Where should I spend an extra night on a five-day trip?
For an evening beside the canal, stay one night in Otaru, then move to Sapporo for three nights. To include Hakodate’s night view, choose two nights each in Sapporo and Hakodate. The two-city itinerary arrives at New Chitose Airport and departs from Hakodate Airport. On the Otaru and Sapporo itinerary, plan the garden visit for an outdoor opening day between 29 April and 3 November.
Choose an itinerary for 5 days / 4 nights
One night in Otaru and three in Sapporo
Spend the first evening walking by Otaru Canal and stay overnight. Move to Sapporo the next day, then visit the botanic garden and Shiroi Koibito Park on the remaining days.
One night in Otaru and three in Sapporo →5 days / 4 nights BTwo nights in Sapporo and two in Hakodate
Arrive through New Chitose Airport, stay two nights in Sapporo and take Hokuto to Hakodate for two nights. Combine city sights and the canal with ship exhibits, fort views and the night view, then depart from Hakodate Airport.
Two nights in Sapporo and two in Hakodate →One night in Otaru and three in Sapporo
Spend the first evening walking by Otaru Canal and stay overnight. Move to Sapporo the next day, then visit the botanic garden and Shiroi Koibito Park on the remaining days.
Day 1 · Arrive in Otaru and stay by the canal
Walk by Otaru Canal and stay overnight. If your arrival time allows, see the evening gas lamps and warehouse lighting. If you arrive late, move the walk to the next morning.
- New Chitose Airport arrivals → JR signs in the domestic terminal
After international immigration and luggage collection, take the Level 2 passage to the domestic terminal. For domestic arrivals, start by following the terminal’s JR signs.
Official New Chitose Airport floor map · as at 17 September 2026
- Domestic terminal → New Chitose Airport Station on Basement 1
Follow JR signs down to New Chitose Airport Station on Basement 1. Terminal transfers and train waits are outside the time on board.
- New Chitose Airport Station → JR Otaru Station
Choose an Airport train running directly to Otaru and get off there. If it’s not direct, change at Sapporo for Otaru. Check the stops and services for your date with JR.
Official JR access and timetablesTrains and operations for your dateStandard JR fares
- JR Otaru Station → Otaru Canal
Walk roughly 10 minutes from Otaru Station to the canal. If you leave the airport late, you can move the canal walk to the following morning.
- Otaru Canal and station area → Dinner → Otaru accommodation
You won’t need an evening train back to Sapporo, but plan dinner within your chosen restaurant’s opening hours.
Official Hokkaido tourism guideTrains and operations for your date
For a late arrival, move the canal walk to the following morning.
Day 2 · Move to Sapporo and explore the city
Walk by the canal in the morning if you missed it the previous day.
- Otaru Station → Sapporo-bound JR train → Sapporo Station
After any morning walk, return to Otaru Station and take a JR train towards Sapporo. Stay in Sapporo from this night onwards.
- Sapporo Station → Namboku Line to Odori → TV Tower Level 3 tickets
Take the Makomanai-bound Namboku Line to Odori and leave towards entrance 27. Walk through the eastern park, buy a ticket on TV Tower Level 3 and visit the observation deck.
Subway mapDirectionsAdmission and opening hoursSapporo tourism guide
- Odori Station → Asabu-bound Namboku Line → Sapporo accommodation
For accommodation near Sapporo Station, take the Asabu-bound Namboku Line one stop from Odori.
From day 2, spend three nights at the same Sapporo accommodation. This route does not return to your Otaru accommodation.
Day 3 · Botanic garden on an open day and lunch in the city
- Sapporo Station or Odori accommodation → Botanic garden main gate
The botanic garden’s main gate is roughly a 10-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station’s south exit. From Odori accommodation, walk roughly 10 minutes from Odori Station exit 2.
- Botanic garden → Main gate → lunch in the city centre
Take a morning walk on a day when the outdoor garden opens. Leave through the main gate for lunch and a break in the city south of Sapporo Station. There’s no restaurant inside the garden.
