Hokkaido Top Must Visit Spots #japan #sapporo #travel #information #otaru #furano #nature #facts
Hokkaido is a popular destination for skiing and snowboarding in winter, thanks to its abundant powder snow and top resorts like Niseko, Rusutsu and Furano. Sapporo, Hokkaido’s main city, famous for Sapporo beer, Sapporo ramen and the annual Sapporo Snow Festival. Hakodate is a traditional port with charming historical areas and gorgeous night views. Hokkaido’s mild summers provide relief from Japan’s humidity, and the perfect conditions for hiking and exploring the many National Parks. Much of Hokkaido is wild and unspoiled, with natural hot springs, volcanic lakes and unforgettable experiences. Explore the culture and traditions of the indigenous Ainu people at Lake Akan, and journey to the Shiretoko Peninsula to see free-roaming brown bears, foxes and deer.
How to reach:
Hokkaido is accessible by plane from all major airports in Japan to New Chitose Airport near Sapporo, with international flights from Shanghai and Seoul. Direct flights from Tokyo take about 90 minutes. There are also several international flights. It is possible to take the Shinkansen from Tokyo. The Japan Rail Pass can be used to travel on the Shinkansen.
Flights from Tokyo to Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport take about 90 minutes. By train, it takes around eight hours from Tokyo. Take the JR Tohoku/Hokkaido Shinkansen from Tokyo to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, then transfer to the Hokuto limited express to Sapporo. There are also some inexpensive long-distance ferries from Honshu to ports outside of Sapporo. Niigata, Oarai (Ibaraki Prefecture), Sendai, Nagoya, Maizuru (Kyoto Prefecture) and Tsuruga (Fukui Prefecture) all have ferries that go to Hokkaido.
Attractions:
Furano: is famous for its vast lavender fields. Furano’s ski resort has been the site of World Cup races.
Goryokaku Fort: Japan’s first Western-style fort, completed in 1864 for the defense of northern Japan.
Sapporo Beer Museum: was actually a sugar factory built back in 1890 before it became a beer factory and later a museum.
Niseko: is the powder snow capital of Hokkaido . As the largest resort on the island, a huge variety of terrain and facilities are available to suit all levels.
National Ainu Park: designated an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
#otaru , #sapporo