sapporo

Top 5 Cherry Blossom Spots in Hokkaido

Coming to Tokyo or Kyoto a little bit too late for the cherry blossoms? Maybe coming to Hokkaido is your solution. The season starts here from around mid-April to the end of the month. There are a host of cheap and free places to check out the sakura trees, but here are our highlights! GoryokakuContinue reading “Top 5 Cherry Blossom Spots in Hokkaido”

Top 5 Autumn color spots in Hokkaido

Want to head up north to Hokkaido for the Autumn leaves this year? The vast nature here, unspoiled by all the concrete and construction of more populated areas makes it an awesome place to see the red and golden leaves. Times vary for when to see the leaves in Hokkaido, so please check each places averageContinue reading “Top 5 Autumn color spots in Hokkaido”

Sapporo-Otaru Welcome Pass

Please note that sales of the JR Hokkaido Sapporo-Otaru Welcome Pass ended on March 31st, 2017. The JR Hokkaido Pass is still available. The JR Hokkaido Sapporo-Otaru Welcome Pass allows for unlimited rides on JR Hokkaido trains between Sapporo and Otaru and on all subway lines in Sapporo for 1 day. It’s therefore a great way to visitContinue reading “Sapporo-Otaru Welcome Pass”

Hokkaido Rail Pass

The JR Hokkaido Rail Pass allows unlimited travel on all JR (national rail) trains and selected buses in Hokkaido, covering the whole prefecture. This includes the use of Shinkansen (bullet) trains and limited express trains. There are various options depending on how long you want to spend in Hokkaido. What does it cost? 3 day: Adults 16,500Continue reading “Hokkaido Rail Pass”

Sapporo (札幌), the capital of Hokkaido, makes for an interesting change to the cities on the main island of Honshuu. With an American style grid system and deep history of foreign influences, it’s a great place to spend a few days. Budget travel tips Pick up the superb map from the Tourist Information Center in SapporoContinue reading “Sapporo”