Hokkaido travel guide

In Hokkaido, the guides on this page focus on Hakodate and the links to Tokyo and Sapporo, so the things to settle are how you arrive, whether a rail pass earns its price, and how long to give the city.

For the journey north, the Tokyo to Hakodate comparison weighs flying against the Shinkansen and shows when a JR East pass tips the balance. Onward, the Hakodate to Sapporo guide compares the Limited Express Hokuto with the highway bus and a flight. The Hokkaido Rail Pass review adds up the fares the pass would replace and lists what it excludes.

In the city, the Hakodate guide covers the night view, Goryokaku and how many nights to stay, and the Hakodate stay guide matches each area to trains, the bay or Yunokawa Onsen. If you are going in the cold months, Hakodate in winter explains the illuminations and what to wear.