Best Free & Cheap Things to do in Hokkaido

Hokkaido, once an island not even considered by more than a few tourists, is on it’s way to becoming one of Japan’s most interesting, and authentic, travel experiences. Not over commercialised like cities on Honshu can feel, Hokkaido is the place to get away from it all and enjoy the real Japan.

Usually this kind of place would come with higher prices, but while traveling around and researching for my latest book, Super Cheap Hokkaido, I was surprised to find that the island is actually a cheaper place to travel than most other prefectures in Japan. While things are more spread out, hostels and hotels are cheaper, and tourist traps are few and far between.

There are many free and cheap things to do in Hokkaido, but the following are the must visits. Any budget traveler to the island should include them on their trip!

Explore the Volcanic Kawayu Onsen 

Kawayu Onsen, located in the north-east of Hokkaido, is a popular hot spring town. Getting there is half the fun, as you can walk here from the station via the Iozan, a non-dormant volcano with wide sulfurous vents. When you arrive at the town, you can dip your feet in the free footbath or spend a few hundred yen at the municipal hot spring for the full onsen experience. Kawayu Onsen therefore ends up being a really cheap day trip, and is one of the easiest places in Hokkaido for first-timers to try out hot springs.

Try Fresh Sashimi in Kushiro 

Kushiro is often just used as a transportation hub when in the east of Hokkaido, but it’s worth exiting the station to check out the Kushiro Washo Ichiba Market. Full of recently caught fish from the nearby harbour, it contains over 50 shops, restaurants and takeaways. Best is to head to one of the seafood stalls, point at the sashimi items that look appetising and ask it to be served on rice. A few seconds later, you’ll be eating one of the freshest, and cheapest, seafood bowls of your life!

See the Flowers in Furano 

The famous lavender and flower fields of Furano and nearby Biei really pull in the crowds, but as this is Hokkaido, it never feels too packed. Almost all of the colourful fields are free and special trains are put on in the lavender season so that it’s super easy to reach them on a Japan Rail Pass or a Hokkaido Rail Pass. You can spend at least a day or two exploring the area, trying out lavender-flavoured ice creams and the delicious locally-produced melons, then stay in one of the many budget hotels or hostels along the train tracks.

Go for a Walk in the Onuma Quasi National Park 

Onuma is a nice little stop off point along the way from Hakodate, the main city in the south of Hokkaido, to Sapporo, the prefecture’s capital. The beautiful lakes here do have cruises on offer, but they tend not to be that busy due to the excellent, numerous walking trails around the various islands. Some people also rent a bike and cycle around the whole lake area.

Stroll Around in Otaru 

About an hour or so from Sapporo, Otaru is a seaside port town, and was once a major commercial hub. It’s now a more chilled-out location, with a quiet canal, frequent festivals and lots of tax-free souvenir shops. It’s especially pleasant on winter evenings, when the canal is lined with snow and old-fashioned Japanese lanterns.

Today's guest post is by Matthew Baxter, author of Super Cheap Hokkaido. Like what you see? Super Cheap Hokkaido is the ultimate travel guide to this wonderful island, full of loads of tips, listings and maps to make sure you have an enjoyable, and affordable, time there. It’s available now on Amazon and at the official Super Cheap Guides website.

Super Cheap Hokkaido Book Review

Hokkaido is Japan’s northernmost island and is home to an abundance of unspoiled nature, hot springs and ski resorts, along with arguably some of the country’s best-kept culinary secrets. This northern wilderness attracts many fans of the outdoors with fantastic skiing and snowboarding in the colder months and hiking and camping in the summer months.

This often overlooked part of Japan might seem a little scary due to its sheer size but with the right travel guide, you’ll have no trouble in planning your long overdue trip to Hokkaido.

The Book’s Content 

Super Cheap Hokkaido is the ultimate budget travel guide for exploring Japan’s nature paradise on a shoestring budget. The travel guide covers Sapporo and Hokkaido Prefecture and the must see destinations such as Sapporo, Hakodate, Niseko, Furano, Otaru and Noboribetsu.

The book covers a wide range of money saving tips such as how to spend next to nothing drinking local beer in Sapporo, relax in free hot springs, spend a cheap day’s hiking in the mountains or where to find the best, inexpensive super fresh sushi and sashimi. It’s all here in this amazing travel guide.

