Hokkaido Travel Tips: Food, Souvenirs, and Local Insights

In this blog, I'm going to share some tips and personal experiences that may be helpful for your travels around Hokkaido.

The Tourist Information Center beside Otaru Canal in Hokkaido

Things You Should Know Before Going to Hokkaido:

1. Food

Some food prices are much higher than in Tokyo. For example, in Tokyo, you can buy ramen for less than 1,000 yen, while in Hokkaido, most ramen dishes start at 1,000 yen.

On the other hand, ramen in Hokkaido, especially in Sapporo, is considered the best. This type of ramen is called Sapporo-style ramen. It's known for its rich miso-based broth, typically served with curly noodles and topped with ingredients like corn, butter, bean sprouts, and chashu (braised pork). While miso ramen is one of the most well-known ramen styles in Sapporo, Hokkaido also offers other regional varieties, including:

• Shoyu Ramen (soy sauce-based broth)

• Shio Ramen (salt-based broth)

Sapporo-style ramen

In Ramen Alley, Sapporo

2. Souvenirs

Buying souvenirs in Sapporo can be quite pricey. If your itinerary takes you from Hokkaido to Tokyo (or vice versa), I'd recommend buying souvenirs in Tokyo, but only for items that you can find there. For instance, KitKat in Ameyoko, Ueno, is around 198 yen, whereas in Hokkaido, including at Don Quijote in Sapporo, it's about 298 yen.

Royce, Sapporo, Hokkaido

The photo on the right is very meaningful to me because it's
my husband's Valentine's present: Nama Chocolate by ROYCE.

Just a quick story: I've been wanting to try this chocolate for a
long time, so I'm so happy my husband bought it for me
and that we enjoyed it in a place I never thought I would visit.

Yay! Every small detail matters when the person truly loves you. ♥

Ishiya, Sapporo, Hokkaido

Also, the prices for chocolates like Royce and Ishiya are the same at New Chitose Airport as they are in the physical stores. So, if you forget to buy some varieties of these chocolates, you can still get them at the airport.

3. People

People in Hokkaido are warmer and more welcoming than in Tokyo.

Sapporo TV Tower

4. Transportation

Transportation fees in Hokkaido are a bit higher than in Tokyo. For example, the fare from Tokyo Station to Shinjuku (via the Yamanote Line, which is about 16 stations) is around 208 to 210 yen. In contrast, the fare from Sapporo Station to Susukino (via the Namboku Line, which is only about 2 stations) is also about 210 yen. See the difference?

Otaru Station

5. Best Area to Stay

We highly recommend booking a hotel in Susukino. Why Susukino? It’s a bustling entertainment area located in the heart of Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Known for its vibrant nightlife, Susukino offers a wide range of bars, restaurants, karaoke spots, nightclubs, and izakayas (Japanese pubs). As one of Japan's largest entertainment districts, it provides diverse experiences for both locals and visitors. In our case, we stayed at Toyoko Inn Hokkaido Sapporo Susukino Kosaten.

The picture on the left is of the facade of Toyoko Inn
Hokkaido  Sapporo Susukino Kosaten.

The best thing about staying at this hotel is that they offer a buffet breakfast. Additionally, the dining area has a great view, allowing you to enjoy your meal while watching the snowfall. Imagine sipping miso soup as snowflakes fall—it's the perfect way to start the day.

Book the hotel?

Toyoko Inn Hokkaido Sapporo Susukino Kosaten: Click Here

Susukino, Sapporo, Hokkaido

Do we love Hokkaido? Absolutely. We fell in love with the place and can't wait to visit again very soon.

Japan VISA Guide

• Check it here:  Click Here

Where to buy eSim?

• Klook: Click Here

Where to book a flight?

• Check it here: Click Here 

Jetstar Japan Review 2025: What You Need to Know

Last week, my husband and I flew to Japan for our honeymoon. During our honeymoon, we visited Tokyo and Hokkaido. From Narita International Airport, we flew to New Chitose Airport with Jetstar Japan. It was actually our first time flying with this airline.

Touch down New Chitose Airport, Hokkaido, Japan

About Jetstar Japan 

Jetstar Japan is a budget airline based in Japan. It started in 2012 as a partnership between Jetstar Airways (an Australian budget airline), Japan Airlines (JAL), and the Mitsui Group. Jetstar Japan offers both domestic and international flights, mainly within Asia.

A321 Neo flight from New Chitose Airport to Narita Airport.

How was flying with Jetstar Japan?

Although it's a low-cost carrier (LCC), the seat was quite spacious. In addition to the regular airplane tray table, it also has a device holder on top, which makes it convenient for charging your phone or watching movies on your cell phone (a smart idea).

What’s more?

This airline is quite strict when it comes to luggage weight. At the boarding gate, before you can board the aircraft, a group of staff will weigh your hand-carry bags. They strictly enforce the 7kg limit, and if your bag exceeds that weight, you’ll have to pay an additional fee.

I actually saw some fellow travelers who had to pay 5,000 yen after the staff weighed and checked their hand-carry bags, which exceeded the 7kg limit.

Note: As a couple who loves traveling, we always make sure to have a portable scale with us to check both our checked and hand-carry luggage. So, I’d recommend that you guys get one too to avoid excess baggage.

The photo on the left shows the situation where staff are checking carry-on baggage.
After checking, they’ll put a sticker on your bag, just like mine on the left.

Note: Small bags are also checked.

Additionally, their self-check-in and self-bag drop service is very efficient. Plus, their staff are very kind on board. My husband and I flew from New Chitose Airport to Narita Airport on the night of Valentine’s Day, and they gave us a Valentine’s treat.

