Hokkaidō

Daisetsuzan National Park (大雪山国立公園) is Japan's largest national park, designated in 1934 and covering more than 2300 sq km. It's a vast wilderness area of soaring mountains – Daisetsuzan literally means 'Big Snow Mountain' – active volcanoes, remote onsen, clear lakes and dense forests. Virtually untouched by human hands, the park has minimal tourism, with most visitors basing themselves in the hot-spring villages on the periphery. The three main access points into the park are Asahidake Onsen in the northwest, Sōunkyō Onsen in the northeast and Tokachidake Onsen in the southwest. Another special spot on the eastern side of the park is Daisetsu Kōgen Onsen.

Hokkaidō is dotted with world-class ski resorts, but the reigning prince of powder is unquestionably Niseko (ニセコ). There are four interconnected resorts with more than 800 skiable hectares along the eastern side of the mountain, Niseko Annupuri. Soft and light powdery snow and an annual average snowfall of more than 15m make Niseko extremely popular with international skiers. Many own second homes here – resulting in a diverse dining and nightlife scene that is atypical of far-flung rural Japan. English is spoken virtually everywhere. While it's possible to do Niseko on a budget, be warned that it is getting increasingly difficult, especially in winter (peak ski season).

Japan's fifth-largest city, and the prefectural capital of Hokkaidō, Sapporo (札幌) is a dynamic urban centre that offers everything you'd want from a Japanese city: a thriving food scene, stylish cafes, neon-lit nightlife, shopping galore – and then some. While many travellers see the city as a transit hub from which to access Hokkaidō's mountains and hot springs, there are enough worthwhile attractions to keep you here for days. Summer is the season for beer and food festivals. In February, despite the bitter cold, Sapporo's population literally doubles during the famous Snow Festival.

Noboribetsu Onsen (登別温泉) is a serious onsen: you can smell the sulphur from miles away. While the town is small, there are countless springs here, sending up mineral-rich waters. The baths received great fame when the town was designated as a health resort for injured soldiers following the 1904–05 Russo-Japanese War and remain Hokkaidō's most famous onsen today.

The source of the waters is Jigoku-dani, a hissing, steaming volcanic pit above town. According to legend, this hellish landscape is home to the oni (demon) Yukujin. Don't worry: he's kind and bestows luck. You'll find statues of him around town.

The islands of Rishiri-tō and Rebun-tō are among the remotest in Japan, off the coast of the country's northernmost city, Wakkanai. Part of the Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park (利尻礼文サロベツ国立公園), they are largely undeveloped, save for a few scrappy fishing settlements and a small tourism industry. Geographically, they are totally different: Rishiri-tō is dominated by its volcano, Rishiri-zan; Rebun-tō is long and skinny, shaped by shifting plates. Most visitors come in summer, to climb Rishiri-zan, or to hike along the ridges in Rebun-tō, where wild flowers bloom in June and July. Southwest of Wakkanai, the Sarobetsu Wetlands, part of the park, also see impressive blooms.

Built on a narrow strip of land between Hakodate Harbour to the west and the Tsugaru Strait to the east, Hakodate (函館) is the southern gateway to the island of Hokkaidō. Under the Kanagawa Treaty of 1854, the city was one of the first ports to open up to international trade, and as such hosted a small foreign community. That influence can still be seen in the Motomachi district, a steep hillside that's sprinkled with European buildings and churches; the waterfront lined with red-brick warehouses; and in the nostalgic streetcar that still makes the rounds of the city.

Shiretoko-hantō, the peninsula that makes up Shiretoko National Park (知床国立公園), was known in Ainu as 'the end of the world'. This magnificent stretch of land, a Unesco World Heritage Site, is one of Japan's last remaining sections of true wilderness. It's mostly a draw for keen hikers; however, there are also some easier treks around lakes and to waterfalls, nature cruises up the coast and hidden hot springs in the woods. The park has two access points, at Utoro (ウトロ) on the northwestern side of the peninsula, and at Rausu (羅臼) on its southeastern side.

Akan National Park (阿寒国立公園), designated in 1934 and covering 905 sq km, was one of Japan's first national parks. It's home to volcanic peaks, several large caldera lakes, thick forests of Sakhalin spruce, herds of sika deer, rejuvenating onsen and a small Ainu kotan (village). While the mountains are obviously a draw for hikers, those less inclined (and travelling by car) can drive out to a number of excellent lookout points around the park.