Winter trip to Hokkaido with a toddler!

a white-white land

 

Being a citizen of a tropical island, snow has always been a dream for me, a fascinating dream I could only read about in books or watch in movies. I remember being so captivated when I watched the J-drama Erased, which takes place in Hakodate. The white-capped city scenes felt so surreal, almost like they belonged to another world. I knew then that Hokkaido was one of the places I had to visit in my lifetime. I wanted to feel that surreal atmosphere for myself.

We finally made it there in the summer of 2019. Yes, it was beautiful, quiet, and serene but we still felt like our dream hadn’t truly come true.

Then Covid happened, followed by travel restrictions, a move back to Jakarta, and many other life changes. Eventually, we came across a promo ticket from ANA and decided it was finally time to check something off our wish list: experiencing a winter wonderland in Hokkaido.

This time, our almost two-year-old daughter joined us. Of course, I was nervous (these days, I’m pretty much scared of everything) that the weather might be too cold for our tropical baby. But we wanted to give her the gift of experiencing snow as early as possible. So we bought her a snowsuit, boots, and all the winter gear she would need. We also knew that babies typically have a higher proportion of brown fat compared to adults, which helps them retain heat so our little girl wouldn’t get too cold.

Since we were traveling with our baby girl, we planned our itinerary to be as relaxed as possible. We chose a morning flight from Jakarta and arrived in Tokyo in the late afternoon. We stayed for 4 days and 3 nights in Tokyo before taking a morning flight to Sapporo.

Winter in Sapporo is the peak holiday season, so expect delays and a bit of chaos at both the airport and on public transport. We had to queue for almost an hour and a half to catch the bus from the airport to downtown Sapporo. We chose the bus over the train because our hotel was located close to a bus stop, which made things much easier since we were carrying two large suitcases and a stroller.

We stayed at Tokyu Stay Sapporo, near Odori Park, and arrived at the hotel just before sunset.

Day 2 Sapporo downtown-  the Annual Sapporo Snow Festival 

Sapporo Snow Festival in the Odori Park

The Sapporo Snow Festival is so famous that we felt we’d be missing out if we didn’t visit it right away. It stretches for about 1.5 km, from 1-chome to 12-chome in Odori Park, and features countless snow sculptures in a variety of themes. We saw Doraemon and other anime-related sculptures, though sadly, I’m no longer up to date with the latest characters. There were also grand and intricate pieces, such as a life-sized mansion and a knight with his horse.

Since the festival spans 1.5 km and our hotel was within walking distance, we thought it would be a good idea to bring a stroller for our daughter. Still, I felt a bit conflicted! small-wheeled strollers don’t cruise very well over snowy paths, and navigating certain areas was quite a challenge.

Brought the stroller-a difficult choice

Inside the festival grounds, many street vendors sold a variety of snacks and drinks, making it easy to enjoy the event to the fullest. There was also an ice rink for children who wanted to try ice skating. I was tempted, wondering if my baby girl was ready for her very first skating experience. But in the end, I decided against it; the rink was too crowded, and I was a little nervous. Maybe she’ll be ready when she turns three.

a very big sculptures

The weather in Sapporo during winter can change quickly, a bright blue sky can turn into grey clouds with heavy snowfall in just an hour. But there’s no need to panic; the weather forecast on my phone was surprisingly accurate, down to the minute. In mid-February, the temperature was around -7°C, which wasn’t too cold for us or our daughter. I noticed, however, that when the wind occasionally picked up (which wasn’t often), my daughter felt a bit chilly. After that, I decided to put her in a snowsuit.

After visiting the Snow Festival, we headed back to the hotel for our baby’s nap time. We rested for about two hours, watching the snow fall heavily from our hotel window. Once she woke up, we walked to the Susukino area for lunch. Unfortunately, we had forgotten that it was peak holiday season, and the queues for popular restaurants were unbelievable. Some places didn’t even take walk-ins, and dinner slots had to be booked a month in advance if you wanted a reasonable time.

Feeling tired and a bit defeated, we ended up at Yoshinoya (which also had a queue!) and enjoyed sukiyaki—for the second time in four days.

Day 3 Otaru Canal

 

the infamous canal

Once again, we underestimated how crowded the trains would be during the winter holiday season in Hokkaido! We started our morning with a walk from the hotel to Sapporo Station via the underground pathway, enjoying the shops along the way. We arrived at the station around 9 a.m., intending to activate our JR Hokkaido Pass and book train seats for the next several days.

But when we reached the exchange area, the queue was so long that it nearly stretched outside. We waited about an hour and a half to get our passes and rushed to book the next train to Otaru. Unfortunately, all the seats were already taken, so we ended up standing, crammed together with other tourists. We literally competed to get the seat among other tourists. Priority passengers are of no use during the holiday season. The stroller made it even harder to move inside the crowded train, and we accidentally missed Asari Station, ending up directly in Otaru. 

