Planning your first trip to Hokkaido can feel a little overwhelming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How many days do you need? Do you need a rental car? Which airport should you fly into? And where should you stay?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hokkaido is much larger than many first-time visitors expect, and the best way to plan your trip depends heavily on where you want to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I used to live in Hokkaido, and in this guide, I\u2019ll share some of the most important things to know before planning your first trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For a first trip to Hokkaido, 3 nights and 4 days to 4 nights and 5 days<\/strong> is a good starting point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the most important thing is not trying to see all of Hokkaido in one trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, with four days, it is relatively easy to stay in Sapporo and add a day trip to Otaru.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trying to visit Sapporo, Hakodate, Furano, and Shiretoko during the same short trip would mean spending a large amount of your vacation simply traveling between destinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Hokkaido, choosing the right area is often more important than adding an extra day to your trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For first-time visitors, combinations such as Sapporo and Otaru<\/strong>, Asahikawa, Biei and Furano<\/strong>, or Hakodate and the surrounding area<\/strong> are much easier to enjoy at a comfortable pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hokkaido offers a very different experience in each season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Spring brings cherry blossoms and fresh greenery, while summer is ideal for flower fields, scenic drives and exploring areas such as Furano and Biei.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Autumn is known for colorful foliage and seasonal food, while winter offers snow-covered landscapes, skiing, snow festivals and drift ice in eastern Hokkaido.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If this is your first visit and you want relatively easy travel conditions, late spring through autumn<\/strong> can be a good choice because you are less likely to encounter difficult winter road conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Winter is also one of the most beautiful times to visit Hokkaido, but it requires more careful planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Snow and severe weather can affect roads, trains and flights, so it is a good idea to leave some flexibility in your itinerary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It depends on where you are going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your trip mainly focuses on places such as Sapporo and Otaru, you can easily travel using trains, subways and buses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A rental car becomes much more useful when visiting rural areas such as Furano, Biei or parts of eastern Hokkaido.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So the idea that you always need a car to travel around Hokkaido is not necessarily true<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Winter is another important consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Driving on snowy or icy roads can be difficult if you do not have experience with winter driving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In that case, trains, buses and guided tours may be safer and more convenient alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many travelers automatically think of New Chitose Airport when planning a trip to Hokkaido.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, Hokkaido has several airports, and choosing the right one can save you a significant amount of travel time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Sapporo and Otaru, New Chitose Airport<\/strong> is usually the most convenient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Hakodate, Hakodate Airport<\/strong> is often the better choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Asahikawa, Biei and Furano, Asahikawa Airport<\/strong> can be very convenient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For eastern Hokkaido, airports such as Memanbetsu Airport<\/strong> and Kushiro Airport<\/strong> may make much more sense depending on your itinerary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of automatically flying into New Chitose Airport and then traveling across Hokkaido, choose an airport based on the places you actually want to visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The shorter your trip, the more important this becomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your accommodation should be chosen based on the places you plan to visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For a stay in Sapporo, areas around Sapporo Station, Odori and Susukino<\/strong> are convenient because they offer easy transportation and plenty of restaurants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you plan to rent a car, also check whether your hotel has parking and how easy it is to access by road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because distances between cities in Hokkaido can be long, staying in the same hotel for your entire trip is not always the most efficient option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In some itineraries, changing hotels as you travel can save several hours of unnecessary transportation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When choosing accommodation, think not only about the hotel itself but also about how easy it will be to reach your next destination the following day<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Food is one of the highlights of any trip to Hokkaido.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Popular choices include seafood, sushi, miso ramen, soup curry, jingisukan grilled lamb, dairy products and desserts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Different parts of Hokkaido also have their own local specialties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hakodate is famous for seafood, while Obihiro is well known for butadon<\/strong>, a bowl of rice topped with grilled pork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Researching local dishes before your trip can make exploring each destination even more enjoyable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At 55 Hokkaido, we\u2019ll also be sharing guides to Hokkaido food and drinks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the biggest mistakes first-time visitors make is underestimating the size of Hokkaido<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Places can look close together on a map but still require several hours of travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It can be tempting to fit as many destinations as possible into your itinerary, especially when you have traveled a long way to reach Hokkaido.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But in many cases, visiting fewer places gives you a much better experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Leaving time for local food, walking around town and simply enjoying the scenery can make your trip much more memorable than rushing from one attraction to another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Weather can also vary significantly between different parts of Hokkaido.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before traveling, always check the latest weather forecasts and transportation information for the specific areas you plan to visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When planning your first trip to Hokkaido, a simple way to start is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n How many days do you have? \u2192 Which area do you want to visit? \u2192 Which airport should you use? \u2192 How will you get around?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hokkaido is simply too large to experience everything in one trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of trying to see it all, choose the area that interests you most and enjoy it at a comfortable pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether you choose Sapporo and Otaru, Hakodate, Furano and Biei, or eastern Hokkaido, there is always a reason to come back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 55 Hokkaido shares practical information about travel, food, accommodation and transportation to help you enjoy Hokkaido more.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Planning your first trip to Hokkaido can feel a little overwhelming. How many days do you need? Do you need a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-plan"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hokkaido55.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hokkaido55.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hokkaido55.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hokkaido55.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hokkaido55.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.hokkaido55.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.hokkaido55.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12\/revisions\/19"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hokkaido55.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hokkaido55.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hokkaido55.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}When Is the Best Time to Visit Hokkaido?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Do You Need a Car in Hokkaido?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Which Airport Should You Use?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Where Should You Stay in Hokkaido?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Should You Eat in Hokkaido?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Common Mistakes First-Time Visitors Make<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Final Thoughts: Focus on One Area for Your First Hokkaido Trip<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n