Japan can definitely be considered as ‘unique’ from other parts of the world. The amazing temples, shrines, festivals, technological hubs and special Japanese produce, are among many other things that you can only find here in Japan.
As beautiful of a place that is Japan, what really makes this country special to me is Japan’s cultural richness. What do you mean by this, isn’t this just a give in? Yes, of course, but I think that it spans a lot further than what is shown to us on social media or on our TV screens. It doesn’t take long to see that every area, prefecture, and/or city has so much history and diversity!
There is so much cultural diversity spread throughout Japan that no 2 places are exactly the same. For example, if you want to see the modern metropolis – you would naturally head to Tokyo or its neighbor city Yokohama. If you are looking for the traditional Japan – places like Kyoto and Kanazawa are the places to go. For historical sites – places such as Hiroshima, or if you want to escape the city and head to a naturally scenic area in Japan – most likely Nara, Nikko, Mt. Fuji… and Hokkaido.
Actually, one of the things that I’ve noticed from my own experiences and from other people I’ve met that want to go to Japan, is how often Hokkaido goes unnoticed by most tourists. This is especially true for people that are going to Japan for the first time.
Anyways, after a long introduction (ha) what I mean is. Hokkaido is often times overlooked by many tourists visiting Japan. By doing so, they are unfortunately missing the opportunity to see a whole new kind of Japan up here. Hokkaido is so rich of culture and offers so many unique experiences.
So in this blog I would like to write about what you can expect coming to Hokkaido for the first time. As well as what makes it a MUST visit destination at some point in Japan. These points haven’t just been google’d up and thrown together. I’m talking from my own experiences of this prefecture having lived there myself. So grab some snacks, sit comfortably and enjoy 🙂
What makes Hokkaido so unique from the rest of Japan?
Alright let’s start with what makes Hokkaido unique from the rest of Japan… I will start with a big statement: it‘s so unique because Hokkaido is not Japan (even though technically it is…). I say this because Hokkaido was not initially occupied by the Japanese but actually by the aboriginal Ainu, a tribe that still inhabits the island but are a minority now, physically-so among Japanese. Ainu have a totally different language, body complex and culture to Japanese.
It wasn’t until 1869 when Japanese started to settle into the territory. Therefore, much of the rich Japanese culture that we see in other prefectures of Japan are not quite present in Hokkaido. Don’t expect to see many old traditional temples, architectures, or relevant history dating back to ancient Japan here.
That doesn’t mean however that Hokkaido is culture-less. We still have a lot of the traditional Japanese architecture around, along with beautiful temples and shrines. We also have a lot of wide and big natural spaces with stunning views. Charming national parks, fresh and delicious seafood, and Japan’s best dairy products!
In summary, you won’t find Japanese historical sites as old as Kyoto or overcrowded mega city hubs like Tokyo here. But Hokkaido is all about the outdoors, awesome natural untouched sites. Some of Japan’s best food, great skiing, snowboard and onsen spots… so many possibilities that only the Northern prefecture can offer you! Maybe I made Hokkaido sound like it doesn’t have history. But you will still find many historic spots where you can find out about the foundation of Hokkaido, its construction and Ainu history. Did you know that European architects helped design the city of Sapporo? So along with traditional Japanese and Ainu aspects, you’ll come across European influence as well (and not just in Sapporo as well!)
Hokkaido’s Specialties
I mentioned a few things that make Hokkaido unique from the rest of Japan but let’s dive deeper in to Hokkaido’s actual ‘specialties’. We’ve talked about specific foods that are special to Hokkaido in a previous post. But when it comes to ALL specialties, there are no shortages!
So what does Hokkaido do better than the rest of Japan? Well..
- Dairy Products
- Natural areas and beautiful surroundings
- Winter activities
- Outdoor activities
- Seafood
..just to name a few! The list could go on forever.
+ Dairy Products +
Hokkaido is well-known throughout Japan for having the best dairy products in all the country! The best cheese, milk and ice cream comes out of Hokkaido. When you wonder around the airport stores you’ll see a lot of places selling popular souvenir products from Hokkaido. Which you may have already guessed are mostly dairy related.
