Hokkaido Winter Trip
Day 1 - Thu 10 Dec 2026
Day 1 - Thu 10 Dec 2026
After landing:
Immigration → Baggage Claim → Customs → Arrival Hall
Allow approximately 60–90 minutes, especially since this is your first time in Japan.
Before leaving the terminal, put on your winter outerwear if needed.
Buy any missing winter essentials
HEATTECH / gloves / socks / inner layers
Time limit: ~30 min
Collect Sapporo–Furano Area Pass 4-Day
Set START DATE: December 11, 2026
⚠️ Do not use the pass today.
Buy today's separate ticket:
New Chitose Airport → Sapporo
Rapid Airport + Reserved U-Seat ~¥2,230/person
U-Seat - Use the car number + seat number printed on your ticket.
When boarding, check the electronic display for:
Rapid Airport
Don't worry if the train continues beyond Sapporo toward Otaru.
Our stop is Sapporo Station.
Exit the station and head to our next stop.
GU — Sapporo Station Area
Spend approximately: 30 minutes
This is a quick shopping stop rather than a full shopping session.
Why do it now?
It gets GU out of the way early, leaving the remaining days free for sightseeing.
However, because we have luggage:
If handling the luggage becomes inconvenient, skip GU and go directly to the hotel.
Take a taxi using GO Taxi. With luggage and possible snow, taxi is preferable to walking.
At the hotel:
Leave luggage
Complete check-in formalities if possible
Keep valuables with you
No need to wait for the room if it isn't ready.
Take a taxi - Have lunch first.
Ario works well because there are many casual options, so we can choose something quickly rather than spending time searching for a particular restaurant.
Lunch budget: ~¥1,000–2,000/person
Explore the historic red-brick brewery buildings and exhibits.
Suggested time : 45–60 minutes
Focus on:
Historic building
Sapporo Beer history
Brewing exhibits
Photo spots
Museum shop
We don't need to spend too long here because the afternoon light is valuable.
Take a taxi back to Hotel Sosei.
14:45–15:15
Check in and go to the room.
Use this short break to:
Leave shopping bags
Change clothes if necessary
Charge your phone
Prepare gloves
Prepare power bank
Then head out again.
Take a taxi to the Mt. Moiwa Ropeway area.
15:45–16:45 — Mt. Moiwa : This timing is deliberate.
In December, Sapporo gets dark early, so arriving before sunset gives us several different views:
☀️ Late afternoon
→ 🌅 Sunset
→ 💙 Blue hour
→ 🌃 Early city lights
This is much better for smartphone photography than arriving when it is already completely dark.
Photography tip
Use the normal 1× camera whenever possible.
Avoid excessive digital zoom.
For city lights:
Hold the phone steady
Use Night Mode
Rest the phone against a railing if possible
Weather rule
If visibility is poor due to:
Heavy snow / Fog / Strong winds
Skip Mt. Moiwa.
There's little value in going up if the city isn't visible.
Take a taxi to Hotel.
Enjoy the benefits available to Platinum members:
Drinks / Light food / Rest / Warm up / Relax after the overnight flight
No sightseeing during this period.
This also prevents Day 1 from becoming too tiring.
Explore Sapporo Factory.
Use this time for:
Shopping / Photos / December atmosphere / Dinner if hungry
Because we've already had food at the hotel, dinner can be light.
Walk back to Hotel Sosei.
Prepare for tomorrow:
Charge phone
Charge power bank
Prepare JR Pass
Prepare reserved-seat ticket
Gloves / hat / neck warmer
Check weather
Check Asahikawa temperature
Try to sleep relatively early.
CTS → Sapporo ~¥1,230
U-Seat reservation ~¥840
Lunch ¥1,000–2,000
Mt. Moiwa ~¥2,100
Dinner ¥1,000–2,000
Shopping Personal
Beer Museum Mainly free exhibition
Basic attractions + transport ~¥6,000–8,000/person + taxis
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