Author's Note
Note
Hokkaido evangelism

Hokkaido at a glance
A breathtaking panorama of nature
Four expressions created by nature, the four seasons
Summer vs. Winter: What's the Best Time to Visit Hokkaido?
Hokkaido by Season
A colorful cityscape filled with pioneering history
Experience a million dynamic worlds
A special time to delight your palate, Gourmet
Representative Japanese food
Shopping, an essential part of travel

Plan the Travel
Basic country information
Hokkaido Travel Information
Annual average temperature and precipitation in major cities in Hokkaido
Entering Hokkaido
Moving to Hokkaido
Recommended Hokkaido Travel Itinerary

[Sapporo SAPPORO]
Sapporo Must Do
Sapporo travel course
Sapporo Transportation
Sapporo Municipal Subway Route Map
Sapporo tram route map
Things to do in Sapporo
Sapporo Gourmet Tour
[Plus Area] Lake Shikotsu
[Plus Area] Jozankei Onsen

[Otaru OTARU]
Otaru Must Do
Otaru travel course
Otaru Transportation
Things to see in Otaru
Otaru Gourmet Tour
[Plus Area] Niseko
[Plus Area] Yoichi
[Plus Area] Shakotan

[Furano·Biei]
Furano/Biei Must Do
Furano Biei travel course
Furano/Biei Transportation
Things to see in Furano and Biei
Furano and Biei Gourmet Tour

[Asahikawa ASAHIKAWA]
Asahikawa Must Do
Asahikawa travel course
Asahikawa Transportation
Things to do in Asahikawa
Asahikawa Gourmet Tour
[Plus Area] Asahidake

[Tomamu TOMAMU]
Tomamu Must Do
Tomamu travel course
Tomamu Transportation
Things to see in Tomamu
Tomamu Gourmet Tour

[Toya·Noboribetsu]
Toya/Noboribetsu Must Do
Toya and Noboribetsu travel course
Toya/Noboribetsu Transportation
Things to see in Toya and Noboribetsu
Toya and Noboribetsu Gourmet Tour
[Plus Area] Muroran

[Hakodate HAKODATE]
Hakodate Must Do
Hakodate travel course
Hakodate Transportation
Hakodate public transportation route map
Things to do in Hakodate
[Plus Area] Onuma Quasi-National Park
Hakodate Gourmet Tour

[Tokachi Obihiro]
Tokachi Obihiro Must Do
Tokachi Obihiro Travel Course
Tokachi Obihiro Transportation
Things to do in Tokachi Obihiro
Obihiro Gourmet Tour

[KUSHIRO]
Kushiro Must Do
Kushiro travel course
Kushiro Transportation
Things to see in Kushiro
Kushiro Gourmet Tour
[Plus Area] Lake Akan, Lake Mashu, and Lake Kussharo

Abashiri/Shiretoko
Abashiri and Shiretoko Must Do
Abashiri/Shiretoko travel course
Abashiri/Shiretoko Transportation
Things to see in Abashiri and Shiretoko
Abashiri and Shiretoko Gourmet Tour
Abashiri restaurants
Shiretoko's best restaurants
[Plus Area] Monbetsu

[Wakkanai WAKKANAI]
Wakkanai Must Do
Wakkanai travel course
Wakkanai Transportation
Things to see in Wakkanai
Wakkanai Gourmet Tour
[Plus Area] Rishiri Island and Rebun Island

[Hokkaido Travel Accommodation]
Accommodation information in Hokkaido
Hokkaido Accommodation Features
Hokkaido's accommodation tax and bathing tax
Accommodations by region in Hokkaido

[Before the Travel]
Planning a trip
Prepare your passport and visa
Book a flight
Travel Preparations
means of communication
Useful applications for travel
Exchange money and use cards
Naver Pay and Kakao Pay
Changes in checkout methods at some convenience stores and supermarkets
Get a tax refund
Size chart
Incident/Accident Response
Japanese Travel Conversation

Index

1.
Hokkaido travel tips from a veteran travel writer! Everything you need to know about Hokkaido travel.

“Friends Hokkaido” is a compilation of valuable travel information collected over many years by Japan-savvy travel writers who have written numerous Japan travel guidebooks, including “Friends Tokyo,” “Friends Fukuoka,” and “Friends Osaka.”
It is packed with useful information that will be especially helpful to first-time travelers to Hokkaido, as well as repeat visitors.
It is full of content that will help you relieve your fear of traveling to an unfamiliar destination and enjoy Hokkaido in a fulfilling and fun way, such as regional features that allow you to understand Hokkaido at a glance, Hokkaido travel destinations by theme, must-eat foods and must-buy shopping items when visiting Hokkaido, and easy-to-understand Hokkaido travel information.

