Tag: winter

Hokkaido Winter Series: OTARU – An Afternoon In The Nearby Historical Harbor City

Over the last few weeks, I shared some details about our Sapporo trip last February. I explained to you how Shane & I managed to spend less than ₱45,000 each all in for a 7-day winter trip to Hokkaido, I also took you to the beautiful places to visit around Sapporo & I even shared to you some details about The Stay Sapporo – the hostel / guesthouse where we stayed in Sapporo. The Hokkaido Winter Series continues today! This time, I will take you to Otaru. Shane & I went there for an afternoon side trip right after having a king crab lunch at Nijo Market.

The iconic Otaru Canal – the buildings & their reflections in the water 😍

Know More About Otaru

Took this from the moving JR train – Ishikari Bay, Japan

Otaru is a port city located northwest of Sapporo facing Ishikari Bay. This city served as a fishing port & a major trading hub in the early days of Hokkaido colonization. This city has a number of notable attractions – a beautiful & famous canal, heritage buildings & warehouses & preserved mansions. Shane & I spent one whole afternoon in Otaru. Given the limited time, we were able to visit a number of interesting places plus experienced a long period of strong snowfall.

View from Minami-Otaru Station – the city is covered with snow! ❄

Otaru is 30-40 minutes away by train from Sapporo Station – 30 minutes by rapid train & 45 minutes by local train. Train fare costs as low as ¥640 per way. Super affordable! If you are travelling by car, Otaru is about 30 kilometers away & takes about 20-30 minutes via highway.

Some inches of snow along the streets of Otaru! ❄

Getting Around Otaru

Exploring Otaru is very easy. Majority of the attractions can be reached by foot from Otaru Station (or Minami-Otaru Station). Just like any other Japanese city, Otaru also has a tourist bus network that runs every 30 minutes to an hour. A day pass costs ¥750 while a one-time ride costs ¥220.

Walking – the best way to explore Otaru 🚶

What We Did In Otaru

Shane & I explored the city by foot. We started our journey in Minami-Otaru Station, walked along the Sakaimachi Street, then to the iconic Otaru Canal then back to Otaru Station. We also dropped by a few interesting places along the way. Please note that we skipped the museums, temples & mansions in this trip.

Walked Along Sakaimachi Street

Sakaimachi Street covered with snow

Upon arrival in Minami-Otaru Station, we walked to the other end of Sakaimachi Street. This street is the historiacal merchant street of Otaru. In the early days, this street served as the commercial base of trading & shipping companies. Almost all the ancient buildings have now been converted to museums, shops & restaurants.

Totally forgot what these are – super good freebie. Got these from one of the glass workshops & sake / whiskey shops. in Sakaimachi Street 👍

Otaru is also known as the center of glass production in Hokkaido; production started as early as the 1900s. A number of glass workshops are still present in Sakaimachi Street. The products displayed in these workshops are very beautiful but expensive!

More of Sakaimachi Street – it’s snowing! ❄

Ate Lavender Ice Cream

Lavender ice cream.. Yum! 😋

Lavender ice cream is a must-try when in Hokkaido. This flavor is very rare to find when in other parts of Japan. Shane & I stopped by a random ice cream shop in the end of Sakaimachi Street to buy this ice cream. A cone costs ¥320 – that’s half the price of the fair to Otaru. I enjoyed the ice cream & the lavender flavor even if the temperature was -3 degrees Celsius.

If you don’t fancy the lavender flavor, there are other ones to choose from! 🍦

Visited LeTAO stores

LeTAO’s main store located at the end of Sakaimachi Street

Otaru is the birthplace of the famous Japanese confectionery shop LeTAO. The store started in Otaru in 1998 & since then, it has been famous around the world for its Double Fromage Cheesecake. LeTAO has around 3-4 shops along Sakaimachi Street. All these shops offer free samples of their products. We tried few samples & we loved all of them. The cookies were super good.

Hoarded Royce Chocolates

It is only in Otaru where you can find Royce Chocolates in ordinary stores. Yes, they’re practically everywhere in the city. In other cities like Tokyo, Osaka & Nagoya, Royce Chocolates can only be bought in airports, specialty & pop-up stores.

Outside the shop where we bought Royce Chocolates. Beautiful place! 😍

Shane & I bought many Royce Chocolates in a random shop along Sakaimachi Street. We even got a sakuraberry-flavored chocolate bar. The prices of these chocolates in Otaru are the same in that of the airport shops. Interesting, eh?

