{"id":75291,"date":"2020-12-18T02:28:28","date_gmt":"2020-12-17T17:28:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=75291"},"modified":"2025-02-01T18:23:29","modified_gmt":"2025-02-01T09:23:29","slug":"christmas-hokkaido","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/christmas-hokkaido\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas in Hokkaido: The Holiday Season Under the Snow"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>I have always loved winter and snow even more. Coming from the south of France, where it barely snows once every two years, I hardly ever had the chance to discover a beautiful snowy landscape whenever I&#8217;d open my shutters on a Christmas morning. But this year, I decided to make my dream come true. As I was in Japan, I decided to<strong> fly to Hokkaido to celebrate Christmas literally under the snow.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07002922\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7956-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Christmas at A shrine under the snow in Sapporo, Hokkaido\" class=\"wp-image-75293\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07002922\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7956-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07002922\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7956-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07002922\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7956-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07002922\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7956-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07002922\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7956.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>During my trip, snow was falling every single day. I was frozen to the tip of my nails, but every day, as I watched snowflakes fall from the sky, it warmed my heart. <strong>I can\u2019t think about a better place to spend Christmas in Japan than Hokkaido<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-ht-block-toc  is-style-outline htoc htoc--position-wide toc-list-style-plain\" data-htoc-state=\"expanded\"><span class=\"htoc__title\"><span class=\"ht_toc_title\">Table of Contents<\/span><span class=\"htoc__toggle\"><\/span><\/span><div class=\"htoc__itemswrap\"><ul class=\"ht_toc_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-christmas-spirit-in-sapporo-hokkaido\">Christmas Spirit in Sapporo, Hokkaido<\/a><ul class=\"ht_toc_child_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-where-to-eat-in-sapporo\">Where to Eat in Sapporo?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-shiroi-koibito-park-a-perfect-christmas-attraction-for-families\">Shiroi Koibito Park: A Perfect Christmas Attraction for Families<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-warming-up-in-hokkaido-s-onsen-hot-springs-of-jozankei\">Warming Up in Hokkaido&#8217;s Onsen Hot Springs of Jozankei<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-asahikawa-visiting-the-heart-of-hokkaido\">Asahikawa, Visiting the Heart of Hokkaido<\/a><ul class=\"ht_toc_child_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-the-penguins-of-asahiyama-zoo\">The Penguins of Asahiyama Zoo<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-otaru-a-romantic-town-on-christmas-eve\">Otaru, A Romantic Town on Christmas Eve<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-practical-information-on-getting-to-your-christmas-in-hokkaido\">Practical Information on Getting to Your Christmas in Hokkaido<\/a><ul class=\"ht_toc_child_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-how-to-get-to-hokkaido\">How to Get to Hokkaido<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-how-to-get-to-sapporo\">How to Get to Sapporo<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-how-to-get-to-jozankei\">How to Get to Jozankei<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-how-to-get-to-asahikawa\">How to Get to Asahikawa<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-how-to-get-to-otaru\">How to Get to Otaru<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-christmas-spirit-in-sapporo-hokkaido\">Christmas Spirit in Sapporo, Hokkaido<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Our first destination in Hokkaido was <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/sapporo-best-sights\/\" class=\"ek-link\"><strong>Sapporo<\/strong><\/a> (\u672d\u5e4c), the largest city of the northern island. A warm coat, gloves, good shoes, and woollen socks are the least you should wear to face the temperatures of Sapporo in December. It&#8217;s not as cold as it is in January or February when the temperatures hover below 0\u00b0C, but that doesn\u2019t scare the tourists away who visit the famous <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/snow-ice-far-eyes-can-see-sapporo-snow-festival\/\" class=\"ek-link\">Sapporo Snow Festival<\/a>, the <em>yuki matsuri<\/em> (\u96ea\u796d\u308a) and its huge snow sculptures every February.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While we visited the city, we actually realized that Sapporo is built to be livable to its inhabitants during these cold temperatures.<strong> Long underground passageways make it possible to walk long distances under the city<\/strong> without exposing your skin to the cold. And when I say passageways, I\u2019m talking about true pedestrian avenues lined with shops and restaurants. A second city stretches out in the basements of Sapporo!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003057\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6937-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"The Old Government Building of Sapporo, hokkaido, during Christmas\" class=\"wp-image-75294\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003057\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6937-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003057\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6937-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003057\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6937-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003057\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6937-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003057\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6937.