- City centre south of Sapporo Station → Same Sapporo accommodation
After lunch, return to your booked accommodation for a break, using its recommended exit and walking route.
Visit the outdoor garden on an open day between 29 April and 3 November. It closes in winter and the glasshouse is also currently closed. Visit the Clock Tower separately on the final morning. If the garden is closed, swap this day with day 4’s park visit.
Day 4 · Shiroi Koibito Park’s paid exhibits
- Sapporo Station or Odori accommodation → Tozai Line to Miyanosawa → ticket centre
From Sapporo Station accommodation, take the Makomanai-bound Namboku Line to Odori and change to the Tozai Line towards Miyanosawa. Get off at the terminus, walk roughly 7 minutes to the park and buy paid-area admission at the ticket centre.
- Park’s paid area → Factory, exhibits, optional workshop and lunch
Explore the confectionery factory and exhibits in the paid area, then have lunch. If you’ve booked a confectionery-making workshop, arrange the order around its time.
Admission and ticketsKorean-language guideOfficial Shiroi Koibito Park facility list and factory tour
- Shiroi Koibito Park → Miyanosawa Station
After your visit, walk roughly 7 minutes back to Miyanosawa along the same route.
- Miyanosawa Station → Odori Station → same accommodation
Take the Tozai Line towards Shin-Sapporo and get off at Odori. Return to Odori accommodation from here, or take the Asabu-bound Namboku Line one more stop for accommodation near Sapporo Station.
Day 5 · Clock Tower → New Chitose Airport
Visit the Clock Tower before travelling to New Chitose Airport on the final day.
- Sapporo Station or Odori accommodation → Odori Station City Hall side exit → Clock Tower
From Sapporo Station accommodation, take the Makomanai-bound Namboku Line one stop to Odori. Walk roughly 5 minutes from the City Hall side exit to the Clock Tower and visit its interior after the 08:45 opening.
Subway mapStation exits and facility accessOfficial Clock Tower admission, hours and last entry
- Clock Tower → JR Sapporo Station
After your visit, head to JR Sapporo Station, collecting any luggage from your accommodation first. From Odori, take the Asabu-bound Namboku Line one stop. From accommodation near Sapporo Station, walk to JR.
- JR Sapporo Station → New Chitose Airport Station → your terminal
Take an Airport train to New Chitose Airport and get off at the terminus. Go up from Basement 1 to the domestic terminal. For international departures, follow the Level 2 passage to Level 3 departures in the international terminal.
Official JR access and timetablesAirport access by JROfficial New Chitose Airport floor map · as at 17 September 2026
The Clock Tower opens at 08:45. Visit only if there’s enough time for the final morning’s airport journey.
Included: Clock Tower, TV Tower, park paid area and botanic garden JPY 3,170 + airport to Otaru JPY 2,040 + Otaru to Sapporo JPY 800 + airport-bound fare JPY 1,230
Extra costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, luggage storage, confectionery workshops, shopping and Sapporo subway. Confirm the final JR fare for your date and seating choice on the booking screen. Airport JR uses unreserved seating; the reserved-seat surcharge in Airport car 4 is excluded. Attraction costs use standard individual admission prices.
Changing accommodation does not necessarily make JR travel cheaper. Visit the garden on an open spring-to-autumn date. Skipping it in winter removes JPY 420 admission but reduces day 3’s sightseeing. The glasshouse is also currently closed and cannot serve as an alternative. Before choosing this five-day route for winter, decide where else to spend day 3.
Official Clock Tower admission, hours and last entryAdmission and opening hoursAdmission and ticketsOpening hours and admissionOfficial JR access and timetablesStandard JR fares
Two nights in Sapporo and two in Hakodate
Arrive through New Chitose Airport, stay two nights in Sapporo and take Hokuto to Hakodate for two nights. Combine city sights and the canal with ship exhibits, fort views and the night view, then depart from Hakodate Airport.
