Hokkaido travel guide: Choosing central, southern, northern or eastern areas

Plan travel in Hokkaido by entry airport, trip length and season, with regional links for Sapporo, Otaru, Hakodate, Furano, Biei, Kushiro, Akan and Shiretoko.

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  • Hokkaido
  • Independent travel

Hokkaido () is vast, and many of its regions are too far apart for a return trip in one day. The first step is therefore to choose an area. Using official information, this guide groups itineraries into Central, Southern, Northern and Eastern Hokkaido and links to more detailed regional guides.

Key points

  • Hokkaido’s official tourism information lists ways to arrive by air, rail and ferry and provides references for rail and road travel within the island.
  • The official reference time for a JR journey from Sapporo Station to Otaru Station is about 33 to 46 minutes, depending on train type.
  • JR Hokkaido’s Hokkaido Rail Pass has 5-day, 7-day and 10-day consecutive validity options.
  • The Furano Biei Norokko train made its final run on 2026-09-23. Do not include it in a 2027 itinerary.

Choose an area

Region Main destinations Detailed guide
Central Hokkaido () Sapporo, Otaru Sapporo travel guide, Otaru travel guide
Southern Hokkaido () Hakodate, Onuma Hakodate independent travel guide
Northern Hokkaido () Furano, Biei Furano and Biei travel guide
Eastern Hokkaido () Kushiro, Lake Akan, Shiretoko Eastern Hokkaido travel guide

In-depth articles

Notes

  • Official sources do not provide one standard journey time between every region in Hokkaido. Regional pages cover travel separately using official information.
  • Prices, times and services vary by date; each page includes its official sources and the date checked.
  • For nationwide information, see JR Pass and regional rail pass comparison and the rental car guide.

Sources

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