Itinerary
Hokkaido's Winter Soul — Snow Festivals, Ice Villages & Crane Dances
5 days · 13 stops · ¥90,000–¥160,000
Thu, Feb 4 – Mon, Feb 8
Five days of Hokkaido's deepest winter: the Sapporo Snow Festival without the crush, Otaru's candle-lit canal, a frozen lake village, and red-crowned cranes dancing at dawn — all from a Sapporo base.
Days
Former Hokkaido Government Office Building (Akarenga Red Brick Office)
Hokkaido
Schedule
Day 01 of 05Land at CTS · Thu, Feb 4 · from JFK · 1 traveler
Renting a car? Check the license rules
Some licenses (FR/DE/CH/BE/TW) need a JAF translation, not an IDP — 5-min guide.
Stay
Sapporo · 2 nights
Thu, Feb 4 → Sat, Feb 6 · 1 guest
14:00
EXPLORE
北海道庁旧本庁舎（赤れんが庁舎）
Stay ~45 min
Sapporo Station
The iconic red-brick building is far quieter than Odori Park — its snow-covered front garden makes a beautiful first Hokkaido photo.
~18 min on foot
17:00
EXPLORE
Eventさっぽろ雪まつり
Stay ~2h
Skip the main Odori crush — explore the Susukino site (ice sculptures) and Tsudome site (snow slides) for a more relaxed experience. Running Feb 4–11.
~2 min on foot
19:00
FOOD
元祖さっぽろラーメン横丁
Stay ~1h 15m
Sapporo Station
A narrow Showa-era alley of tiny counter shops — pull up a stool for a bowl of miso ramen that'll warm you from the inside out.
Getting around, region by region
Your route mixes city and countryside — here's the best mode for each leg.
Sapporo & Otaru · Days 1–2
Dense rail network — trains and the metro beat driving here.
Kushiro & Akan · Day 3
Rural — a rental car reaches spots no train or bus serves.
Sapporo & Otaru · Days 4–5
Dense rail network — trains and the metro beat driving here.
Getting around
🚄
JR Hokkaido Rail Pass (7-Day)
Matched to your route — one pass instead of point-to-point tickets on the rail legs.
View JR Hokkaido Rail Pass (7-Day) →🚗
Rental car recommended
Several stops on this route are in rural areas with limited rail access. A rental car from the nearest city hub gives you the freedom to reach places no bus serves.
Browse rental cars on Klook →01 / 05
Journey map
Trip budget · お見積り
¥11,000–¥21,000 / person / day
¥55,000–¥105,000 total
💴 Carry ~¥5,000/day in cash — many hidden spots are cash-only.
Estimated from 12 travel legs, 4 hotel nights and 4 ticketed events. International flights not included. Typical prices, not quotes.
Before you go
Passes for this trip
✓ Matched to your route
JR Hokkaido Rail Pass (7-Day)
Covers the rail legs on this route — one pass instead of point-to-point tickets.
View this pass
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