• Spring: 7°C to 16°C

  Cherry and lilac blossoms; taraba-gani (Alaskan king crab), botan-ebi (shrimp), kegani (horsehaircrab); driving, canoeing, rafting

• Summer: 18°C to 20°C

  Fields of lavender, sunflowers, melons, corn; sagittated calamari (squid), sanma (Pacific saury); trekking, driving, visiting pastures, fireworks

• Autumn: -0.9°C to 11°C

  Autumn leaves; salmon, Rishiri (left-eyed) flounder, potatoes, shishamo (smelt), shin-soba (noodles of newly cropped buckwheat); “gourmet trip” (hunting for local delicacies)

• Winter: -3°C to -0.6°C

  Skiing, snowboarding, drift ice cruising; oysters, herring, taraba-gani (Alaskan king crab), snow festival

* Temperatures are based on data from Sapporo, the prefectural capital of Hokkaido.

• Sapporo

  Central city of Hokkaido with the largest population and site of the prefectural government. The famous Yuki-matsuri (snow festival) is held here.

• Noboribetsu

  A canal city that grew prosperous as a gateway to sea routes. The old-time gas streetlights create a fantastic illuminated cityscape.

• Wakkanai

  The northernmost area of Hokkaido. Site of a bay with travel access to remote islands nearby. Also famous for fresh sea urchin.

• Furano

  Northern part of Hokkaido with soothing pastoral scenery. Splendid landscapes of seemingly endless lavender fields.

• Shiretoko

  A peninsula at the eastern tip of Hokkaido, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A well-known spot for observing drift ice and whale watching.

• Hakodate

  A bay city near the southern tip of Hokkaido. Noted for its remaining Western-style buildings and fresh kaisen-don (bowl of rice with fresh seafood).

• Kushiro

  Wilderness area of Kushiro-Shitsugen National Park and three great caldera lakes. Kushiro-Shitsugen Norokko sightseeing train runs through wetlands and flowering fields.

• Otaru

  A canal city that grew prosperous as a gateway to sea routes. The old-time gas streetlights create a fantastic illuminated cityscape.

• Tokachi

  A wide plain of grainfields and dairy farms. Popular for its soothing scenic views and local gourmet specialties using regional food favorites.

• Asahikawa

  The central region of the northern part of Hokkaido. Asahikawa is famous for its city zoo, and Asahikawa ramen with its soy-sauce-based soup is popular, too.

• Car

  If you want to fully appreciate the grandeur of the Hokkaido landscape, traveling around by car is the choice. However, since many routes may be blocked by heavy winter snowfall, car transportation is not recommended for winter trips.

• Bus

  Shuttle buses are an inexpensive, convenient way to get around between airports and main scenic spots. However, city buses provide announcements and maps in Japanese only, so you need to know your route in advance.

• Train

  Major cities in Hokkaido are connected via train services. While there are not as many trains available as in Tokyo, rail transportation is the best choice for moving around on a timely schedule and at low cost.

• Airplane

  Since Hokkaido covers an enormous area, air transportation is advantageous for a limited-time trip. Routes to Hakodate, Kushiro, Nakashibetsu, Memanbetsu, Rishiri, and Wakkanai are in service from New Chitose Airport (Sapporo).

• From Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) - 1 hour and 30 minutes
• From Chūbu Centrair International Airport - 1 hour and 40 minutes
• From Osaka International Airport (Itami Airport) - 1 hour and 50 minutes
• From New Kansai International Airport - 1 hour and 45 minutes
• From Kobe Airport Terminal - 1 hour and 50 minutes
• From Fukuoka Airport via Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) - 3 hours and 35 minutes