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In this travelogue, I'll show you everything about my multi-day trip to Japan's northernmost island - Hokkaido! I'll share my tips and experiences with you, how to get to Sapporo and what local culinary specialties await you here. Hokkaido offers a unique landscape, frosty climate and great sights that make this prefecture unique.
From Tokyo to Sapporo
By plane
Sapporo is located on Hokkaido, which is the northernmost island of Japan. For our trip to Hokkaido, we therefore traveled by plane from Haneda to Sapporo. The cost for round-trip flights was 37,000 Yen (about 228 Euro) per person. The flight took about 1.5 hours and I recommend being at the airport about 1-2 hours before departure. Security went quickly due to the domestic flight and the gates were easily accessible. However, the food at the gate itself was not recommended. Before the security check at International Haneda Airport, there is a good selection of restaurants - but since we had a domestic flight, it was a different terminal and we couldn't eat there this time.
By car
It is generally also possible to drive to Hokkaido from Tokyo by car . However, it is a very long drive - about 17 hours according to Google Maps. On the way there are several toll booths and you have to take the ferry, which incurs additional costs. Therefore, I recommend taking the plane and renting a car on site.
By train
There is also the option of taking the Shinkansen to Hokkaido, but the journey from Tokyo Station takes about 8 hours. Furthermore, the Shinkansen only goes as far as Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station, after which you have to change to a local train to Sapporo. Of all the possibilities, I definitely recommend investing the money and traveling by plane to save time.
How to rent a car
Upon arriving in Sapporo, we decided to rent a rental car . This makes you flexible on site and not tied to public transport. Especially since these are not as well developed in Hokkaido as, for example, in Tokyo.
For our exploration tours on Hokkaido, we rented a rental car from Toyota Rent a Car . At the airport, we were able to go directly to the counter and got a number. We were then taken by a special bus to the counter where we paid the amount and were shown the car. Since we rented a hybrid car, we only spent an additional 4,000 Yen for the fuel or transportation on the entire trip, even though we didn't use public transport. A big plus for anyone who doesn't understand Japanese: the staff at the Toyota Rent a Car counter in Sapporo could also speak English!
Official website (English): https://rent.toyota.co.jp/eng/
Our accommodation - the "Sapporo Granbell" hotel
During our stay in Sapporo, we stayed at the "Sapporo Granbell" * hotel. We booked a slightly larger room and the hotel had a very special experience in store for us: an onsen that is freely available to guests on the roof of the hotel. Especially in winter, this is a wonderful experience.
The hotel also has a parking garage where a robot parks the car. You are allowed to park and unpark the car as often as you like during your stay. The cost for the parking garage is 2,000 Yen per day, which is cheaper than the local parking spaces. When checking out at 11:00 a.m., however, it should be noted that the car must be picked up immediately, otherwise 200 Yen will be charged per hour. We were able to leave our luggage at the hotel free of charge on the day of our departure, which allowed us to enjoy the last day without luggage.
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/giPB9PZK1MJAVZ579
*Booking.com: Sapporo Granbell Hotel
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Affiliate Link: If you book a hotel through my widget or my link at Booking.com, I will receive a small commission. There are no additional costs for you and you support my blog. I am very grateful and wish you a lot of fun traveling (^_^) .Food in Hokkaido
Our multi-day trip to Hokkaido was a good reason to try as many local culinary specialties as possible. You'll find out which dishes we tried in the next sections.
Sushi with scallops
The island of Hokkaido is known for its selection of seafood, especially super fresh sushi, due to its location. I highly recommend the very large scallops that are available here. Sushi with scallops is also very popular in Hokkaido. Of course, we ate different types of sushi to try everything once.
Hokkaido crab
If you like to eat crab, you absolutely must try Hokkaido crab. Here, I recommend the Kaniya Sapporo Crab House (Main Branch) as an address. The cost per person varies depending on the menu and is between 6,000 Yen and 20,000 Yen. It's a bit on the expensive side, but a visit is definitely worth it! In addition to the quality of the food, the restaurant's atmosphere speaks for itself.
Kaniya Sapporo Crab House (Main Branch): https://maps.app.goo.gl/89WZdyCgMknxE7PG8
Jingisukan Yakiniku
Another local specialty that you should definitely try in Hokkaido is Jingesukan Yakiniku (ジンギスカン, "Dschingis Khan" Yakiniku). This is a grilled lamb dish that is prepared on a convex metal pan or another grill. The dish is often grilled with bean sprouts, mushrooms, onions and peppers and served with a soy sauce or sake sauce. It's delicious, but very rich due to the lamb and it was a bit too fatty for me. Nevertheless, I would recommend trying it if you are in Hokkaido.
Miso ramen
When it's cold and uncomfortable outside, ramen (noodle soup) is especially comforting. We tried a restaurant (らーめん吉山商店 狸小路店) during our trip, which in my opinion serves one of my best ramen so far! The soup wasn't too salty, which is often a problem in my eyes. The broth was very smoky, on the other hand, and the meat was super tender. The bamboo shoots were also significantly fresher than at other standard ramen restaurants. The price for this very good quality was, however, average affordable - as almost always in Japan. You just have to know the right places.
