Winter Trip to Hokkaido

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Hokkaido, Japan’s second largest and least populated island, is one of Japan’s most fascinating nature destinations. It is a hiking heaven in the summer, which turns into a winter wonderland in December. These are the diaries of my week-long December trip to Central Hokkaido, more specifically, the Biei area, in search of beautiful winter landscapes. (For a more recent Biei – Hokkaido post: An Ode to the Snow Country: Hokkaido).

Biei—the small town of 9,000 residents—whose name combines the kanji for “beauty” and “crystal” — 美瑛, has gained considerable recognition in recent years for its stunning landscapes. While the main draw is the lavender and flower fields that color the region in summer, much like Provence, its winter charm, as I experienced last week, also draws significant attention—public buses running at double capacity, hotels fully booked, and dinner reservations often required.

Beyond the major sites, which can feel overwhelming at first due to the crowds but are still worth a visit, the region remains ideal for more secluded winter walks and countless awe-inspiring moments, thanks to its isolated yet strangely inviting winter scenery—provided you’re dressed for -10°C temperatures and don’t mind the occasional (soft) fall into the snow.

Hokkaido winter trip diaries

While I initially planned to spend a few days in Biei and then take advantage of JR Hokkaido’s extensive train network to chase the snow, I ended up staying the entire week, exploring the town and its surrounding areas. The cozy, snow-covered town, with its charming Christmas atmosphere, was simply too irresistible—especially when paired with impeccably blue skies during the day, a first for me during a winter visit to Hokkaido.

Also, I hadn’t expected to spend so much time outdoors and be able to take long walks, given the freezing temperatures. However, once I felt confident that I wouldn’t freeze to death—thanks to Uniqlo’s ultra-heattech undershirts and pants (priced under USD 15 in Japan)—I started skipping the bus and train as much as possible, which gave me another reason to extend my stay.

Biei: Hokkaido`s winter wonderland

The diaries will cover Biei and the adjacent Asahikawa City, which, despite its ordinariness, surprisingly blows my mind every single time I visit. Following my itinerary, each post will highlight spots like Christmas Tree, Shirahige Waterfall, Blue Pond (once featured as a MacBook default wallpaper), Asahidake—Hokkaido’s highest mountain in Daisetsuzan National Park—and my favorite hiking destination in Japan, which, in winter, looks like a perfect setting for a disaster movie: incredibly un-hikeable (honestly, hostile), but still undeniably beautiful.

The travel diaries series is a feature for monthly and annual subscribers to Letters from Japan, which also, upon request, receive a PDF copy covering the entire set of diaries.

Day 1: Arrival in Biei and a visit to Shiragane Waterfall

The day includes a visit to Shirahige Waterfall, one of Japan’s most iconic landscapes, followed by Shiroganefudano Waterfall, which may not be as iconic but offers a much more secluded experience. It ends with a quick stop at Blue Pond before heading back to Biei town for dinner at a lovely yakitori place. Logistical details, including access information and booking tips, will be provided in the final, fourth post of the series.

For more: Hokkaido Travel Diaries: Day 1 — Bringing out the Rainbow

Day 2: Visiting the Patchwork Road near Biei

Thanks to the weather gifting us another day of blue skies, the day turned out to be the best of the trip. It started with a long walk along the famous Patchwork Road, following the footsteps of deer, who kindly showed up in person later, followed by a coffee break at a forest café, an unnecessarily adventurous walk back to town, and a cozy dinner at a charming Italian restaurant with only three tables.

For more: Hokkaido Travel Diairies: Day 2 — the Day of the Ghost Trees

Day 3: A trip to the Hokkaido`s famous Christmas Tree

As I woke on Monday morning and checked multiple weather channels, it was clear that, due to low visibility, it was not a good day to visit Asahidake, Hokkaido’s highest mountain, which is a 45-minute drive from Biei—twice that if you rely on a bus, as I would the next day.

So, instead, I decided to have a slow morning: organize the notes I would later use for these diaries, try to control my coffee intake to find a balance between feeling energized and anxious, and then take the train to Bibaushi village.

Just seven minutes by train from Biei, Bibaushi is home to only 107 residents. However, it regularly welcomes at least ten times that number as daily visitors, if not more, thanks to one very famous landmark—the Christmas Tree. In recent years, the tree has become such a major attraction that the town introduced traffic restrictions, diligently enforced by multiple police officers stationed at the site.

For more: Hokkaido Travel Diaries: Day 3 — Merry Christmas

Day 4: Visiting Hokkaido`s highest mountain in winter — Asahidake

After the first three days of exploring the frozen waterfalls, ponds, uniquely shaped or positioned trees, cozy dinners, and lunches in Biei town and the surrounding area, I was ready for a winter visit to my favorite national park in Japan—Daisetsuzan—, though with its notoriously volatile weather—even in summer—I wasn’t sure if I’d find a winter wonderland or a snowy hell.

For more: Hokkaido Travel Diaries: Day 4 — the Mighty Asahidake