The Self-Bag Drop and Self-Check-in Area.

Note: As a low-cost carrier (LCC), the airline does not offer a free
checked baggage allowance. Therefore, my husband and I purchased
a 20kg baggage allowance for each of us prior to the trip.

The Valentine's Candy Treat from Jetstar Japan and the freebies
we received: two boxes of KitKat chocolates and two bottles of
green tea (one for me and one for my husband). Thank you Jetstar!

How's their food?

Just like with any other low-cost carrier (LCC), there are no free meals. However, my husband ordered meals for both of us in advance (thank you so much, hubs). So far, the food has been good.

Would I recommend flying with Jetstar Japan?

Definitely! This airline offers good services for an LCC. Plus, during our flight, we didn’t experience any delays or canceled flights. It was on time (I guess it's one of the most important things when flying with an airline).

Note: Sometimes, flights to Hokkaido are delayed or canceled due to heavy snowstorms.

Japan VISA Guide

• Check it here:  Click Here

Where to buy eSim?

• Klook: Click Here

Where to book a flight?

• Check it here: Click Here 

How To Apply For A Japan Multiple-Entry Visa

For those who are new to this blog, my husband (my long-time partner, who proposed in front of Mt. Fuji and is now my husband) and I went to Japan in 2024. In my previous blog, I shared a step-by-step guide on how to get a Japan tourist visa (for those traveling purely as tourists, without family or a sponsor). Now, I’m going to share tips on how to get a Japan Multiple-Entry VISA.

This photo was taken on January 28, 2024, the day we arrived at Narita Airport.

Here’s the guide to getting a Japan Multiple-Entry VISA:

1. Requirements / Documents Needed

It's essentially the same set of requirements I mentioned in my previous blog post. However, for the multiple-entry visa application, there is an additional form that must be submitted: the "Request for Multiple-Entry Temporary Visitor Visa."

2. Bank Certificate

The bank certificate is still required, but this time, higher figures are needed to qualify, as the embassy will check if your funds are sufficient for frequent travel to Japan.

Note: Last year, we intentionally didn’t apply for a multiple-entry visa since it was my first time visiting Japan (though not for my husband).

3. Additional Necessary Documents

Listed are some other documents needed to prove your eligibility for a multiple-entry visa.

• Used visas / entry stamps

• Tax Payment Certificate

• Employment certificate with employment period, salary, and position indicated (for employed individuals)

• Proof of actual tax payment, in addition to the BIR Tax Payment Certificate form, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Certificate of Business Name Registration and Mayor's Permit from City Hall (for business owners) 

and more

Click this link to view the detailed requirements: Click Here

4. Best Travel Agency

For us, the best agency is Friendship Tours.  Their staff is very accommodating, and they don’t mind answering a lot of queries. We highly recommend it.

• Friendship Tours Website

Cebu: Click Here 

Manila: Click Here 

• Cost: 

₱ 1,200 for Single-entry VISA

₱ 1,500 for Multiple-entry VISA

Kindly refer to my previous blog for more information: Click Here

At Omoide Yokocho, Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Additional tip: It's best to submit your documents before the holiday season. Based on our experience, we submitted ours just before the Christmas holidays and received our visas in the first week of January.

Lastly, as I mentioned in my previous blog, nobody can guarantee your Japan visa approval (not even your travel agency, travel agent, etc.).

Note: As of February 2025, obtaining a tourist visa for Japan has become more stringent in certain aspects due to the recent increase in travel to the country. In response, Japan is working to simplify the process, leading to some changes.

• Limited Visa Slots

• Longer Processing Times

• More Documentation and Scrutiny

• Agency and Application Limits

Where to buy eSim?

• Klook: Click Here

Where to book a flight?

• Check it here: Click Here 

Things We Learned as First-Time Homeowners

Living together as husband and wife in your own house can be both overwhelming and, at the same time, require a lot of adjustments. Let me share some of the things we learned as first-time homeowners who recently got married.

"Home is the starting place of love, hope, and dreams." — Unknown

Here are the things we learned:

1. Your house is your safe space

Your house is your safe space. Make sure you and your spouse decide together on the small details of your home, such as the house color, countertops, dining table, etc.

2. House chores are divided into two

As a couple who live without any help to do the chores, it's essential to divide them. For example, if I do the cooking, my husband does the dishes. This might not apply to everyone, but communication is key. I'm lucky to have a husband who doesn't let me do all the chores.

3. Take turns in spending

Even when we were still dating, we practiced this. Now that we are married, we continue the same practice. For instance, since my husband bought our dining table, stove, etc., I’m in charge of buying the plates, spoons, etc. For us, taking turns in spending on household items is essential for a harmonious living situation. Not doing so can lead to burnout and stress.

4. Clean eating is a must

Now that we have our own house, we've set rules for balanced eating. For instance, instead of relying too much on canned goods and processed foods, we make time to buy vegetables and fruits, and we also try to exercise on the treadmill. Clean eating can be difficult when you’re living on your own, especially since the temptation to buy fast food and ready-to-eat meals is higher when both of you are busy with day-to-day work.

5. Date day is essential 

Though you live together under the same roof, a date day is still important to keep the spark alive in your relationship. Date days help you reconnect and provide an opportunity to break away from the daily routine.

Special thanks to dear Rhea for this awesome wedding gift: the coffee machine.

Lastly, we have a golden rule in our house: "Happy spouse, happy house." Our married life isn’t perfect, but we always pray to keep God at the center of our marriage.