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Tr2o8ZGV2MhBZSoz9?g_st=ic
Eating at the "rukku & uohei" Izakaya
If you are looking for a very good Izakaya in Sapporo, I recommend the "rukku & uohei" Izakaya. This restaurant in the typical "Izakaya" style is located in the middle of Sapporo and we really ate very well here. You can find more about the dishes we had there in the next sections.
Kaisendon
Another culinary highlight in Hokkaido was Kaisendon - a sashimi Donburi with super fresh fish on soft, fluffy rice. Our Kaisendon consisted of various local fish species, shrimp and salmon roe - of course all raw. The fish tastes especially fresh on the island and Hokkaido is famous for its incredibly great quality! So you shouldn't miss trying a fish dish here. Above all, I find the sashimi - dishes highly recommendable!
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RnBqN2iEyVPUnSXf9
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Salmon Nabe
Another dish we had at the "rukku & uohei" Izakaya was salmon nabe . This is a stew that is especially warming on cold days and is served with salmon and vegetables. The fish in the stew is cooked in front of your eyes on a small hot plate. It's the perfect meal for the cold season and a true culinary highlight!
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RnBqN2iEyVPUnSXf9
Ikura Don
For lovers of roe, I recommend the Ikura Don. It is a salmon roe Donburi - a bowl with fluffy, warm rice topped with salmon eggs. The dish was served here with a show - the service staff fills a large amount of fish eggs with a large wooden spoon in front of your eyes onto the warm rice bowl so that it almost overflows with salmon roe. That was definitely a unique experience and especially with the show, it remains unforgettable.
Sights in Hokkaido Prefecture
Jigokudani (Hell Valley) 登別地獄谷
During our Hokkaido trip, we visited various sights and places. One of them is the Jigokudani (Hell Valley), a fascinating landscape with hot, bubbling lakes and rivers from another world. Due to bacteria in the environment, various colors such as white, green and blue are created, giving the landscape a unique appearance.
It is especially worth seeing when it snows, but it is definitely worth a visit even without snow! It takes about 1.5 to 2 hours by car or you can take the bus - but then it takes about 2 to 3 hours.
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/29CTGfqYStRdip8Y8?g_st=ic
Yubari Region
During our trip, we also visited the Yubari region, which is known for its delicious melons. These melons are considered a delicacy and are popular throughout Japan. They are characterized by their sweet taste. Many farms in the Yubari region are dedicated to cultivating this special variety of melon. Unfortunately, we had bad luck with the weather and it started snowing heavily. That's why we couldn't visit the local landmark of the bridge and the Chidorigataki waterfall there. Nevertheless, it was interesting to explore this region with the rental car.
Mount Moiwa
A sight with breathtaking views of the surrounding region is the Mount Moiwa Observation Deck. The viewing platform is accessible via two cable cars. A ticket for the cable car or for the observation deck costs 1,400 Yen per person. However, there are also discounts for children, students and seniors. Depending on the season, the observation deck is open from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. In summer, it even opens half an hour earlier, so visitors have more time to enjoy the view. The last cable car goes up at 9:30 p.m. You get a great view of the surroundings both during the day and in the evening. We were there in the evening and had a wonderful view of the city lights.
Official website: https://mt-moiwa.jp/en/guide/
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/igbe7sKEdtBnmeqc9
The television tower: Sapporo TV Tower
A well-known sight right in Sapporo is the television tower. It not only looks beautiful from the outside, but also shows the time. With its shape, it is reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower! You can not only view it from below, but also enjoy the view of Sapporo from above on a viewing platform in the television tower. However, the price of 1,000 Yen per person was a bit too expensive for us, which is why we weren't on the viewing platform.
Official website: https://www.tv-tower.co.jp/en/
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Lcevdjm3Ri9DS4Ug9
Christmas Market at the Sapporo TV Tower
To my surprise, there was a small Christmas market right at the foot of the Sapporo TV Tower! In keeping with the current pre-Christmas season, it contributed to a nice and cozy atmosphere. There was even German apple wine, roasted almonds, wine and beer from Germany as well as eisbein and many other German products and dishes. Unfortunately, it was of course very expensive compared to the original in Germany. However, with the view of the illuminated television tower, the whole thing looked very Christmasy and festive.
The port city of Otaru
Otaru is a port city on Hokkaido, located northwest of Sapporo on Ishikari Bay. The city is known, among other things, for its glass production and distilleries. Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling well that day, so my girlfriend went on her own to explore Otaru. The canal is particularly interesting here, lined with converted old warehouses that are now used as cafes and shops. You can also take a small canal boat ride to see the surroundings. You have a particularly beautiful view of the illuminated canal in the evening.
Daytime ticket prices for an adult are 1,800 Yen (about 11 Euro) and 2,000 Yen (about 13 Euro) in the evening.
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/6BwTE8P75c3Kj6Pp9
Otaru Canal Cruise (official website): https://otaru.cc/en/
A tip for every Japan trip: Kuroneko Yamato
A real tip for any Japan trip is the service of the delivery service Kuroneko Yamato. Here you can have your heavy and bulky luggage sent from one hotel to the next within Japan - even if it is in another prefecture! You usually find forms in hotels in Japan and you can inquire about this service on site. Prices vary depending on the weight and size of the
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