Best Things to Do in Hokkaido in Winter

Best Things to Do in Hokkaido in Winter

Visiting Hokkaido in winter was one of the best travel experiences I’ve had this year. So much so that it changed my perception. Whereas I used to think of winter as gray and gloomy I now associated with fun and festivities. And because it’s snow season again I wanna share with you what I believe

Are the best things to do in Hokkaido in winter. My name is Mizhelle You’re watching Tokyo Past 3 Let’s make that dream vacation of yours happen. So for this video, I divided the best things to do in Hokkaido into three: and that’s winter festivals, activities or experiences and sights.

The Saporo Snow Festival is perhaps the biggest and most known among the winter festivals in Hokkaido. It takes place around the first to second week of February and is celebrated in three sites: Odori, Susukino, and Tsudome. 大通の会場では巨大な snow sculptures are displayed and these range from grand palaces to popular anime characters.

The Susukino site is where you can find ice sculptures and while they’re relatively smaller in size they are more interactive. You can hop in an ice car and get your photo taken, for example. Finally, there’s the Tsudome site where you can find snow slides snow rafting and other activity-oriented attractions.

Because of covid prevention measures, this wasn’t available when I went but things have calmed down since so I believe it’s gonna be open again by next year. Next, we have the Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival . This one takes place in Chitose where the Hokkaido airport is at

So you can easily fit it in your schedule after arriving or maybe before your departure flight. Held from late January to February, the enchanting festival showcases snow sculptures and ice displays made from Lake Shikotsu’s clear waters. By day, the sculptures display a natural azure hue known as “Shikotsu blue”. And by night,

They are illuminated with vibrant lights creating a luminous winter wonderland. The festival offers a unique blend of natural artistry and local charm with different themes and displays each year including interactive icecapes and towering ice walls. Then we have the Sounkyo Ice Fall Festival

Which is named after the hot spring town it takes place in. It’s a bit similar to the Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival in that it features interactive displays like snow towers that you can enter and ice sculptures that you can take photos with. It”s a bit far from Sapporo

But it is accessible via bus tours. I attended the festival as part of a bus tour but I do think that the best way to experience it is probably staying at one of the hot spring hotels in the area and just visiting the festival at night

The next two festivals I will be mentioning are ones that I’ve personally not been to but would love to check out the next time I get the chance. One of those festivals is the Otaru Snow Light Path I went to Otaru during my visit to Hokkaido earlier this year

But I was too early for the festival so I missed it. Otaru as a historic port town is already charming as it is but the festival adds sparkle to its nostalgic charm with snow lanterns and light displays lining the beautiful canal. And finally, we have the Lake Shkaribetsu Kotan

Which celebrates winter with an ice village. It features igloos, ice bars, and even a snow chapel. I think it would be really a freezing experience. Very uncomfortable but I’d still love to go. Now that we’re done talking about winter festivals let’s move on to activities and experiences Ryuhyo or drift ice 日本で北海道でしか

Can only be seen in Hokkaido. These are large masses of floating ice that move with the currents. Sometimes, you can also see wildlife atop these ice flows like red foxes and seals. One of the ways to enjoy the spectacle is by boarding a cruise.

There are two main drift ice cruise ships in Hokkaido and that’s the Aurora which departs from Abashiri and the Garinko which sets sail from Monbetsu. I did ask locals which of the two ships give you a better opportunity of seeing drift ice but the answer I got was that they’re both the same

So the major differences are the locations and the sizes of the ships. Aurora is significantly bigger which means it holds more passengers. I chose the Garinko because it’s close to the Tokkari Center which is a facility designed to rehabilitate seals. You may have noticed that I’m quite obsessed with them. I don’t know.

They’re just really cute and they’re smart so I love seals. Other than drift ice cruises, you will also find tour companies that offer drift ice walks. This is something that I’ve personally not experienced but one of the tours that I saw which is linked down below will have you wear a dry suit

And then you can walk on ice floes and then also have the option to plunge in the water. Seems like a crazy idea, but I don’t know, I’m into it. And then there’s drift ice cycling where you can ride a fat bike on the snow

And zip along the coastline where you can see drift ice. One of the places you can do this is in Kitami City and if you’ve seen my Kitami City video you’d know that I joined a cycling tour when I was there. The same operator offers this drift ice cycling tour.

The name of the tour provider is Heroes Park and they kindly provided me with videos so that you can have an idea of what their tour is like. All of their information is down below. They have Insta, they have YouTube. Go check them out, they’re definitely worth your time.

Other than drift ice activities you also have the option to go ice fishing My experience was at the Barato River in Sapporo and coming from a tropical country plus having no prior experience I appreciated that the tents and other equipment were all prepared beforehand so I just focus on the fishing part.

