyasen Kaijō.
The Unga Kaijō area is along the Otaru canal, a romantic scenery over 300 meters long, while the other runs along the old abandoned Temiyasen railway, about half a kilometer of sculptures of snow, lanterns and festive stalls.
Monbetsu Ryūhyō Matsuri
もんべつ流氷まつり
When: 4~5 days around February 10
[past dates: February 10~12 (2023), 8~11 (2020), 8~11 (2019)]
Where: ice sculpture at the port and other events in Monbetsu
The small town of Monbetsu is known for being "the city of drift ice" as the sea surface freezes due to the extreme cold in February.
Although this is a negative event for fishing-related activities, to revitalize the region this festival has been organized from the 60s with various events, the main one being the creation of a wonderful ice sculpture that changes theme every year.
Official website | Past edition flyer
Pic © isahaya.jinja.shrine
Asahikawa Fuyu Matsuri
旭川冬まつり
When: 2nd week of February
[past dates: February 7~12 (2023), 6~11 (2020)]
Where: Tokiwa-kōen Park
Snow and ice sculpture competition, snow games, festive food and stage with performances.
Yosakoi Sōran Matsuri
よさこいソーラン祭り
When: 2nd week of June
[past dates: june 7~11 (2023), 9~13 (2021), 10~14 (2020)]
Where: Ōdōri-kōen Park
A dance competition inspired by the Yosakoi dances of Kōchi of incredible dimensions, with over 30,000 dancers and 2 million spectators every year.
To participate in the dances, the dancers of each team must be holding naruko, wooden hand clappers, and the song they dance has to contain a phrase from the Sōran Bushi, a folk song from Hokkaidō.
Ōnuma-ko Mizu Matsuri
大沼湖水祭
When: 4th weekend of July
[past dates: July 23-24 (2022), 27-28 (2019), 28-29 (2018)]
Where: Lake Ōnuma-ko, close to Nishiōshima-bashi Bridge
Festival with more than 100 years of history dedicated to all victims of water and whose main event is the floating lanterns released on the surface of the lake.
Many others events are held in the area, such as sky lanterns, stage performances, chainsaw sculptures and fireworks.
Otaru Ushio Matsuri
小樽潮祭
When: 4th weekend of July
[past dates: July 22~24 (2022), 28~30 (2019), 27~29 (2018)]
Where: dances start at Hanazono Green Road to arrive at the port
Traditional Ushio-ondo dances and fireworks show on the evening of the third day.
Hokkai Heso Matsuri
北海へそ祭り
When: 28~29 July, all years same days
Where: on Furano streets
This festival is associated with the fact that the city of Furano is the geographic center of Hokkaidō, just as the navel (heso in Japanese) is the center of the body. The festivities are held for 2 days both on the streets of the city and at various points, such as the Heso-jinja Shrine.
The peculiarity of the event is the zobara odori dance, in which a large face is drawn on the belly and the head is hidden under a large hat.
Official website
Pic © aura_tw
Hakodate Minato Matsuri
函館港まつり
When: 1~5 August, each year same days
Where: fireworks at the port and parades on the streets of Hakodate
The city's main festival to remember the victims of Hakodate who lost their lives in a major fire in 1934, featuring multiple events and performances on various days.
The first day there is a huge fireworks display at the port, while on the second and third day the Wasshoi Hakodate parades are held on the streets of the city.
Kachimai Hanabi-taikai
勝毎花火大会
When: 13 August, all years same day
Where: Tokachi-kōen Park
Show of over an hour of fireworks, lights and music along the Tokachi-gawa River.
Official website
Pic © sa0904ya
Noboribetsu Jigoku Matsuri
登別地獄祭り
When: last weekend of August
[past dates: August 26~28 (2022), 28~29 (2021), 23~25 (2019)]
Where: along Gokuraku-dōri Street and other places in Noboribetsu
Parade of the Enma float-puppet, the lord of the underworld according to Buddhism, through the streets of Noboribetsu.
Otaru Yuki Hanabi
小樽雪花火
When: third Saturday of December
[past dates: December 17 (2022), 19 (2020), 21 (2019)]
Where: Mount Tengu-yama Tenbō-dai observatory
An hour of fireworks and music, with the possibility of buying the entrance ticket in advance to reserve your seat. Alternatively, the ski resort is easily visible from anywhere in Otaru.
Best things to do in Hokkaidō and Sapporo
Sōya-misaki
宗谷岬
Sōya-misaki is the northernmost point of the island of Hokkaidō, in the city of Wakkanai. From here began (or ended) the pilgrimages of many writers who explored Japan.