Explored Otaru Canal

Otaru Canal in the afternoon

The highlight of our Otaru side trip is the Otaru Canal. This iconic canal was once the unloading area of goods & products (through smaller boats / ships) from large vessels that can’t go near the port. This goods transportation method eventually became obsolete when facilities became modern. Since then, the canal has been preserved into a tourist attraction. The warehouse & buildings along the canal are now restaurants, cafes & museums.

Otaru Canal at night. Look at the reflection in the water – stunning! 😍

Every February, the city celebrates the Otaru Snow Light Path Festival. For 10 days, the city is decorated with light paths & small statues. The locals take part in this festival by putting out lanterns in their respective shops & residences. The festival happens almost the same time as the Sapporo Snow Festival to give the visitors the chance to enjoy both festivals.

Otaru Snow Light Path Festival – look at those floating lights in the water 😍

PS. Planning to apply for a Japan tourist visa soon? Know more how I managed to get approved twice – one single entry visa & one multiple visa – by clicking this link.

Experienced a strong & long period of snowfall in Otaru – what an experience!

Shane & I also passed by Otaru’s shopping street – Miyakodori Shopping Street – but almost all shops are closed. There are a lot more interesting places which we missed in Otaru. These places include the Yoichi Distillery (a famous distillery in a nearby town), the old but preserved Herring Mansion overlooking the Ishikari Bay, the Otaru Market, the different museums & parks. We didn’t have enough time; it was also snowing most of the time. If by any chance you’ll go to Otaru in the future, please allot at least one whole day here to explore as many places as you can. Also, go here hungry!

Random stream in Otaru – fully covered with snow plus some playing ducks! 🦆

I’d love to go back to Otaru, or Hokkaido in general, during summer. I’m sure Sapporo, Otaru & all other places look very different without the snow. I hope that happens really soon.

Have you been to Otaru in the past? How’s the city during spring, summer or autumn? Share your thoughts in the comments below. You can send me a private email to contact@thewkndtravel.com or contact me via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) 🇯🇵 😃 Watch out for my next post about Sapporo Teine Ski Resort & Hoheikyo Onsen!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hokkaido Winter Series: SAPPORO – A Winter Paradise City

A few weeks ago, I shared to you how my friend Shane & I enjoyed Hokkaido Winter last February for less than ₱45,000 all in. I showed you how & when we booked our tickets, where we stayed & how much we paid in the hostel, what we ate & what we did. That blog post was basically a summary of the trip cost-wise.

With Shane in front of the Former Hokkaido Government Office Building

Today, I will share to you in detail the places we visited in Sapporo, the capital of the northernmost major island of Japan. Sapporo is a winter paradise in a city – the city looked so beautiful covered with snow. It felt like we were in a different world! Shane & I stayed 6 nights in The Stay Sapporo, a high-rated hostel in Susukino District. I normally talk about the accommodation in the same blog; but since I just introduced a section here called Hostel Of The Day, I will talk about the hostel in a different post. Watch out for that!

Random street near our hostel 😍

Now back to Sapporo. Getting around the city is easy-breezy. The city has a very easy-to-understand subway system with very few lines in place. We used our IC cards in riding the subway trains. IC cards are contactless cards which can be used in most train lines all over Japan (except bullet trains). These cards are reloadable & can also be used in convenience stores, supermarkets & some shops.

Beautiful morning at Hokkaido U Botanic Garden 😍

Sapporo is a very big city. We didn’t have time to explore many places but we managed to visit a few iconic ones. Check out the ‘list’ below!

Susukino District

Susukino is Sapporo’s entertainment district. It is the place to be when you’re looking for shops, restaurants, bars, clubs & pachinko centers. This is the area where Shane & I stayed so we walked around this district several times.

Night snowfall at Susukino!

This is also the place where the famous ramen alley – Ramen Yokocho is located. It is a small lane with a number of ramen restaurants serving Sapporo’s best ramen. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to explore this alley. I will put this in the list when I fly back to Sapporo!

Normal winter night at Susukino

Access: Susukino Station – Namboku Subway Line

Odori Park

Odori Park covered with snow

Odori Park is Sapporo’s central park. Located in the middle of the city, this 1.5 km long park separates the northern & southern part of Sapporo. This park is also the main site of the Sapporo Snow Festival held every first week of February. We were one week late for the snow festival so the park structures were just being dismantled during our visit. The park was still beautiful & was fully covered with snow.

