Hokkaido, Japan’s northern island, grew from an Edo-era frontier into a modern playground of mountains, seafood markets, powder snow, flower fields, and soothing hot springs. Indigenous Ainu culture and Meiji-era urban planning give its cities distinctive grids, parks, and red-brick warehouses. Winters bring legendary “Japow” to Niseko; summers paint Furano and Biei in lavender and patchwork hills.

Food here is a revelation: buttery uni, sweet crab, miso ramen, soup curry, and “Genghis Khan” grilled lamb. Trains and express buses knit together Sapporo, Hakodate, and the Niseko area, while scenic routes lace past volcanic lakes and farm towns. Bring layers—Hokkaido weather swings—and an appetite.

Practical notes: New Chitose Airport (CTS) is your main gateway. Use IC cards (Kitaca/Suica) for local transit and carry some cash for markets. This 10-day itinerary balances city culture, day trips, and hot-spring downtime, with options for both winter and green season. Book popular restaurants and ropeway/onsen slots in peak periods.

Sapporo

Hokkaido’s capital blends broad boulevards and parks with a serious food identity. Odori Park slices the city center, the Sapporo Beer Museum nods to brewing roots, and Susukino glows with neon and izakaya alleys. In winter, snow sculptures dazzle; in summer, beer gardens spill outdoors.

Top bites and sips: miso ramen at Ramen Shingen or Ebisoba Ichigen’s shrimp broth; soul-warming soup curry at GARAKU; and “Genghis Khan” lamb grills at the Sapporo Beer Garden. Coffee nerds love Café Morihiko; dessert fans hunt for cream puffs at Kinotoya.

• Stay near Odori, Susukino, or Nakajima Park for easy transit and nightlife.
• Search stays: VRBO Sapporo | Hotels.com Sapporo
• Arrivals: Fly into CTS via Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com. CTS–Sapporo JR Rapid: ~40 min, ~¥1,150.
• Optional transfer: Sapporo ⇔ New Chitose Private Transfer

Viator picks you’ll experience below: a personalized city tour, Otaru & Yoichi day out, and the Furano/Asahiyama combo.

Day 1 – Arrive in Sapporo

Afternoon: Land at CTS and ride the JR Rapid to Sapporo Station, then check in. Shake off jet lag with a stroll through Odori Park to the Sapporo TV Tower and the historic Clock Tower. Coffee at Café Morihiko STAY&CO for smooth hand-drip.

Evening: Dive into Susukino. Slurp miso ramen at Ramen Shingen Minami 6—rich, porky, and garlicky—or try Ebisoba Ichigen for shrimp-forward broth. For a casual first-night toast, hunt down tiny counter bars along Tanukikoji Arcade.

Day 2 – Sapporo with a local (guided)

All day (flexible 3–8 hours): See the city through insider eyes on the Sapporo Private Tour with a Local – Highlights & Hidden Gems. Tailor it to Nijo Market tastings, Hokkaido Shrine in Maruyama Park, or artful stops like Moerenuma Park by Isamu Noguchi. Ask for food detours—your guide can angle you to a beloved soup curry counter or a kissaten with 1970s vinyl vibes.

Evening: Feast on “Genghis Khan” at Sapporo Beer Garden (malty pairings encouraged). If you prefer seafood, go for crab and sashimi spreads at Hyōsetsu no Mon; end with soft-serve from Kinotoya.

Day 3 – Otaru & Yoichi day trip (guided)

Full-day guided excursion: Otaru & Yoichi Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle from Sapporo. Stroll the storied Otaru Canal and Sakaimachi Street’s stone warehouses, pop into Music Box Museum, and taste cheesecakes at LeTAO HQ. In Yoichi, visit Nikka Whisky’s historic distillery for peaty drams and copper stills.