By the time we arrived around 1 p.m., we were starving. We remembered how tricky it was to find restaurants in Otaru that didn’t serve pork, and the queues at the seafood places were unbearably long. We ended up at a beef barbecue restaurant that was overpriced and tasted… meh.

Still, the scenery was stunning, with snow falling heavily around us. We strolled along Sakaimachihondori Street and by the Otaru Canal, admiring the winter atmosphere. We noticed the boats weren’t operating that day, perhaps because it was too cold, or maybe they simply don’t run in winter.

To be honest, though, we enjoyed walking along the Otaru Canal much more in summer. Maybe it was the sleet, or maybe we were just too hungry and grumpy from all the queues.

Otaru Canal

Day 4 Biei - Ningle Terrace, Blue Pond, and Shirahige Falls

Waiting for the Bus at Blue Pond 

I think that day, our day trip to Biei, was one of the best sceneries we’ve ever experienced and it still lives rent-free in our minds until now. We started the day at 8:00, taking the train from Sapporo Station to Asahikawa Station, then continuing on a local train to Biei. We left the stroller at the hotel, knowing it would be difficult to navigate it in the snowy area. We arrived around 10:20 a.m. and took a quick toilet break, but ended up arriving too late at the bus stop because the queue was already too long.

The headway for the next bus was quite long (about 40 minutes), which would have thrown off our itinerary. So, we decided to board the bus anyway, even though it was crammed. My baby refused to stand and wanted to be carried for the entire half-hour ride. Nobody gave us a seat, probably because most passengers were tourists as tired as we were.

Along the bus routes

When we arrived at the Blue Pond, we couldn’t see the water because it was completely frozen (which we knew beforehand, so it was fine). The snow, however, was so fluffy, and there were hardly any people around. We had a great time throwing snowballs and rolling in the snow.

There, we could only see white stretching across the horizon. Shortly after we arrived, it suddenly began snowing heavily, though it wasn’t too cold. The sky was grey, and the pine trees were the only dark colors in the area. It felt like seeing the world in black and white. It was truly magical.

Snowing so hard

We boarded the next bus in search of a waterfall, only to discover there were actually two. The one we reached was the smaller of the pair, modest compared to Shirahige Falls but it was close, quiet, and entirely ours. Nestled deep within a pine forest, it greeted us with knee-deep snow that muffled our footsteps and wrapped the world in silence.

From the distance, we could already hear it! water tumbling in a steady, crystal-clear song. Standing before it, the sound was pure and almost hypnotic, weaving itself into the stillness of the winter woods. Along the pathway, a weathered gate stood watch, guarded by a statue of an elderly figure peeking out from a blanket of snow. Later, I googled it and found that it was Jizō statue. In Japanese Buddhism, Jizō is the gentle guardian of travelers and children—watching over those who pass by. 

The Waterfall (it sounded so soothing)

The Pathway

The Guardian statue

Rolling Arround near to the waterfall

After about half an hour, we realized it was too late to visit Shirahige Falls, so we took a bus back to Biei Station. The snowfall was getting heavier. From there, we caught the train to Furano Station, where our baby girl was ecstatic, running around the empty streets. We had lunch at a small restaurant across from the station, enjoying a unique curry dish while waiting for the bus.

Learning from our earlier mistake, we arrived early at the bus stop, with no one else queuing behind us. But after checking again, we realized we were at the wrong bus stop! We ran like crazy,five minutes before the bus's arrival to cross to the right side of the station. By the time we got there, the queue was already long, and the bus arrived about 10 minutes late. Thankfully, there were still enough seats left, and after about an hour journey, we made it to Ningle Terrace.

Ningle Terrace

Ningle Terrace is a row of charming, unique boutiques located below the New Furano Prince Hotel. Nestled in a hilly pine forest, it’s especially beautiful after sunset. The warm lights along the walkway give it a magical, fairy-tale-like vibe. When we were there, only a small number of shops were open, mostly cafés while most of the souvenir shops were closed. 

Inside the bus from Ningle Terrace

Since it was already late and still a long way to go before ending the day, we decided to head back to Sapporo. Once again, we were caught off guard, this time because the train service was halted due to snowstorms. We decided to take a bus to Asahikawa Station instead, which meant we had to reschedule our train from Asahikawa rather than from Furano.

The bus was late, and the journey to Asahikawa Station stretched into more than three hours. Outside the window, snow fell endlessly, blurring the horizon until the whole world seemed painted in shades of white. Night had already settled in, and we passed by clusters of houses with their windows dark and silent, as if time had stopped. It felt as though we had wandered to the very edge of the world.

Inside the bus, only a handful of passengers sat quietly, the hum of the engine the only constant sound. The road was empty, with long stretches where we were the only ones cutting through the winter night. Streetlights were rare, leaving the snow to glow faintly under the dim sky. It wasn’t frightening if anything, it was oddly comforting. And yet, somewhere deep inside, I felt as if I had unlocked a new kind of courage, traveling through a place that seemed so far removed from everything (though, in truth, it wasn’t).