Why hello there Mr. Snowman! ☃

Access: Odori Station – Namboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines

Sapporo TV Tower

Sapporo TV Tower is a TV tower at the same time an observation deck in one end of Odori Park. The observation deck is open for visitors for ¥720 per person. Shane & I didn’t go up the observation deck but we only passed by the TV tower site.

Random stream with the view of Sapporo TV Tower 🗼

Access: Odori Station – Nanboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines or 10-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station

Sapporo Clock Tower

The iconic Sapporo Clock Tower

Locally known as Tokeidai, the Sapporo Clock Tower is a famous Sapporo wooden landmark which dates back to the early development of the city. The clock tower is now a museum & a ceremony hall. Entrance to the clock tower costs ¥200 per person. We decided not to go inside the clock tower because it was almost closing time when we passed by.

Access: Odori Station – Namboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines or 10-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station

Hokkaido University Botanic Garden

Around Hokkaido U Botanic Garden 😍

Owned by Hokkaido University, this Botanic Garden is in the middle of Sapporo. University students use this garden for research & laboratory purposes. The public also uses this place for recreation. The garden was not open to the public during our visit; at the same time it was covered with snow.

Access: 5 minutes walk from Nishi-Juitchome Station – Tozai Subway Line

Former Hokkaido Government Office Building

This red brick office building, locally known as Akarenga, was once the seat of Hokkaido Government. This building now functions as a museum, shop & conference center. Entrance to the building is free of charge.

Inside the Former Hokkaido Government Building

Shane & I were lucky to witness the Mitsui Fudosan × Akarenga Illuminations last February. These illuminations were part of Hokkaido’s 150th Year Anniversary Project showcasing the island’s culture & history.

Witnessed the winter illuminations in the former government building

Access: Few minutes walk from Odori Station – Namboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines

Sapporo Beer Garden

Yes! Sapporo Beer Garden 🍺

Unlimited lamb for lunch! 😋

Sapporo is the famous because of the world-renowned Sapporo Beer. This beer started brewing in the city since the 19th century. The Sapporo Beer Museum shows the history & evolution of Sapporo beer production in the city. Beside the museum is Sapporo Beer Garden. This place is famous for the unlimited Genghis Khan lamb cooked grilled with fresh vegetables. It also comes with unlimited juice & of course, Sapporo Beer. The meal cost us ¥4,212 (or ₱2,114.97) each. Quite expensive for a lunch meal; but it was all worth it.

Unlimited lamb + unlimited beer = one happy man! 😍

Yes to unlimited Sapporo draft beer! 🍺

Everyone should not miss visiting Sapporo Beer Garden when in Sapporo.

Access: 25 minutes walk from JR Sapporo Station or 10-minute walk from Higashikuyakusho Mae Station Exit 4 – Toho Subway Line or Loop 88 Factory Line Bus

Sapporo Station

Sapporo Station is the city’s main station in downtown. It is where subway, JR lines & bus lines meet. This is probably the starting point of pretty much all destinations when going around Sapporo & nearby cities & towns.

View outside Sapporo Station

I got a super duper good deal in the Gap Store in Sapporo Station. I bought a pair of pants, 2 shirts & 2 baby tops (for my cousin & niece) for only ¥5,000 or for less than ₱2,500 pesos. What a bargain from Gap!

Access: Sapporo Station – Toho & Namboku Subway Lines & Sapporo Station Bus Terminal

Sapporo District

Busy Sapporo District at night!

The Sapporo District is the city’s central district. Surrounded by shopping malls & commercial establishments, this district is one of the city’s shopping hub. Almost all kinds of luxury & affordable shops are found in this area.

Access: Sapporo Station – Toho & Namboku Subway Lines & Sapporo Station Bus Terminal

Sapporo Ramen Republic

Welcome to Sapporo Ramen Republic 🇯🇵🍜

The Sapporo Ramen Republic is a floor of 8 top Hokkaido ramen restaurants. Located at the 10th floor of ESTA Complex in Sapporo District, this ramen place features Hokkaido ramen specialties – Sapporo Ramen (Miso), Hakodate Ramen (Shio) & Asahikawa Ramen (Shoyu).

Misono’s miso ramen. Yum! 🍜

Shane & I tried Sapporo Ramen in a restaurant called Misono. The ramen had miso broth with some pork & ginger flavor. The ramen cost around ¥800 per bowl.

