Hokkaido: A Lover’s Paradise

A beautiful love story of a beautiful marriage deserves the best honeymoon. The bride and groom need to head to the best of the best locations for that romantic honeymoon. Hokkaido (Hokkaidō) is the second-largest, northernmost and the most serene of Japan’s four main islands. Its weather in winter is replete with lots of snowfall, below zero temperatures and frozen seas that make it the perfect escape for those who love to abscond into the chills for a romantic and cosy getaway. On the other hand, in summer it does not get as hot and humid as in the other parts of the country, multiplying its natural beauty and aesthetic appeal for a carefree honeymoon with your loved one. Wedding Affair recommends top five places in Hokkaido that make it the most desirable honeymoon destination.

1. Shiretoko

Shiretoko National Park (Shiretoko Kokuritsu Kōen), located on the Shiretoko Peninsula in eastern Hokkaido, is one of Japan’s most beautiful and unspoiled national parks. No roads lead further than about three fourths up the peninsula, and the northern tip can only be viewed from boats or be reached on multi-day trekking tours.

2.  Rishiri And Rebun

Rishiri Island (Rishiritō) and Rebun Island (Rebuntō) are two small islands near the northern tip of Hokkaido. The islands are part of the Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park and offer beautiful hiking trails, coastal sceneries, alpine flowers and small fishing villages.

3. Daisetsuzan

Daisetsuzan is Hokkaido‘s largest national park. It preserves a mountainous area of virtually unspoiled wilderness, which is larger than some of Japan’s smaller prefectures. It is a paradise for hikers, outdoor lovers, deer and brown bears, and the first place in Japan to see fall colours and snow each autumn.

4. Niseko

Niseko is the most famous ski resort in Japan, known for having tons of light powder snow, spectacular backcountry and a large number of foreigners – especially Australians – who in recent years have been responsible for popularizing the resort area with the skiing/snowboarding community outside of Japan.

5. Sapporo

Sapporo (“important river flowing through a plain” in Ainu language) is the capital of Hokkaido and Japan’s fifth-largest city. Sapporo is also one of the nation’s youngest major cities. In 1857, the city’s population stood at just seven people.