Inside the book you will find:

Budget Food – comprehensive listings of low-cost restaurants, take-outs, cheap roadside stations and supermarkets.

Budget Shopping – all the best attraction discounts, free sample hot spots, 100 yen shops and tax-free shopping.

Colour Maps – ideal for budget travelers, making it easy and stress-free to get around.

Highlights and Itineraries – for those with rental cars or using discount train passes.

Cheap Accommodation – the best and cheapest hostels, family-friendly hotels, campsites, mountain lodges, capsule hotels and net cafes.

Travel Guides – all the major destinations are covered with Sapporo, Niseko, Furano, Otaru, Biei, Hakodate, Matsumae Castle, Daisetsuzan National Park, Lake Mashu, Shiretoko National Park, Abashiri and much more.

My View 

Why I really like the book? Like the other books in the Super Cheap series, Super Cheap Japan and Super Cheap Tokyo, it is compact and easy to use with all the information at your fingertips. I like how the book provides a quick guide on how to use it and how to save on your holiday before moving into the travel guide and covering the must see places.

The travel guides provide information on how to get around, discount passes and tickets, transportation maps, things to do, budget food, best places for shopping, recommended cheap accommodation and how to get there.

It is easy to use with colour maps making it easy and stress-free to get around. The maps use landmarks and walking routes to help get you around and include convenience stores, cheap supermarkets, 100-yen stores, budget accommodation and tourist information.

This book is perfect for backpackers, budget travelers, families on a tight budget, students and those of us who just want an amazing time, without blowing all their cash in a day.

About the Writer 

The author, Matthew Baxter is a British travel writer living in Tokyo. Having traveled across the country for more than a decade, without much money, he has built up an extensive knowledge of budget travel in the Land of the Rising Sun. He now writes professionally for several websites and publications, such as the Japan National Tourist Association, Japan Visitor and All About Japan. He is the author of Super Cheap Japan and Super Cheap Tokyo.

Super Cheap Hokkaido is all you’ll need for a fantastic budget friendly trip to Sapporo and Hokkaido. This book gives you some great money-saving tips all in an easy-to-use travel guide. Take the plunge and explore Japan’s northern frontier on your next trip.

Super Cheap Hokkaido is available now from Amazon.

Super Cheap Tokyo Book Review

Tokyo is one of the most exciting cities on the planet with its mix of the traditional, from historic temples and colourful shrines to the ultramodern, with neon-lit skyscrapers and pop culture. Tokyo has it all. With so much to see and do in Tokyo, it can be overwhelming trying to plan a travel itinerary without the right travel guide.

The Book’s Content 

 

Super Cheap Tokyo is the ultimate budget travel guide to exploring Japan’s capital on a shoestring budget. The travel guide covers the greater Tokyo metropolis and the surrounding Kanto region on the cheap. Unlike other Tokyo guides, this book shows you exactly how, where and when you can save money.

The book covers a wide range of money saving tips such as how to grab a traditional Japanese meal for only $3, buy clothes in the fashion mecca, Harajuku for under $10, and how to spend next to nothing on a day’s hiking or relaxing in a Japanese garden.

Inside the book you will find:

• Budget food – a comprehensive list of low-cost restaurants, take-outs and supermarkets.
• Budget shopping – the best tax-free shopping, shopping hot-spots and 100-yen stores.
• Highlights and itineraries – based on discount subway and train passes, so you can explore while keeping the costs down.
• Tokyo’s hidden treasures – walking routes to all the hot spots and must see places to visit.
• Cheap accommodation – the best and cheapest hostels, budget hotels, family-friendly hotels, internet cafes, overnight spas and more.

My View 

Why I really like this book? It is compact and easy to use with all the information and tips at your fingertips. I like how the book provides a quick guide on how to use it and some useful information about Tokyo before moving into the travel guide and covering the must-see places. Each area of Tokyo is broken down into a brief intro, a little bit of history about the area, things to do, and getting around, before moving into budget food and shopping.

Tokyo offers countless tourist attractions to visitors, and this book gives you plenty of great travel options to explore without breaking the bank.

It is easy to use with colour maps making it easy and stress-free to get around. The maps use landmarks and walking routes to help get you around and include convenience stores, cheap supermarkets, 100-yen stores, budget accommodation and tourist information. The book covers all the best of the region including the highlights of Tokyo such as the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Skytree, Harajuku, Asakusa, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ueno, Akihabara, and Odaiba, as well as the Kanto region with Mount Fuji, Kamakura, Yokohama, Nikko, Hakone along with many other off-the beaten-track spots.

