Looking for the best Hokkaido and Tokyo itinerary!? Ten days is the perfect length of time to fully discover some of the most amazing attractions in Hokkaido and Tokyo in March.
If you plan on witnessing snow and cherry blossoms in a single trip to Japan, then visit Japan in March. The places and events in Hokkaido and Tokyo will fulfill your dreams.
This suggested itinerary will show how to spend 10 days with accommodation and day trip ideas from Tokyo and Sapporo city of Hokkaido.
We put together this 10-day Hokkaido & Tokyo itinerary to help you have the best experiences. This itinerary will be a perfect choice if you are going to begin your Japan tour in Mid-March.
Day 1 – Welcome to Japan, Explore Sapporo City in the Evening
Depending on your flight schedule, I assume you will arrive in Tokyo in the early morning. That’s great!
Tokyo is not going to be the first destination of this trip; rather I want you to reach to New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido by domestic flight.
Note that if you don’t start your trip in Hokkaido, later you would likely miss your chance to see cherry blossoms in Tokyo.
There are some international flights that land at New Chitose Airport, Sapporo usually in the afternoon. If you can manage to book such flight ticket then you don’t have to transfer via Narita/Haneda Airport in Tokyo.
I am assuming that you are flying from Tokyo by domestic flight to Hokkaido. Take the JR rapid airport train to Sapporo Station, which runs in every 15 minutes. The one way ride takes about 35 minutes.
Check into this hotel in Sapporo, located adjacent to Sapporo TV Tower, and take a nap or drink some coffee. It is better to sleep for a while before you start exploring things in a new place.
There are many interesting places to discover in Sapporo. Start your trip by visiting Odori Park and Sapporo TV Tower.
For an amazing bird’s eye view of Sapporo city, use the elevator of the TV tower from the third floor to the observation deck, 90.38 metres above ground. From here you can see the entire Odori Park and snow-capped Mountains in the distance.
Your next attraction is Mount Moiwa, a must-see place in Sapporo city, offering visitors experience stunning night view of Sapporo City from its observation deck, located at the top of the mountain. Check out the Mt. Moiwa Ropeway Hours & Price.
You can reach Mt. Moiwa Ropeway by a streetcar/tram. Just take the Streetcar from Nishi yon chome/tanukikoji/susukino streetcar station to the Ropeway Iriguchi stop. From there, take the free shuttle bus. That’s very simple!
Final destination for the day is Susukino’s Ganso Ramen Yokocho, find out your best ramen dishes here. It is a great place to try varieties of Hokkaido’s ramen. Satisfy your stomach and head to your hotel room.
Day 2 – A Day trip to Lake Shikotsu, Lake Toya and Mt. Usu Ropeway
It’s time for a day outside the city to explore Lake Shikotsu, Lake Toya, and Mt. Usu.
These three interesting attractions can be explored by a day bus tour, offered by Hokkaido Chou Bus, operating right from Sapporo Station Bus Terminal in Sapporo. You can make a reservation here.
Lake Shikotsu and Lake Toya are one of the cleanest and clearest caldera lakes in Japan. They never freeze during the winter months. The surrounding views you will witness there are incredibly breathtaking.
On the other hand, you can ride to the top of an active volcano, Mt. Usu by the ropeway. There is a beautiful observation deck from where visitors enjoy panoramic view of Lake Toya, majestic Mt. Yotei, and Showa Shinzen.
Lake Toya, Nakajima Islands, Mt. Usu, and Showa Shinzen together hold UNSECO Global Geo park status.
You can save money and time if you are going to travel to those places by Chuo Bus sightseeing bus tour. It’s affordable and lunch included!
Day 3 – Sapporo to Otaru to Niseko
Check out from your hotel and head over to JR Sapporo Station. Today you will make your first stop at Otaru Station. You can store your luggage at Otaru Station.
Otaru is a lovely port city, famous for its historic buildings, fresh seafood, music boxes, glass items, and picturesque otrau canal. Anyone can spend a great day here by doing things that make your trip memorable.
Whenever you visit Otaru, make sure you take a walk along the canal and Sakaimachi dori shopping street lined with souvenir shops and restaurants.
When your time in Otaru is over, head to Otaru Station and wait for a train to Niseko.
In Niseko, you will stay overnight at Hotel Niseko Alpen.
The hotel is located adjacent to one of the ski lifts of Grand Hirafu. This ski resort offers night skiing for its visitors, so if you are not tired hit the slops there at night!
You can relax in one of the onsen (hot spring baths) in the hotel after skiing.
Day 4 – Niseko Winter Activities
On day 4 of your Hokkaido trip you will experience stunning snowy landscapes of Niseko either by snowmobile or snow tubing.
This page reveals a list of interesting winter activities you can experience in Niseko. If skiing is not what you want to avoid then try those fun activities on day four. I am sure your day will be memorable.
For Niseko United shuttle bus timetable click here.
Stay overnight at the same hotel.
Day 5 – Sapporo to Tokyo
Today you will move to Tokyo, a city full of amazing discoveries.
You can reach to New Chitose Airport by Chuo Bus from Grand Hirafu Resort. Timetable is given here.
In Tokyo, you should stay in Asakusa or Ueno area. These areas in Tokyo offer good access to the Narita International Airport by the Keisei Skyliner, a high-speed train.
There are many popular hanami spots of Tokyo that are located in Asakusa and Ueno area. So staying in these areas would make your Tokyo trip easy with offering many interesting landmark to discover.
Check into this hotel, located near Ueno Station. It is a budget friendly hotel than those of the hotels situated nearby the station.
