Hokkaido offers a wealth of places to visit when sightseeing in Hokkaido. For example, it is full of natural attractions such as beautiful Furano with its lavender blossoms and spectacular drift ice seen in Shiretoko.
The tourist cities of Sapporo and Hakodate offer many famous sights and classic sightseeing spots. In addition, with Japan's best hot spring resorts including Noboribetsu, snow festivals, and specialty gourmet events, Hokkaido offers a wide variety of attractions that can be enjoyed no matter what season you visit.
Hokkaido covers an area equivalent to one-fifth of Japan's total land area, while its population density is only about one-fourth that of Honshu. Although mountains are distributed mostly in the central part of the island, compared to the average Japanese landscape, Hokkaido is characterized by fewer mountains and more open plains. This provides Hokkaido with a different kind of space within Japan, with its vast expanses of fields and pastureland being very impressive.
This vast land feature is attributed to the fact that the Japanese did not develop the area much until about 150 years ago. Hokkaido has a cold climate, which also contributed to the relatively small number of immigrants from mainland Japan.
Furthermore, Asahikawa is known for having recorded the lowest temperature in Japan, 41.0℃ below zero, on January 25, 1902.
Hokkaido, Japan's largest and most northerly island, is an area of great natural grandeur and beauty. In addition to the World Heritage Site of Shiretoko and the drift ice of the Sea of Okhotsk, the Ramsar Convention sites of Kushiro Marsh, Lake Akan, and Onuma, Lake Mashu, which boasts some of the clearest water in the world, the lavender fields of Furano, with their purple carpets stretching as far as the eye can see, and Cape Soya, the northernmost point in Japan, will overwhelm your eyes with all the scenery you can see.
There are also a number of other lesser-known scenic spots, such as the Sea of Clouds Terrace in Tomamu, the coral grass colony at Lake Notori, the Blue Pond in Biei, the Oloron Line in summer, and the Kamuiwakka Hot Spring Falls, that make Hokkaido an annual destination for many people.
In addition, visitors can enjoy walking around Sapporo, famous for its snow festival and Susukino entertainment district, Hakodate with its Goryokaku and beautiful night views, Otaru with its romantic canals, and Asahikawa with its Asahiyama Zoo, as well as seeing life at the northern limit on remote islands such as Rishiri Island and Rebun Island.
In Hokkaido, famous for its volcanic mountains and hot springs, visitors can enjoy hot spring tours at Noboribetsu Onsen, which boasts one of the largest number of hot springs in Japan, Toyako Onsen, where the Summit was held, Jozankei Onsen, Sounkyo Onsen, and others.
History of Hokkaido
Hokkaido was called Ezo until the Middle Ages, and the culture of the indigenous Ainu people took root in the area until the Meiji Era (1868-1912). It was during the Muromachi period (1336-1573) that the Japanese, known as Wajin, began to settle in Hokkaido, and from this time onward, the Wajin and Ainu traded and fought with each other. Eventually, in the Edo period (1603-1867), the shogunate took control of Ezo, and after the Meiji era (1868-1912), Ezo was renamed "Hokkaido.
The influx of Tondenbei from the Tohoku region and their families into Hokkaido led to pioneering development and an explosion in the population. Although Hokkaido lost Sakhalin (now Sakhalin) and the Kuril Islands in the Pacific War, it hosted the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics, and Sapporo became an ordinance-designated city. And today, Hokkaido continues to grow economically, as evidenced by the opening of the Shinkansen bullet train line to full service.
Local Gourmet Food, Food Culture, and Specialties of Hokkaido
Facing the cold Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan, Hokkaido's seafood is fatty and super delicious! In addition to kaisen-don (freshly caught seafood served on top of a bowl of rice) and nigiri-zushi (hand-rolled sushi), visitors can enjoy such high-end foods as purple sea urchin, buffoon sea urchin, hairy crab, shinmaki salmon, and salmon roe, a fantastic food item, at reasonable prices.
In terms of agricultural products, Yubari is famous for its potatoes, Yubari melons, and corn eaten raw. Jaga Butter, steamed new potatoes covered with butter, is one of the most popular B-class gourmet foods in Japan.
Other famous B gourmet foods include jingisukan, lamb meat grilled together with a large amount of vegetables; Ishikari nabe, a sumptuous seafood stew; fried chicken called zangi locally; Muroran yakitori, made mainly of pork and onions; Sapporo soup curry, said to have sparked the soup curry boom; chanchanyaki in Wakkanai; molmen in Asahikawa; Tomakomai's hokki (hokki) Tomakomai's Hokki curry, Kushiro's spaghetti cutlets, and Obihiro's pork bowls are just a few of the unique local delicacies.
