Tourist Information of Hokkaido

Hakodate is famous for its million-dollar night view that can be seen from Mount Hakodate, one of Japan's three major night views or one of the world's three major night views. However, Hakodate has many other attractions besides the night view, such as retro streetscapes and historical buildings that blend Western and Japanese cultures, and gourmet food. Seafood such as crab and scallops are particularly famous, but squid fishing is so active that it is called the "squid town." Those who eat raw squid in Hakodate are said to be surprised by its rich flavor. Be sure to taste the fresh seafood of Hakodate when you visit!

A charming city with attractions such as the Clock Tower and TV Tower. Sapporo, the largest city in Hokkaido, is full of attractive tourist spots such as the Sapporo Snow Festival, Susukino entertainment district, and the Sheep Hill Observatory with a statue of Dr. Clark in the suburbs. In addition, Sapporo is rich in gourmet food such as Sapporo ramen and fresh seafood. At the Sapporo Beer Garden, which is attached to the Sapporo Beer Museum, you can enjoy Jingisukan, a Hokkaido classic gourmet food, along with draft beer delivered directly from the factory in Eniwa, making it perfect for adult travel!

Otaru is a popular town with a Taisho Romantic atmosphere, where you can enjoy the picturesque scenery of places like the Otaru Canal. About 20km away from Otaru is Yoichi, famous for the Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery. The distillery also has a whisky museum where you can learn about its history. Yoichi is also famous for being a fruit-producing region, with cherries in the summer and apples and grapes in the autumn. Niseko is one of the leading resorts in Hokkaido, attracting many tourists from all over Japan throughout the year for various activities such as rafting and cycling in the summer, and skiing and snowboarding in the winter.

Asahikawa, located in the center of Hokkaido, is the second largest city in Hokkaido after Sapporo. Asahiyama Zoo, known nationwide, and Asahikawa ramen, one of the three major ramen in Hokkaido, are famous. Asahikawa is surrounded by rich nature, and there are many spots where you can enjoy dynamic nature in the suburbs, which can be enjoyed all year round. Furano is known as the lavender town, and attracts about one million tourists every year with many lavender gardens such as Farm Tomita and Saika-no-Sato. Biei-cho is famous for the Blue Pond, which was adopted as a wallpaper for Apple computers and became explosively famous, and there are many other attractive tourist spots where you can enjoy the great nature.

Toyako was rated as the most photogenic place in Japan by overseas travelers in 2017. There are many ways to enjoy the area, including the view from Mt. Usu, gourmet food, and activities unique to the abundant nature. Especially, Toyako has recently become a cafe boom, with many stylish cafes offering menus and coffee using seasonal ingredients. Noboribetsu faces the Pacific Ocean and is famous for its hot spring resorts such as Noboribetsu Onsen and Karurusu Onsen. Hidaka produces 80% of Japan's racehorses, and is a popular town for horse racing fans because of the world-renowned Hidaka breeding farm. After enjoying nature in Hidaka and Toyako, it might be nice to spend a day at the hot springs in Noboribetsu to heal your tired body.

Tokachi is an area in Hokkaido where you can enjoy the scenery, gourmet food, outdoor activities, and hot springs that are typical of Hokkaido. Agriculture and dairy farming are thriving in Tokachi, and it is known as the "Sweets Kingdom" because of its abundant production of wheat and dairy products. There are also facilities where you can enjoy limited sweets from "Rokkatei," a famous confectionery maker in Hokkaido known for its butter sandwiches, and "Yanagiya," famous for its baumkuchen. On the other hand, Kushiro is a city with a thriving fishing industry that boasts one of the highest catches in the country. The "Katte-Don," where you choose your favorite seafood from various shops in the Washo Market and put it on top of rice, is a must-try dish! There are also many tourist spots in the surrounding area, including the Kushiro Marsh, the largest wetland in Japan, and Lake Akan, known as the habitat of "Marimo."

Shiretoko, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a nature-rich tourist destination and is also known as Japan's last unexplored region. Many tourists visit Shiretoko throughout the year to see its untouched nature. In winter, drift ice flows from the Arctic Circle, and you can experience unique activities such as walking on the drift ice or drift ice diving. In Abashiri, located on the west side of the Shiretoko Peninsula, drift ice is also a major tourist attraction, with the Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum and the icebreaker ship Garinko-go, which plows through the ice-covered sea. The Okhotsk Ryu-hyo Museum has a drift ice experience room where you can experience -18 degrees Celsius and even see and touch drift ice in the summer!

Furano, Iwamizawa, and Takikawa are cities that can be reached by car in about an hour from Sapporo. You can enjoy abundant nature, beautiful flowers, and attractive tourist spots, as well as activities such as skiing. Furano has a history of prosperity in coal mining, and there are museums where you can learn about the history of coal and coal mines scattered throughout the area. In addition, local gourmet food includes Genghis Khan and Yubari melon, and recently, wineries have opened in various places, and wine tours that visit various wineries are also held.

Wakkanai is the northernmost city in Hokkaido, and the monument marking "Japan's northernmost point" at Cape Soya is a must-see for tourists. The monument is a triangular cone-shaped object that represents the symbol of the northern star of the northern country, and the magnificent view of the Sea of Japan seen through the object fascinates visitors. In addition, the sunset over the Sea of Japan that can be seen from the Nosappu Cape located below Cape Soya and the Ogon Cape Seaside Park in Rumoi, known as a tourist city in northern Hokkaido alongside Wakkanai, is truly breathtaking. Rishiri Island, also known as the "floating island of dreams," is a tourist spot throughout the island, where you can enjoy nature such as Mount Rishiri, which has become a standard souvenir of Hokkaido, and various alpine plants that bloom all over the island.