SAPPORO

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and these hotels rated by Japanese tourists on TripAdvisor know how to do it right!

Orderly lines outside everything from chic coffee shops to blue-collar ramen shops are a common sight in Japan, and food-based specialty 'omiyage' (souvenir) stores are no different. But are these snacks really worth lining up for?

The end of April sees all but the nation's northernmost cherry blossoms fall to the ground. But on the island of Hokkaido, the annual wave of pink and white is only about to begin.

It may come as a bit of a surprise, but Thomas the Tank Engine is one of Japan's best-loved children's characters. In fact, the country boasts multiple theme parks and working trains dedicated to Thomas and his friends.

Sapporo is an ideal base from which to explore other areas of vast Hokkaido! From penguins to icebreakers, and ice sculptures to festivals, Hokkaido has so much to see and experience.

Sapporo is the fifth most populous city in Japan, yet most of the big tourist attractions can be reached on foot from Sapporo Station.

Featuring intricate snow and ice sculptures on a monumental scale—including pop culture icons and near-life-sized replicas of famous structures—the Sapporo Snow Festival draws over 2 million visitors each year.

From February 5 to 11, residents of Sapporo City will see their town transformed into a Snow Miku wonderland complete with Snow Miku trains and merchandise.