Hokkaido

Hokkaido is Japan's northernmost main island, a place apart: volcanic lakes and open farmland on a scale the rest of the country cannot match. Winters bring some of the driest powder snow anywhere, and summers stay cooler than the mainland, which shapes everything about visiting.

Sapporo anchors the island with its February Snow Festival and bowls of miso ramen, while Niseko's ski slopes draw powder chasers from around the world. In July, lavender stripes the fields of Furano and Biei. Hakodate adds harbor history in the south, and Shiretoko's wild coast rewards travelers who push northeast.

Come hungry: the island is known for crab, uni, sweet corn, and soft-serve ice cream. Distances are real, so pick one region per trip, flying into New Chitose Airport or crossing by shinkansen to Hakodate. Winter is for snow, summer for road trips through the flower country.