Access: Sapporo Station – Toho & Namboku Subway Lines

Tanukikoji Shopping Street

Each major Japan city has its own shopping arcade. If Fukuoka has Nakasu-Kawabata Shopping Arcade, Nagoya has Osu Shopping Street & Osaka has Shinsaibashi Shopping Street, Sapporo has Tanukikoji Shopping Street. Just like any other shopping street / arcade, this is a row of local shops & restaurants. This arcade is the best place to buy souvenirs.

Shane & I went around this arcade several times. It is also where we bought chocolates & souvenirs for friends & family back home. Tanukikoji Shopping Street has a Don Quijote branch – the best place to buy Japanese goodies tax-free! Make sure your purchase is more than ¥2,500 tax excluded.

Access: Few minutes walk from Odori Station – Namboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines

Nijo Market

Yay to fresh seafood!

Nijo Market is Sapporo’s public market famous to both locals & visitors. People flock this market to buy fresh finds such as king crabs, salmon eggs & other fish. Shane & I went here to buy Hokkaido King Crab. A kilogram of medium king crab costs 12,000. We got 3 big crab legs (800 grams) for only ¥10,000. We had it cooked in the restaurant in front of the shop.

More fresh seafood 😍

The king crab was so fresh & sooooo good. It was worth the expensive price! I’m so happy we tried it even if it was a bit pricey. This king crab meal was one of the highlights of my trip – I’ll definitely have this again when I fly back to Sapporo.

Hokkaido King Crab Legs!! 😲🦀

Access: Few minutes walk from Odori Station – Namboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines

Other Places We Missed

We missed a few places due to limited time in the city. These places include the Shiroi Koibito Park (Chocolate Factory), Mount Moiwa Ropeway (a small mountain ropeway with a view of the city), Moerenuma Park (a large outdoor park in the outskirts of Sapporo) & Sapporo Historic Village.

These places, plus Ramen Yokocho, will definitely be in our list when we fly back to Sapporo. We don’t know when will that be but I hope it’ll be really soon.

Sapporo is indeed a winter paradise city! The city looked beautiful covered with powder white snow. The temperature may be at its lowest point but it didn’t hinder us from exploring what this city has to offer.

Beautiful winter morning in Sapporo 😍

Have you been to Sapporo during winter? How was your experience? Do you think I should also go there during summer, spring or fall? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. You can also send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Watch out for my next post about Otaru, Hokkaido’s harbor city & the detailed review of The Stay Sapporo. Thank you for reading & have a nice day.

Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) 🇯🇵 😃

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hokkaido Winter Series: The Ultimate Japan Winter Experience Without Breaking The Bank (7 Days For Less than ₱45,000 all-in)

Hi, it’s me again. If you’ve followed my blog in the past, I’ve published posts about travelling to Japan on tight budget. In 2015, my friends & I went to Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka for 9 days & spent only ₱40,000 (all in – including airfare) each. In 2016, I went on a solo journey across 7 cities over 13 days for less than ₱50,000. I went to Fujikawaguchiko & Takayama last November for less than ₱35,000 over 7 days (including a flight change). Since coming to Japan in 2015, I’ve considered it as my next favorite country to the Philippines.

With my travel buddy, Shane, in Sapporo Teine!

I post blogs like those to prove that travelling to an expensive country like Japan can also be affordable. 3 months ago, my friend Shane & I went to Hokkaido, Japan for 7 days & spent less ₱45,000 (all in – including flights). Pretty cheap, eh? Yes! This leads me to introducing the next series of blogs in this website – the Hokkaido Winter Series. We’ve also experienced a lot & had many ‘firsts’ in this Hokkaido trip. I can’t wait to share our trip with you.

Let it snow, let it snow, let is snow!

Japan winter season may be over this year but it’s never too late to look back how we made this trip very affordable. We started planning around June 2017 & we’re happy everything went smooth as planned. Let me share to you how we planned this trip & how it didn’t shock our bank accounts.

I was very happy that everything’s covered with snow!

February 2018 Exchange Rate: 1 Japanese Yen = 0.49 Philippine Pesos

Plane Tickets

There are no direct flights that connect Manila & Sapporo at the moment. The easiest & fastest way to New Chitose Airport in Sapporo is via Tokyo. Shane & I were lucky to buy a Cebu Pacific Air piso-fare return ticket to Tokyo for only ₱2,225.76 each. We added prepaid baggage for both flights – ₱690 each for 15 kgs & ₱970 each for 20 kgs. The round-trip ticket to Japan, including baggage, cost us ₱3,885.76 each. Our ticket was so cheap considering each flight takes 4 to 5 hours.