I screamed a lot because I wasn’t used to touching live fish but boy, did I have fun. And of course we can’t talk about winter activities without mentioning snow sports. So if skiing and snowboarding are the main focus of your winter trip then it’s best that you had to Niseko.

It’s known for its world class powder snow and you’ll find that many sports enthusiasts from all over the world visit Niseko during this season. Beyond the slopes, you’ll also find onsen, nightlife, and in general, a lively apres ski culture that caters to international visitors. Lastly, let’s talk about sights.

If you’re less into moving and more into enjoying spectacular sights, then these are some of my recommendations. The Blue Pond in Biei is a year-round attraction but I’d say that it looks the most mystical during winter. The frozen pond surrounded by snow-covered trees contrasts beautifully

With the occasional hint of the pond’s unique blue hue. Otaru, as mentioned earlier, is known for its retro nostalgic charm. Even if you visit outside festival dates you’d still love walking along the canal as the snow crunches under your feet. The canal cruise runs in winter, too,

So it’s a great way to know more about the town as you leisurely enjoy the scenery. In recent years, something called “jewelry ice” has also been gaining popularity. These are clusters of ice that break away from ice floes and wash up on the shore. Apparently, when they’re hit by sunlight,

They look like fine pieces of jewelry, which is where they get their name from. You can find them at Otsu Beach in a small town called Toyokoro. And those are my recommendations. All the places and activities I mentioned are listed down below. Now I know, travel planning can be overwhelming,

So if you want to see an itinerary that you can model your trip after, go watch my winter in Hokkaido series and I’ll see you there. This has been Mizhelle for Tokyo Past 3, I’ll see you in the next video.

Planning a winter trip to Hokkaido? Watch this video for personal recommendations on what to see and do. Discover the ultimate winter wonderland in Japan as we explore Hokkaido’s breathtaking landscapes and unique activities that make it a top destination for winter enthusiasts. From the world-renowned Sapporo Snow Festival, showcasing stunning ice sculptures and snow art, to the serene beauty of the Blue Pond in Biei, illuminated in a magical winter glow, every moment in Hokkaido is a blend of awe and adventure.

00:00 Intro
00:48 Winter Festivals
03:41 Activities
06:35 Sights
07:43 Winter in Hokkaido Series

**🔖 MENTIONED IN THE VIDEO**
(Includes affiliate links)

WINTER FESTIVALS
Sapporo Snow Festival https://tokyopast3.com/sapporo-snow-festival/
Lake Shkotsu Ice Festival https://tokyopast3.com/icy-splendor-making-memories-at-the-lake-shikotsu-ice-festival/
Sounkyo Ice Fall Festival https://tokyopast3.com/hokkaido-sounkyo/
Drift Ice Cruise & Sounkyo Festival Tours: https://affiliate.klook.com/redirect?aid=32483&aff_adid=670937&k_site=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.klook.com%2Fsearch%2Fresult%2F%3Fquery%3Dsounkyo
Otaru Snow Light Path https://www.sapporo.travel/en/event/event-list/otaru-snow-light-path/
Shikaribetsu Kotan https://kotan.jp/en/introduction/

ACTIVITIES
Drift Ice Cruises https://affiliate.klook.com/redirect?aid=32483&aff_adid=791176&k_site=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.klook.com%2Fsearch%2Fresult%2F%3Fquery%3Dgarinko
Tokkari Center https://tokyopast3.com/hokkaido-tokkari-center/
Drift Ice Walk https://affiliate.klook.com/redirect?aid=32483&aff_adid=791176&k_site=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.klook.com%2Fsearch%2Fresult%2F%3Fquery%3Ddrift%2520ice%2520walk
Fat Bike Cycling @heroespark https://heroespark.info/
Ice Fishing https://affiliate.klook.com/redirect?aid=32483&aff_adid=791176&k_site=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.klook.com%2Fsearch%2Fresult%2F%3Fquery%3Dhokkaido%2520ice%2520fishing
Niseko https://nisekotourism.com/

SIGHTS

Blue Pond Biei https://affiliate.klook.com/redirect?aid=32483&aff_adid=791176&k_site=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.klook.com%2Fsearch%2Fresult%2F%3Fquery%3Dbiei%2520blue%2520pond
Otaru https://affiliate.klook.com/redirect?aid=32483&aff_adid=791176&k_site=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.klook.com%2Fsearch%2Fresult%2F%3Fquery%3Dotaru
Jewelry Ice https://en.visit-hokkaido.jp/destinations/otsu-coasts-jewelry-ice-natures-polished-gemstones

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https://youtu.be/8f6Fp7z3tTk]

📳 Japan Travel Essentials (Affiliate Links)
Pocket Wifi: https://www.japan-wireless.com/?via=tokyopast3
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JR Pass: https://affiliate.klook.com/redirect?aid=32483&aff_adid=783869&k_site=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.klook.com%2Factivity%2F1420

🗼Tokyo Past 3
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