The Best Things to Do in Hokkaido with Kids
Last Updated on October 10, 2025 by Kay
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If you’re a parent wondering what a trip to Hokkaido is like with kids and what family-friendly things there are to do, I’ve got you covered.
As a Canadian, Hokkaido feels like home to me, which is why I visit often. In fact, it’s where my husband and I thought of our daughter’s name before she was born! So, needless to say, my daughter’s first trip to Hokkaido was very special for us.
In this article, I’ll share my child’s favorite moments of the trip, as well as some places I hope to experience with her in the future. These are activities she actually enjoyed, and my friends’ children also loved after hearing my recommendations.
I’ve also included information about how we planned our trip, so hopefully it’ll help you with your visit to Japan’s northernmost prefecture.
Table of Contents
Best Family-Friendly Activities in Hokkaido (Kid-Approved)
Sapporo
The capital city of Hokkaido, and home of the New Chitose Airport, Sapporo offers great food, convenience, and plenty to do for all ages.
Being a chocolatier at Shiroi Koibito Park
This chocolate factory has it all — hands-on experiences, an outdoor play area, a cafe featuring chocolate drinks and desserts, and lots of cute photo spots. (So don’t worry, your kid won’t get a cavity from visiting Shiroi Koibito Park.)
My daughter especially loved the cookie-making activity, and the packaging was super fancy.
My daughter says, “I love this place!”
I’ve written a full article about our experience at Shiroi Koibito Park, so make sure you give it a read to learn more!
Playing at Maruyama Zoo
Located near Hokkaido Jingu Shrine, we made a quick stop here to look at the animals. I’ll be honest, my daughter wasn’t too impressed with the animals here (I think it’s because she went to Asahiyama Zoo the day before). But she loved the playground, she didn’t want to leave!
To learn more about everything we did in Sapporo, read my Sapporo with kids article.
Asahikawa
Located about 1.5-2 hours from Sapporo, Asahikawa is the second-biggest city in Hokkaido. There is plenty of nature here, and it’s particularly famous for Asahiyama Zoo.
Walking through the penguin tunnel at Asahiyama Zoo
Asahiyama Zoo is spacious (for Japan’s standards) and perfect for kids. It has a range of animals, including lions (my daughter was fascinated by these, especially since she likes cats). And it didn’t feel crowded whatsoever, which was a huge plus for our family.
What she loved the most was the penguin tunnel and the seals swimming overhead. If they’re directly above you, it looks like they’re flying through the sky!
I will say that I wasn’t a fan of the polar bear enclosure (it was depressing), and zoos in Japan in general don’t have the same standards as those in other countries that focus on animal conservation.
But this is an article about what my daughter (born and raised in Japan) liked, so I’m including it here.
Furano
Famous for colorful fields of flowers, fresh fruits and veggies, as well as dairy, Furano is always a must for our Hokkaido trips. (The food here is seriously delicious, my stomach is growling just remembering!)
Stacking volcanic rocks near Biei
We stopped at Tokachidake Observatory, and while my husband and I were in it for the views (which were unfortunately blanketed in fog), our daughter made a game out of stacking volcanic rocks. It’s truly the little things with kids that make trips memorable.
If your kids are older, they will probably appreciate being able to view an active volcano and the history of the area as well, which you can learn about at the information center.
Enjoying bonfires, fireworks, and waves at Tomamu
There is a ton to do at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu. In summer, it offers bonfires, fireworks, outdoor activities, and a large indoor swimming pool. In winter, it transforms into a ski resort.
My daughter was obsessed with Tomamu and didn’t want to leave, especially when it came to the indoor wave pool at Mina-Mina Beach. The free popsicles in the lobby were probably also a huge factor in why she wants to go back.
“This place was so pretty!” my daughter said when I asked what she thought about it.
The adults especially loved the Unkai Terrace, and thankfully, our daughter found something she liked there, too.
Eating cloud ice cream at Unkai Terrace
Unkai Terrace is very weather-dependent, but if the sea of clouds (unkai) show up and the gondola’s running, it’s an absolute must. The unkai is absolutely stunning, but it can be a bit of a walk from the gondola for little legs, not to mention you have to wake up super early to see it.
What kept my daughter going was the promise of ice cream and hot chocolate. And these were not just any sweets. The ice cream was shaped like a cloud, while the hot chocolate had a cloud-shaped marshmallow in it.
She also liked mailing postcards from Unkai Terrace to my aunt in Canada and her grandparents in Japan.
Read more about our stay at Tomamu and our visit to the Unkai Terrace in this article.
Posing in flower fields
My daughter is a bit of a tomboy, but that didn’t stop her from marveling at the rows of colorful flowers in Furano and posing in front of them. I have so many cute photos of her here!
Enjoying a lavender drink
Furano is famous for its lavender, which is why you’ll find lavender-scented goods as well as lavender-flavored drinks and snacks at Farm Tomita. My daughter loved this lavender drink, and I thought it was delicious, too.