Sapporo miso ramen, Asahikawa soy sauce ramen, and Muroran curry ramen, which are now nationally known, are must-try items when visiting Hokkaido.
80 varieties of flowers, mainly lavender, but also poppies, cosmos, cascade grass, and other flowers in 12 flower fields, spread over gentle hills. Original lavender products such as lavender oil, perfume, and soft-serve ice cream are available....»
The zoo is located in the northernmost part of Japan, and its mission is to convey the brightness of life through "behavioral exhibits," in which the animals' natural instincts and characteristics can be seen through their vivid appearance, by drawing out their habits and behavior. In recent years, ...»
The hot springs are located in a naturally beautiful valley covered with virgin forest.Hot spring water gushes naturally from the cracks in the bedrock on the riverbanks and riverbed. The hot spring resort is located along the Toyohira River 26 km south of downtown Sapporo, less than an hour's driv...»
Moiwa, 531 meters above sea level, is located almost in the center of Sapporo City.From the summit, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the city of Sapporo, Ishikari Bay on the Sea of Japan, and Mt. In the Ainu language, the mountain is called "Inkarsibe" (a place where people always go up to ke...»
Stone warehouses built in the Meiji and Taisho eras line the canal. These former warehouses are now reused as restaurants, cafes, and souvenir stores. At night, the sight of the buildings lit up by shining gas lamps is truly fantastic. It creates a romantic mood. Along the Otaru Canal, there is a ...»
This is the only prison museum in Japan that exhibits the main buildings of the former Abashiri Prison, including the relocated cells, the prison chapel, and the government office building, and also exhibits the historical objects and equipment that have been used since the Meiji Era. In particular...»
Mount Hakodate commands a panoramic view of the city of Hakodate.The observatory at the summit of the 334-meter-high mountain is a popular spot to enjoy the magnificent panorama and beautiful night view. Together with Mt. Maya Sukuseidai in Kobe and Mt. Inasa in Nagasaki, it is one of the "Three Gr...»
Along with the night view from Mt. Hakodate, this slope is often introduced as one of Hakodate's most popular viewing spots.The road continues in a straight line from the top of the hill to the sea, with the ruins of the pier and the former Hakodate ferry Mashu-maru visible directly in front of the ...»
The magnificent Daisetsuzoku mountain range and hills provide the backdrop for a 7-hectare flower garden with an outstanding view. From spring to fall, 30 different kinds of flowers can be seen. In winter, visitors can experience ATV and snowmobile riding, and fully enjoy the charm of the hill in w...»
From the 150-meter-high Cape Chikyu Misaki Observation Deck, visitors can enjoy a breathtaking view of the contrast between the white lighthouse standing on the cliff and the marine blue of the ocean below. Cape Chikyubomisaki, with a series of 120-meter cliffs stretching approximately 14 km, is ca...»
Located northeast of Noboribetsu Onsen Hot Spring Resort, Noboribetsu Jigokudani (Noboribetsu Hell Valley) is the site of a 450-meter long explosive crater created by the eruption of Mt.Numerous fumaroles are located on the surface along the valley, and gas and hot springs are gushing out. The name...»
A garden with a factory that manufactures Rokkatei's "Marusei Butter Sandwich," a museum, and a café on a vast 100,000 square meter site. In order to realize the wildflower scenery depicted on Rokkatei's flower-patterned wrapping paper, a wetland was regenerated, and a waterfront was revived in an ...»
Fields spread out on the large undulating hills in a patchwork pattern of different colored fabrics sewn together. This fairy-tale-like landscape, reminiscent of European countryside, is called "patchwork hills. The hilly area with many roads running through it, including a wide-area farm road tha...»
The icebreaker has a large drill to break up ice floes, and its hull is tough enough to withstand the extreme cold of the sea.The ice floes float up from the side of the ship, giving the cruise a powerful experience. The two-deck Garinko II and three-deck Garinko III IMERU are in operation, with ai...»
The Blue Pond, also known as "Shirogane no Aoi Ike" (Blue Pond of Biei) or "Biei Shirogane Aoi Ike" (Blue Pond of Biei), is a popular tourist spot, known mainly to photographers for its mysterious blue water and fantastic scenery of standing dead trees. It is said that the different water component...»