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Old Hokkaido Government Building of Sapporo under the snow<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>When we arrived on the edge of <strong>Odori Park<\/strong> (\u5927\u901a\u516c\u5712), the central park of the city facing the iconic Sapporo Tower (\u672d\u5e4c\u30bf\u30ef\u30fc), we were suddenly overwhelmed by Christmas spirit. <strong>Large Christmas illuminations<\/strong> had been installed on the snow-covered park. Known as \u201c<strong>Sapporo White Illumination<\/strong>\u201d, these illuminations lighten the park from late November until December 25<sup>th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"75295\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003255\/noel-hokkaido-japon-3-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Christmas illuminations in Odori Park, in Sapporo, Hokkaido\" class=\"wp-image-75295\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003255\/noel-hokkaido-japon-3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003255\/noel-hokkaido-japon-3-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003255\/noel-hokkaido-japon-3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003255\/noel-hokkaido-japon-3-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003255\/noel-hokkaido-japon-3.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"75296\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003303\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6868-2-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Sapporo White illuminations in Hokkaido during Christmas\" class=\"wp-image-75296\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003303\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6868-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003303\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6868-2-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003303\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6868-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003303\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6868-2-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003303\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6868-2.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">Odori Park and its Christmas illuminations<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The tower in the photos may look familiar to you, and that is not a coincidence. You probably know of Tokyo Tower, which is a close reproduction to Paris\u2019 Eiffel Tower. Well, it seems that the Japanese are so much in love with our French monument that they also built the Sapporo Tower based on the Eiffel Tower (\u30a8\u30c3\u30d5\u30a7\u30eb\u5854). The architect of the Tokyo Tower also designed the plans of Sapporo Tower which make them look very similar, even if Sapporo tower is smaller. As you climb to the top of the tower, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003445\/noel-hokkaido-japon-8017-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Odori Park from the top of Sapporo Tower\" class=\"wp-image-75298\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003445\/noel-hokkaido-japon-8017-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003445\/noel-hokkaido-japon-8017-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003445\/noel-hokkaido-japon-8017-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003445\/noel-hokkaido-japon-8017-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07003445\/noel-hokkaido-japon-8017.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">View of the city from the top of Sapporo Tower; it was one day after Christmas and the illuminations of Odori Park had already been taken down!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Except for<a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/goto-nagasaki-hidden-islands\/\" class=\"ek-link\"> some islands in Kyushu<\/a>, there are very few Christians in Japan, <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/christmas-how-japan-celebrate\/\" class=\"ek-link\">so Christmas is not part of Japanese traditions and became popular<\/a> in the archipelago only very recently. This holiday from the West is, therefore, an opportunity for the Japanese to showcase Western culture, especially in the Christmas markets. <strong>The German Christmas Market of Sapporo<\/strong> is a great example of that. Held every year at the foot of Sapporo Tower, you can find pretzels, cold cuts, western crafts, and even Russian dolls. When you walk through the alleys of this Western Christmas market under a mini Eiffel Tower, it\u2019s hard to believe you\u2019re still in Japan!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But by spending all this time under the snow in the middle of the night, we now wanted to warm ourselves in the heated room of a local restaurant to taste some Japanese specialities. There are so many<strong> renowned foods in Hokkaido<\/strong> that the only difficulty was to choose one for dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-where-to-eat-in-sapporo\">Where to Eat in Sapporo?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This night we decided to try a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/hokkaido-soup-curry-hokkaido\/\" class=\"ek-link\">soup curry<\/a><\/strong>, and I think it is the perfect food to warm you up during the cold nights of Hokkaido. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/how-to-japanese-curry\/\" class=\"ek-link\">Japanese curry<\/a><\/strong> is one of the most popular dishes in Japan. But Hokkaido is the only place where they prepare soup with this curry! This speciality is radically different from the curries that can be eaten elsewhere in Japan, topped with a lot of vegetables from <strong>the abundant agriculture of Hokkaido<\/strong>. A real delight!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/30235138\/mmexport1603122984027-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"soup curry, a delightful specialty of Hokkaido\" class=\"wp-image-74152\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/30235138\/mmexport1603122984027-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/30235138\/mmexport1603122984027-500x375.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/30235138\/mmexport1603122984027-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/30235138\/mmexport1603122984027-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The local food to try in Sapporo includes <strong>miso <em>ramen<\/em><\/strong>, known to have been invented here. A small alley is also dedicated to ramen, \u201c<strong>Gansou Ramen Yokocho<\/strong>\u201d (\u5143\u7956\u30e9\u30fc\u30e1\u30f3\u6a2a\u4e01). Classic or topped with shellfish flamed in front of you, you will be spoiled by the variety of <em>ramen<\/em> that you can try.