Making ice cream at the Furano Cheese Factory
My daughter absolutely loves cooking and baking, so making ice cream was a no-brainer for our trip, especially since Hokkaido is famed for its dairy products.
Our daughter got to do every step herself, from mixing to pouring, and finally (and most importantly, of course) eating. It was a short and simple activity that ran often enough that we didn’t need to make a reservation in advance. And we got to do it together as a family!
If your kid likes sweets, I highly recommend trying this out.
(You can also try free cheese samples, which made my cheese-obsessed kid very happy.)
Read more about everything we did in Furano.
Otaru
Otaru is a picture-perfect town famous for its canals and music boxes. It’s only 40 minutes by train from Sapporo, making it very easy to visit for the day.
Riding a glass-bottom boat
This boat ride was a last-minute decision, but my daughter (and we adults) had loads of fun.
According to my daughter: “I loved how fast the boat went and I got wet!”
(Don’t worry, she didn’t get that wet, just splashed a little, so there was no need to change her clothes.)
We lucked out with calm water and sunshine, which made this a perfect activity. The bottom of the boat gives you a peek at the sea life below, and our daughter got to feed seabirds.
At the end, the captain offered to let her touch (and even hold!) a starfish. She declined holding it, but she did touch it gently.
Marveling at music boxes
Otaru is particularly famous for its handmade music boxes (as well as some imported ones).
We let our daughter choose one as a souvenir, but with so many cute designs and popular songs from beloved movies like Ghibli, it was a tough decision! They also have a little music box museum on the second floor, which fascinated my girl.
My daughter says, “I love how pretty the music boxes look and sound!”
You can read more about our Otaru trip here.
Our Six-Day Family-Friendly Hokkaido Itinerary
If you’re curious about how our family planned our Hokkaido trip, here’s a brief look at our itinerary.
Day 1: Arrive in Sapporo and drive to Furano
Day 2: Explore Furano and then Biei. Drive to Tomamu in the evening.
Day 3: Spend an entire day at Tomomu.
Day 4: Head to Asahiyama Zoo, and then travel to Sapporo in the evening.
Day 5: Check out Sapporo, hitting up famous landmarks and the Royce Chocolate Factory, eating Hokkaido favorites, and then spend another night in Sapporo
Day 6: Travel to Otaru for the day before heading back to Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport to fly home to Osaka.
Where I Want to Take My Daughter in Hokkaido
Here are the places where we want to go for our next trip, but didn’t have the chance this time.
Noboribetsu Jigokudani Valley
I visited Noboribetsu Jigokudani Valley with my husband before our daughter was born and it was a pretty cool experience. The pale blue water and steam from the crater are otherworldly, which is why it was aptly named Jigokudani (Hell Valley).
I’m hoping my daughter will appreciate it as much as I did, but I am glad we didn’t go when she was five years old because I’m positive she wouldn’t have cared.
Sapporo Science Center
My daughter loves science centers, so if we have time, I want to bring her here. In particular, I know she’ll enjoy the science shows (she’s always asking to do experiments at home), and the hands-on exhibits.
I’m also hoping she’ll like planetariums by then because I certainly do!
Like many science centers in Japan, I’m not expecting there to be much English in terms of explanations. Although I understand Japanese (I used to work in a science-related field in Tokyo), I think science exhibits for kids in Japan are things you see at science museums around the world, so pretty straightforward and common. You can use ChatGPT to translate written explanations as well.
Chitose Salmon Aquarium
As the mother of an aquarium-obsessed child, this is a no-brainer for our next trip. Although seemingly small, this is one of the biggest freshwater aquariums in Japan! You can also look straight into the Chitose River from here, which I know will enthrall my daughter.
Sapporo Children’s Puppet Theater
Located in Nakajima Park in Sapporo, this theatre has puppet performances featuring traditional children’s stories from around the world. There’s a playground here, too.
The only problem is that the shows are only on weekends.
How to Get There
Open-Air Museum of Sapporo Art Forest
My daughter loves art and creating things, so I think she’ll get a kick out of this art museum that’s in a forest. She loves making the same poses as sculptures (or trying to mimic their shape). From January to March, it looks like they have snow activities such as snowshoeing.
Hokkaido Greenland
My daughter loves amusement parks, so I think she’ll have fun here. Most of the rides seem aimed at elementary-school children and under, so if you have a teenager, this might not be worth it.
Hokkaido Kodomo no Kuni
This is a large playground located between Asahikawa and Sapporo. It’s surrounded by a forest, so some people have complained about bugs on the playground equipment, but I still want to try to check it out with my daughter if we’re nearby.
Asahikawa Science Museum
As mentioned earlier, my daughter adores science museums, so this is an obvious pick. It’s affordable at only 410 yen, with science shows, a planetarium, and plenty of exhibits where my daughter can learn by doing.
Want more help planning your family Hokkaido trip?
Then check out my detailed articles on: