Hokkaido
Powder snow, lavender fields and the freshest seafood.
Japan’s northern island, more than a fifth of its land, with two seasons that matter most: deep snow from late November, and green summers with no real rainy season. We arrange the parts that are hard to arrange from abroad: the Niseko lodge and guide, the drift-ice boat, and the long transfers between.
A personal reply within one working day, from the specialist who plans your trip.
- Nights
- 5 to 7 nights: Sapporo plus one or two regions
- Best weeks
- January and February for the snow and the Snow Festival, and July for the lavender
- Getting there
- About 1 h 30 from Tokyo to New Chitose by air, then 37 min by train to Sapporo
- Distances
- Niseko about 2 h 30 by road from the airport, Furano about 2 h 35 by train from Sapporo
More than powder snow.
Hokkaido covers more than a fifth of Japan’s land. It is the homeland of the Ainu, whose culture has had a national museum and park at Upopoy since 2020, and of Shiretoko, a UNESCO natural World Heritage Site since 2005. Sapporo alone sees nearly 4.8 metres of snow a year.
Most visitors try to see Hokkaido in a long weekend. We’d rather choose one or two regions and give them time: Niseko for the snow, Furano and Biei in summer, the far east for drift ice and wildlife.
Ask someone who knows Hokkaido.
Tell us your dates and what you’d like from Hokkaido, or the one thing you need booked. The specialist who plans your trip replies within one working day.
What we arrange in Hokkaido.
Each can be booked on its own, or as part of a whole trip.
Niseko’s powder, with a guide
Four resorts share Mount Niseko-Annupuri, open for 2026–27 from 28 November to as late as 5 May. Niseko United calls its snow some of the driest, lightest powder in the world. We book the lodge, the passes and a guide.Request this →
Lavender at Furano
Farm Tomita’s lavender blooms from late June to early August, at its best in July, and entry is free. We plan an early start and the drive on to Biei’s Blue Pond.Request this →
Seafood at the source
Hokkaido lands almost all of Japan’s wild scallops, and its crab comes in by season and by coast. We book the counters, and a morning at Hakodate’s market of about 250 shops.Request this →
Drift ice and sea eagles
From late January to March, sea ice drifts down the Okhotsk coast. Icebreakers sail from Abashiri and Monbetsu, and at Utoro a guide takes you walking on the ice. We book the boat and the guide.Request this →
Also in Hokkaido:Hotels & ryokanTrain tickets & transfersSIM cards & pocket wifi
Where to stay.
Hokkaido is big, so where you stay is where you spend your days. Five bases, and who each one suits.
We book hotels and ryokan →Sapporo
Suits first visits · food lovers
Hotels around Sapporo Station, Odori and Susukino, 37 minutes by train from New Chitose, with Otaru’s canal under an hour away.
Niseko
Suits skiers · winter
Hirafu and the other villages at the foot of Mount Niseko-Annupuri, about two and a half hours from the airport by bus.
Furano and Biei
Suits summer · drivers
Farmland, flower fields and the Daisetsuzan mountains, about two and a half hours from Sapporo by train.
Hakodate
Suits history · seafood
The southern port: Goryōkaku’s star fort, completed in 1864, the hillside churches of Motomachi and the morning market. About four hours from Tokyo by Shinkansen.
Noboribetsu and Jōzankei
Suits hot springs · ryokan stays
Onsen towns for a night of hot springs: Jōzankei about an hour from Sapporo, Noboribetsu beside its steaming Hell Valley.
When to go.
Hokkaido has no real rainy season, and Sapporo gets nearly 4.8 metres of snow a year. Our pick is February: the Snow Festival in Sapporo, deep powder in Niseko, and drift ice on the Okhotsk coast.
March to May
Spring
Snow lingers into April, and cherry blossoms usually reach Sapporo in early May, a month after Tokyo. Some Niseko slopes stay open into early May.
June to August
Summer
Mild and green, with no rainy season to speak of. Lavender fills Furano from late June to early August, at its best in July.
September to November
Autumn
Japan’s first autumn colours come to Daisetsuzan in mid-September. Snow usually first falls in Sapporo in late October, and the ski resorts open in late November.
December to February
Winter
Cold and snowy. The Sapporo Snow Festival fills Odori Park, Susukino and Tsudome for a week in early February (4 to 11 February in 2027), and drift ice reaches the Okhotsk coast from late January.
| Month | Average high | Rainfall | Usual peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0 °C (31 °F) | 108 mm | |
| February | 0 °C (33 °F) | 92 mm | Snow festival |
| March | 5 °C (40 °F) | 78 mm | |
| April | 12 °C (53 °F) | 55 mm | |
| May | 18 °C (64 °F) | 56 mm | |
| June | 22 °C (71 °F) | 60 mm | |
| July | 25 °C (78 °F) | 91 mm | Lavender |
| August | 26 °C (80 °F) | 127 mm | |
| September | 23 °C (73 °F) | 142 mm | |
| October | 16 °C (62 °F) | 110 mm | |
| November | 9 °C (48 °F) | 114 mm | |
| December | 2 °C (36 °F) | 115 mm |
Pairs well with Hokkaido.
Easy to combine, with a short flight from New Chitose.
Questions about Hokkaido.
How many nights should we give Hokkaido?
Five to seven, with Sapporo and one or two regions. The distances are long, so we don’t try to see it all.
Do we need to book the drift-ice boats?
It’s recommended. The Aurora sails from Abashiri from about 20 January to 31 March, and the Garinko from Monbetsu from 15 January to 31 March 2027, each for about an hour. Ice walks at Utoro run from February, with a guide and by reservation.
Can we learn about Ainu culture?
At Upopoy, the National Ainu Museum and Park in Shiraoi, about an hour from Sapporo or 40 minutes by car from New Chitose. It’s closed on Mondays.
Can you book just one thing, like a ski guide?
Yes. Every service can be booked on its own, from one table for dinner to a guide for a morning. One booking is as welcome as a whole trip.
Book a single service →Plan your Hokkaido.
Tell us your dates and what you’d like to see and feel. We’ll send a personal quote, and change anything until it feels right.
A personal reply within one working day, from the specialist who plans your trip.