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Routes · Asia

Manila to Hokkaido: Sapporo, Niseko and Otaru

Manila → Sapporo → Niseko → Otaru

Sapporo
"SapporoCity_Skylines2020.jpg" by Nryate, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
SapporoCity Skylines2020 (Sapporo)
Photo: Nryate, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Powder snow & onsen Best season (general guide): Dec–Mar

Swap the heat of Metro Manila for some of the deepest snow in Asia. Hokkaido, Japan's northern island, gets steady winter storms from Siberia, and the resorts around Niseko have become well known for the light powder snow they leave behind. The trip starts in Sapporo, which can be reached from Manila directly or via another Japanese airport, and the ski areas are a few hours away by road or train.

Two nights in Sapporo help you adjust to the cold and find your way around. The city has wide streets, a famous ramen alley and, in early February, the Snow Festival, when sculptures are built in Odori Park. Four nights at Niseko give you several days on the mountain whatever the weather. Lessons and equipment rental are widely available, and many lodges have onsen baths to soak in afterwards. On the way back to the airport, stop for a night in Otaru, a harbour town with a restored canal lined with old stone warehouses and glass workshops.

Niseko's official season normally runs from late November to early May. January and February are usually the coldest months with the most powder, and March brings more sunshine and smaller crowds. Snow can disrupt road and rail travel, so give yourself some slack on transfer days.

For non-skiers there is still plenty to do: snowshoe walks, hot springs, Hokkaido's dairy and seafood, and the Shiroi Koibito chocolate factory park in Sapporo. Trains from New Chitose airport reach the city in under an hour. Winter clothing is essential, as daytime temperatures in Hokkaido usually stay below freezing in mid-winter.

Suggested outline

  1. Manila

    Start

  2. Sapporo

    By air · 2 nights suggested

    Two nights in Hokkaido's main city before heading into the mountains.

  3. Niseko

    Overland · 4 nights suggested

    Four nights in the ski area. Reached by bus, car or train from Sapporo or New Chitose airport.

    Niseko, Hokkaido
    "Mt-nisekoannupuri-summer.jpg" by No machine-readable author provided. Oga~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

  4. Otaru

    Overland · 1 night suggested

    One last night by the canal, a short ride from Sapporo.

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Sapporo — Arrive; ramen alley· Manila → Sapporo (by air)
  2. Day 2 · Sapporo — City day (Snow Festival in early February)
  3. Day 3 · Niseko — Transfer to Niseko· Sapporo → Niseko (overland)
  4. Day 4 · Niseko — Ski or snowboard
  5. Day 5 · Niseko — Lessons, or onsen and snowshoe walk
  6. Day 6 · Niseko — Mountain day
  7. Day 7 · Otaru — Canal, warehouses and glass workshops· Niseko → Otaru (overland)
  8. Day 8 · Otaru — Travel home from Otaru· Otaru → Sapporo (overland), then Sapporo → Manila (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

Flights, leg by leg

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Sapporo

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Niseko

Nearest airport: Sapporo Search fares · Sapporo ↗

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