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004303\/noel-hokkaido-japon-1456-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Miso ramen in Sapporo\" class=\"wp-image-75299\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004303\/noel-hokkaido-japon-1456-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004303\/noel-hokkaido-japon-1456-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004303\/noel-hokkaido-japon-1456-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004303\/noel-hokkaido-japon-1456-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004303\/noel-hokkaido-japon-1456.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re a meat enthusiast, you should definitely try <em><strong>jingisukan<\/strong><\/em> (\u30b8\u30f3\u30ae\u30b9\u30ab\u30f3). This lamb meat speciality is named after the famous Mongolian military leader Genghis Khan. The slices of meat are cooked on<strong> a domed-shaped barbecue<\/strong> (it is said that Mongolian soldiers used their helmet to cook the meat) and are seasoned with the unique flavours of the dedicated sauce.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004342\/noel-hokkaido-japon-2204-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"jingisukan, a lamb meat speacialty of Hokkaido\" class=\"wp-image-75300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004342\/noel-hokkaido-japon-2204-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004342\/noel-hokkaido-japon-2204-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004342\/noel-hokkaido-japon-2204-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004342\/noel-hokkaido-japon-2204-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004342\/noel-hokkaido-japon-2204.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"75301\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004402\/noel-hokkaido-japon-8080-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"the sapporo beer garden and its sapporo beer museum\" class=\"wp-image-75301\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004402\/noel-hokkaido-japon-8080-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004402\/noel-hokkaido-japon-8080-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004402\/noel-hokkaido-japon-8080-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004402\/noel-hokkaido-japon-8080-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004402\/noel-hokkaido-japon-8080.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sappro Beer Garden<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"75302\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004410\/noel-japon-hokkaido-2150-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"sapporo beer at the sapporo beer museum\" class=\"wp-image-75302\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004410\/noel-japon-hokkaido-2150-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004410\/noel-japon-hokkaido-2150-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004410\/noel-japon-hokkaido-2150-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004410\/noel-japon-hokkaido-2150-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004410\/noel-japon-hokkaido-2150.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most famous <em>jingisukan<\/em> restaurants of Sapporo can be found at the <strong><a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sapporo-bier-garten.jp\/global\/english.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Sapporo Beer Garden<\/a><\/strong> (\u30b5\u30c3\u30dd\u30ed\u30d3\u30fc\u30eb\u5712). It can be a great opportunity to visit the museum and to learn more about the history of <strong>Sapporo beer<\/strong> (\u30b5\u30c3\u30dd\u30ed\u30d3\u30fc\u30eb), one of the most popular beers in Japan!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-shiroi-koibito-park-a-perfect-christmas-attraction-for-families\">Shiroi Koibito Park: A Perfect Christmas Attraction for Families<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re travelling with your family or if the holiday season awakes the child inside you, <strong><a aria-label=\"Shiroi Koibito Park (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shiroikoibitopark.jp\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Shiroi Koibito Park<\/a><\/strong> (\u767d\u3044\u604b\u4eba\u30d1\u30fc\u30af) is the perfect place to enjoy the magic of Christmas. Shiroi Koibito is a famous cookies brand. These small <strong>cookies filled with white chocolate<\/strong> became so inextricably linked to Hokkaido that it has finally become one of the symbols of the island. The factory of these cookies is located in Shiroi Koibito Park, a theme park about chocolate and sweets. The park is open all year, but I truly think that it gets even more magical during Christmas.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004555\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7174-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Shiroi Koibito Park during Christmas\" class=\"wp-image-75303\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004555\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7174-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004555\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7174-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004555\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7174-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004555\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7174-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004555\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7174.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Shiroi Koibito Park illuminated during the night<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>In addition to the tour of the factory and the small attractions offered outside, you can <strong>take part in workshops<\/strong> to learn how to make chocolate, and to taste all kinds of chocolate preparations. This is also the perfect chance to pick up some souvenirs, and Shiroi Koibito cookies are <strong>one of the most popular souvenirs of Hokkaido<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004702\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7165-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Girl under Christmas illuminations in Sapporo\" class=\"wp-image-75304\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004702\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7165-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004702\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7165-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004702\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7165-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004702\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7165-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004702\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7165.