Shibuya Map

The colour photos in the book add to content giving you a glimpse of the amazing places that you will visit.

This book is perfect for backpackers, budget travelers, families on a tight budget, students and those who just want an amazing time, without blowing all their cash in a day.

About the Writer 

The author, Matthew Baxter is a travel writer living in Tokyo. Having traveled across the country for several years, without much money, he has built up an extensive knowledge of budget travel in the Land of the Rising Sun. He now writes professionally for several websites and publications, such as the Japan National Tourist Association, Japan Visitor and All About Japan. He is the author of Super Cheap Japan.

Super Cheap Tokyo is all you’ll need for a fantastic budget holiday in Tokyo and the surrounding Kanto region. This book gives you some great money-saving tips all in an easy-to-use travel guide. There is no better time to come to Tokyo and Japan than now.

Super Cheap Tokyo is available now from Amazon.

Top Spots in Tokyo to Eat for Free

Tokyo is a great place to eat out, with a bewildering choice of exciting restaurants and new, surprising flavours. One great way to try out many new flavours without splashing too much money away is to visit places that generously give out small samples to customers. It means you can try many types of food, and take your time to find the right snack or meal for you. It’s also useful for picky eaters, as it means there is less chance of ordering food that won’t get eaten!

With my new book, Super Cheap Japan: Budget Travel in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima and Surrounding Areas, I have made a guide to show exactly how you can travel on a budget in Japan. I have been all across Tokyo and collected a list of free sample spots, which I included in the book. Here are some of my top spots for free food!

Walking past the wide number of choices

Shinjuku is a good start to experience a bit of free food. The two main department stores, Isetan and Takashimaya, both have huge food courts on their basement floors. Isetan is a little more upmarket and seems to have an ever changing selection of stalls and shops, so it’s worth visiting more than once. Takashimaya, next to the tax-free Tokyu Hands variety megastore, has a good range of bakery goods and snacks to take home as souvenirs.

Head a few stops down on the Yamanote Line for more options in Shibuya. Tokyu Food Show has lower prices than the above department stores, and also has a few stalls offering free samples. There is also a good choice of western food, as well as Japanese twists on western favourites, such as cheese fondue and pasta dishes. Also located on the lower level, it can be accessed via Shibuya station.

Trying some Kimchi in Hikarie, Shibuya

Another awesome spot for free samples in Shibuya is Hikarie, also connected to the station. Only a few years old, the higher levels are full of fancy items, with prices more reasonable than most department stores. Downstairs there are two fabulous floors, full of many original snack creations, such as a macaron inside a taiyaki! The shops here are still eager to establish themselves, and are very generous with their free samples. You might not even need a proper meal after visiting here…..

Shopping in Isetan, Shinjuku

Outside of Tokyo, Chinatown in Yokohama has several stalls offering free samples to tourists on the main street, as well as to customers lining up. Favourites here are the Nikuman (meat bun) and Gyoza (Chinese dumplings). All the free samples are a great way to save money here, as the restaurants can be a little pricey.

Finally, remember to ask for tax-free shopping if you buy lots of items, as all the shops in this post have tax-free for tourists!

This post was written by Matthew Baxter, author of the new book Super Cheap Japan: Budget Travel in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima and Surrounding Areas. It's the ultimate budget travel guide to Japan, full of the most useful, up-to-date information for a cheap holiday in Japan. With extensive tax-free shopping, crazily discounted train passes and an unbelievable exchange rate, there has never been a better time to visit. The book shows you exactly how, where and when you can save money. Go shopping for $4 clothes in Tokyo, enjoy inexpensive hikes in Nikko, or visit Kyoto’s beautiful shrines and gardens on the cheap; all with this super helpful guide.

*** Competition Time ***

To celebrate the release of the new book Super Cheap Japan: Budget Travel in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Hiroshima and Surrounding Areas, we want to know what your best money saving tip is for traveling in Japan. The top idea will get a free copy of this awesome new book! Know a great place to eat on the cheap? A super way to save on accommodation? An unbelievable travel hack to get something for free?

Just leave your tip in the comments and we will select the lucky winner from the responses. Good luck!

Entries close on Sunday, 8 October 2017