Whether you’re searching for a challenging summit or a more approachable course close to the city, Hokkaido has plenty of options to suit skiers of every level. The town of Niseko – home to four resorts radiating from the same volcano – is known for its high-quality powdery snow. Its slopes are relatively mellow, with a drop of just over 900 metres combined, but it’s the consistency of its flurries that make it so enduringly popular. In January, the area can see as much as 500 centimetres of snowfall – plenty to go around for skiers and snowboarders alike. Sapporo Teine (one of the venues used for the 1972 Winter Olympic Games) is a must for more experienced alpine enthusiasts, boasting skiable terrain that reaches as high as a kilometre above sea level – you can enjoy sensational views of Ishikari Bay from the top. 

One of Sapporo’s most iconic wintertime events takes place each February when spectacular ice and snow sculptures appear all over Odori Park in the heart of the city. Along this 1.5-kilometre stretch of green spaces you’ll find skating rinks, entertainment stages pumping with music and cultural performances, plus markets selling winter wares and warming street food. Throughout the week-long festival, the nightlife district Susukino becomes a gallery of ice sculptures, while the Tsudome, the city’s largest community hall, buzzes with family-friendly activities such as snow slides and snowman-building competitions. But don’t turn in too early. After dark the festival's frosty spectacles take on an entirely new character when they’re illuminated against the night sky. Once you’ve wandered through this pageant of snow and ice, head to one of the city’s nearby izakayas to feast on Hokkaido crab and locally fermented miso ramen.

Located in Sapporo’s north-east, Moerenuma is a former waste treatment plant that was transformed into an art park in 2005. Designed by famed Japanese architect and sculptor Isamu Noguchi, the open-air gallery’s gently sloping landscapes are a fusion of nature and creativity, with geometric shapes intersecting hills dotted with water features that freeze into ice sculptures over the coldest months. At the park’s heart is the Hidamari, a Louvre-esque glass pyramid that functions as a multi-purpose space for both recreation and relaxation. More alfresco art can be found over the 40 hectares of Sapporo Art Park, to the south of the city. If the chill calls for an indoor adventure, head to the Sapporo Art Museum, located within the park, where you’ll find a rotating program of special exhibitions alongside its permanent collection of contemporary works from across Japan.

The Jozankei hot spring region, located deep in the mountains south-west of Sapporo (about an hour’s drive from the city), supplies a number of spa resorts along the banks of the Toyohira River. The sodium-chloride baths here have offered visitors restoring soaks for centuries and are said to relieve aches and soothe joints. Also worth a visit is the hamlet of Noboribetsu, which sits on the rim of a bubbling crater in Jigokudani (Hell Valley). Its natural hot springs are rich in sulphur and as you slip into the alkaline waters you’ll immediately notice their softness. There are several hotels in Noboribetsu but Dai-ichi Takimotokan stands out for its five different types of therapeutic pools.

The Hill of the Buddha is one of Japan’s most moving monuments. Located at Makomanai Takino Cemetery in southern Sapporo, this Tadao Ando-designed masterpiece, created in 2000, waits until you’re close to reveal its full splendour. From the outside, the snow-dusted mound, which is planted with lavender in the spring, reveals only the head of the Buddha peeking through the top of a vast stone chamber where the rest of the 13.5m-tall statue serenely sits. Closer to the city, the Hokkaido Shrine was built in 1869 and honours four kami (Shinto deities). Each season brings its own atmosphere to Maruyama Park where the shrine is located, from the blushing boughs of cherry blossoms in spring to the amber blaze of autumn foliage. In winter, icicles hang from the torii gate and a sense of calm falls over these sacred grounds.

Almost every prefecture and town in Japan has its own unique noodle dish. In the historic canal city of Otaru, it’s jimono-ko – a soba made from buckwheat flour. Yabuhan, a cosy restaurant, is a friendly place to try it but be sure to arrive close to opening time at 11am because the soba sells out quickly. It makes for a well-balanced and filling meal, with side dishes including shrimp tempura and a nourishing broth made with the nutrient-rich water the soba was boiled in.

It’s no coincidence that this city shares its name with one of Japan’s most beloved beer brands. The Sapporo Beer company, founded in 1876 in Higashi Ward just south of the city centre, was Japan’s first brewery and you can learn the fascinating story of how the amber nectar arrived in the Land of the Rising Sun at the Sapporo Beer Museum. Tour the plant where thousands of bottles emblazoned with the brand’s distinctive yellow star are prepared for thirsty customers all over the world then refuel with a tasting of the full range of Sapporo beers, including limited-edition brews. 

For a stay that embraces the natural splendour and cultural depth of Hokkaido, check in to Zaborin, one of Japan’s finest ryokans (a traditional inn). Tucked away in a white-birch forest near Kutchan, a two-hour drive west of Sapporo, each of the hotel’s 15 charming villas has its own private indoor and outdoor baths fed by hot springs on the property. When you’re not relaxing in the cedar tub, enjoy multi-course meals showcasing locally sourced ingredients such as Wagyu beef and fatty tuna. Retire to the library after dinner for a Japanese whisky then collapse into the cloud-soft futon on the traditional tatami floor of your villa.

There are many traditional Japanese eateries in Sapporo but only one has been awarded two coveted Michelin stars. Opened by chef Masaki Yamamoto in 2006, Nukumi ensures the quality of its offering by only catering to a limited number of patrons each day. In addition to a handful of small private rooms, the main dining space seats just five diners along its striking kabazakura cherry timber counter. Cedar ceilings, bamboo floors and wide windows overlooking Nakajima Park in the city’s south-west offer a serene setting for a journey of culinary discovery. There is no menu – every dish is determined by the ingredients that have arrived fresh or reached their peak that day, brought together using traditional techniques and stunning presentations.

29 Spectacular Locations That Come Alive in Winter