Hi Hokkaido travelers, Hokkaido is a winter wonderland. But it could be tricky to plan a trip. The snowy weather, complicated transportation, some places are closed in winter, etc... many things to consider! So today, I will give you my ready-made, easy-to-follow itineraries for winter Eastern Hokkaido. They will give you good ideas of where to go and what to do. 🤭 a bonus point: all my itineraries listed below are car-free, as I don't recommend driving a car in winter (here's why). Shiretoko...
10 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Hokkaido travelers, Have you ever arrived at the airport too early and struggled to kill time until your flight? 🎉Good news: you’ll never be bored at New Chitose Airport, Sapporo. As Hokkaido’s largest and most well-connected airport, it’s more than just an airport. You might even want to arrive early just to explore everything there...🤭 Here are the top 4 things you can do at New Chitose Airport. 👨👩👦 New blog post: 5-day Hokkaido itinerary with kids 🛏️ Looking for hotels in Sapporo? My...
16 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Hokkaido travelers, Imagine this. You’re in a winter wonderland — ice sculptures, snow domes, candle-lit paths. The air is freezing cold, but the warmth of street food and hot drinks keeps you going. And after a full day of festivities, you drip into a warm onsen to relax… I have so many sweet memories of winter festivals like this from my childhood growing up in Hokkaido. ❄️Want to experience it for yourself this winter? The dates for 12 winter festivals in 2025 is out! You can check the...
24 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Hokkaido travelers, Autumn has arrived in Hokkaido. Leaves started coloring up as I've been updating my foliage spot list every few days. Take a look! If you are going to Hokkaido for beautiful foliage views, you want to enjoy them from your hotel room, no? And probably from onsen too? In case you are still deciding where to stay... here are my recommendations for you🍁 Hot spring at Takinoya Noboribetsu 1. Zaborin, Niseko Zaborin is a luxury retreat hotel in the heart of Niseko, surrounded...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hi Hokkaido travelers, Hi Hokkaido travelers, A few weeks back, I talked about 5 hidden gem destinations of Hokkaido, and many of you liked it. So today, I’m going to take you to an island that’s even more hidden. You probably never heard of it. Teuri Island. My parents visited there recently and they loved the untouched nature there. It’s a small island of just 12 km around, with only 250 people living there. No supermarket, no 7-Eleven. But a few small inns and local restaurants will...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Hokkaido travelers, A big problem of tourism in Japan now is... Overtourism. Japan has been experiencing a huge upsurge of foreign visitors since post-COVID. Popular destinations like Kyoto and Mount Fuji are swamped beyond their capacities. You don’t want to contribute to such a problem, right? Let’s go off the beaten path. So, I asked a friend of mine from Furano, probably the most touristy area in Hokkaido. “Where are local people’s favorite spots that many tourists don’t know?” Here is...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hi Hokkaido travelers, Summer is over. That means... it’s time to plan your autumn/winter holidays, right? I have a big winter trip planned. We are going to Japan and South Korea for 3 weeks (my husband is Korean and we live in Switzerland😉) This will be our baby boy’s first trip to our home countries - how exciting is that! If you’re traveling to Japan in the coming months like me, here’s what you should know. There are a few long weekends combined with national holidays and the New Year...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Hokkaido travelers, Did you know that Japanese people have been using hot springs as a natural remedy for centuries? Hokkaido is home to a diverse range of onsens. Each hot spring here has its own unique blend of minerals, offering a variety of health benefits. Today I will share the top 6 onsen destinations. Let’s dip in! 1. Noboribetsu Located in the south of Sapporo, Noboribetsu onsen town is one of the most famous and well-known in Hokkaido. It’s also a great day trip destination as...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Hokkaido travelers, Have you ever wished you could teleport to your hometown just to enjoy a favorite dish? It’s ME right now. Living in Switzerland, far, far away from my hometown in Eastern Hokkaido, I’ve been missing my favorite local dishes. So I couldn’t help sharing with you what I’ve been craving lately🤤 Here are some local foods that I can’t wait to have again! 1. Butadon - grilled pork rice bowl in Obihiro Obihiro is renowned for its Butadon, a dish of charcoal-grilled pork slices...
2 months ago • 1 min read
