A classic route with two nights in Sapporo, covering the city's main sights and Otaru. You can get around using only the subway and JR, making it ideal for a first trip to Hokkaido or for travel without a car.
Travel from the airport into Sapporo, drop off your luggage at your hotel, then walk around the sights near Odori.
Take the JR rapid train to Sapporo Station. For airport access, see the airport guide.
View guide →
Located just north of Odori Park, it makes a good starting point for sightseeing in Sapporo. Inside, you can learn about the history of the Sapporo Agricultural College.
Official site ↗
An aquarium inside a building facing the Tanukikoji shopping arcade. It is open until evening, so it fits easily into the evening of your arrival day.
View guide →Take JR to Otaru. Go to the aquarium by bus first, then return to the station area in the afternoon and walk along the canal.
A seaside aquarium reached by bus from in front of Otaru Station. It also has an outdoor marine mammal park, so it is best visited on a sunny morning.
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Head back from the aquarium toward the station and stroll along the canal lined with stone warehouses. In the evening, the gas lamps are lit and the atmosphere changes.
Official site ↗
On the way back from Otaru, transfer from JR to the subway to reach Miyanosawa. You can tour the factory and pick out Sapporo souvenirs at the shops.
View guide →Using Maruyama-Koen Station on the Tozai subway line as your base, visit the shrine and the zoo, then take JR toward the airport.
A shrine in the forest next to Maruyama Park. In the morning there are few visitors, so you can walk in peace.
Official site ↗
A zoo next to Hokkaido Jingu. Some exhibits, such as the polar bear house, can be viewed indoors, so it is less affected by the weather.
View guide →
Break your journey on the JR Chitose Line to the airport at Kitahiroshima Station. The ballpark is open even on non-game days, so you can have a last meal or do some shopping.
View guide →Take JR from Kitahiroshima Station to New Chitose Airport.
View guide →Sample itineraries from day trips to 5 days, by region and season. Every stop links to its guide, and you can save any itinerary as your own trip plan and rearrange it day by day.
🗺 2 days, 1 nightWinterHokkaido ・ 6 stops ・ December・January・February
A winter route covering snowy Goryokaku, the Bay Area illuminations and the night view from Mt. Hakodate in one night. With a stay at Yunokawa Onsen, you can take your time enjoying Hakodate, a city with plenty to see after dark.
🗺 3 days, 2 nightsSummerHokkaido ・ 9 stops ・ July
A summer route that starts with Sapporo's summer festival and continues to Asahiyama Zoo, the hills and Blue Pond of Biei, and the lavender fields of Furano. Timed for the flower season, it packs in Hokkaido's classic summer scenery.
🗺 4 days, 3 nightsWinterHokkaido ・ 13 stops ・ February
A route that takes in the winter events held in Sapporo, Otaru and Asahikawa, which overlap in February. From snow sculptures and candlelight to the penguin walk and Biei's evening illuminations, you can see Hokkaido's classic winter scenery in a single trip.
Check prices, opening hours and access on each stop’s guide and official website. Seasonal events and peak seasons vary from year to year.
Information as of 2026-10-13