The famous monument of the northernmost point of Japan is located on the promontory, although the The true northernmost point under Japanese control is a small desert island called Benten-jima 1 km further north.
Daisetsu-zan
大雪山
Daisetsu-zan is a volcanic group of peaks arranged around a 2 km wide caldera, source of number of fumaroles and natural hot springs. The area is one of the earliest fall colors locations of Japan.
Shirogane Aoi Ike
白金青い池
This blue pond is an artificial pond in Biei Town. It was created following the eruption of Mount Tokachi-dake in 1988 in order to protect the city from possible volcanic mudslides.
It seems that the deep blue color of the water results from the accidental presence of colloidal aluminum hydroxide, although this is influenced by the weather and the season.
In winter, the surface of the pond freezes and at nightfall it is illuminated, creating a suggestive scenario on the withered larches inside.
Google Maps | Official website
Pic © nyoko_o
Shikisai-no-oka
四季彩の丘
Shikisai-no-oka scenic flower gardens offer spectacular views over more than fifteen acres of land near Biei Town. It is a paradise of seasonal blooms from spring to autumn, where several dozen different species of flowers and herbs bloom.
To visit the complex comfortably, you can tour on a tractor-bus which stops at the most beautiful viewpoints from which to take pictures.
Google Maps | Official website
Pic © yuuki2178
Sapporo Biiru Hakubutsu-kan
サッポロビール博物館
The museum is dedicated to Japan's oldest beer, whose guided tour (about 4$) will explain the story that brought this beer from the Meiji era to the present day.
Hokkaidō-jingū
北海道神宮
Originally named Sapporo-jinja, this shrine is dedicated to the three Kami Ōkunitama, Ōkuninushi and Sukunahikona. These deities were related to the Hokkaidō reclamation around 1870.
Near the shrine there is the Maruyama-kōen park which, during the cherry blossom period, receives many tourists thanks to the many sakura inside.
Moiwa-yama
藻岩山
This mountain is famous for the panoramic night view of Sapporo from the observatory, reachable by car, bus and cable car. On the mountain there is also a ski resort, a destination for the citizens of Sapporo for winter sports.
Hokkaidō Kaitaku-no-mura
北海道開拓の村
This is an open-air museum of relocated and restored buildings representing the history of Hokkaidō between Meiji and Shōwa periods.
There are more than 50 buildings arranged in four groups: a town, a fishing village, a farm village and a mountain village. Inside the buildings you can see the livestyle and tools of people at the time.
Tōya-ko
洞爺湖
This is the northernmost lake in Japan that never ices, a volcanic caldera lake inside the national park Shikotsu-Tōya.
On the shores of the lake there are several small onsen towns that gets the thermal waters from the nearby Mount Usu-zan active stratovolcano.
Google Maps | Official website
Pic © k10.h8
Niseko-Annupuri
ニセコアンヌプリ
This is Japan's most popular ski area, attracting hordes of winter sports enthusiasts from all over the world to its multiple slopes and resorts.
Noboribetsu Jigoku-dani
登別地獄谷
Jigoku-dani literally means "hell valley" and the name fits perfectly as this valley is full of sulfur streams and minor volcanic activity, the main source of the nearby Noboribetsu hot spring town.
On the mountains above the valley is the Ōyunuma sulfur pond, with a water temperature of about 50°C and from which the Ōyunuma-gawa stream originates. In some points of this river, you can have a relaxing footbath surrounded by nature.
Goryōkaku
五稜郭
This five-pointed star-shaped fortress dates back to the Edo period, built by the Tokugawa shogunate to protect the Tsugaru Strait from a possible invasion by the Russian fleet.
It is one of the 100 most famous castles in Japan and is Hakodate City's favorite destination for viewing cherry blossoms. The nearby observation tower offers a wonderful view from above in every season.
Hokkaidō and Sapporo typical foods
Zangi
ザンギ
Zangi is a special frying style born in Kushiro City. It has a stronger flavor and, even if it is used with other foods, the term often refers to fried chicken.
Pic © matsumoto_maccyan
Butadon
豚丼
A specialty of Obihiro City, a bowl of rice topped with pork meat seasoned with a sweet and spicy sauce. This dish's original shop is located in front of JR Obihiro Station and is called “Ganso Butadon-no-Pancho”.
Pic © tkms0020
Sūpu Karee
スープカレー
A smooth, non-sticky soup-like curry with many seasonal vegetable and meat ingredients inside, meant to be eaten accompanied by a bowl of rice.
