A different kind of Japan
Hokkaido is Japan's northernmost and second largest island, a place whose scale, wildness, and geographic character set it apart from every other part of the country in a way that makes it feel less like another Japanese prefecture and more like an entirely different country sharing the same cultural framework.
The landscape is defined by volcanic mountains, vast agricultural plains, pristine wetlands, and a coastline that faces the Sea of Okhotsk to the east and the Sea of Japan to the west. The seasons here are more extreme than anywhere else in Japan. The winters are Arctic in character, the summers are mild and luminously green, and the spring and autumn transitions are compressed and vivid.
Explore Hokkaido by season
Hokkaido changes dramatically throughout the year. Choose a season to see what the island looks like, what to do, and when to go.
Late cherry blossoms, wildflowers, melting snow, and the final stretch of ski season.
Spring in Hokkaido
Mild temperatures, lavender fields, open countryside, and one of Japan's easiest summer climates.
Summer in Hokkaido
Japan's earliest autumn foliage, crisp air, mountain colour, and dramatic seasonal landscapes.
Autumn in Hokkaido
Powder snow, ski resorts, frozen coastlines, snow festivals, and Hokkaido's best known scenery.
Winter in Hokkaido
