Hokkaido Official Tourism Site HOKKAIDO LOVE!

Skiing and snowboarding are the most popular winter sports. Many of Hokkaido's more than 100 ski resorts, both large and small, offer smooth powdery slopes. The early ski resorts usually open in late November, but the full season starts in December and lasts until late March. Some of the slopes are open for spring skiing until early May!

Large-scale resorts and conveniently accessible suburban ski resorts

The Niseko area attracts skiers and snowboarders from all over the world in search of fine powder snow, and is a major resort area with four ski resorts, lodging facilities, and hot springs. There are also many other popular large-scale snow resort-type slopes and smaller, easily accessible suburban ski resorts in the area, so why not combine winter sports with sightseeing?

Curling, a Beloved Sport in Tokoro Town, Becomes an Official Olympic Event

Curling is an ice sport in which players compete for points by sliding stones toward a target about 40 meters away. It is also called “chess on ice” because of the highly strategic nature of the game, and has been an official event at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. The mecca of curling in Japan is the town of Tsunero in Okhotsk (now the city of Kitami), which in the 1980s began a concerted effort to build Japan's first dedicated curling facility.

Experience the Charm of Curling at Dedicated Rinks

The success of Japan's women's team at the 2006 Torino Olympics led to a boom in the sport, and in 2012 the opening of the Dogin Curling Stadium in Sapporo, followed in 2013 by the opening of the Advics Tsunero Curling Hall in Tsunero, Kitami City, which has six courts, the largest in Japan. Each facility hosts national and international tournaments, as well as curling classes and hands-on curling events for the general public.

Winter Landscapes Unique to the Snowy Fields

Snowmobiling is a popular winter activity in Hokkaido, where you can ride through a silver world. No driver's license is required, and after a brief training session before setting out on the course, you can drive by yourself. Many facilities offer rental equipment such as helmets and gloves, and some facilities even provide mini snowmobiles for children, so be sure to check in advance. Children and those who are not confident drivers can enjoy riding with a guide.

From Easy Trial Rides to Full-Day Freerides

Hokkaido is also rich in spots where you can experience snowmobiling. In addition to dedicated snowmobile courses at resorts and farms, there are also unique courses on frozen lakes and on golf courses during the winter. There are a variety of ways to enjoy snowmobiling, from a 20-minute experience course to a course that takes more than an hour to experience riding on forest roads and slopes, or a course where you can enjoy a full day of driving with a guide.

A staple sport in Hokkaido since the Meiji Era (1868-1912)

Ice skating is a winter sport that has taken root in Hokkaido to the extent that it is included in physical education classes along with skiing. It is said that ice skating in Japan began when an American teacher brought skating equipment to Sapporo Agricultural College (now Hokkaido University). In winter, outdoor skating rinks, which are created by naturally freezing water that has been sprinkled on the ground, appeared in many areas.

You can easily enjoy skating while sightseeing.

Speed skating is especially popular in eastern Hokkaido, and ice hockey is popular in Tomakomai and Kushiro. In addition to the standard figure skating shoes, speed and hockey shoes are often available for rent, making it easy to enjoy skating while sightseeing. Why not enjoy skating while you are sightseeing?