A 25-minute drive from the central city is Snowmobile Land Sapporo, a winter park with all kinds of activities you can enjoy in the snow.

One of the most highly recommended is the Snowmobile Experience. This exciting excursion will take you through the snowy fields on a little snowmobile on a thrilling, high-speed adventure similar to dirt biking.

You can ride solo, with friends, or even request lessons from a professional coach, making this activity suitable for beginners, too!

Courses are available in lengths of 60 and 90 minutes. You can even book a tour package, some of which include free hotel pick-up. This activity is the perfect choice for anyone looking to enjoy the great outdoors this winter!

・Languages supported: English
・Price: 12,500 yen & up
・Time required: 4 hours

North Snow Land in Chitose is a winter-only snowy amusement park. Located just 15 minutes by car from New Chitose Airport, or a one hour drive from Sapporo, you can plunge right into the snow after arriving in Hokkaido, or hang around until your flight back home.

We also recommend the child-friendly Mini Snowmobile experience. Kids will love this exciting adventure, at three laps long and about 70m per lap. Just turn the accelerator to move forward! Four-wheeled ATVs are also available for junior high school students and older.

You can also try snow rafting. In this fun-filled ride, you'll hop in a rubber boat and be towed around by a snowmobile. It's an easy activity recommended for anyone who wants to enjoy the speed and thrills of snowmobiling without having to drive one yourself!

Other fun activities include tube sledding and ski walking. Some tickets also include lunch, so you can recharge with a meal after a long day of snow play while admiring the scenic snowscape that surrounds you.

Access: 15 minutes by car from New Chitose Airport Station (JR Chitose Line). A free shuttle bus, 'Guru Guru Chitose Winter Bus,' is also in operation.

・Languages supported: English / Mandarin
・Price: Unlimited Snow Plan: Starts at 7,600 yen
・Time required: Approx. 4 hours

At Wild Mustangs, a short 35-minute drive from central Sapporo, the Horseback Snow Trekking Experience will let you gallop on horseback through the snowy fields!

Feel the horse's rhythmic gait under you as it trots through the snow, and enjoy the comforting warmth of these peaceful creatures as it melts away the cold. This experience also includes lessons, making it an appropriate activity for anyone, regardless of age or experience level.

Book a package for the added convenience of free taxi transportation, available at select hotels in central Sapporo and around Sapporo Station. Don't forget to take pictures to show your friends on social media!

About 35 minutes from Sapporo by express train is Bibai Snow Land, a winter attraction in Bibai City with a wide variety of snow activities for children and adults alike. These activities are set right in the grandeur of nature, allowing you to fully enjoy wintertime in Hokkaido!

We recommend snow rafting, an exhilarating ride in which you are pulled along on a rubber boat by a large snowmobile. Feel the speed and excitement as you accelerate through the snow, twisting and turning through the winding curves. This unique Hokkaido winter adventure is fun for everyone, and we recommend it for couples, families, and even solo travelers!

For more advanced snow lovers, the Snowmobile Tour will take you through the expansive snowy landscape for many kilometers. Bibai Snow Land also offers tours around the seven ponds of the vast golf course, and an exhilarating ride through fields of powder snow.

Bubble ball is another fun activity that beginners and children will love! It's a simple activity: you get into a transparent ball, then bump and roll around in the snow! The ball protects your head and body, while the soft snow underneath supports you from impact if you fall. It's an experience anyone can enjoy safely and with peace of mind.

Other exciting activities include four-wheel ATV rides, a simple cart that's easy to operate, and the 'fat bike,' where you can cycle along the snowy roads. But be careful when driving around. The snow tends to be slippery, so be sure not to go too fast!

Set Tickets include a round-trip ride from Bibai Station to Bibai Snow Land. Some tickets also include a meal (seafood hot pot), so check out your options!

・Languages supported: English / Mandarin
・Fees: Set Tickets starting at 4,200 yen
・Time required: Varies by activity

Hokkaido is outstanding in every season. However, there are several exciting activities that you can only experience in the winter. Travelers from countries that don't get much snow will be especially surprised by all that Hokkaido has to offer! So this winter, book a trip to Hokkaido, and prepare for a fun-filled adventure of winter memories in the snow!


Text by: Masakazu
English translation by Krys Suzuki


*Information in article as of January 2023. Please see official websites for the latest updates and information.