Tripbaa Funbaa!, Asia’s Free Travel Expert
When it comes to Hokkaido in winter (HOKKAIDO), most people would probably think of nothing but vast snowy landscapes, right? In fact, there are many different ways to enjoy skiing in Hokkaido—such as trying ice fishing, snowmobiling, riding an icebreaker, and participating in various winter festivals—offering a well-rounded experience of the fun that Hokkaido winter travel has to offer.
In addition to the usual skiing activities, Hokkaido in winter also offers another winter-exclusive activity that satisfies the joy of winter driving for adults—ice fishing in Hokkaido. Every year from January to February is the best season for fishing in Japan. On the frozen rivers in Sapporo during winter, you just need to drill a round hole, lower your fishing line, and you can catch smelt fish beneath the ice. What's more, you don’t even need to prepare any fishing gear, as Japanese ice fishing experts will guide you. Even beginners need not worry at all.
Recommended Hokkaido winter travel activity — ice fishing in Hokkaido. (Photo / Tripbaa Funbaa!, Asia’s Free Travel Expert)
Even if you’re someone who’s afraid of the cold, you can wear the long boots and thermal pants thoughtfully prepared by the experts, cozy up inside a tent specially designed for catching smelt, and enjoy fishing in comfort. The fish you catch can be fried on the spot into tempura for you to eat, warming both your heart and stomach with these hot, freshly fried smelt.
Recommended Hokkaido winter travel activity — ice fishing in Hokkaido. (Photo / Tripbaa Funbaa!, Asia’s Free Travel Expert)
In Hokkaido in winter, besides snow activities, you also shouldn’t miss a series of ice experiences. One such experience is ice fishing, known as the “poetic scenery of Hokkaido winter,” which is a very popular winter activity in Hokkaido. Since no special equipment is needed, you simply step into a prepared tent, pick up the fishing gear, and can easily enjoy the pleasure of ice fishing. Most importantly, the fish you catch can be immediately fried into tempura, letting you enjoy one of Hokkaido’s warmest winter delicacies.
If you feel that static activities aren’t exciting enough, you can also ride the GARINKO icebreaker, a must-do in Hokkaido in winter, and head to the Sea of Okhotsk, Japan’s northernmost sea, breaking through layers of drift ice to witness unique ice wonders and embark on an ice adventure in the snowy land of Hokkaido.
Recommended Hokkaido winter travel activity — icebreaker cruise. (Photo / JNTO)
If you’ve come all the way to Hokkaido just for skiing, and are just playing in the snow like everyone else on the ground, isn’t that a bit too ordinary? This time, we’re introducing several new ways to enjoy the snow from high above. First up is the ropeway to Mount Asahi’s Asahidake (Asahidake Ropeway), the first peak of the Daisetsuzan mountain range. It only takes about 40 minutes to reach the summit, where you can take in the distant misty peaks and snowy landscapes. After getting off the ropeway, don’t forget to look for Hokkaido’s unique winter sights—the “frost ice” and “wind patterns.”
If you think Hokkaido in winter is really too cold, how about trying this? In the frigid winter with temperatures far below freezing, take a hot air balloon ride that slowly ascends, flying above the vast white mist and faint lights while looking down upon Hokkaido surrounded by silver-white drift ice. That’s the newest way to enjoy the snow in Hokkaido (Hokkaido)!
Recommended Hokkaido winter travel activity — Asahidake Ropeway. (Photo / Tripbaa Funbaa!, Expert-guided Tours)
When talking about skiing, everyone definitely knows about snowboards and sleds, but there are even more ways to ski in Hokkaido—like driving a snowmobile on your own, experiencing racing across snowy terrain, exploring Hokkaido while traversing vast snowy fields, or heading to Sapporo’s Snowland (Rurumappu Nature Park) to try out ice banana boats and snow tubes, then enjoying a warm meal of cheese fondue and seafood hot pot in an igloo, making Hokkaido winter feel nice and cozy as well.