The 18-km-long straight road is called "the road that leads to heaven" because the straight road stretches far into the distance and the end of the road seems to continue to the sky. With the wooden observatory "Nameless Observatory" near the top of the hill as a landmark, the view beyond the start...»
Goryokaku is one of the few Western-style castles built by the Tokugawa Shogunate at the end of the Edo period for the purpose of defending the Ezo region (present-day Hokkaido). It consists of a star-shaped structure surrounded by a water moat and one half-moon fort, inside of which buildings such...»
Mount Hakodate Ropeway connects the foot of Mount Hakodate with its summit.The ropeway can accommodate 125 passengers and reaches the summit, which is 334 meters above sea level, in about 3 minutes. The observatory at the summit is a popular spot where visitors can enjoy a magnificent panorama and ...»
The Kanamori Red Brick Warehouses flourished during the Meiji Era (1868-1912) as the volume of shipping cargo increased. For a time, the existence of these warehouses was threatened due to changes in transportation patterns, but in the late Showa period (1926-1989), they once again came into the lim...»
Also known as "Ezo Fuji" due to its beautiful silhouette similar to Mt.It is one of the 100 most famous mountains in Japan and is the symbol of Niseko. The summit of the 1,898-meter-high volcano has a crater at its summit, from which the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean can be viewed, and the 2.5...»
Hitsujigaoka Observatory is located in the hills in the southeastern part of Sapporo.Monuments related to Sapporo, including a statue of Dr. Clark, the father of the pioneering spirit, are erected on the site. Below, flocks of sheep grazing in the vast pastureland provide an idyllic view typical of...»
A ropeway runs to the top of the 533-meter-high Mt. Tengu, and the ski museum, Tengu no Yakata (Tengu Museum), and chipmunk park are located at the summit station. From the observatory at the top of the mountain, you can see Otaru City, the opposite shore of Ishikari Bay during the daytime, the Sha...»
The Sea of Clouds Terrace is located adjacent to the gondola station at the summit of Mount Tomamu (1,088 meters above sea level), about a 13-minute gondola ride from the base of the Hoshino Resort Tomamu. If you are lucky, you can see the sea of clouds that forms early in the morning during the su...»
A relaxing park of "flowers and greenery" where visitors can enjoy lavender and other seasonal flowers as a place of "comfort and relaxation....»
The church is an innovative and magnificent chapel that blends into the magnificent nature of Hokkaido and has no boundaries with nature.The church, completed in 1988, was designed by world-renowned architect Tadao Ando based on the theme of coexistence with nature. The approach through the white b...»
This safari park consists of three facilities: North Safari Sapporo where you can interact with animals, Dangerous Forest where you can see dangerous animals up close, and North Safari Adventure where you can enjoy seasonal activities....»
Otaru was called the "Wall Street of the North" from the late Meiji period to the early Showa period, and laid the foundation of Hokkaido's economic development as a distribution and financial hub. The building was constructed as a bank during Otaru's prosperous period, and exhibits and publicizes ...»
The tallest observation deck in Hokkaido is located in the JR Tower, a station building directly connected to JR Sapporo Station.From the observation deck on the 38th floor, 160 meters above ground level, visitors can enjoy a 360-degree view of the city of Sapporo spread out all around. From the so...»
Goryokaku Tower is a 107-meter-high observation tower adjacent to Goryokaku, a special historic site.The new tower, completed in 2006, has a star-shaped tower body and a pentagonal observation deck in reference to the ridge. The 90-meter observation deck offers a panoramic view of the star-shaped r...»
Noboribetsu Onsen is one of the most famous hot spring resorts in Japan, with a natural gush of 10,000 tons per day, 9 types of spring water, and 3,000 liters per minute, and is blessed with such a variety of spring qualities and abundant gush that it is called the "department store of hot springs. ...»
Yoichi's cool and humid climate, abundant water, and clean air are ideal for whisky making. Nikka Whisky Hokkaido Factory is a retro and stylish space with a quiet Scottish atmosphere in Yoichi, which has a climate similar to that of Scotland, the home of whiskey. In addition to the factory tour, ...»
The aquarium consists of the main building, which exhibits a wide variety of fish and shellfish, the Dolphin Stadium, where you can enjoy dolphin and sea lion shows, the Marine Park, where seals, walruses, sea lions, penguins, etc. are kept, and the amusement park "Otaru Shukuzu Marine Land". The m...»
