How long is a piece of string? You could spend weeks in Hokkaido and still have more to discover. As a general guide, five days travelling around Hokkaido and two days dedicated to Sapporo city should give you a pretty good idea of what it’s all about.

Having a car is highly recommended but it’s not crucial. Your own wheels make it easier to reach the island’s attractions, providing much more freedom and flexibility. That said, where there’s a will there’s a way.

Hokkaido is beautiful all year round. For snow, aim for December through to March. Hokkaido’s summer (June, July and August) is arguably the best place to spend summer in Japan. While Tokyo can be humid and drizzly, Hokkaido is delightfully sunny with mild temps.

In winter, you can fill your days skiing and snowboarding before eating your bodyweight in unbelievably fresh seafood. Other times of the year you can hike, cycle, camp and soak into delightfully hot springs.

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Food, winter sports and more food! The cold waters and agriculture on Hokkaido makes it a haven for foodies as well as adventure seekers. You haven’t really lived until you’ve tried sashimi in Hokkaido.

Your appetite! Have we mentioned how good the food here is? What to take largely depends on the time of year but comfortable shoes are a must as there’s a lot of exploring and walking involved.

If you dream of carving pow pow (powder snow, for the uninitiated), Niseko is your place. If strolling through lavender fields is high on your to-do list, add Furano to the list. Then, of course, there’s Sapporo – the largest city on the island. Noboribetsu, Hakodate, Otaru, Matsumae and Asahikawa also have plenty to offer visitors.

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