The recipe seems to have been created in the 70s in the city of Sapporo and then became famous throughout Hokkaidō.
Pic © gabu3871
Sapporo Rāmen
札幌ラーメン
Sapporo rāmen is one of the most famous types of rāmen in the country, characterized by the addition of miso to the soup. The typical toppings are green onions, bamboo shoots, butter and corn.
Pic © kanikama.ramen
Asahikawa Rāmen
旭川ラーメン
Asahikawa rāmen is known as one of the best soy sauce-based rāmen in Japan. The feature of this version is that lard is added to the soup, which keeps the soup from getting cold and allows you to eat it while it is still hot.
Pic © aimi.sumire
Gengisu Kan
ジンギスカン
This dish is a specialty of Hokkaidō and some other mountainous areas of northern Japan. It is composed by lamb and mutton meats grilled together with many vegetables right at the table.
Pic © tepo_kana
Hakodate Rāmen
函館ラーメン
This is the third of Hokkaidō's famous rāmens, characterized by a light salt-based soup, and the ingredients are chāshū, bamboo shoots, green onions, and spinach.
Pic © shimo.1231
Ishikari Nabe
石狩鍋
A local Hokkaidō dish born in the Ishikari region and composed of chopped salmon and vegetables simmered in a miso-based soup. Tōfu and shirataki mushrooms are often added.
Some restaurants do not serve it in the summer because it's a seasonal dish used to warm up from the cold northern climate.
Pic © 6050ruriko
Hokkaidō and Sapporo local souvenirs
Marusei Batā Sando
マルセイバターサンド
This sweet is a product of Rokkatei confectionery store, originary of Obihiro City. Now the store has tens of different stores in Hokkaidō, and along with the famous sweet Marusei Batā Sando they also sell many different freshly made Western and Japanese sweets.
Pic © kazu_0614_ronron
Shiroi Koibito
白い恋人
Another famous sweet of Hokkaidō prefecture, composed by white chocolate cream sandwiched between browned cat's tongue cookies.
Pic © run.run5
Jaga Pokkuru
じゃがポックル
A fried potato snack that has a unique crunchy texture and the perfect amount of saltiness using grilled Okhotsk salt.
Pic © yoyojoker999
Dūburu Furomāju
ドゥーブルフロマージュ
This dessert is an original recipe from the "LeTAO" pastry shop, in Otaru City. It is made up of two distinct layers of cheese of different flavors depending on the cake you choose. Over the years, this store has opened many outlets around the world.
Pic © ai.montblanc
Nibutani Ita
二風谷イタ
In the old days, Ainu men used makiri (small knives) to create these wooden carvings and present them to women when they were about to get married. Doing so, the man can be considered a wonderful man because he could do a dexterous job.
4 carving patterns are combined to create an original piece of art: Morew (soft spiral), Ayus (plant thorn) and Sik Noka (diamond eye-shaped) to create the main shapes, while the Ramram (fish scale) to fill the emply spaces.
Pic © kotankorkamuy_kewtum
Nibutani Attushi
二風谷アットゥシ
Also these textiles are related to the Ainu culture, they are made with threads made from tree barks that grow along Saru-gawa River, in Biratori Town, and dyed with natural methods.
Pic © sito_channel
Asahikawa-no-Kibori Kuma
旭川の木彫り熊
These elaborate wood carvings are typical woodworks of Asahikawa City, in the hearth of Hokkaidō. It is said to have started in 1926 when Umetaro Matsui, an Ainu, created a carved wooden bear.
Asahikawa's wood carving craftsmanship is characterized by the fact that, in addition to local bears, there are also artisans who carve furniture, door fittings, plates, log shelves and chairs.
Pic © sapporo_paris_gram
Yūkaraori
優佳良織
This is another Asahikawa's traditional craft, created by a dyeing master in 1962, that expresses the beauty of sceneries of the four seasons using different wool threads.
The three processes of dyeing, spinning, and weaving the wool are all done by hand, making each piece unique and a valuable piece of art. Common souvenirs are miscellaneous goods such as pouches, coin purses and business card holders.
Pic © kururin191
Kitaichi Garasu
北一硝子
During the Meiji era, Otaru has been a prosperous city that, among other products, produced oil lamps made with it's high quality glass, called Kitaichi Garasu.
Now glassware of all kinds is being produced, and in some stores you can also experience the glass making process by yourself.
Pic © hinok507
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