Hokkaido in winter is a snowy wonderland. This most northernmost prefecture in Japan was the destination for a Christmas and New Year trip in 2009. With friends and their kids, we started in Sapporo and celebrated New Year in Tokyo. On the itinerary – fresh fish at the market, inner tube at the park, and just a lot of eating. And playing in the snow.
Living in Singapore, visiting Hokkaido with its beautiful wintery landscapes was such a dramatic change of scenery. The colder weather, even as it dipped below zero, was a welcome adventure. Snowfall begins in November in Sapporo. I still had some of my Canadian wardrobe though I had to add a couple of things for my trip to Hokkaido. The island of Hokkaido is also much less populated, accounting for only about 5% of Japan’s population, and the spaciousness was another thing I was looking forward to.
This trip, however, was mostly a foodie trip, an easy-to-do one with two young kids. Other activities you may consider:
- visiting the hot-tubbing Japanese macaques at Hakodate‘s Botanical Garden (they are there usually from beginning of December to Golden Week, which is April 9 to May 5). Sapporo and Hakodate are Hokkaido’s two most popular cities for tourism. Hakodate is about 3.5 hours by train south of Sapporo, Hokkaido’s biggest city.
- Sapporo Snow Festival, which ran February 4 – 11 in 2023, started in 1950 with some students and now attract millions of visitors each year.
- Niseko, a year-round resort known for its powdery snow, is located about 2 hours by car from Sapporo. Made up of four towns and village, Niseko has something for everyone. For nightlife? Hirafu. If you head east, you can enjoy a more authentic Japanese food and culture than usually found at ski destinations. Niseko Hot Spring Village is also a fantastic choice if you are into hot springs.
- Onsen and hot spring towns. There are so many in Hokkaido. From Sapporo, even for a day trip, you can consider Jozankei Onsen which is a hot spring town about an hour away.
Here’s a selection from one of the many meals. The fish is so fresh, you can enjoy it right on the dock.
Kokuei Takino Suzuran Hillside National Park
247 Takino, Minami-Ku, Sapporo 005-0862, Hokkaido
With Sapporo as our “home base”, we took a bus and train to the park for some snowshoe walking and “snow rafting”. Located about 35 minutes by car from city centre, this national government park is #1 of over 600 things to do in Sapporo, according to Trip Advisor (2023). This park is a year-round attraction with lots of activities for the whole family so I can see why it’s popular. With nearly 400 hectares, about half of it is open to the public, with various zones such as the Forest Zone.
Entrance to Kokuei Takino Suzuran Hillside National Park is free and there are lockers for rent. We rented the snowshoes and walked over to the 200-metre inner tube slide, where there were lots of colourful ones available for use. Sometimes they close this off if there isn’t enough snow.
You grab one of the free inner tubes and hike up the hill, and come barrelling down. Repeat. It was fun for both adults and kids. You can rent skis here instead. We went late during the day and the sun was already starting to set after several runs.
At other parks, you can rent snowmobiles to pull you around on a banana boat. Or you can try dog sledding at North Safari. Even with young kids in tow, getting to the park via public transportation was worth all the fun. Japanese buses and trains are user-friendly and it’s always easy to get directions, if you get lost or confused. So be sure to check it out as a family-friendly activity.
To get to the park, take bus #106 from the last station on the Green Line, Makomanai Subway, and ride all the way to the last stop. It’s about a half-hour ride.
Photos from the train from Sapporo to Tokyo …
