Hokkaido Official Tourism Site HOKKAIDO LOVE!

Sapporo White Illumination, first held in 1981 in Odori Park, Sapporo Station, and various other locations in central Sapporo, is now recognized as one of the three most popular illumination events in Japan.

Held around the time when snow begins to accumulate in the city, the event marks the beginning of Sapporo's winter season, and the fantastic sight of Odori Park decorated with light installations of various sizes is especially a must-see!

The “Hakodate Illumination” is held at three venues in the Motomachi district: Hachimanzaka Slope, Nijumazaka Slope, and Kaiko-Dori Avenue connecting Hakodate Station and the bay area. The fantastic atmosphere created by approximately 160,000 light bulbs installed in trees on both sides of the street attracts people. At the Hachimanzaka venue, looking down on the harbor from the top of the hill, the lights of the ships at sea in the distance and the lights on both sides of the hill are like a painting.

Along the 1.5 km stretch of Kaiko-Dori from the west exit of JR Hakodate Station to the Red Brick Warehouse, exotic buildings such as the Meiji Shrine are illuminated, making for an even more romantic stroll. The street is also a great place to enjoy a romantic stroll.

Lake Toya, which attracts many tourists as one of the best hot spring resorts in Hokkaido, holds the “Toyako Onsen Illumination Street” throughout the year. Also, from November to April every year, a fantastic “Illumination Tunnel” appears in the Toyako Onsen Hot Spring Resort area. The 70-meter-long tunnel shines with approximately 400,000 lights. The large three-dimensional light sign “TOYA” near the entrance is a particularly popular photo spot.

Venue: Lake Toya Onsen Nigiwai Plaza

Lighting hours: 17:00-22:00 (November-February), 18:00-22:00 (March-April)

Otaru, which attracts many tourists, is full of attractions that make you want to take pictures, including the retro atmosphere of the streets.

The “Blue Canal” illumination that colors the winter in Otaru is truly a must-see! The snow-covered canal is illuminated with 10,000 blue LED lights on both sides, creating a beautiful and romantic scene. The “Night Cruise,” a canal cruise on a boat decorated with blue illumination, is also very popular.

To fully enjoy Otaru in winter, we recommend a trip to stay overnight in the city while enjoying the beautiful scenery of the “Blue Canal” at a leisurely pace!

Goryokaku, a Japanese Special Historic Site, is a star-shaped Western-style fortress modeled after European fortified cities, and is now a regular tourist attraction in Hakodate.

Visitors can enjoy the seasonal scenery of Goryokaku, but in winter, the “Dream of the Goryo Star (Hoshi)” illumination event is held, in which approximately 2,000 light bulbs are displayed around the moat. Visitors strolling along the sidewalk outside the moat during the period before the moat freezes over can see the flickering lights reflected on the surface of the water. When the water surface freezes and snow piles up on top of it, an even more fantastic white world opens up.

From the observation deck of Goryokaku Tower, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the star-shaped landscape of the park. During the winter, Goryokaku Tower is open until 6:00 p.m., but during the event period it is open until 7:00 p.m. After 5:00 p.m., visitors can enter the observation deck at a special discounted rate.