Our piso-fare ticket to Tokyo.. Thank you Cebu Pacific Air!

We bought another return ticket – this time from Narita International Airport in Tokyo to New Chitose Airport in Sapporo. There are only 2 low-cost airlines flying between these two airports – Jetstar Japan & Vanilla Air. Shane & I went for Jetstar Japan – of course the cheaper option. The return domestic tickets cost us ₱6,151.89 each including 15 kgs baggage. Yes, domestic airline tickets in Japan are expensive. In fact, the 2 x 1 hour 45 minutes-flight to & from Sapporo was way expensive than our 2 x 4-hour flights to & from Tokyo.

Overall, the return tickets from Manila to Sapporo, with layovers in Tokyo, cost us ₱10,037.65 each. Getting all tickets for that amount is so affordable – definitely a bargain!

Our ticket from Tokyo to Sapporo. Domestic tickets in Japan are expensive!

Wondering how I get super cheap tickets like these? I actually wrote two posts about scoring the most affordable airline tickets. Check these posts (part 1 & part 2) out!

Also, the Philippine government requires all Filipino tourists going out of the country to pay ₱1,620 pesos for the travel tax. I don’t know what the tax is for & where they use it; but yeah, everyone’s required to pay before getting your boarding pass.

The Jetstar Airbus 320 sharklet plane we used to Sapporo

Hot news! Philippine Airlines revealed to Inquirer last month that they are looking to mount a direct flight from Manila to New Chitose Airport in Sapporo later this year. There are no details when the flight will start & what the flight times are but I hope this pushes through.

Tourist Visa

Filipinos need a tourist visa when visiting Japan. In 2016, the Japan Embassy in the Philippines granted me a 5-year multiple entry tourist visa until October 2021. Shane also had a 5-year multiple entry tourist visa. We didn’t apply for a tourist visa for this trip; we used our existing visa.

A clear winter morning in Sapporo

Interested to know how I got my 5-year multiple entry tourist visa to Japan? Check out these 4 easy tips on how you can get a Japan tourist visa. The article includes tips for easier application.

Accommodations

We stayed in 2 hostels for this trip. It was my friend Shane’s first time in a hostel so I made sure we stay in the nice ones. Our 5-night stay in The Stay Sapporo Hostel cost us ₱6,354.54 each, that includes a ₱500 off from Traveloka. The rate includes 5 nights in a 7-bed dormitory room with access to hostel’s common areas. I’ll talk more about the hostel when I post the more detail post or itinerary of this Sapporo trip.

Booked our Sapporo hostel via Traveloka

We stayed for a night in Tokyo before our flight back to Manila. We stayed in my favorite hostel in Tokyo, Oak Hostel Zen. We paid ₱644.09 each via Agoda for a night stay in an 8-bed mixed dormitory room. I don’t need to talk about Oak Hostel Zen because I already wrote reviews about this hostel in my past Tokyo trips. I’ve been to Tokyo 3 times & I’ve stayed with this hostel in all my trips.

Booked our Tokyo stay with Agoda

Shane & I paid ₱6,998.63 each for the 6 nights we spent in Japan. Accommodation in this country is very expensive so getting a bed for around ₱1,160+ average per night is already a good deal!

READ! I wrote about our experience in The Stay Sapporo. Check out this article.

Pocket Wi-Fi

One of Sapporo’s iconic building – the Old Hokkaido Government Building

As mentioned in my previous Japan blogs, a pocket Wi-Fi is a necessity when travelling around Japan. Not only does it help you upload photos in various social media platforms & communicate with your loved ones back home, it also helps you navigate your walks & direct which trains / lines to take. Shane & I got our device from Klook. The 7-day pocket Wi-Fi device rental cost us ₱1,887.36 – that’s 943.68 each.The device we got is a 4G LTE capable one & it has unlimited data allocation.

Ski Day Trip

Sapporo Teine Ski Resort

This Sapporo trip was our first winter trip & a winter trip will never be complete without skiing. Shane & I don’t know how to ski so we took Sapporo Teine‘s First Time Ski Experience Group Lesson. The whole day lesson cost us ¥14,000 (or ₱6,860) each. The rate includes ski equipment & outfit rental, instructors & gondola fees, a 1 hour 30 minute basic ski lesson in the morning & a 1 hour 30 minute downhill ski practice in the afternoon.