There is a very high demand for hotels and accommodation in Tokyo during the cherry blossom season. Therefore, we recommend you book your accommodation as early as possible.
If time permits, you can take a walk in the neighborhood of Akihabara, one of the major shopping areas in Tokyo for buying electronics, anime and manga and video games.
It is easy to get to JR Akihabara Station from JR Ueno Station on the JR Yamanote Line.
Day 6 – Tokyo (Ueno, Asakusa, Tokyo Skytree)
Start your day with a visit to Ueno Park, a massive park in central Tokyo.
Tokyo hosts some of Japan’s most popular cherry blossom festivals in spring every year. Ueno Park is one of them, where enjoy a perfect hanami party.
Approximately 1,000 cherry trees can be found here. It is worth visiting in the evening as well when trees are illuminated with lights.
From here you can take a walk to the famous Sensoji Temple. This is a must-see place and oldest temple in Tokyo. Don’t forget to walk along the Nakamise, an iconic street lined with many souvenir shops and food stalls.
Next stop is Asakusa’s Sumida Park, located along the Sumida River and from here you can get a perfect view of Tokyo Skytree! Take a walk along the river and stare at gorgeous sakura blossoms.
Tokyo Skytree it is a 20 minute walk across the Sumida River from Asakusa. This 634 meter tall tower with observation decks offers spectacular view of Tokyo city.
Spend good time roaming around the shopping complex located at the base of this tower.
Day 7 – Tokyo (Shinjuku Gyoen, Meiji Jingu Shrine, Yoyogi Park, Harajuku, and Shibuya)
There is no shortage of sakura viewing spot in Tokyo. Every neighborhood in Tokyo offers you a lot of activities including hanami and cultural experiences.
Shinjuku Gyoen is a massive park, located a short walk from Shinjuku Station. It is a perfect place for a morning and evening stroll.
Approximately 1,500 cherry trees start blooming from mid-March and you can enjoy sakura here until early April. Spend 3-4 hours here before you leave this place for Meiji Jingu Shrine.
If visiting at least one shrine in Tokyo is what you have planned for then a visit to Meiji Jingu would be a perfect choice.
In fact, this shrine is situated adjacent to Yoyogi Park. Many visitors come here for a relaxing stroll and the torii gates you will see here are quite massive!
Yoyogi Park is another remarkable cherry blossom viewing spot in Tokyo city. Locals love visiting this park during the peak cherry blossoms season.
After Yoyogi Park, the next most popular place in Harajuku area is Takeshita Dori.
This 400 meter narrow long shopping street is lined by shops, cafes, boutiques, crepes shops, and fast food outlets. Note that it can be crowded over the weekend.
Now get back to Harajuku Station and hop on a train to Shibuya Station on the JR Yamanote Line.
Shibuya, a popular shopping and entertainment area in Tokyo is a good place to walk around at night. Don’t forget to see Hachiko Statue and take a walk across the famous Shibuya crossing.
Day 8 – Tokyo (Koishikawa Botanical Garden, Koishikawa Korakuen, Yasukuni Shrine, Chidorigafuchi, and Ginza)
I have explained this day trip guide in this post. Read the part of “Tokyo Spring Itinerary – Day 3).
Today, the first stop is Koishikawa Botanical Garden. It is a 10-15 minute walk from Myogadani Station on the Marunouchi Subway Line.
And from here you can easily reach to Koishikawa Korakuen. It takes only 2 minutes to reach Korakuen Station from Myogadani Station.
Koishikawa Korakuen is one of the oldest Japanese gardens and considered the most beautiful Japanese landscape garden in Tokyo. Sakura at Chidorigafuchi, part of the Imperial Palace will definitely blow your mind during the daytime.
In addition, late in the day, you will experience stunning sakura illuminations at Chidorigafuchi in the evening and end your day in Ginza.
Day 9 – Tokyo (Showa Memorial Park & Kabukicho)
Show Kinen Koen is a national park in Tachikawa, where you can expect to see not only beautiful cherry blossoms but also colorful tulips, rapeseed, and poppies.
In fact, many different kinds of flowers bloom here throughout the year. If you visit Tokyo in autumn you must come here to see gorgeous fall colors.
Explore the park either on foot or bicycle (rental is available) and enjoy the great outdoor.
To reach the park, you can get on a train from Tokyo station to Tachikawa Station on the Chuo Line. From there it is a 20-minute walk.
You can end your day of Tokyo sightseeing trip with a stunning night view from Tokyo Tower. Alternatively, why don’t you prefer roaming around Kabukicho?
Admire the neon lights there! And if you want to drink, there are many bars in the area.
Day 10 – Tokyo to Narita Aiport/Haneda Airport
Say Goodbye to Japan! We hope you will return again and explore other places and events in the future. If your flight is at night, you may want to spend some time on shopping in the daytime. It is up to you!
When planning your trip to Tokyo, it’s important to consider when you’d like to visit. Spring is a very good time to visit Tokyo, especially when cherry flowers bloom in abundance.
March is a good time to visit Hokkaido and hit the ski slopes. Though if you are not going to try skiing, there are many other activities you have there.
For those with more time in the city of Tokyo, here are some other awesome places to add to your Tokyo itinerary:
Inokashira Park, Koganei Park, Meguro River, Asukayama Park, Ghibli Museum, Roppongi, Tokyo DisneySea, Tokyo National Museum, Hie Shrine, A day trip to Yokohama, Kawaguchiko, and Kamakura.
I do hope this 10-day itinerary helps you understand what you can expect to see and do when you visit Hokkaido and Tokyo in mid-March.
Thanks for reading.