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-warming-up-in-hokkaido-s-onsen-hot-springs-of-jozankei\">Warming Up in Hokkaido&#8217;s Onsen Hot Springs of Jozankei<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The previous year, I had the opportunity to visit Hokkaido during the fall. I went to <strong>Jozankei<\/strong> (\u5b9a\u5c71\u6e13), <strong>a small hot spring village<\/strong> one hour by bus from Sapporo. During the fall, the <em>momiji<\/em> maple leaves made this place absolutely wonderful, turning the landscapes into natural paintings full of colour. I enjoyed my stay in Jozankei so much that I definitely wanted to go back to this village and to discover this landscapes under the snow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was a radical transformation! The warm colours from my memories had been replaced by the perfect white coating of snow over the whole area and muffled the sound of our footsteps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"75306\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004826\/hokkaido-jozankei-2-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"the village of jozankei during the fall\" class=\"wp-image-75306\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004826\/hokkaido-jozankei-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004826\/hokkaido-jozankei-2-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004826\/hokkaido-jozankei-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004826\/hokkaido-jozankei-2-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004826\/hokkaido-jozankei-2.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"75305\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004807\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7104-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"jozankei under the snow during winter in hokkaido\" class=\"wp-image-75305\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004807\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7104-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004807\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7104-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004807\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7104-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004807\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7104-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004807\/noel-hokkaido-japon-7104.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"75307\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004836\/hokkaido-jozankei-2-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"the hot spring village of Jozankei in Hokkaido\" class=\"wp-image-75307\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004836\/hokkaido-jozankei-2-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004836\/hokkaido-jozankei-2-1-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004836\/hokkaido-jozankei-2-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004836\/hokkaido-jozankei-2-1-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004836\/hokkaido-jozankei-2-1.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you like <strong>snowy landscapes<\/strong> as much as I do, you cannot resist the beauty of this village during the winter. But even if you don\u2019t go there for the snow, Jozankei has much more to offer than its landscapes! This village was built on <strong>natural hot springs,<\/strong> and there is nothing better than to warm up in the middle of the winter than to have a good soak into a hot <em>onsen<\/em> bath.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004955\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6984-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"traditional japanese cuisine in ryokan in hokkaido\" class=\"wp-image-75308\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004955\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6984-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004955\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6984-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004955\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6984-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004955\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6984-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07004955\/noel-hokkaido-japon-6984.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The <strong>numerous <em>ryokan<\/em><\/strong> of Jozankei gives you the chance to enjoy onsen and Japanese traditional luxury fully. Our stay at the <a aria-label=\"Hana Momiji Ryokan (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/shikanoyu.co.jp\/hana\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Hana Momiji Ryokan<\/a> in Jozankei was arguably the most comfortable moments of our Christmas holiday travel. The spacious traditional tatami rooms and futon beds are already a great reason to stay in a<em> ryokan<\/em>. But these traditional Japanese inns are also known for their <strong>gourmet dinners<\/strong>. And with the exceptional ingredients of Hokkaido, these dinners are absolutely delicious.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005055\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7198-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"Snowy streets of Asahikawa, a city of Hokkaido\" class=\"wp-image-75309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005055\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7198-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005055\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7198-500x281.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005055\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7198-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005055\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7198.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-asahikawa-visiting-the-heart-of-hokkaido\">Asahikawa, Visiting the Heart of Hokkaido<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Asahikawa<\/strong> (\u65ed\u5ddd) is the second-largest city of Hokkaido. Close to Mount Daisetsuzan, the highest mountain of the island, it is <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/hokkaido-asahikawa-snowshoeing-and-backcountry-skiing-at-asahidake\/\" class=\"ek-link\">the perfect destination for <strong>outdoor activities<\/strong><\/a>: hiking and cycling during the warm seasons, and skiing during the winter.