Hi Reader,

How’s your trip planning going?

My mission is to help you plan your perfect Hokkaido trip.

So today, I'm going to share with you important lessons exactly for that.

“5 big mistakes that Hokkaido travelers often make”

These are based on my experience helping over 100 people with my trip-planning consultation.

I want to make sure that you are making these mistakes that other people do.

Shall we?

(The last one is especially important for respecting local people, so please read through it.)
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1. Squeezing too many places

This is by far No.1 mistake that travelers make. Please remember HOKKAIDO IS BIG! To give you a perspective, Hokkaido is 40 times bigger than Tokyo, and twice as big as Switzerland.

So if you are planning a 5-day trip to Sapporo, Hakodate (the most southwest city) and Shiretoko (the eastern tip of Hokkaido), I need to stop you. Those destinations are too far apart to squeeze in 5 days.

✅ Solution: Here’s the rule of thumb - try to have 5 days to explore one region. For example, you can spend 5 days in central Hokkaido visiting Sapporo, Oraru and Noboribetsu. If it’s Eastern Hokkaido, you can do Abashiri, Shiretoko and Akan in 5 days.
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2. Only visiting Sapporo and Furano

85% of international visitors go to Central and Northern regions, which include Sapporo and Furano.

I’m not here to say “don’t go there,” but Hokkaido has so much more than that. If you are only visiting the so-called “must-see” spots, you’re missing out.

✅ Solution: Check out Eastern Hokkaido, my hometown! As you already know, my blog offers lots of travel tips and ideas for this beautiful region.
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3. Not using domestic flights within Hokkaido

If you have a tight schedule but still want to visit different regions in Hokkaido, use flights. It can save lots of your time, instead of spending hours on the road or a train.

✅ Solution: You can take a flight from New Chitose Airport near Sapporo to Memanbetsu Airport (closer to Abashiri and Shiretoko), Kushiro Airport (closer to Kushiro and Akan), or Hakodate, all only 45 min.
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4. Driving in winter

Traveling by car is the most convenient mode to explore Hokkaido. However, I don’t recommend it in winter, unless you’re used to driving on the snow in your home country.

Why? Because driving in winter would entail longer travel time, a higher risk of accidents, and unexpected changes to your trip in case of heavy snowfalls.

✅ Solution: Take trains and buses. Take advantage of free passes like JR Hokkaido passes.
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5. Ignoring “Keep Out” signs

The more visitors Hokkaido attracts with its photogenic sceneries, the more concerned locals are with tourists who enter private properties to take photos, despite the Keep Out signs in place.

In rural areas of Hokkaido, what might look like public open spaces could be someone’s farmland or backyard.

✅ Solution: Pay attention to signs. Respect the rules and local people who live there. If the signs are only in Japanese (which might often be the case in rural areas), try to read them using Google Translate. For example, if a sign says 私有地, it means a private property.
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Now you know what not to do for your perfect Hokkaido trip!

Were any of these tips helpful to you? Hit the reply and let me know! I'd love to hear from you.
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🤗 Want more travel tips? Check out these posts.

• ​Hokkaido Destination Guide: Best places to go and things to do​
• ​8 Essential Tips to Plan Your First Trip to Hokkaido​
• ​20 Money-Saving Tips for a Budget Hokkaido Trip​

Happy trip planning!

Best,
Yuuka

P.S. my top recommended​ resources.

✅ List of Hokkaido itineraries
​✅ My Hokkaido travel planners
​✅ The best hotels in Hokkaido​​​

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