Hokkaido is home to some of the best skiing and snowboarding in Japan with resorts such as Niseko and Furano being extremely popular, and increasingly so with overseas visitors. However, for those living in Tokyo and southern Japan, it is not as convenient to get to as the resorts on central Honshu. You can travel to Hokkaido by air, train, and a combination of car and ferry. However, in terms of convenience, flying is the easiest way to go.

How to get to Hokkaido by public transport & general info:

Shin-chitose airport is 1 hour 30 minutes from Haneda airport in Tokyo, and 2 hours 10 minutes from Itami Airport in Osaka. By train, Tokyo to Sapporo takes 16 hours and 35 minutes by special express sleeper train.

Shin-Chitose Airport is 1 hour 30 minutes from Tokyo Haneda Airport, and 1 hour 55 minutes from Kansai International Airport. Sapporo Station is about 36 minutes from the airport by JR Rapid Train.

Sapporo International Ski Resort and Jozankei Valley.  Shin-Chitose Airport is 1 hour 30 minutes from Tokyo Haneda Airport. The streetcar leaves from Nishi 4-chome, near subway Odori Station, and takes about 20 minutes to reach Ropeway Iriguchi Station. The ropeway Sanroku Station is about 8 minutes walk away.

It is 1 and a half hours from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Shin-Chitose Airport. 1 hour 55 minutes from Kansai International Airport. 1 hour 11 minutes by JR Chitose and Hakodate Line Rapid Train from Shin-Chitose Airport to Otaru station.

Shin-Chitose Airport is 1 hour 30 minutes from Tokyo Haneda Airport. The streetcar leaves from Nishi 4-chome, near subway Odori Station, and takes about 20 minutes to reach Ropeway Iriguchi Station. The ropeway Sanroku Station is about 8 minutes walk away.

It is 1 hour 20 minutes from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Hakodate Airport and 1 hour 40 minutes from Kansai International Airport to Hakodate Airport

It is 1 hour and 35 minutes from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Asahikawa Airport. It is about 2 hours from Osaka Itami Airport. It is about 1 hour by bus from Asahikawa Airport to Furano Station.

Asahikawa Airport is 1 hour 35 minutes from Tokyo Haneda Airport, and about 2 hours from Kansai International Airport. Asahikawa Station is 1 hour 28 minutes from Sapporo Station by Limited Express on the JR Hakodate Honsen Line.

Shin-Chitose Airport is 1 hour 30 minutes from Tokyo Haneda Airport, and 1 hour 55 minutes from Kansai International Airport. Yoichi Station is 55 minutes from Sapporo Station on the JR Hakodate Honsen Line. Niseko is 1 hour 38 minutes from Sapporo Station on the JR Hakodate Honsen Line.