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005241\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7300-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A japanese statue turned into Santa Claus for Christmas\" class=\"wp-image-75310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005241\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7300-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005241\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7300-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005241\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7300-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005241\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7300-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005241\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7300.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Asahikawa is also a culturally interesting city to visit. You can learn more about the indigenous people of Hokkaido, the <strong>Ainu<\/strong> (\u30a2\u30a4\u30cc) in <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/hokkaido-asahikawa-daisetsuzan\/\" class=\"ek-link\">the museum of Asahikawa dedicated to the Ainu\u2019s history<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I enjoyed visiting Asahikawa on foot, walking through the streets covered with snow. Locals were very kind and welcomed us with a smile, like in the Asahikawa Science Museum (\u79d1\u5b66\u9928\u30b5\u30a4\u30d1\u30eb). A small observatory stands on the roof of the museum. When the museum staff saw that we were heading toward the observatory, they hurried to give us a tour. They even opened the telescope to show us the few stars visible through the clouds, a wonderful memory. Exactly the kind of special moment that can be experimented only when you visit Japan outside of the main touristic destinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"75311\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005343\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7263-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"telescope from the Asahikawa observatory\" class=\"wp-image-75311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005343\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7263-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005343\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7263-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005343\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7263-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005343\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7263-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005343\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7263.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"75312\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005350\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7271-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"computers in the asahikawa observaory\" class=\"wp-image-75312\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005350\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7271-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005350\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7271-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005350\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7271-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005350\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7271-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005350\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7271.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"75313\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005357\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7281-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"The observatory of Asahikawa, on the top of the Science Museum\" class=\"wp-image-75313\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005357\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7281-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005357\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7281-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005357\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7281-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005357\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7281-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005357\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7281.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Asahikawa&#8217;s observatory, on the roof of the science museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/hokkaido-asahikawa-nightlife\/\" class=\"ek-link\"><strong>The vibrant nightlife of Asahikawa<\/strong><\/a> made the evening in the city very pleasant. Strolling between <em>izakaya<\/em> (\u5c45\u9152\u5c4b) and <em>ramen<\/em> restaurants in snowy alleys illuminated by Christmas decorations gave a magic atmosphere to our night in Asahikawa.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005455\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7572-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"hokkaido alley street with snow\" class=\"wp-image-75314\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005455\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7572-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005455\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7572-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005455\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7572-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005455\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7572-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005455\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7572.