Day 1 · Arrive in Sapporo, Clock Tower and TV Tower
See the Clock Tower exhibits and TV Tower views on day 1, then visit Otaru Canal on day 2. Move to Hakodate on day 3 for Mashu-maru’s ship interior, followed by Goryokaku and the night view on day 4.
- New Chitose Airport arrivals → JR signs in the domestic terminal
After international immigration and luggage collection, take the Level 2 passage to the domestic terminal. For domestic arrivals, start by following the terminal’s JR signs.
Official New Chitose Airport floor map · as at 17 September 2026
- Domestic terminal → New Chitose Airport Station on Basement 1
Follow JR signs down to New Chitose Airport Station on Basement 1. Terminal transfers and train waits are outside the time on board.
- New Chitose Airport Station → JR Sapporo Station
Take an Airport train towards Sapporo and get off there. Reserved seating adds a seat charge to the unreserved fare.
- Sapporo Station → Namboku Line to Odori → City Hall side exit and Clock Tower
Take the Makomanai-bound Namboku Line to Odori. Leave via the City Hall side exit and walk about 5 minutes to the Clock Tower. Arrive before regular last entry at 17:00. Check official notices separately for night-opening hours and accessible areas.
Subway mapStation exits and facility accessOfficial Clock Tower admission, hours and last entryOfficial Sapporo Clock Tower evening-opening notice
- Clock Tower and Odori Park → TV Tower Level 3 tickets and visit
Walk through the eastern park, buy an observation deck ticket on TV Tower Level 3 and visit the deck.
- Odori Station → Asabu-bound Namboku Line → Sapporo accommodation
Take the Asabu-bound Namboku Line from Odori back to accommodation near Sapporo Station. Staying near the station makes boarding the limited express on day 3 easier.
If you arrive too late for Clock Tower last entry, skip the interior. Day 2 is for Otaru; don’t add sightseeing in both cities to that day.
Day 2 · Otaru Canal walk and lunch → Sapporo
- Sapporo Station → JR Otaru Station
Take a JR train to Otaru and get off at Otaru Station.
- Otaru Station → Canal walk and lunch
Walk roughly 10 minutes to the canal, then have lunch around the canal or station. A paid cruise is excluded.
- Otaru Station → JR Sapporo Station → station-area accommodation
You’ll board the limited express to Hakodate the next day. Rather than staying late, take a Sapporo-bound JR train from Otaru and return to your accommodation to rest.
Day 3 · Hokuto to Hakodate and Mashu-maru
Take Hokuto to Hakodate, then visit Mashu-maru. Choose a train that leaves enough time to arrive and explore before last entry.
- Sapporo accommodation → JR Sapporo Station
Go to Sapporo Station and confirm the departure time and platform of your reserved Hakodate-bound Hokuto. Allow for walking to the station and reaching the platform.
- Sapporo Station → Reserved Hokuto → Hakodate Station
Take your reserved Hakodate-bound Hokuto and get off at Hakodate. The standard adult ordinary-car reserved-seat fare is JPY 9,770. All Hokuto seats are reserved, so choose your service and seat for the travel date before boarding.
JR timetable · revised 14 March 2026Trains and operations for your dateStandard JR fares
- Hakodate Station → Coast northwest of the station → Mashu-maru
Walk along the coast northwest of the station to Mashu-maru. It’s roughly 4 minutes from the station to the visitor entrance. Allow extra time if you stop at your accommodation first.
- Building beside Mashu-maru → Stairs → Level 2 boarding entrance and visit
Use the stairs in the building beside the ivory and blue hull to reach the Level 2 boarding entrance and buy a ticket. Adult admission is JPY 500. Last entry is 17:00 in April–October and 16:00 in November–March. There’s no lift, so this visit does not suit anyone who cannot manage stairs.
Station to boarding entranceAdmission, last entry and closures
- Mashu-maru interior → Boarding stairs → coast northwest of the station
Explore the ship exhibits and wheelhouse, then descend the same boarding stairs. Look at the hull from the shore as you walk towards the station.
