Travel-Winter in Hokkaido-4 Day Road Trip

Clear out them snorkels from your suitcase, fill it with snow gear for a magical winter in Hokkaido.

Hokkaido 4-day road trip Sapporo -> Otaru -> Niseko -> Lake Toya -> Noboribetsu

Hilton Niseko Village Hotel-view from our guest room

Day 1&2: Sapporo

Sapporo

If you are looking for the best cuisines of Hokkaido, Sapporo is your best chance.

The city is home to some of Hokkaido’s most famous dishes such as miso ramen and soup curry, as well as Japan’s oldest beer brand Sapporo Brewery.

Sample ramen from different prefectures in the Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku (Sapporo Ramen Republic) located on the10th floor of Sapporo Esta, Sapporo Station.

Visit the Sapporo Beer Museum and learn all about Sapporo Beer and its history. Sample 3 of Sapporo‘s signature beers in the tasting lounge including Sapporo Black Label, Sapporo Classic, and Kaitakushi Beer, complemented by some local Hokkaido cheese and crackers. Don’t forget to try the museum’s exclusive black beer ice-cream.

soup curry in Sapporo

Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku (Sapporo Ramen Republic)

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum beer tasting

Sapporo Beer Museum bar

You will also find many decent restaurants in Sapporo serving some of Hokkaido’s freshest hairy crabs and king crabs.

We loved the wide variety of crab dishes served at Hyosetsu restaurant (氷雪の門); however, we’ve also had better sushi than the ones served at the supposedly posh sushi house, Sushi Zen.

Hyosetsu king and hairy crab top course menu (16,904 yen & 11,330 yen/person)

If you are travelling soon, Sapporo Snow Festival will be held from Feb 5th-11^th, 2015 in Sapporo where a phenomenal amount of snow will be used to create life-size ice sculptures of famous buildings & architecture.

Day 2 afternoon: Otaru

Otaru

Otaru is a small city just 40 kilometres away from Sapporo. It is a great place to shop for Hokkaido souvenirs and specialties such as seafood, cheeses and glass art. The main street is lined with fish markets that sell and cook fresh seafood on the spot. Take a stroll along the Otaru Canal and enjoy some fresh King Crabs. Don’t forget to bring back some snacks with Hokkaido limited edition flavours such as potato, corn and melon. If you are looking into buying some Japanese rice wines, the Tanaka Sake Brewery offers a vast collection of sake with tasting.

Otaru-Tanaka Sake Brewery

Otaru-Hokkaido limited edition snacks (red salmon flavour giant Pretz & melon flavour giant Pocky)

fish market in Otaru

Otaru-Hokkaido cheeses

Otaru fish market

Day 3&4: Niseko

Niseko

Niseko is a skier/boarder’s paradise. It has proven itself to be the best ski destination by winning the World Ski Awards for the second consecutive year. Its abundance of dry powder snow and majestic mountains continue to attract skiers/boarders from all over the world. If you think Canada has got the most snow, Niseko will blow your mind.

Stay

We stayed at the Hilton Niseko Village Hotel, which provided direct access to the lifts up Mount Annupuri and indoor-outdoor hot spring with a beautiful Mountain Yotei view. If you stay there, indulge yourself in one of their rejuvenating spa sessions after a long day of skiing/boarding, it was definitely one of the greatest experiences we’ve had. Winters are extreme high seasons; book a hotel in advance to avoid disappointment.

Hilton Niseko Village Hotel spa

Hilton Niseko Village Hotel out-door onsen

Niseko

Hilton Niseko Village Hotel-view from our guest room

Hilton Niseko Village Hotel-view from guest room

Niseko Milk factory

Hokkaido produces about half of Japan’s dairy products, making milk one of Hokkaido’s famous local products. Visit Niseko Milk Factory (Niseko Milk Kobo) for some really tasty dairy products such as yoghurt, cheese tarts, ice-creams, and melt-in-your-mouth pudding made directly from the factory (avoid the restaurant side).

Niseko Milk Kobo cheese tarts

Niseko Milk Kobo milk & matcha ice-cream

Niseko Milk Kobo dairy products

Niseko Milk Kobo café au lait

Niseko Milk Factory (Niseko Milk Kobo)

Day 4: Lake Toya & Noboribetsu

Lake Toya

Stop by Lake Toya, a volcanic caldera lake in Abuta District, there are more activities to do during the summers; in winters, enjoy the scenery.