Photo with our ski instructors

The ski resort’s rate is expensive but their rate is actually the cheapest we saw in Sapporo. It was our first time to go skiing so we decided to invest for the experience. The ski experience was worth it. It was one of the highlights of our trip!

I wrote a separate article about our Ski Day Trip to Sapporo Teine Resort. Check out the article here.

Sapporo Beer Garden Lunch

Sapporo Beer Garden – my liver is happy!

Apart from our first winter & ski experience, Shane & I also had our first unlimited Genghis Khan lamb experience in one of the restaurants in Sapporo Beer Garden. This shredded mutton barbecue is a famous local dish in Hokkaido. The buffet includes unlimited vegetables, juices & of course, Sapporo beer.

Yes to unlimited lamb in Sapporo Beer Garden!

Another yes to unlimited Sapporo beer!

The meal cost ¥4,212 (or ₱2,114.97) each. It was an expensive meal but you don’t get to have unlimited mutton everyday, right?

Hokkaido King Crab

Hokkaido King Crab legs on display in Nijo Market

Hokkaido is known for its king crabs & fresh seafood. A visit to Japan’s northern most main island will never be complete without trying the king crab. On our 3rd day, Shane & I went to Nijo Market in Sapporo to have brunch. We came across a stall where the man offered us a free taste of the fresh king crab. A kilogram of the large king crab legs costs ¥13,000. We bought 800 grams for ¥10,000 (close to ₱5,000) & the man gave us ¥400 discount. Yes, king crabs are that expensive! We had the crab legs cooked & we went to a nearby restaurant to eat it.

800 grams of king crab legs for brunch.. So good!

Another expensive meal but it was so good! Shane & I were super full up to the point we didn’t eat the entire day. We rarely have king crabs here in the Philippines so it was worth the try!

We tried the Hokkaido king grab when we walked around Sapporo on our first days in the city. Find out where else we went & what we did around the city by checking this link.

Onsen Day

Outside Hoheikyo Onsen – a perfect winter day to be in an onsen

Japan’s Hokkaido is an onsen paradise; the island has many onsens or natural hot springs. In fact, there are a few onsens which are accessible from Sapporo. Shane & I went to Jozankei, the nearest onsen town in Sapporo. We specifically went to Hoheikyo Onsen, a natural hot spring which has an open air spring bath setting & a famous Indian restaurant.

The onsen day package was worth it!

The round-trip bus ride & onsen entrance fee cost us ¥1,800 each (around ₱880). This deal was a steal because the onsen fee itself (if not availed with package) was already ¥1,000 & the bus fare per way was ¥640.

ICYMI, I posted a separate blog about out onsen day. Check out this link to know more about our winter onsen experience.

Daily Expenses

I always set a daily budget for each day I am in Japan. This helps me plan out my expenses day by day. In previous Japan blogs, I’ve set daily budgets ranging from ¥2,500 to ¥3,500 per day. This amount covers all meals, transportation expenses & museum tickets or entrance fees if needed. Sapporo is a bit more expensive than the previous cities I’ve been to so I placed a daily budget of ¥3,500 per day. This trip had the same daily allowance with my 2016 Japan trip. The difference these 2 trips had was I travelled alone in 2016 (so more expenses) & I was with Shane in this Sapporo trip (we shared in some expenses like food, snacks, etc).

Otaru Canal at night

I was in Japan for 7 days to my total ‘daily expenses’ budget was ¥24,500 yen; that’s ₱12,005 in Philippine pesos.

Did you know? We took a half day trip to Otaru, one of Hokkaido’s famous port city. What else can you see & do there aside from visiting the Otaru Canal? Click here to know more.

Summary

That’s about it. Let’s have a look how much I spent for this entire trip.

All in all, I spent ₱43,911.93 for a 7-day winter trip in Hokkaido, Japan. Expensive? No. Cheap for a first timer? Y-E-S! This trip was for the books!

Early mornings in Sapporo be like..

Have you been to Hokkaido? Shane & I are planning to go back soon & we’re looking for more places to visit. Feel free to post your suggestions in the comments section below. You can also send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Check out the individual posts featuring Sapporo, Otaru, Sapporo Teine & Hoheikyo Onsen! Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) 🇯🇵 😃

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.