Lunch ideas: Kaisendon at Otaru Sankaku Market’s Takinami Shokudō or pristine nigiri at Isezushi. Back in Sapporo, grab craft beers at Moon and Sun Brewing or a refined cocktail at classics-style Bar Yamazaki.

Day 4 – Markets, parks, and beer heritage

Morning: Hit Nijo Market early for sea-urchin and salmon roe bowls at Donburi Chaya. Walk to Hokkaido University’s ginkgo-lined campus (glorious in autumn) for a quiet city escape.

Afternoon: Chocolate break at Shiroi Koibito Park (factory windows and nostalgia galore). If the weather’s good, cycle Moerenuma Park’s geometric landscapes. Winter alternative: a guided snowshoe in the hills near town, followed by an onsen soak.

Evening: Soup curry showdown at GARAKU (herbaceous broth with Hokkaido veg and chicken leg) or Suage+. Nightcap in Susukino at a standing sake bar, sampling crisp Hokkaido rice brews.

Day 5 – Asahiyama Zoo, Furano, and Ningle Terrace (guided)

Full-day nature and culture combo: Hokkaido: Asahiyama Zoo, Furano, and Ningle Terrace Full Day Tour. Watch penguin walks and see creative animal enclosures at Japan’s northernmost zoo; then continue to Biei/Furano for the Blue Pond and Ningle Terrace’s fairy-lit craft huts (best at dusk). In summer, you’ll cross fields of lavender and lilies; in winter, snow-draped trees and blue-tinged waters feel otherworldly.

Dinner back in Sapporo: charcoal-grilled yakitori at Kushidori or Hokkaido beef steaks at Steakhouse Vin.

Hakodate

Hakodate was one of the first ports opened to the world in 1859, and you still feel the cosmopolitan breeze in Motomachi’s slopes of churches and consulates. The bay’s red-brick warehouses are now buzzing shops and bistros, and the ropeway to Mount Hakodate frames one of Japan’s great night views.

Food-wise, mornings belong to the Hakodate Morning Market—uni, crab, and squid so fresh it glistens—while evenings bring shio ramen at Ajisai and quirky local burgers at Lucky Pierrot. Yunokawa Onsen adds hot-spring bliss minutes from the city core.

• Base near the Bay Area/Red Brick Warehouses or Motomachi for walkability and views.
• Search stays: VRBO Hakodate | Hotels.com Hakodate
• Getting there from Sapporo: Limited Express Hokuto (~3 hr 50 min, ~¥9,000–¥10,000). Book via Trip.com trains.

Day 6 – Travel to Hakodate + bayfront wander

Morning: Depart Sapporo by Hokuto limited express. Snack car tip: grab onigiri and Hokkaido milk from the station kiosks.

Afternoon: Check in and explore the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses. Visit the Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward and pause for tea and scones at Tea Room Victorian Rose in the old British Consulate.

Evening: Early dinner at Lucky Pierrot Bay Area (the cult “Chinese Chicken Burger” is sweet-savory and crisp). Ride the ropeway for the famed Mount Hakodate night view. Warm up with late shio ramen at Menchōbō Ajisai Honten.

Day 7 – Classic Hakodate with a private guide

All day: Cover the city efficiently on the Hakodate Exploration Tour with Private Guide—from the seafood bustle of the Morning Market (try uni-ikura don at Kikuyō Shokudō) to Goryōkaku Park and its star-fort tower. Your guide weaves in late-Edo history and post-opening trade stories.

Evening: Soak at Yunokawa Onsen—several hotels offer drop-in baths. Dinner idea: Uni Murakami’s sweet Hokkaido sea urchin bowls, or a kaiseki-style seafood set near the bay.

Niseko

Niseko is shorthand for powder days and mountain evenings. In winter, Grand Hirafu, Village, and Annupuri link into broad, breezy slopes with views of Mount Yotei. In the green season, rafting the Shiribetsu River, e-biking farm roads, and hiking to alpine onsen reveal a quieter magic.

