Planning a winter trip to Eastern Hokkaido? Here are the 12 best things you should definitely try in winter. Let’s dive in!

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This 54-page guidebook will save you weeks of research and help you make a perfect winter trip to Hokkaido.

It covers the Sapporo area, Asahikawa area, Eastern Hokkaido, Hakodate, and many other spots across Hokkaido.

Instant download in digital format (PDF).

If you are visiting Eastern Hokkaido in winter, you can never miss Drift Ice Tour in Shiretoko! Walking on ice on the sea and swimming in slushy, icy seawater is a surreal experience. As going on drift ice requires professional supervision, you must join a guided tour including a safety brief, a dry suit and other necessary equipment. The tours take place in February and March.

During the coldest period of the year in Toyokoro, these beautiful creations of nature, called "Jewelry Ice", show up on a winter beach. Each piece of ice has its unique shape, wasted and polished by ocean waves on the way from a nearby frozen river. The sunrise peaking out from behind the horizon, reflecting in shiny ice pieces is just magical.

Lake Kussharo is the biggest crater lake in Japan, created by volcanic activities 30,000 years ago. In winter, the lake is beautifully surrounded by snow mountains. The best spot to admire a panorama of the whole of Lake Kussharo is Bihoro Mountain Pass. It’s easily accessible by car and has many parking lots. Highly recommended in any season for stunning views.

There is nothing better than dipping in an outdoor hot spring (Onsen) in the cold, crisp winter air. It feels incredible especially when snowing. Hokkaido is the best place for it - it has more hot springs than any other prefecture in Japan. In Eastern Hokkaido, Lake Akan and Lake Kussharo areas are famous for their onsen. You can either stay at a nice onsen hotel and enjoy a relaxing bathing, or just drop in if you are in short of time, which usually costs 600-800 yen per person.

Akan is a cozy onsen town sitting right next to Lake Akan. Between January and March, many winter activities are offered on the frozen lake. It makes a perfect destination for a fun family trip. My favorite thing to do here is ice fishing on the lake. You can rent all the necessary gear to catch smelts under the ice. What’s more exciting? You can also get them fried at a nearby restaurant and have them as tempura! Here are other winter activities available at Lake Akan;

• Snowmobile

• Banana boat

• Ice skating

• Cross-country skiing

Kitami city is heaven for those who love yakiniku (Japanese BBQ). There are as many as 60 yakiniku restaurants in a city of 120,000 inhabitants. Local people there are proud of their yakiniku culture - so proud that they hold an outdoor yakiniku festival in freezing winter, at -10 degrees Celsius! It takes place in early February every year, attracting yakiniku fans from all over Japan. If you happen to join the festival, make sure to eat quickly. The meat starts to get frozen once it’s off the grill!

Notsuke Bay in Betsukai town gets frozen and covered by snow in winter. This makes a beautiful icy horizon with a 360-degree panorama view. If you want to see it yourself, join a guided walking tour that takes place from mid-January to early March. The walk is 3 km for 2 hours. The tour costs 4,000 yen per person and is held twice a day - one in the morning and another in the afternoon.

Drift ice is a major tourist attraction in winter in the Okhotsk Sea. The coastal areas are filled up with ice, making amazing natural landscapes. One of the best ways to observe drift ice is by getting on icebreaker ships. They sail the icy ocean while breaking gigantic drift ice with drills attached to the vessel. The views from the deck are incredible - guaranteeing a very unique experience!

There are two locations where you can take these icebreaker ships; Abashiri and Mombetsu. Icebreaker ship “Aurora” in Abashiri operates from late January to the end of March, and “Garinko” in Mombetsu from mid-January to the end of March. One trip takes about one hour. Make sure to book your ticket online in advance!

Forget about Niseko. If you want to avoid the crowds in popular ski resorts, why not try local ski slopes that are as good as big-name resorts, but quiet and beginner-friendly? The Eastern Hokkaido region has more than 30 ski areas. Here are 4 highly-recommended places!

1. Tokachi Sahoro Resort

   This is one of the biggest ski locations in Hokkaido. A total of 21 runs overlook a beautiful view of Tokachi Plain. Each run is located with spaces, therefore it’s very easy to navigate.

2. Memuro Ski Slope

   Memuro Ski Slope has 4 runs for beginners to advanced, a fat bike area, and a sledding area. You can also enjoy winter glamping in the snow. A package stay is available for 2-4 people (30,000 yen for 2), including dinner ingredients for you to cook and breakfast. A tent comes with a firewood stove guaranteeing you a good night’s sleep.

3. Lake Akan Ski Slope

   There are only two runs - one for beginner/intermediate and another for advanced - however, this ski slope is famous for its high-quality snow. Snowboard Park has a rail, three kickers between 3 and 8 meters, a box, and more. There is a kids’ area too!

4. Northern Arc Resort

   Located just 15-min drive away from Kitami city, Northern Arc Resort is suitable for skiers of all levels. All 4 runs are equipped with lighting so that you can enjoy night skiing. The best part of this location is that it has a hot spring for you to relax in after a day of skiing!

5. Kunneppu Ski Slope

   This 26,000-square-meter ski slope is open to the public for free. There is a 170-meter rope lift, a sledding area, and a lodge to rest in.\

This is probably the only place in the world where you can take an outdoor hot spring with a herd of swans swimming in a lake right in front of you. A bonus point? The hot spring is free! There is a small changing room, but no reception or what so ever. Kotan Onsen is a community-run open-air hot spring. Swans migrate from Russia to Lake Kussharo from late October to April every year to spend warmer winter here (it’s pretty cold for humans though). If you are not a fan of hot springs, of course you can just come around to see swans!

A guided snowshoeing tour to the frozen Lake Nukabira will introduce you to a magical nature creation, called “ice bubbles.” How is this beautiful art made? The bubbles are gases coming out from fallen leaves at the bottom of the lake. They are trapped in the thick ice layers as the lake gets frozen. In winter with little snowfall, you might be able to see the surface of the frozen lake and an amazing view of ice bubbles.

February is the time when towns in Hokkaido go festive although it’s freezing cold. At local snow festivals, you will find snow and ice sculptures created by artists and local communities, local food stalls, and unique winter activities. Lake Shikaribetsu Kotan is an ice village that is built on a frozen lake only for 60 days. It is famous for its cool bar and outdoor hot springs made with ice. Drift Ice Festival in Abashiri has a gigantic snow slide and a snow maze that kids will absolutely love. Here are some of the winter festivals in Eastern Hokkaido.

• Sounkyo Onsen Ice Festival - January 28 to March 12, 2023

• Otofuke Tokachi Swan Festival - January 29 to February 10, 2023

• Lake Shikaribetsu Kotan - January 28 to March 12, 2023

• Abashiri Okhotsk Drift Ice Festival - February, dates TBC

THAT’S ALL!

Hope you enjoyed this article. I’d love to hear from you, whether it’s feedback or questions - Reach out to me on my Facebook page or Instagram. We also have Eastern Hokkaido Travel Group on Facebook where you can ask questions or share experiences about trips to Eastern Hokkaido. Join us!

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