The abandoned railroad line that was used to transport coal to Otaru City, where the port is located, is called the "Former JNR Temiya Line.The line opened in 1880 as part of Hokkaido's first railroad, the government-run Horonai Railway, and trains ran on it until 1985. Today, most of the tracks, c...»
The 147.2-meter-high TV tower stands at the starting point of Odori Park, which divides the central part of Sapporo into north and south. The view from the observatory, 90 meters above the ground, changes with the seasons,The panoramic 360-degree view from the observatory, 90 meters above ground, v...»
The Chocolate Factory of Ishiya Confectionery, famous for "Shiroi Koibito," looks like a beautiful Western castle. In addition to the Shiroi Koibito production line, there is a workshop where visitors can try their hand at making sweets, a collection of antiques and an exhibition on the history of ...»
Matsumae Castle was built in 1606 as Fukuyama Castle by Matsumae Keihiro, the first lord of the Matsumae domain. Although his descendants became the lords of the castle from generation to generation, the castle was under the direct control of the shogunate for 14 years from the 4th year of Bunka (18...»
The Daibutsuden, designed by world-renowned architect Tadao Ando, houses a gigantic 13.5-meter-high, 1,500-ton statue of the Great Buddha. The dome-shaped space is located under a small hill in Makomanai Takino Cemetery, and only the head of the Great Buddha can be seen sticking out of a hole in th...»
The Hakodate Magistrate's Office was a government office of the Edo Shogunate established as a base for defending the northern frontier of Japan.Initially located at the foot of Mt. Hakodate, it was relocated in 1864 after the construction of Goryokaku, a five-pointed star-shaped fort surrounded by ...»
Niseko Town is dotted with hot springs, including Goshiki Onsen, located at the western foot of the mountain overlooking Mt. The Niseko Yumeguri Pass, which can be used at any of the member facilities of Niseko Onsen-kyo, is sold throughout the year, allowing visitors to visit hot springs of differ...»
Lake Toya is the ninth largest lake in Japan and the center of Shikotsu-Toya National Park.It is an almost circular caldera lake created by a huge volcanic eruption about 110,000 years ago. There are four islands (Nakajima) formed by volcanic eruptions in Lake Toya, and Oshima, the largest island, ...»
Located in Nopporo Forest Park, this open-air museum tells the story of Hokkaido's pioneer days. In the vast 54-hectare site, historical buildings from the Meiji, Taisho, and early Showa Periods of Hokkaido's pioneer days have been relocated and restored from all over Hokkaido to recreate scenes of...»
Located in Tenninkyo in Daisetsuzan National Park, Hagoromo Falls is the highest waterfall in Hokkaido, falling in seven stages from a precipitous cliff 270 meters high. It is said that the name "Hagoromo Falls" was given to the waterfall because of its spectacular scenery and the fact that the flo...»
The brick building of the Beer Museum introduces the history and brewing process of Sapporo Beer for more than 120 years. The museum also has a tasting corner for a fee. The store sells a variety of souvenirs such as Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters goods....»
This comprehensive park was designed by the world-renowned sculptor Isamu Noguchi. The park itself is a huge campus where nature and art merge....»
The Sapporo Clock Tower was built in 1878 as a demonstration hall for Sapporo Agricultural College, the predecessor of Hokkaido University. Since then, it has been ticking away the time for about 130 years. It is designated as a National Important Cultural Property....»
The Maruyama Zoo is one of the largest zoos in Hokkaido, breeding about 160 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and 700 other animals. The zoo has a Tropical Animal Pavilion with lions and giraffes popular among children, a World Bear Pavilion exhibiting six species of bears, a Chimpanzee Pavilion...»
The main Shinto shrine of Hokkaido. Founded in 1869. The approximately 180,000 square meter grounds are famous for its cherry blossoms. In June, the Hokkaido Jingu Festival (Sapporo Festival) is held, where portable shrines and floats parade through the city to the accompaniment of musical accompan...»
Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium, where international competitions have been held and used for the Olympics.To get to the observatory, take the two-seater lift, which is also used by ski jumpers. From the starting point at an elevation of 307 meters, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city of Sapporo ...»
Built in 1908, this is a representative Western-style building and a National Important Cultural Property. The interior has the splendor of the Renaissance style and the modernity of the Meiji era. ...»
Motomachi Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic church built in 1924. The present building was constructed in 1924. ...»