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-the-penguins-of-asahiyama-zoo\">The Penguins of Asahiyama Zoo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I must confess that I don\u2019t have a strong interest in zoos. It was more or less against my will that I was dragged to <strong><a aria-label=\"Asashiyama Zoo (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp\/asahiyamazoo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Asahiyama Zoo<\/a><\/strong> (\u65ed\u5c71\u52d5\u7269\u5712), a 40-minute ride from the city. But I have to admit that this zoo has some interesting features, especially if you <strong>go there during the winter<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Asahiyama Zoo is the most northern zoo of Japan, and it\u2019s actually quite surprising to find a zoo in such a cold place. The animals of Asahiyama Zoo are therefore species acclimatized to this kind of climate. Braving the cold and the heavy snow, you will meet animals from Hokkaido including <strong>sika deers<\/strong> or <strong>wolves<\/strong>, but also all kind of species from the northern parts of the globe, such as <strong>polar bears, seals, and polar foxes<\/strong> \u2014 many animals that find similar conditions of their native biotopes, in Hokkaido. If we can legitimately argue that the living conditions of animals in a zoo are in no way comparable with their wildlife, Asahiyama Zoo nonetheless seeks to highlight the behaviour of their animals and their instinctive way of life.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005648\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7481-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"penguins walking on the snow at the Asahiyama zoo\" class=\"wp-image-75315\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005648\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7481-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005648\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7481-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005648\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7481-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005648\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7481-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005648\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7481.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Although located in the far north of the country, <strong>Asahiyama Zoo is one of the most visited zoo in Japan<\/strong>. There is no doubt that the reason of such a success is due to the real star of the zoo: the <strong><a aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Emperor_penguin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link\">emperor penguins<\/a><\/strong>. Twice a day (from late December to mid-March), the penguins can go out of their enclosure to stroll in the zoo in front of children amazed by these cute animals waddling on the snow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-otaru-a-romantic-town-on-christmas-eve\">Otaru, A Romantic Town on Christmas Eve<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The last destination of our trip to Hokkaido was <strong>Otaru<\/strong> (\u5c0f\u6a3d). Accessible from Sapporo by about 30 minutes by train, this small seaside town is known to be <strong>a romantic destination<\/strong>. It sounded like the perfect destination to spend Christmas in Japan. If traditionally, we celebrate Christmas with family in France, Christmas in Japan is more for couples who meet in fancy restaurants and give gifts to one another.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005808\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7798-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"western inspired building of a shopping street in Otaru, Hokkaido\" class=\"wp-image-75316\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005808\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7798-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005808\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7798-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005808\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7798-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005808\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7798-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005808\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7798.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sakaimachi shopping street<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Most of the charm of this town comes from its <strong>Western-inspired architecture<\/strong> from the late 19<sup>th<\/sup> century, which is very unusual in Japan. You can fully enjoy this particular atmosphere in <strong>Sakaimachi shopping street<\/strong> (\u583a\u753a\u901a\u308a\u5546\u5e97\u8857). Numerous shops and restaurants of all kinds line in this long, seemingly endless, street. It is the best place to discover a wide variety of <strong>handmade glass products<\/strong>, the famous craftwork of Otaru. The snow was continuously falling, and it wasn&#8217;t long before I walked into a store to warm up. Each time I was amazed by the wonderful Christmas decorations, overwhelmed by <strong>the magical Christmas atmosphere of Otaru<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005943\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7623-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Christmas decoration of a shop in Hokkaido\" class=\"wp-image-75317\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005943\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7623-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005943\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7623-1-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005943\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7623-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005943\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7623-1-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005943\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7623-1.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"75319\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010004\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7739-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"a restaurant in Otaru with christmas decorations\" class=\"wp-image-75319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010004\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7739-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010004\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7739-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010004\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7739-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010004\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7739-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010004\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7739.