Recommended Hokkaido winter travel activity — snow theme park. (Photo / Tripbaa Funbaa!, Expert-guided Tours)
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Aside from general snow activities, Hokkaido in winter also hosts many interesting ice-themed events. Take the ICE STAR HOTEL & RESTAURANT, for example—this event runs for over three months, featuring not only an ice restaurant serving traditional Swiss fondue, but also an ice bar themed around the Japanese sake brand “Shirakiku,” offering special drinks that bring warmth to the icy space.
Of course, the best part is that you can experience staying in an ice hut without having to fly all the way to Iceland.Here, you can experience the most authentic Hokkaido (Hokkaido) winter life: sleeping on ice bricks covered with warm blankets, eating piping-hot hot pot on an ice-made dining table, and stepping into a world of silver-white transparency straight out of “Frozen”!
■ Event period: Dec 21, 2018 – Mar 23, 2019
■ Event website: ICE STAR HOTEL & RESTAURANT
Aside from food and drinks, there are actually even more ice activities than you might imagine. You can sit at crystal-clear ice tables and chairs in an ice café, enjoy a super-luxurious cheese fondue with a variety of colorful vegetables, and if you’re not afraid of the cold, you can even have some shaved ice.
In ICE VILLAGE, aside from the ice hut (ice hotel) accommodation, there’s also a particularly special ice church built entirely from gleaming transparent ice bricks.The seamless ice bricks on the walls symbolize the unbroken continuation of love between two people, making it a romantic spot perfect for couples or newlyweds.
■ Event period: Dec 10, 2018 – Mar 14, 2019
■ Admission fee: 500 yen
■ Event website: ICE VILLAGE
Recommended Hokkaido winter travel activity — ice café. (Photo / Ice Village)
Recommended Hokkaido winter travel activity — ice church. (Photo / Ice Village)
When visiting an igloo in Hokkaido, you absolutely must try Jingisukan, or Mongolian barbecue.Legend has it that a samurai developed this dish on his way from Hokkaido to Mongolia to ensure his soldiers were well-fed and warm. Because the grill used for cooking the meat is a raised, round pan, resembling the helmets worn by soldiers, it came to be called “Jingisukan.”
The way to enjoy Jingisukan is to marinate the lamb in advance, then place it directly on the iron plate and enjoy it. So unlike regular barbecue, it requires less fuss. Additionally, since Japanese people generally aren’t fond of the gaminess of lamb, it’s not commonly eaten—but because the Japanese government once encouraged land reclamation and sheep farming in Hokkaido, it has become one of Hokkaido’s (Hokkaido) specialties.
Recommended winter food in Hokkaido – Jingisukan (Mongolian BBQ). (Photo by photographer: yoppy, Flickr CC License)
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In addition to Hokkaido’s unique lamb barbecue, crab is also a must-try dish when visiting Hokkaido.Surrounded by the sea on all sides, Hokkaido offers an abundance of fresh seafood such as crab and sea urchin. Once you try it, you’ll find that both the texture and freshness are unmatched elsewhere — it’s truly one of the winter foods in Hokkaido you absolutely can’t miss.
Recommended winter food in Hokkaido – All-you-can-eat crab. (Photo by photographer: bryan…, Flickr CC License)
Lastly, this soup curry is a specialty that developed uniquely in Hokkaido.Unlike typical curries, which many people may find ordinary, this version originated in the central Sapporo area in the 1990s and comes in various styles — including those with seafood, pork bone, chicken, and more — making it far more interesting than your average curry. Even Japanese celebrity actor Masato Sakai, who hails from Hokkaido, once served as a “Soup Curry Ambassador”!
Recommended winter food in Hokkaido – Soup curry. [Tripbaa Funbaa]Authorized Repost.
Authorized reprint from Tripbaa Original article source: How to enjoy Hokkaido in winter: Ice fishing & drift ice experiences, Top 9 recommended ways to travel in Hokkaido