Your Guide for a Kawaii Summer in Hokkaido, Japan

Stay cool for the summer with a refreshing trip to one of the most popular summer destinations: Hokkaido, Japan. The largest prefecture and the northernmost island in the country, Hokkaido is a top destination all-year round but if you want an escape from the usual summer heat, then its mild summer seasons are perfect! Enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, river rafting, relaxing in hot springs, visiting lavender fields, and exploring national parks. Hokkaido weather in the summer usually averages around 20°C with Sapporo being relatively warmer than the other areas. Still, the weather makes it easy and breezy to go around the city, so here are some attractions you can add to your Hokkaido travel itinerary.

Hokkaido is also a premier destination in the winter thanks to its powder-like snow and exceptional resorts that are great for skiing and snowboarding. Tourists also visit for the Sapporo Snow Festival, which is a week-long celebration featuring snow and ice sculptures that create an enchanting winter wonderland.

There’s a new adventure in Hokkaido each day with attractions for nature-lovers, history buffs, and foodies! So depending on the kind of adventure you and your friends, family, or partner want to go on, you can find many day trips that fit your liking!

Hokkaido is no stranger to alluring views. If you’re looking for the most Instagrammable spots, you can make the most of your Hokkaido holiday with these day trips on Klook:

Biei is a relatively small town, but you’ll be impressed by its incredible views of fields and rolling hills as far as the eye can see. The scenery is so good that several spots have even been used in commercials and advertisements—that’s how picture-perfect they are! 

One of these famous areas in Biei is Shirogane Blue Pond—a must visit for anybody in Hokkaido, Japan. The pond, known as a “happy accident,” was created in 1988 to reduce the mudflow damage inflicted by Mount Tokachi. Its sparkling blue color is the result of impurities that have seeped into the water. The pond has since become a canvas that perfectly reflects the sky and the trees. 

Fun fact: a photo of the pond was used as one of the Apple Macintosh desktop wallpapers!

Nearby Biei Town is the Shikisai no Oka and Farm Tomita, flower fields that create real-life works of art with the flora in season. Shikisai no Oka is a 15-hectare seasonal flower field of different colors with different patterns. The fragrant flowers will have you swooning just as much as the spectacular view!

At Farm Tomita, you won’t be able to resist taking a photo everywhere you turn. It’s one of the oldest flower fields in Japan and is home to 150 different species of colorful flowers. They even have a lavender field that pictures just can’t do justice.

Lavender fiends and lovers of the color purple will have a ball at Horomi Pass Lavender Garden. The garden boasts around 8,000 lavender trees that make the area a purple wonderland. Here, you can enjoy the view of the charming gardens, as well as Sapporo’s cityscape. You’ll even be able to harvest your own lavender to take home as souvenirs!

On this tour, you’ll also get to visit Asahiyama Memorial Park, which first opened in 1970 to celebrate Sapporo’s 100th anniversary. There, you can take in Sapporo’s cityscape, seascape, and the Ishikari Plain. Feel free to explore the walking paths, the rest house, the hanging bridge, and the playground.

Another stop you’ll be making on the tour is Sapporo Central Market where you can find a wide selection of fresh local seafood that are freshly delivered every morning. You can also buy different fruits and snacks at the best prices!

Lake Toya, a part of Shikotsu-Toya National Park in Toyako, is not like any other lake you’ve seen before. It’s said to be the second most transparent lake in the country and it truly is a sight to behold, all thanks to its sparkling blue waters. You can view the lake up from Mount Usu—one of Japan’s most active volcanoes—to take in the entire view. There are also nearby attractions you can explore if you want to stay a while longer, such as onsens, hand and footbaths, and walking trails. The Waterfront Forest Lane, or Takarada Nature Observation Trail, is a stroll along the lake where you can appreciate the trees’ colored leaves. Another walking trail you can explore is the Nishiyama Sanroku Crater Trail, which will take you to the craters and other ruins from the volcano’s eruption in 2002.

Head to Shakotan Town for unique experiences that will surely make your Hokkaido, Japan trip more memorable. Visit Shakotan Ocean View Restaurant for a taste of premium purple sea urchin (uni), a delicacy that the town is especially famous for! The best months to try it are during June and July when they’re in season, and foodies flock to Shakotan for a taste. For dessert, you can also try Shakotan blue soft ice cream—a mint-flavored soft serve meant to replicate the blue sea Shakotan is also known for—to help you cool down in the summer heat!

This tour also includes visits to Otaru Canal, where you can take Instagram-worthy pics in front of the red brick warehouses, the filming location of a Japanese drama, and to Yoichi Town. Yoichi is a town most popular for its fruits, especially its apples, wine, apple juice and Nikka Whisky Distillery. With this tour, you’ll even be able to visit the town’s orchard and pick your own fresh strawberries and cherries!

If you’re traveling with little ones, here are more attractions in Hokkaido, Japan your family will love visiting:

Asahiyama Zoo has been the home of native Hokkaido wildlife, along with various animals from around the world, since 1967. There are a variety of areas to explore, such as the polar bear house, the penguin house—where you can walk through an underwater glass tunnel and see them swim next to you, the forests of wolves and yezo sika deer, the spider monkey and capybara house, the flying bird and flamingo house, and so much more. There’s even a giraffe and hippopotamus house, but we recommend arriving early to see them swim around since hippos are nocturnal.

Your trip to Hokkaido, Japan wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Hokkaido’s biggest amusement park, Rusutsu Resort Amusement Park. There are eight roller coasters—yes, eight—with the Hurricane being the most thrilling. There’s also the Standing Coaster that features a 360-degree loop while standing up, as well as the Mad Mouse which is a kid-friendly option. They’ve got even more thrill rides, go karts, train rides, a horror house, and musical shows—it really is the perfect destination for families! In the summer, the park opens their outdoor super jumbo pool that has water slides, fountain pools, running water pools, and kiddie pools. There really is something for everyone at this amusement park!

For a couple’s vacation, make sure these romantic spots are on your Hokkaido, Japan itinerary:

Hakodate is extremely popular for seafood, sushi and Hakodate shio ramen—great options for couples planning a romantic dinner. The city is also famous for a stunning night view with the lit up city surrounded by the deep blue sea on both sides. For an unobstructed view of the city, head up to the observation deck of Goryokaku Tower. At 107 meters high, you’ll be able to see Mount Hakodate, the Tsugaru Straits, and the Yokotsu Mountain Range. They also have a see-through floor observation deck, as well as an exhibit called the Goryokaku Historic Corridor, where you can learn all about Goryokaku’s history.

Sapporo TV Tower is one of the city’s most popular landmarks, and at 90 meters high, the observation deck offers unparalleled 360-degree views of the city. Appreciate the views of the flowers in bloom at Odori Park, the waters of the Japan Sea, and the Ishikari countryside, all with your loved one. 

These are just a few of the things you can do in Hokkaido, Japan. You can customize your trip further with even more things you can do in Hokkaido. E  Curious for more? Explore more things to do in Hokkaido this summer right here.