2.
Packed with the latest Hokkaido travel information for 2026!

Hokkaido changes rapidly every year.
In response to these changes, "Friends Hokkaido" quickly reflects local travel issues and thoroughly updates the latest information.
We introduce Hokkaido's diverse travel destinations and newly popular destinations, providing explanations tailored to the needs of first-time travelers while also carefully guiding returning visitors to a new side of Hokkaido.
Plan your Hokkaido trip with Friends Hokkaido, packed with must-see tourist attractions that have protected Hokkaido for a long time, as well as hot spots that are currently on the rise.

3.
Complete Guide to Hokkaido's 14 Key Cities and 14 Nearby Destinations

This book introduces 14 major cities in Hokkaido (Sapporo, Otaru, Furano, Biei, Asahikawa, Tomamu, Toya, Noboribetsu, Hakodate, Tokachi-Obihiro, Kushiro, Abashiri, Shiretoko, and Wakkanai) by city.
In addition, we are introducing 14 nearby travel destinations (Plus Areas) that are great to visit while traveling to each city, so if you have some free time on your itinerary or want to enjoy a more in-depth trip to Hokkaido, pay attention.
Here, you can enjoy a more practical trip by referring to the author's valuable travel tips (Pick up), the Zoom in corner that examines travel destinations in more detail, and the special corner (Feature) that doubles the enjoyment of travel.

4.
Finding your way is a breeze! Includes up-to-date maps for each region and a portable and practical Hokkaido mapbook.

All tourist attractions, restaurants, shopping spots, and accommodations introduced in the book are marked with their locations on the maps in the main text or the map book (appendix).
In the text, 'Mapbook P.000-A0' refers to the mapbook page (P.000) and area number (A0) on which the spot is displayed (for example, 'Mapbook P.10-A1' means that the location of the spot is displayed in area A1 on page 10 of the mapbook).
All maps include landmarks that can serve as wayfinding markers, such as railway stations and terminals, as well as street names, to make it easier to find your way using just the map.
All the spots introduced in the book, as well as route maps for areas with well-developed public transportation such as Sapporo and Hakodate, are all included in the map book, making it convenient to travel by carrying just one map book that is both portable and practical during your trip.

5.
The Secret to Finding Your Way for Smartphone Travelers: "Keywords"

The use of smartphones is increasing day by day, not only in everyday life but also when traveling.
Many travelers use map applications to find their way around, and while it's easy to input Korean or English, it's difficult to input Japanese.
To solve this problem, “Friends Hokkaido” has entered “keywords” into all spot information sections.
A 'keyword' consisting of Korean or English letters, numbers, etc. can be entered directly into the search bar of Google Maps, one of the map applications, to immediately pinpoint the location of a spot on Google Maps.
For example, if you enter the keyword 'Hokkaido Government Office' (page 92 of the book) into the Google Maps search bar, the location of the former Hokkaido Government Office building will be displayed on the map.
If you find your way based on this, you can enjoy your trip conveniently.

6.
Understanding intercity transportation makes travel easier! Intercity transportation options and travel times

Hokkaido, which has a vast area that could be considered a single country, is divided into east, west, north, south, and has large and small cities distributed throughout.
There are various means of public transportation available between cities, including airplanes, trains, and buses. Knowing the general locations of the cities and the travel routes will make it much easier to plan your trip.
In “Friends Hokkaido,” a table that allows you to see the means of transportation and travel time between cities at a glance is introduced on the inside cover of the map book.
The section introducing transportation by city also includes detailed information on how to get there from nearby major cities.

7.
Includes travel itineraries and recommended courses by region for efficient travel.

Hokkaido offers a variety of attractions, food, and entertainment in each region, and you can experience a different charm depending on which city combination you choose to visit.
〈Friends Hokkaido〉 contains recommended Hokkaido travel itineraries for each schedule and situation.
Once you've decided which of Hokkaido's many cities to visit through our recommended itinerary, check out our city-specific travel courses.
We've introduced a recommended day trip itinerary for the city along with a schematic map, so all you have to do is follow it.