Northern Japan
Hokkaido
Snow, space and seafood — the part of Japan that does not feel crowded at all.
Best seasonFebruary for snow; June–August for flowers and cool air
How long to stay3–5 days
AreaNorthern Japan
Why go
- Sapporo's Snow Festival in February: carved buildings in ice, at a scale that is hard to photograph.
- Furano and Biei in July, with lavender fields and hills that look painted.
- Hakodate's night view over the harbour, ranked among the best in Japan.
- Noboribetsu and other hot spring towns, where the steam comes straight out of the hillside.
Practical notes
- February in Hokkaido is genuinely cold — around −10°C. Bring real winter clothing; Kolkata winter clothes will not do.
- Distances are large and trains are infrequent. Plan fewer places than you would further south.
- This is the one region where renting a car makes sense, if you hold a valid international permit.
Getting there
Fly to Sapporo (New Chitose) — about 1h 40m from Tokyo. The train takes most of a day.