The top destination people most want to visit in winter is Hokkaido.

When traveling in winter, many people prefer to escape the cold by heading to the Southern Hemisphere or tropical islands. But in Japan, where the four seasons are distinct, not only do Taiwanese people love Hokkaido’s silvery snowy world, but even among Japanese people, Hokkaido ranks first as the “most desired travel destination in winter.” It seems that Hokkaido’s spectacular snow festivals and winter-exclusive delicacies are quite beloved by travelers.

According to a winter travel survey conducted by the Japanese private weather information company Weathernews targeting its members (a total of 5,518 people), the real reason why Hokkaido has become the most popular travel destination—especially among residents in areas with less snowfall such as the Kanto region—is its white romantic charm of the snowy country. Survey respondents expressed a very high longing for snow. Coupled with Hokkaido hosting many exciting events during the bone-chilling winter, such as the Sapporo Snow Festival, the Shikotsu Lake Ice Festival, the Shirogane Ice Waterfall Festival, the Asahikawa Snow Festival, the Abashiri Drift Ice Cruise to view drift ice, and the Lake Akan Ice Festival, Hokkaido won first place in popularity by a landslide.

The survey by the Japanese private weather information company categorized statistics by region: Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa. The most desired prefecture to visit in winter was Hokkaido, followed by Okinawa in second place. After Okinawa, the ranking order is Nagano Prefecture, Niigata Prefecture, and Kyoto Prefecture. Nagano and Niigata, as snowy regions, are popular among travelers aiming for skiing and snow activities. Kyoto ranks fifth due to its ancient capital history and the profound beauty of its historic temples and traditional scenery.

Ranks six through ten are Aomori Prefecture, Yamagata Prefecture, Akita Prefecture, Tokyo Metropolis, and Gifu Prefecture. In tenth place, Gifu Prefecture is popular for its Shirakawa-go Gassho-style villages and winter scenery. This survey shows that Japanese people have a growing interest in areas where they can experience traditional landscapes and beautiful snowy scenes.

Japan’s cherry blossom season is just about to begin, but Hokkaido’s cherry blossom front will only officially step into early spring around mid-to-late May. If you want to visit the top travel destination in the hearts of the Japanese and enjoy the snowy landscapes, be sure to take advantage of Hokkaido while it's still deep winter—you’ll love the feeling of soaking in an onsen after a full day playing in the ice and snow, letting your body fully relax in the hotel.

→ Click here: Return to the attractions homepage

→ Click here: Read more travel news

Read more: Hokkaido-exclusive delicacies (provided by Tripass Attractions)