- Coast northwest of the station → Dinner near Hakodate Station → accommodation
Eat near Hakodate Station and return to your booked accommodation. Finish the day around the station; Goryokaku and the night view are planned for tomorrow.
Boarding Mashu-maru requires stairs. Skip the interior if stairs are difficult or you cannot arrive comfortably before last entry. Check ship inspection and temporary closure notices.
Day 4 · Goryokaku and Hakodate’s night view
- Hakodate Station → Tram to Goryokaku-Koen-mae → tower Level 1 tickets
The three regular tram fares for station → Goryokaku-Koen-mae → Jujigai → station total JPY 810. Buy the JPY 800 one-day pass on your first ride if you choose it. In the morning, take a Yunokawa-bound tram to Goryokaku-Koen-mae and walk roughly 10 minutes to the tower’s Level 1 counter. Visit the deck for views of the star-shaped fort.
Tram guideGetting thereAdmission and opening hoursTram fares · revised 1 December 2025One-day pass
- Goryokaku area → Lunch → tram to Jujigai
After lunch nearby, take a tram towards Yachigashira or Hakodate-Dock-mae to Jujigai.
- Jujigai stop → Ropeway lower station
Walk uphill for roughly 10 minutes to the lower station. On suspension days, choose a harbour walk instead of going uphill.
- Lower station Level 1 → Level 3 boarding lobby
Buy a return ticket on Level 1 and go to the Level 3 boarding lobby. The adult return fare is JPY 1,800, excluding ticketing and boarding waits.
- Lower station Level 3 → Summit observation deck
Take the ropeway to the summit and look over the city and sea from the deck. The ride takes roughly 3 minutes. Finish in time for the last descent and return tram.
- Summit station → Lower station
Take the ropeway down, allowing for queues rather than staying until just before the last descent.
- Lower station → Jujigai stop
Walk back down the hill along the way you came to Jujigai.
- Jujigai stop → Hakodate Station and same accommodation
Take a tram towards Yunokawa and get off at Hakodate Station to return to your accommodation. Use the same tram direction after a harbour walk on ropeway suspension days.
Check the attraction details and official notice for maintenance suspension dates. On suspension days, skip the summit and walk about 5 minutes from Jujigai towards the coast for a harbour visit. Return on a Yunokawa-bound tram from Jujigai.
Day 5 · Warehouses if time allows → airport
Decide whether there’s time for Hakodate’s harbour warehouses, then head to the airport.
- Station-area accommodation → Jujigai → warehouses
Take a tram towards Yachigashira or Hakodate-Dock-mae, get off at Jujigai and walk about 5 minutes towards the coast. Warehouse shops open from 09:30. Visit after that time and fit shopping or a meal around the airport journey.
Tram guideHakodate City tourism guideOfficial Kanemori partial closures in November 2026
- Jujigai stop → Yunokawa-bound tram → Hakodate Station
Return to Jujigai, take a tram towards Yunokawa and get off at Hakodate Station. Collect any luggage from your accommodation, then go to airport-bound stop 3 outside the station.
- Hakodate Station stop 3 → Fast route 8 → Hakodate Airport
Take your chosen airport-bound fast route 8 service. The direct journey is roughly 25 minutes and JPY 500 for adults. Waiting, road delays and airline procedures require extra time.
Hakodate Bus station-to-airport guideOfficial station forecourt stop timetable
- After arriving at Hakodate Airport → Your airline’s departure counter
Follow airport departure signs to your airline’s counter. Use its guidance for your date on check-in, bag drop, security and international departure immigration deadlines.
Confirm with your booked airline: airport counter and departure-procedure deadlines.
Warehouse shops open from 09:30. Skip the visit if you cannot fit the return journey before your airport bus. Removing this day’s return tram journey reduces the subtotal by JPY 500.
