Hokkaido Japan Winter Travel Guide & Itinerary: Sapporo, Otaru, Asahikawa

With this 4-day winter itinerary, you can explore Hokkaido Japan by train using the JR Sapporo-Furano Area Pass. Fly into New Chitose Airport, spend 3 nights in Sapporo, and take day trips to Asahikawa and Otaru. You can even see a penguin parade! Sapporo is one of my favorite cities in Japan, and I’m happy to share it with you! We appreciate the commissions we earn when you buy a pass through our Klook affiliate link: geni.us/sapporofuranopass or book hotels through our Expedia Travel Shop: expedia.com/shop/kenshoquest/share

Clarification: For seat reservations made online through www.eki-net.com/en/jreast-train-reservation/Top/In… you can pick up your tickets at a JR Office if you bought your pass through an agent such as Klook. You can print your tickets from a ticket machine only if you bought your pass directly through eki-net.

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DATES

Sapporo Snow Festival Feb 4-11, 2025
Asahikawa Winter Festival Feb 6-11, 2025
Otaru Snow Light Path Feb 8-15, 2025


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Purchase JR Sapporo-Furano Area Pass on Klook (affiliate link): geni.us/sapporofuranopass

Purchase pass and reserve seats on JR East: www.eki-net.com/en/jreast-train-reservation/Top/In…

Details about JR Sapporo-Furano Area Pass: www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/ticket/railpas…

Rail passes offered by JR Hokkaido: www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/pdf/2403e-railpass_pam…

Luggage forwarding from airport: www.hokkaido-airports.com/en/new-chitose/service/b…

Sapporo hotels in our Expedia Travel Shop: expedia.com/shop/kenshoquest/share

Sapporo tourist map: www.sapporo.travel/en/info/about/map/

Tourist friendly restaurants in Sapporo: www.sapporo.travel/en/atws-restaurant/

Hoheikan Building Nakajima Park: www.sapporostation.com/hoheikan-historic-wooden-bu…

Sapporo Beer Garden Restaurant: www.sapporo-bier-garten.jp/global/english.html

Mt. Moiwa Ropeway: mt-moiwa.jp/en/access/shuttlebus-tram/

Shiroi Koibito Park Chocolate Factory: www.shiroikoibitopark.jp/en/

Asahiyama Zoo: www.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp/asahiyamazoo/

Furano Lavender Express train (summer): www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/travel/furanob…

Reserve seats at ticket machine: www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/pdf/e-railpass-machine…


TIME STAMPS

00:00 Winter Itinerary Hokkaido Japan
00:19 JR Sapporo Furano Area Pass
02:08 Day 1 New Chitose Airport
03:31 Half day in Sapporo
06:13 Day 2 Sapporo
10:27 Day 3 Asahikawa
12:47 Day 4 Otaru
18:07 Winter vs Summer Itinerary
18:42 Cost comparison with pass
19:07 How to reserve seats with pass
20:43 Subscribe for more Japan travel tips!

#japantravelguide #hokkaido #kenshoquest


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