There are products from Hokkaido are considered quite ‘exotic’ for other parts of Japan. As a result, our dairy products are a little more expensive. When you get the chance to come to Hokkaido you’ll notice how the produce is high quality. Ask anybody living outside Hokkaido what they think of Japan supermarket cheese and Hokkaido cheese – the proof is in the.. cheese 😉
On that note, it shouldn’t be surprising as most of these products come from here. There are so many farms around here and taking a detour through them is definitely worth it! My recommendation would be Farm Tomita, near Furano. Be sure to taste the dairy products from there! You could even stay on a farm and/or take part in a local workshop, such as ice cream making etc., really living a day as a farmer. If you do end up going please make sure to let me know about your experience in the comments!
+ Natural areas & Beautiful surroundings +
Hokkaido has some of the most beautiful natural spots of Japan. Some of which definitely worth the instagram post or worth being your PC background. Actually, one spot might have been your PC background already… Biei Blue Pond, one of the most popular spots of Hokkaido. This is a beautiful turquoise pond that many photographers take pictures of which has drawn a lot of attention to Hokkaido’s natural beauty.
With so much untouched nature there are so many areas to retreat to. Even in the biggest city of Sapporo, when I need to get my nature fix from within the city I can visit nearby parks like Nakajima or Maruyama Park and be there in less than 30mins. If you want to go further you can visit national parks such as Moerenuma Park, Akan Park or even further Daisetsuzan Park.
Nature is still ruling over this part of Japan. Literally, we have seen news of bears appearing in the outskirts of the city searching the trash for food! If your thing is backpacking, camping, outdoors or cycling across Japan, Hokkaido is the perfect spot to do so.
It’s hard to beat any of our landscapes especially with each season being so strong here too… over summer it’s just this amazing green and luscious scenery. When it’s cold it’s a winter wonderland, and over autumn it’s this striking orange-yellowish landscape. You want to know the best thing though? The best thing is that you can escape the horrible hot and humid weather that summer brings to other parts of Japan, and even some of those typhoons as well if you come here. Again, this island is perfect for outdoorsy people!
+ Winter activities +
But moving on, it’s true that Hokkaido is mostly know as THE winter spot. Up here it gets pretty cold, actually.. really cold! For the period of December till March, the city is covered by a mantle of dense snow that changes the whole atmosphere. Naturally, the snow powder that Hokkaido gets on top of the the many peaks and mountains that it has. Hokkaido makes for a great skiing and snowboarding wonderland!
You may have heard about Niseko, one of the most popular places to go ski in the entire world. If not, now you know! You don’t need to speak Japanese to go there because it is *the* ski spot, so many foreigners are actually based in Niseko. If you want something more local then try Furano! Or if you want to stay close to Sapporo then go to Teine or Kokusai.
Along with the snow comes the infamous Sapporo Snow Festival, held in Odori Park at the beginning of February. There are also a bunch more winter festivals all around Hokkaido, making each corner of the island an exciting place to be in over winter. Travel Hokkaido actually has a handful of fun tours that make it easy for you to see more of these beautiful (but less easily accessible) winter fests.
+ Outdoor Activities +
Apart from winter sports, there are tons of outdoor activities to do in other seasons as well. Once the snow starts to melt, camping is one of the popular ones. When the weather gets warmer cycling in Hokkaido with a nice chill breeze is a perfect day out. This is a way that allows you to enjoy the great views of the island that you’d might otherwise miss by subway, train, bus or car. You can also go hiking through one of the many hiking trails! During summer, canoeing in Lake Shikotsu is one heck of an experience were you can see crystal clear waters in one of Japan’s deepest lakes.
We have one of the best places for hot spring waters in Japan, called Noboribetsu! I definitely recommend staying at least one night in a ryokan (a Japanese traditional hotel) and experience the best onsen’s in Japan. If time is limited however, you can always try a public onsen which will still refresh your soul and mind.
Japan loves festivals and Hokkaido is no exception. One of my favorites the Sapporo Beer Garden. Where you can find many stands (or even entire blocks) dedicated to different brands of beer, all scattered across Odori Park in the center of Sapporo. Order a beer tower along with delicious food and enjoy the day with some friends! If you’re on your own, maybe you’ll even make some Japanese friends on your way there – at least I did!
