Odori Park runs about 1.5 kilometres east to west through the centre of Sapporo, dividing the city into north and south. Its lawns, flower beds and fountains host events all year. In February it holds the main site of the Sapporo Snow Festival, with huge snow and ice sculptures. The Sapporo TV Tower stands at its east end.

The Sapporo Clock Tower was built in 1878 as a drill hall for the Sapporo Agricultural College. Its clock has been keeping time since 1881 and is one of the oldest working clock towers in Japan. The white wooden building in American style is a symbol of the city. It now houses a small museum on Sapporo's history.

The Otaru Canal was completed in 1923 in the port city of Otaru, Hokkaido. Stone warehouses built along it in the early 20th century have been turned into restaurants, glass shops and museums. Gas lamps line the walking path, lit in the evening. In February the Otaru Snow Light Path festival fills the canal with candles.

Farm Tomita is a flower farm in Nakafurano, Hokkaido, famous for its lavender fields. Founded in 1903, it helped make Furano known for lavender. In July the hillsides are covered with stripes of purple lavender and other flowers in red, orange and white. Shops sell lavender ice cream, perfumes and soaps.

The Blue Pond near Biei in Hokkaido is a man-made pond formed after a dam was built in 1988 to protect against mudflows from Mount Tokachi. Minerals in the water give it a striking blue colour that changes with weather and seasons. Dead larch trees stand in the water. It is lit up at night in winter.

The Shiretoko Five Lakes lie in Shiretoko National Park at the northeast tip of Hokkaido. An elevated boardwalk crosses the grasslands to the first lake, with views of the Shiretoko mountain range. Guided walks lead to all five lakes. The area is home to brown bears, deer and foxes. Shiretoko has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005.

Noboribetsu Jigokudani, or Hell Valley, is a volcanic valley above the onsen town of Noboribetsu in Hokkaido. Steam and gas rise from vents and boiling pools among bare yellow and red rocks. A boardwalk leads through the valley. Its water feeds the many hot spring hotels of the town, which is one of the best known onsen resorts in Japan.

Lake Tōya is a large round caldera lake in Shikotsu-Tōya National Park, Hokkaido. Nakajima island sits in its centre. Mount Usu, an active volcano, stands on its southern shore, and the newer Shōwa-shinzan peak rose from a wheat field in 1943 to 1945. Onsen hotels line the shore, and fireworks are held over the lake on summer nights.

Goryōkaku is a star-shaped fort in Hakodate, completed in 1864 to Western design. It was the site of the last battle of the Boshin War in 1869. Today it is a park with moats and cherry trees, and the reconstructed magistrate's office stands inside. The Goryōkaku Tower next to it gives a view of the full star shape.

Mount Hakodate rises about 334 metres at the end of the Hakodate peninsula in Hokkaido. A ropeway climbs to the summit. The view at night, with the lights of the city curving between two bays, is ranked among the best night views in Japan. The mountain was used as a fortress and was closed to the public until 1946.