Luxury Tailor-Made Japan Holidays Hokkaido 2024 & 2025
Snow and Hot Springs
Hokkaido is Japan's northernmost island and is full on natural wonders and cultural delights. Famous for its vast wilderness, Hokkaido offers breath-taking landscapes from snow-capped mountainsto lush forests and crystal-clear lakes.
If you enjoy outdoor activities, then you can visit Hokkaido year-round to ski, snowboard, hike and bath in hot springs. Hokkaido is also known for its rich culinary scene from fresh seafood to succulent Hokkaido beef.
Beyond the natural beauty and tasty food, Hokkaido is home to vibrant cities like Sapporo, known for its dynamic nightlife and the annual Sapporo Snow Festival!
Whether you're seeking adventure in the great outdoors, or wanting a taste of authentic Japanese culture, Hokkaido is the place for you.
Tell us more about your Japan travel plans, and we'll create a tailor-made holiday, just for you.
Things to do and see in Hokkaido
Furano
Furano is a picturesque town famous for its lovely landscapes and vibrant flower gardens. In the summer, Furano's lavender fields and rolling hills come alive with colours. In the winter months, Furano is a paradise if you love winter sports, with world-class skiing and snowboarding down powdery slopes. There are also opportunities for mountain biking, canyoning and rafting in the province, so there are plenty of reasons to visit.
As you stroll through the streets of Furano with its charming atmosphere, you'll find cosy cafes, artisan shops and traditional Japanese architecture. You can immerse yourself in the local culture by attending festivals, like the Furano Lavender Festival, or experiencing the warm Japanese hospitality in welcoming ryokans.
Hokkaido Nature Trail
This is one for the adventurers! The Hokkaido Nature Trail stretches to an incredible 2849 miles and you'll be passing through forests, across wet lands, up incredible volcanoes, past steaming vents and onto high plateaus with panoramic views.
Summer in Hokkaido is the perfect time to trek through this trail as the temperatures are mild and the scenery is simply stunning. Its also a great time to see the flora and fauna special to Hokkaido, as well as wildlife such as foxes, deer, eagles and aquatic birds.
You can take a guided hike through the Hokkaido Nature Trail, which is a 10 day tour, stopping off at mountainside lodges or hotels which all have their own hot springs.
Sapporo
Sapporo is the capital of Hokkaido and is famous for beer, skiing and of course, the Sapporo Snow Festival, held every February. Every year the city is transformed into a winter wonderland with over 250 snow and ice sculptures; this festival alone brings visitors from all over the world.
Even though you can visit Sapporo at anytime of the year, winter is the most popular with life going on as normal depsite the large amount of snowfall. You can visit the Sapporp TV Tower to see the entire city from up high, or head to Sapporo Beer Garden to enjoy a local beer and Genghis Khan, a famous local lamb dish!
In the downtown area of Susukino you'll find unique little bars, restaurants where you can eat miso ramen, and independent shops where you can chat with the locals.
Otaru
Just 30 minutes from Sapporo by train, Otaru is a quaint port city dotted with canals, old warehouses, sushi bars and sake distilleries. When visiting you will feel like you've stepped back in time as it has been beautifully preserved.
Otaru is the perfect destination to go on snorkelling and kayaking trips to uncover the magival Blue Cave and the Otaru Caves; if you're lucky, you'll see sea lions too!
Unlike Sapporo, Otaru is known for its whiskey and is home to the Nikka Whiskey Distillery in Yoichi Town, built in 1934 and is open to visitors.
The canal makes for a pleasant stroll during the day, with artists showcasing their work and the romantic, old fashioned lamps guiding the way in the evenings.
Unkai Terrace
For a more of a surreal experience, we recommend taking a 13 minute gondola ride up to the Unkai Terrace at dawn to witness the incredible sea of clouds and the mesmerising sun rise.
The terrace is perched at 1,088m above sea-level and, whether permitting, you can watch the clouds roll in over the mountains created by trade winds. Its like watching water swirl around while being lit up by the most amazing colours from the sun.
You can simply sit and observe this spectacle at the cloud bar, grab a coffee at the Kumo cafe, or lay on the cloud pool - a hammock-like structure for a unique experience.
Blue Pond in Biei
The Blue Pond in Biei was actually created artificially as a by-product of creating a dam at the Biei River and is relatively a new tourist spot. Its brilliant blue colour changes depending on the different weather conditions from a milky blue to a deep green turquoise, making it feel like it shouldn't belong on Earth!
The pond gets its water from the nearby Shirahige Falls where the water mixes with aluminium from the cliffs above. Once the water settles, it reflects the most gorgeous blue hue.
The water is full of bare Japanese larch trees half-submerged, creating an eerie but enchanting feel.
Hakone Jomon Musuem
This list would not be complete without mentioning the Jomon Museum Culture Centre in Hakodate. Here, you will learn about the rich and complex history of Hokkaido, including the first arrival of man in this part of the world!
You can explore the different customs and traditions of the ancestral people via artefacts and guides around the museum. Some of the artefacts on display were found near the museum, including the clay Dogu statuette, which has a very particular shape.
Top of this visit by heading to the Tropical Botanical Garden to watch the monkeys taking a dip in their very own hot spring!
Our Favourite Hotels in Hokkaido
Hotel Sosei Sapporo
Higashiyama Niseko Village
Zaborin Ryokan
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Interested in booking a tailor-made holiday to Japan or have any other questions? Give us a call on 01442 617777 or fill out our contact form below.