With this festival among other common festivals such as the Odon festival, summer fireworks festivals, etc. There is always something to do regardless of the season in Hokkaido!
+ Seafood (& fresh produce in general!) +
If you haven’t yet seen our previous article about food to try here in Hokkaido. I’ll give you a quick recommendation of my own favorites, without going into too much detail.
You must try seafood here in Hokkaido – it’s so fresh and delicious! Especially try sushi or sashimi, or my personal favorite – salmon! Have you heard of Hokkaido crab? Well actually it’s not a specific type of crab, but it refers to the several types of crabs you may find in Hokkaido: Horsehair Crab (Kegani), King Crab (Tarabagani), Snow Crab (Zuwaigani), and Hanasaki Crab. My recommendation for a restaurant in which to try Hokkaido seafood would be Sapporo Kanihonke! For sushi specifically, dine at Hanamaru Sushi in Sapporo Stellar Place mall on the 6th floor (make sure you are prepared to be in a big queue though!)
As for cuisine in Hokkaido, Soup Curry is a must try! It resembles more of a chicken / veggie stew but is super delicious, especially in cold weather. Genghis Khan is another one, which is similar to a Korean BBQ. Where you grill lamb and vegetables on an iron helmet shaped grill. Outside of Sapporo make sure you try the lavender milk (or just milk) ice cream near Farm Tomita or Furano. They are must try treats! Speaking of treats, Shiroi Koibito and Hokkaido Pudin are popular snack options to buy as souvenirs.. or just to buy for yourself 😉
Of course you will find many other kinds of Japanese foods here, but make sure to taste some of these Hokkaido delicacies and specialties to really get the most out of your trip!
My First Experience in Hokkaido
As for me, the first time I landed in Japan I went to Kanazawa (in the Ishikawa prefecture, west Japan), and later on to Tokyo. I wanted to discover the traditional side of Japan as well as check out the popular metropolis of Tokyo. It wasn’t until my second trip to Sapporo, the biggest city of Hokkaido, where I started to consider this area of Japan as potential spot to study Japanese in for half a year.
I was undecided between three options; Osaka, Fukuoka and Sapporo. Ultimately I chose to study in Sapporo because of all I’d learnt about this awesome city! I’ve always had a lot of interest in Japanese culture and had heard of many great spots throughout the land of the rising sun from various articles, YouTubers, animations, etc. But I barely heard anything concerning Hokkaido, other than it was a very *very* cold place ..and about the famous Sapporo Snow Festival of course.
Thus, my decision on living in Sapporo was mainly due to the intrigue – I wanted to discover what this city was really like. The fresh weather that Sapporo gets was also a plus, especially during summer compared to the rest of Japan. Also the fact that Sapporo is neither a huge nor a small city, but just perfect (with less than 2 million inhabitants) made it super appealing to me.
Anyways, my first days after arriving here were quite interesting. I quickly discovered that Sapporo, despite being the 4th largest city in all Japan, did not seem to be that big, at least at first sight. For example, the city only has three subway lines, which is nothing compared to Tokyo.
Sapporo has one main downtown area which covers Sapporo Station – Odori – Susukino. Susukino is the area with the most leisure activities, bars, nightclubs and restaurants, which is especially buzzing at night. This area in particular has some of the best nightlife in all Japan, with perhaps just the exception of Tokyo… (I even asked my Japanese friend who is from Osaka… you know the big city full of entertainment, amazing food and nightlife districts, and he absolutely loved Susukino). Sapporo’s Susukino is one of the best nightlife places in the country. It has a laidback atmosphere, great bars and restaurants around the district! Plus it is cheaper than Tokyo and Osaka.
While studying in Sapporo I quickly learnt that I had easy access to many weekend Hokkaido escapes. A lot of them being really popular destinations in fact – such as Furano, Otaru canal, Lake Toya, among others. Weekend trips to the Japanese rural areas (or ‘inaka’) with my host family also made me realize how pretty and chill Hokkaido really is, as well as how large and abundant it is!