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"75318\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005955\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7617-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"snowman latern in a shop at Otaru\" class=\"wp-image-75318\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005955\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7617-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005955\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7617-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005955\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7617-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005955\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7617-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07005955\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7617.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>To enjoy Otaru\u2019s food, I strongly advise you to explore one of the town\u2019s <strong>fish markets<\/strong>. Otaru is a port town, so you&#8217;ll find plenty of fresh seafood. The fish markets are not only pleasant to visit, it is also the perfect place to <strong>try some of the freshest seafood you can ever eat<\/strong>. I fell in love with the affordable raw fish <em>donburi<\/em> of Otaru\u2019s markets. These bowls of rice topped with all kind of <em>sashimi<\/em> are one of the best <em>donburi<\/em> I ate in Japan. And if you\u2019re not fond of raw fish, you might as well enjoy some seafood grilled on site.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010110\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7694-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"A fish market in Otaru, a small town of Hokkaido\" class=\"wp-image-75320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010110\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7694-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010110\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7694-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010110\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7694-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010110\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7694-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010110\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7694.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Lovers enjoy taking<strong> a stroll along Otaru Canal during the night<\/strong>. While walking along a small path lit by lampposts, you can enjoy the view of some old brick warehouses on the other side of the canal.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010136\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7670-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Otaru Canal during the night on Christmas Eve\" class=\"wp-image-75321\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010136\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7670-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010136\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7670-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010136\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7670-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010136\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7670-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010136\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7670.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Otaru Canal under the snow on Christmas Eve<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>That evening, heavy snow was falling and the bitter cold was a bit too much for us. It was time to walk toward the restaurant to celebrate Christmas in a Japanese way!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Christmas, the Japanese often enjoy a fancy dinner in some western restaurants, but we didn\u2019t come to Hokkaido to eat French food. Instead, we decided to take full advantage of the local food by booking a table in a sushi restaurant. Enjoying a delicious Hokkaido <em>chirashizushi<\/em> (\u3061\u3089\u3057\u5bff\u53f8) for Christmas Eve while watching thick snowflakes falling on the streets of Otaru\u2014<strong> I couldn\u2019t dream of a better way to spend Christmas in Japan!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010229\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7828-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Hokkaido Chirashizushi, a perfect dinner on Christmas Eve\" class=\"wp-image-75322\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010229\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7828-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010229\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7828-500x333.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010229\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7828-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010229\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7828-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010229\/noel-japon-hokkaido-7828.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-practical-information-on-getting-to-your-christmas-in-hokkaido\">Practical Information on Getting to Your Christmas in Hokkaido<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-how-to-get-to-hokkaido\">How to Get to Hokkaido<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The cheapest and fastest way to go to <strong>Hokkaido<\/strong> from the rest of Japan is <strong>the plane<\/strong>. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/travel-guide-japan-international-airport\/#shinchitose-airport\" class=\"ek-link\">New Chitose Airport<\/a><\/strong> (\u65b0\u5343\u6b73\u56fd\u969b\u7a7a\u6e2f) can be reached by a 1.5-hour flight from <strong>Tokyo<\/strong> or a 2-hour flight from <strong>Osaka<\/strong> or <strong>Fukuoka<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <em><strong>shinkansen<\/strong><\/em> bullet train (\u65b0\u5e79\u7dda) also reaches Hokkaido, though travelling from Tokyo to Hokkaido takes more than 4 hours and is more expensive than by plane. However the journey is now covered by the <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/japan-rail-pass-guide-worth-tips\/\" class=\"ek-link\"><strong>Japan Rail Pass<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-how-to-get-to-sapporo\">How to Get to Sapporo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sapporo city<\/strong> is easily accessible from <strong>New Chitose Airport<\/strong>. The <strong>Rapid Airline<\/strong> trains, accessible straight in the airport through the <strong>New Chitose JR Station<\/strong> (JR\u65b0\u5343\u6b73\u99c5) will bring you to Sapporo in only 30 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Many shuttle buses<\/strong> also run between the airport and various location in Sapporo city.