“When is the best month to visit [place]?” – This is one of those questions that tend to get asked way too many times. And the answer is often if not always “depends”. So this is more or less the same for Hokkaido. It is a place good to visit all year around. For people who love winter sport activities like skiing and snowboarding or would like to have a glass (or two) of the Sapporo beer while enjoying the famous snow festival in Sapporo, winter (November – March) is no doubt the best time to visit Hokkaido. For others who love greenery and mild sunshine however, summer months (June – September) are definitely the best time to visit Hokkaido. And that’s exactly what I did this past summer.

Having been to the more well known cities like Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, I wanted to venture out to other cities in Japan. Sapporo (capital city of the Hokkaido prefecture) has been on the top of my list. Back in 2011, I actually was so close in making this trip, but unfortunately I had to cancel due to the Fukushima earthquake occurring one month before my planned visit. Time went by and it gradually became a forgotten dream. But you know what, dreams never die.

Originally, I had three plans in mind: (1) cherry blossoms in March/April, (2) lavender farms in July/August, or (3) autumn foliage in September/October. After some thought, I landed on choice #2 and here’s why:

Weather

Geographically, Hokkaido is located at the most northern part of Japan. While its winter is brutally cold (good for white winter lover), its summer is relatively mild and more pleasant than rest of the country. The air is dry and breezy. There is less stickiness and you can walk around more without feeling the heat and sweat.

Lavender fields

Lavender viewing around the Furano and Biei area was the main reason for my Hokkaido visit. The lavender gardens and flower fields in this region rival with the those in Provence France and not without reasons.  The picturesque landscape is filled with purple patches of the aromatic flowers from which embarks the feeling of Spring.  The blooming season for lavender lasts between the months of July and August which is much longer and more predictable than cherry blossoms (sakura) which appear for about a week around March and April. So it is much easier to catch a nice view of the lavender fields. Besides lavender, there are many other flowers blooming in these flower farms.

Seafood

Hokkaido is close to the Northern Sea and is accessible to much fish and other seafood products. Its seafood is so fresh that even if you go to a simple kaitei sushi restaurant the quality will not disappoint. Hokkaido is renowned for seafood like sea urchin (uni), crab (kani), squid (ika), scallop (hotate), salmon roe (inure), and shrimp (ebi). It is a paradise for a seafood lover (like me!) July and August are the best months for sea urchin which is a delicacy on its own. If you have difficulty to choose what you want, you can always order one of the kaisen don (海鮮丼）which is a type of rice bowl topped with a variety of seafood.

Onsen

Onsen (hot springs) are a must try in Japan and Hokkaido has no short supply of nice hot spring spots. Although onsen is naturally more enjoyable in the winter, because Hokkaido’s summer is not so hot, it is still a good time to get a dip in the water when there is less crowd and the price is more reasonable. Can you imagine soaking in the hot mineral water while looking out to a gorgeous oceanic view all by yourself?

Festivals

From mid-July to the end of September, several festivals are happening in different parts of Hokkaido. The famous Sapporo Summer Festival which  features an enormous beer garden and fireworks display is held every year between late July to mid August in Odori Park (at the center of Sapporo). Other summer festivals include Otaru Ushio Festival (late July), Noboribetsu Demon’s fireworks (July – August), Lake Toya fireworks display (April – October).  Also, small fireworks are legal in Japan and can be bought from many places even in convenient stores like 7-11.

Dessert

If you have a sweet tooth like me, Hokkaido has some of the most delicious desserts to offer. Its iconic white chocolate cookies – shiroi koibito (white lover) are so popular that they are sold in practically everywhere in Hokkaido. They also have their own cookie factory where you can make a visit and try out different specialty sweets. Other sweets from Le Tao, Kitakaro, Rokkatei and Royce’ are also very well known in the region. The rainbow ice cream and lavender ice cream are also heavenly delights that will put a smile on anyone’s face.

Road trip/camping

Summer is the perfect time for a road trip or even camping in Hokkaido. Wait a minute, did you just say road trip? Yes! It is true that Japan has one of the most efficient public transportation network, but renting a car would be the best way to experience Hokkaido. While Hokkaido is a hidden gem to many foreigners, it is a popular destination for family vacation to the local Japanese people. With its serene rich nature featuring volcanic mountains, lakes, and coastline beauty, Hokkaido is ideal for a family vacation. The rural countryside landscape of Hokkaido is very scenic and definitely shouldn’t be missed.

All in all, Hokkaido summer definitely did not disappoint. I will show you more of its beauty in future posts. Stay tuned!