Japan’s northernmost island, Hokkaido, is best known as a winter ski destination, drawing powderhounds to resorts like Rusutsu, Furano and Niseko, where the Forbes Travel Guide Recommended The Vale Niseko and Suiboku Hirafu offer luxurious mountain lodgings. But even if skiing or snowboarding don’t get your blood pumping, there are plenty of reasons to explore this northern destination during the snowy season — especially if you’re keen on wildlife spotting, winter walking, snowshoeing and soaking in the soothing waters of the region’s many natural hot springs.
Start your trip in the provincial capital of Sapporo, where Forbes Travel Guide Recommended JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo makes a well-located base to launch your seasonal adventure. Soothe away any remaining jet lag in the onsen (the property’s bathing spa) and take in the vistas as you dine in the 35th-floor restaurants. The annual Sapporo Snow Festival, with its hundreds of snow and ice sculptures, can introduce you to Japanese-style winter fun.
For a deeper dive into the region’s natural adventures, consider traveling to the coasts, lakes and rolling hills of Hokkaido’s lesser-known northeastern reaches. We’ve outlined some highlights to inspire these travel plans.
Cruise Through the Drift Ice
A unique natural phenomenon, known as drift ice, occurs each winter on the Sea of Okhotsk, on Hokkaido’s northern shores. Ice drifts southward from Russia’s Amur River, creating dramatic formations along Hokkaido’s coast.
Beginning in late January or early February, you can often see these ice formations from the shore. The best way to experience this spectacle up close is on a short icebreaker cruise, traveling through the ice itself.
The icebreaker Aurora takes you from the harbor into the ice from the town of Abashiri, which is convenient to east Hokkaido’s Memanbetsu Airport. The formations splinter and crunch as the ship breaks through the frozen water, leaving a clear path among the snow-topped slabs in its wake. Farther out in the sea, as the ice gets thicker, the ship moves slower and the ice off its sides forms creamy greenish-white disks as the vessel breaks it apart. Watch for eagles or various sea birds, too.
Adventure Outdoors Around Lake Akan
Directly south of Abashiri, Akan Mashu National Park is centered around several caldera lakes. One of these, Lake Akan — and the town of the same name — is a hub for exploring the park and its evergreen forests, volcanic mountains and natural hot springs.
A Lake Akan-based outfitter, Tsuruga Adventure Base SIRI offers a variety of outdoor adventures. You might spot deer as you ski or snowshoe through the forest to a semi-frozen waterfall or watch the sunrise on the fully frozen lake as ice fishers start their day. Another unusual natural spectacle not far from town are small mud “volcanoes” known as bokke that bubble up from the ground. You can learn more about the region’s ecological features — from fish native to area lakes to a unique variety of algae called marimo, which resemble furry deep-green tennis balls — at the nearby Akan Kohan Eco-Museum.
The town of Lake Akan also has a free outdoor foot-soaking bath on the main street, where you can revive your tired toes. But you’ll also want to submerge your body in one of the many hot springs. Local hotels like Akan Yuku No Sato Tsuruga, where the adventure outfitter is based, have extensive bathing facilities for post-adventure relaxation.
Learn About Ainu Culture
The Lake Akan area is also home to Japan’s Indigenous Ainu people, including the Akanko Ainu Kotan. The small community has art galleries, gift shops and dining spots. Look for the distinctive Ainu embroidery, textiles and carvings representing everything from local birds to deities in their boutiques. Also in town, just off the main street, is the Akan Art Gallery & Art Gift Shop, which displays works in various media by regional artists, including some of Ainu heritage.
Spot the World’s Largest Owls
Along with the Russian Far East and remote regions of northern China, Hokkaido is one of the few places in the world where you might find the planet’s largest owls. The now-endangered Blakiston’s fish owls stand more than two feet tall, with a roughly six-foot wingspan. To see these elusive creatures, visit the Blakiston’s Fish Owl Observatory near the town of Rausu on the eastern Hokkaido coast.
Come at dusk when these majestic birds swoop in to feed along the Chitorai River. This small observatory provides heated cabins overlooking the river where you can wait for the owls’ approach. You won’t see flocks of them, but if you’re lucky, at least two or three will land along the riverbank, hunting for trout. Bring binoculars and a camera with a tripod and telephoto lens for the best viewing experience.
Sail for Seal Lions, Eagles and Other Wildlife
While in the Rausu area, head off the coast to spot other wildlife. Because this region is a winter habitat for Steller’s sea eagles and white-tailed eagles, you’re nearly guaranteed to see these swooping birds dipping into the water to catch fish if you join an eagle-watching tour with a local company like Evergreen Nature Cruises.
Bundle up for a motorboat cruise along the coast to try to see sea lions that often swim nearby. Even if you don’t spy the large marine mammals, you’ll surely spot plenty of seabirds, and the distant views of the snow-topped mountains are worth the ride. And as winter turns to spring, Dall’s porpoises, orcas, minke whales and other whale species migrate through eastern Hokkaido’s waters, offering reasons to continue your nature explorations — even after the snow melts.