Expect a cosmopolitan village scene: ski-in cafés, small izakaya with handwritten menus, and refined dining like Kamimura—paired with classic Hokkaido comforts such as Milk Kobo’s cream puffs and country-style soba.

• Stay in Hirafu (lively dining), Niseko Village (onsen access), or Annupuri (quieter, near trails).
• Search stays: VRBO Niseko | Hotels.com Niseko
• Hakodate → Niseko: Train via Oshamambe to Kutchan (~4–5 hr, ~¥5,000–¥7,000) then bus/taxi 15–20 min to Hirafu. Check Trip.com trains. Driving takes ~3–3.5 hours in good conditions.

Day 8 – Travel to Niseko + onsen evening

Morning: Depart Hakodate by train toward Kutchan; watch farmland and sea flipbook past your window. Grab ekiben (boxed lunch) at Hakodate Station before you go.

Afternoon: Check in, then stroll Hirafu’s main street. Coffee at Sprout in Kutchan or Mountain Kiosk at the base. Pick up dairy treats at Milk Kobo (yogurt drinks, cream puffs).

Evening: Soak at Goshiki Onsen, where mineral-rich waters meet mountain air. Dinner at The Barn by Odin (Hokkaido produce, good cocktails) or Ebisutei (cozy izakaya—book early).

Day 9 – Slopes, rivers, or trails—choose your adventure

Morning: Winter: Ski Grand Hirafu’s groomers and tree runs; advanced riders often traverse to Annupuri for longer laps. Summer: Raft the Shiribetsu River or e-bike farm roads with a local outfitter.

Afternoon: Hike a segment of Mt. Yotei’s lower trails or ride gondolas for views (seasonal). Treat yourself to soba at Yukitei or burgers at Bigfoot in Hirafu. Coffee and cake break at Green Farm Café.

Evening: Splurge on Kamimura (fine dining with Hokkaido terroir) or do a relaxed yakitori crawl at Bang Bang. Nightcap at Gyu+ “Fridge Door” Bar—tiny, atmospheric, and beloved by ski bums and chefs alike.

Day 10 – Depart Hokkaido

Morning: Transfer from Niseko to New Chitose Airport. By bus or train it’s ~2.5–3.5 hours depending on connections; for stress-free travel with gear, consider a car service: Niseko ⇔ New Chitose Airport Private Transfer.

Afternoon: Fly out via Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com. Pick up edible souvenirs: Shiroi Koibito cookies, Royce’ chocolate, and Hokkaido butter sand cookies.

Optional Night Out in Sapporo (fit on Day 2 or 4)

For a lively local crawl, join the Sapporo Bar Hopping Food Tour to slip into underground izakaya and sample Hokkaido seafood, sake, and regional comfort foods.

Transit Quick Reference

• Flights to/from Hokkaido: Trip.com | Kiwi.com
• Japan rail in Hokkaido: Trip.com trains
• Approx. times/costs: CTS–Sapporo 40 min/¥1,150; Sapporo–Hakodate ~3h50m/¥9,000–¥10,000; Hakodate–Niseko (via Kutchan) 4–5h/¥5,000–¥7,000; Niseko–CTS 2.5–3.5h by bus/train or private car.

Where You’ll Use Viator on This Trip

• Sapporo Private Tour with a Local – Highlights & Hidden Gems
• Otaru & Yoichi Tour with Licensed Guide & Vehicle from Sapporo
• Hokkaido: Asahiyama Zoo, Furano, and Ningle Terrace Full Day Tour
• Hakodate Exploration Tour with Private Guide

In 10 days you’ll savor Sapporo’s markets and ramen, wander Otaru’s canal warehouses, gaze from Mount Hakodate at night, and melt into Niseko hot springs after mountain adventures. This itinerary balances great trains, guided highlights, and unhurried meals—so Hokkaido’s landscapes and flavors linger long after you’ve flown home.