Included: Clock Tower, TV Tower, Mashu-maru, Goryokaku Tower and return ropeway JPY 5,050 + three JR journeys JPY 12,600 + fast route 8 one-way JPY 500 + tram one-day pass JPY 800 + departure-day return tram JPY 500
Extra costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, luggage storage, shopping and Sapporo subway. Confirm the final JR fare for your date and seating choice on the booking screen. Airport JR uses unreserved seating; the reserved-seat surcharge in Airport car 4 is excluded. Attraction costs use standard individual admission prices.
JR costs combine airport to Sapporo JPY 1,230, return Otaru fares JPY 1,600 and one-way Hokuto JPY 9,770. Without the ropeway, using the same transport listed here, the subtotal is JPY 17,650 per adult. The displayed subtotal uses fast route 8. If you switch to a shuttle after checking the service, stop and operating date, add JPY 200 for each one-way journey replaced.
Official Clock Tower admission, hours and last entryAdmission and opening hoursAdmission, last entry and closuresAdmission and opening hoursFares and opening hoursOfficial JR access and timetablesStandard JR faresTrains and operations for your dateAirport guideOne-day passTram fares · revised 1 December 2025Official suspension noticeHakodate Bus station-to-airport guide
Frequently asked questions
Where do I stay when combining Sapporo and Hakodate?
Stay two nights in Sapporo, then take the Hokuto to Hakodate for two nights. A flight from Hakodate Airport avoids returning to New Chitose. Choose your Hokuto service and reserve your seat before boarding. This itinerary does not include a same-day return from Sapporo after viewing Hakodate’s city lights.
Official JR access and timetablesTrains and operations for your dateAirport guideHakodate Bus station-to-airport guideOfficial station forecourt stop timetable
Is a tram day pass always cheaper?
No. An adult day pass costs JPY 800. A return journey between Hakodate station and Jujigai costs JPY 500, or JPY 540 between the station and Goryokaku-koen-mae. Single fares are cheaper for these simple return trips. The three-ride route from the station to Goryokaku-koen-mae, then Jujigai and back to the station costs JPY 810, so a day pass saves JPY 10.
Is a JR pass cheaper for the Sapporo and Hakodate itinerary?
The itinerary with two nights each in Sapporo and Hakodate has a JR total of JPY 12,600. With no extra JR journeys, individual tickets cost less than the JPY 22,000 advance-purchase five-day Hokkaido Rail Pass. Whether a pass covers the Hokuto and whether it saves you money are separate questions. Reserve a Hokuto seat before boarding. Calculate subway, tram, airport bus, ropeway and attraction admission costs separately. Recheck standard fares and seat conditions for your travel date.
Official JR Hokkaido guideStandard JR faresTrains and operations for your dateOne-day passAirport guide
Official sources and dates checked
- Official suspension notice ·
- Sapporo tourism guide ·
- Admission and opening hours ·
- Directions ·
- Station exits and facility access ·
- Admission and tickets ·
- Korean-language guide ·
- Getting there ·
- Opening hours and admission ·
- Main gate and access ·
- Official Hokkaido tourism guide ·
- Standard JR fares ·
- Admission and opening hours ·
- Getting there ·
- Tram fares · revised 1 December 2025 ·
- Fares and opening hours ·
- Access map ·
- Lower station floor guide ·
- Hakodate City tourism guide ·
- Admission, last entry and closures ·
- Station to boarding entrance ·
- Same-day facility notices ·
- Official JR access and timetables ·
- Airport access by JR ·
- Subway map ·
- Airport guide ·
- Tram guide ·
- JR timetable · revised 14 March 2026 ·
- Trains and operations for your date ·
- Official JR Hokkaido guide ·
- One-day pass ·
- Official Clock Tower admission, hours and last entry ·
- Official Kanemori partial closures in November 2026 ·
- Hakodate Bus station-to-airport guide ·
- Official station forecourt stop timetable ·
- Official New Chitose Airport floor map · as at 17 September 2026 ·
- Official Shiroi Koibito Park facility list and factory tour ·
- Official Sapporo Clock Tower evening-opening notice ·