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

Noboribetsu

Noboribetsu is best known for its high-quality onsen (hot spring) resorts. Here you can find & bathe in 11 of the 14 types of onsen mineral water, each with its own unique healing properties. Winters are usually high seasons; learn from our mistake and book an onsen hotel in advance to avoid disappointment. Most onsen resorts offer packages that also include a decent meal.

Noboribetsu onsen (hot spring)

Visit the Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura, a cultural village where you can learn all about the arts and history of the Edo Period, including the Ninja, Samurai and Oiran courtesans’ culture. Keep note that the live shows are mostly in Japanese.

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura- Japanese ghost museum

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura

Leaving from New Chitose Airport

If you are travelling with children, arrive early at the New Chitose Airport, a kids playground featuring a Royce’ chocolate factory and a Doraemon museum.

Niseko

Niseko

Niseko

Sushi Zen omakase (not so impressive)

Niseko-yakitori restaurant

Noboribetsu-onsen

Sapporo beer

Japanese snacks

Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku (Sapporo Ramen Republic)

Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku (Sapporo Ramen Republic)-waiting room

Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku (Sapporo Ramen Republic)

Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku (Sapporo Ramen Republic)

Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku (Sapporo Ramen Republic)

Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku (Sapporo Ramen Republic)

Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku (Sapporo Ramen Republic)

Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku (Sapporo Ramen Republic)

Sapporo Ramen Kyowakoku (Sapporo Ramen Republic)

Otaru- Hokkaido beer

Otaru-Tanaka Sake Brewery

Otaru-Tanaka Sake Brewery

Otaru-Tanaka Sake Brewery

Otaru-Tanaka Sake Brewery

Otaru-Tanaka Sake Brewery

Otaru-Tanaka Sake Brewery

Otaru-Tanaka Sake Brewery

Otaru-Tanaka Sake Brewery

Hyosetsu king and hairy crab top course menu (16,904 yen & 11,330 yen/person)

Otaru-Tanaka Sake Brewery

Otaru-Tanaka Sake Brewery

Otaru

Otaru-street food

Otaru-Hokkaido limited edition snacks

Otaru-Hokkaido limited edition snacks

Otaru-Hokkaido limited edition snacks (red salmon flavour giant Pretz & melon flavour giant Pocky)

Otaru fish market

Otaru-Hokkaido cheeses

fish market in Otaru

Otaru street food

Otaru street food

Shiraoi Ainu Museum Lake Poroto

Shiraoi Ainu Museum

Shiraoi Ainu Museum Lake Poroto

Shiraoi Ainu Museum

Shiraoi Ainu Museum

Noboribetsu onsen (hot spring)

Noboribetsu onsen (hot spring)

Noboribetsu-izakaya

Noboribetsu-izakaya

Noboribetsu

Noboribetsu

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura-Ninja show

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura- Japanese ghost museum

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura

Noboribetsu

Lake Toya

Lake Toya Manju island (Manju-jima)

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

Lake Toya

Niseko bus stop

Lake Toya

Hilton Niseko Village Hotel-view from our guest room

Hilton Niseko Village Hotel-view from guest room

Hilton Niseko Village Hotel out-door onsen

Hilton Niseko Village Hotel spa

Hilton Niseko Village Hotel spa

Niseko Tamashii bar

Niseko

Niseko

Niseko yakitori place

Niseko Milk Kobo milk & matcha ice-cream

Niseko Milk Kobo

Niseko Milk Kobo café au lait

Niseko Milk Kobo cheese tarts

Niseko Milk Kobo dairy products

Niseko Milk Factory Niseko Milk Kobo

Niseko Milk Factory (Niseko Milk Kobo)

Niseko

Hilton Niseko Village Hotel-view from our guest room

Niseko

Hilton Niseko Village Hotel

Hilton Niseko Village Hotel Ezo pub

Hilton Niseko Village Hotel

Niseko

Sapporo Beer Museum beer tasting

Sapporo Beer Museum beer tasting

Sapporo Beer Museum beer tasting

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum ice-creams

Sapporo Beer Museum tasting menu

Sapporo Beer Museum bar

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

Sapporo Beer Museum

soup curry in Sapporo

soup curry in Sapporo

whole hairy crab at Hyosetsu

hairy crab soup at Hyosetsu

crab tempura at Hyosetsu

king crab leg at Hyosetsu

crab claw soup at Hyosetsu

uni sashimi

the very rare “Keiji” “Ruibe” salmon frozen sashimi

Hyosetsu

raw crab legs at Hyosetsu

assorted sashimi at Hyosetsu

crab sashimi at Hyosetsu

crab sashimi at Hyosetsu

live crab at Hyosetsu

(photos by Tanya)