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010528\/sapporo-1024x405.jpg\" alt=\"Panoramic view of the Old Hokkaido Government Building under the snow\" class=\"wp-image-75323\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010528\/sapporo-1024x405.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010528\/sapporo-500x198.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010528\/sapporo-1536x608.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010528\/sapporo.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-how-to-get-to-jozankei\">How to Get to Jozankei<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Going to <strong>Jozankei <\/strong>from <strong>Sapporo station<\/strong> (\u672d\u5e4c\u99c5) <strong>by bus<\/strong> takes around 1 hour. You will have to take a bus from the <strong>Kappa Liner<\/strong> located at the bus stop number 12 of Sapporo Station (a bus headed toward Jozankei \u5b9a\u5c71\u6e13\u6e29\u6cc9 \/ Hoheikyo Onsen \u8c4a\u5e73\u5ce1\u6e29\u6cc9.) You can get off the bus at the \u201cJozankei Yu no Machi\u201d station (\u5b9a\u5c71\u6e13\u6e6f\u306e\u753a). The ride costs 770 yen.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010609\/jozankei-1024x540.jpg\" alt=\"The streets of Jozankei under the snow\" class=\"wp-image-75324\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010609\/jozankei-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010609\/jozankei-500x264.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010609\/jozankei-1536x810.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010609\/jozankei.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-how-to-get-to-asahikawa\">How to Get to Asahikawa<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>JR trains<\/strong> connect <strong>Asahikawa<\/strong> and <strong>Sapporo<\/strong>. The trip takes around 1.5 hours and costs around 5,000 yen (price varies depending of the chosen train). The trains are covered under the <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/japan-rail-pass-guide-worth-tips\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Japan Rail Pass<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Minorly longer, though cheaper than the train, <strong>buses<\/strong> rides between <strong>Asahikaw<\/strong>ndmnd <strong>Sapporo<\/strong> take about 2 hours. One way trip costs 2,300 yen, and a round trip 4,350 yen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is also possible to <strong>fly<\/strong> directly to Asahikawa from <strong>Tokyo<\/strong> (1hour and 40-minutes) or from <strong>Nagoya<\/strong> (2 hours).<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"510\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010732\/asahikawa-1024x510.jpg\" alt=\"Townscape of Asahikawa under the snow\" class=\"wp-image-75325\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010732\/asahikawa-1024x510.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010732\/asahikawa-500x249.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010732\/asahikawa-1536x765.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010732\/asahikawa-670x335.jpg 670w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010732\/asahikawa.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-how-to-get-to-otaru\">How to Get to Otaru<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Several <strong>trains<\/strong> ride between <strong>Otaru<\/strong> and <strong>Sapporo station<\/strong>. It only takes 30 minutes with the fastest trains and 45 minutes with local trains. The ride costs from 750 yen to 1,280 yen depending on the train and is also covered by the <a href=\"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/japan-rail-pass-guide-worth-tips\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"ek-link\">Japan Rail Pass<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some trains also connect Otaru and <strong>New Chitose Airport<\/strong>. You can reach your destination in 1hour and 10-minutes, though be careful not to miss your train, as there are only a few trains that run in a day!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"282\" src=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010830\/noel-japon-hokkaido--1024x282.jpg\" alt=\"The port of Otaru during the winter\" class=\"wp-image-75326\" srcset=\"https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010830\/noel-japon-hokkaido--1024x282.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010830\/noel-japon-hokkaido--500x138.jpg 500w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010830\/noel-japon-hokkaido--1536x422.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/s3.voyapon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/07010830\/noel-japon-hokkaido-.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/u\/0\/embed?mid=12TxFvSjuoFiNrKYemcKBkZ_T5FhszfRw&amp;hl=en\" width=\"850\" height=\"480\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, Hokkaido is cold during the winter and you must have some warm clothes in your suitcase, but if you decide to celebrate Christmas in Hokkaido, you will discover a brand new Japan surrounded by snow \u2014 the perfect atmosphere for the holiday season!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I have always loved winter and snow even more. Coming from the south of France, where it barely snows once&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":103,"featured_media":75304,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"pgc_meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2051,1406,25],"tags":[2156,2154,2109,2126,2127,2092,1324,1383,1357,2098,2079],"class_list":{"0":"post-75291","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-events","8":"category-hokkaido","9":"category-shopping","10":"tag-christmas","11":"tag-culture","12":"tag-events","13":"tag-history-2","14":"tag-hokkaido","15":"tag-holidays","16":"tag-onsen","17":"tag-ryokan","18":"tag-seafood","19":"tag-winter","20":"tag-winter-festival"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Christmas in Hokkaido: Top Ways to Spend a Winter Holiday<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Christmas in Hokkaido is the perfect way to experience a winter wonderland in Japan. 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