All of these things made me adapt pretty quickly to my new life in Hokkaido. I made a nice routine of riding my bike to school every morning (which is super doable here!), grabbing some lunch with friends in the downtown area, going to the nearby parks or Sapporo events in the evenings. All the while meeting a lot of kind locals as well as friendly foreigners also living in Sapporo!
Basically, I made Sapporo my second home (however I must say, I like it better than my own home haha). Compared to the rest of the places I’ve been to in Japan, especially the bigger cities, the people here are much more laidback. You never feel that sense of being rushed like you do in Tokyo, and the spaces here are much wider and well preserved.
There are less foreigners here than other parts of Japan so the community is quite nice I would say. Some Japanese here are still a lot more intrigued about meeting foreign people. Unlike in other parts where it’s super common. So, conversations are always interesting (and quite a buzz for both of us, ha!) On top of that, coming here felt like I was visiting a ‘different type of Japan’. In the sense that it’s an area that is not particularly popular among tourists, like the ‘locals Japan’ or the ‘secret Japan’, so I really enjoyed my experience!
So what can YOU expect?
Japan is full of surprises, but some of my best memories were made here. Although Hokkaido is talked about a lot less than other prefectures, it is no exception! At first, you may notice some absence of the typical things that you’ve been told about Japan.. for example you’ll notice that with the exception of Sapporo, most of the cities here are quite small. Your surroundings may be filled with mountainous views, plenty of forests, and incredible views of the coasts, which will all make you want to stop to really take them in!
If you come for skiing or volunteering you might initially arrive in either Sapporo or Niseko, which in this case I highly recommend that you explore towns further out to really get the true sense of this prefecture. You may get a little surprised as you’ll find that Sapporo will have a very relaxed atmosphere, especially if you have visited Tokyo or any major city before and can compare. Public transportation will be less busy, with the exception of rush hour(s), but this still won’t be as crazy as Tokyo/Osaka etc. Most districts will have less people and you’ll definitely notice the wider spaces. If your stay is a little longer, escaping the bustling city life is as easy as heading on a short walk towards Maruyama Park, or taking a short bus ride to the outskirts of Sapporo.
It won’t be long before you notice how most people here are much more relaxed and incredibly nice! Sapporo city will feel like it is the perfect size and has all that you need. The city’s layout was built for convenience, making everything super accessible for someone with or without a car. If you need your dose of temples and shrines you can find them in Maruyama, Moerenuma, or Makomanai Park…
Outside of Sapporo you’ll definitely feel a little bit more of a country vibe. Exploring further will allow you to discover that Hokkaido is the perfect place for outdoor activities. Regardless of the season there is always an option to go out and have fun with your family, friends, or anyone really that shares your hobby.
If you hate hot and humid weather you will love it here! But, if the cold and snow isn’t your thing then maybe this isn’t the best place for you to go to.
Perhaps you won’t see all of the stereotypically portrayed Japanese elements. Such as the Samurai, Geishas, or the ancient historic Japan, but you will definitely see ‘real Japan’ in Hokkaido through its customs, it’s delicious food, amazing nature, it’s beautiful locals, and more.
You will experience a Japan that is still overlooked by many tourists every year. Which means less crowds and more opportunities to actually interact with Japanese! Here there are more open green spaces, which means more outdoor activities! Hokkaido will easily spoil you with Mother Nature’s amazing view, and on the flip side, some of the best nightlife Japan can offer.
Conclusion
So I’m sure you get the point by now.. Even though I have a big interest in Japanese culture, history and (what I thought was) the ‘real Japan’. Hokkaido has shown me that Japan is so much more. Sapporo especially has won me over as my special place, my second home. A place I must visit every time I have the opportunity to.
I still want to discover the rest of Japan but I feel like Hokkaido is underrated, with some obvious reasons… it might be a little too far for some, or might lack some of those big touristy things. However, I believe that with a short 1 hour flight from Narita/ Haneda, the trip is more than worth it. Hokkaido is one of the best prefectures to have a holiday. Indeed, Hokkaido is an area full of cultural richness!
Consider Hokkaido as part of your trip when coming to Japan.
I hope Hokkaido will embrace you with a friendly welcome as it did to me! 🙂