Our takeaway from that day: in winter, be ready for delays, be prepared for detours, and embrace the unexpected routes, they might just lead to your most unforgettable memories.

Did we regret visiting Biei–Furano that day? Not at all. The views were stunning, and we had plenty of time to rest on the bus. We weren’t even that tired, just a little hungry. If anything, we should have planned it at a more relaxed pace. And yes, we realized that for visiting other cities in Hokkaido, it’s better to make Asahikawa your hub.

Day 5 Lake Toya 

Scenery along the train route to Lake Toya

We had an ambitious plan to visit Abashiri to experience the drift ice. We even booked seats on the famous Ryuhyō Monogatari Train, which has very limited availability.

However, we later saw the news that in 2025, the drift ice in the Sea of Okhotsk was arriving much later than usual. On top of that, we were already exhausted, so we decided to cancel the trip and take an easier route instead to Lake Tōya. We boarded the train to Toyako and arrived about an hour and a half later, leaving the stroller at the hotel to avoid getting crammed inside the bus.

When we arrived at Toyako Station, we went straight to the bus stop just outside the station doors, taking turns for a quick toilet break. Our instincts were right! the queue grew long right after we joined it. Thankfully, two buses were running on the same schedule, so everyone managed to get on, though it was still quite packed.

At the Lake Tōya bus stop, the atmosphere was calmer and not at all crowded. Our baby girl immediately ran to the nearest open space, laughing and playing in the snow. The weather was pleasant, not too cold, with barely any wind.

Baby Girl enjoyed running arround

We walked from the bus station to the lake and immediately gasped at the view. It was a stark contrast to the day before, when all we could see was white stretching across the horizon. Before us unfolded a scene so vivid it felt like stepping into another world. Gone was yesterday’s endless horizon of white; today, the sky glowed in a pure, unbroken blue, mirrored perfectly on the surface of the lake. Behind it all, snow-capped mountains stood tall, their peaks shimmering like distant, mythical creatures keeping watch.

A blue lake. A blue sky. A land draped in white, framed by mountains of silver and shadow. If beauty could be distilled into a single moment, it would look like this.

a view from the bus stop

Lake Tōya is a volcanic caldera lake surrounded by majestic mountains, including Mount Usu and Mount Yotei.

To enjoy the lake at its best, we took a ferry ride across the water, feeling the cold breeze as we glided along its surface. When the chill became too much, we retreated to the warmth of the cabin, sipping hot chocolate while admiring the scenery through the wide windows, a perfect blend of comfort and beauty.

Lake Toya and Mount Usu

Baby enjoyed the Ferry ride

Bird flying low

View from inside the Ferry

We took lots of photos and had a snowball fight with our baby girl. Tired from playing, we walked to the main street and found a small local restaurant serving traditional Japanese dishes. Inside, about four elderly staff members were busy cooking, cleaning, and serving. We ordered udon and beef dishes, and enjoyed every bite.

Lake Tōya itself wasn’t very crowded. There were some tourists, but we couldn’t help wondering where all the other people from the packed bus had gone. Only a handful of visitors were by the lake, I guess most of them headed straight to the onsen areas.

Since we didn’t want to arrive too late in Sapporo, we boarded the next available bus and headed back, continuing our journey to Sapporo by train.

Day 6 Sapporo downtown

Night at the Sapporo

Since we were heading back to Tokyo on Day 7, we wanted to spend our last day exploring Sapporo. We did a little shopping, hopping between almost every mall between our hotel and Sapporo Station such as Parco, BIC Camera, Marui Imai, Sapporo Stellar Place, and of course, the Tanuki-Koji Shopping Arcade.

Yes, it was very crowded. Not just with foreign tourists, but also packed with locals. The most challenging time was during lunch and dinner, walk-ins were almost impossible. We waited two hours for dinner at Sushiro. It was the same story with other popular chain restaurants like Yakiniku Like, Gyu-Kaku, or any well-known eatery.

Once, we randomly picked a beef-hamburg restaurant above Don Quijote in Tanuki-Koji, and the food didn’t quite hit the mark. It was alright, but our expectations were high especially since during our summer trip, Sapporo had never disappointed us in the food department.

Minami-dori Street

The infamous Nikka sign

If there’s one thing we regret about this trip, it’s only that we wished it had been longer. Seven days sounded like plenty when we planned it, but with a toddler, time seemed to slip through our fingers. We missed a few dreams on our list like Abashiri, or riding the ropeway up Mount Moiwa (which we amusingly failed to reach not once, but twice).

But maybe that’s the universe telling us we need to return when our baby girl is a little older, when the stroller is no longer part of our luggage, and when her little legs are ready to wear the ski-boots. 

In the end, this was one of the best trips of our lives. The landscapes, the moments, the laughter, it’s all etched in our hearts. And yes, even with a toddler, we’d recommend it in a heartbeat. Because Hokkaido in winter is not just beautiful, it’s the kind of beautiful that stays with you forever.