My partner and I are heading to Hokkaido in December, it’ll be her first time seeing snow. I’m looking for two suggestions:
# Best towns for cozying up and simple snow play (within Hokkaido and/or Tohoku)
**Context:** I’d love to show her simple snow pleasures like sledding and then going for a warm meal. We’re looking for a town that’s beautiful and cozy (however you define that for yourself), has walkable bars and restaurants, and hopefully has areas to play and sled in the snow (especially if they’re just local hills where you bring your own inner-tube). We can make anywhere in Hokkaido or Tohoku region work.
**Research I did:** I think I’ve found a lot of the sledding options in Sapporo (e.g. Maeda Forest Park, Satoland, Noporro Forest Park). I’ve also come across Mikasa Ski Slope as the free local spot in Jozankei. And I also found South Hokkaido Shiki no Mori Prefectural Park in Hakodate. It also seems that most any of the ski resorts (e.g. Hakodate Nanae Snow Park, Sapporo Kokusai Ski Resort, Niseko) will have sledding available.
**My questions for y’all:** I don’t know which of these places will offer the best all around experiences for sledding, onsens (that allow tattoos), eating, drinking and generally walkable cozy vibes. I’m also sure there are many other smaller towns with great vibes and local spots for sledding that I haven’t found yet. Any suggestions would help. Bonus points if you know if any spots exist where it wouldn’t be weird to ask folks if they’re interested in a snowball fight 🙂
# December Food in Southern Hokkaido
**Context:** Where Canada turns hot maple syrup into taffy with freshly fallen snow, I’m wondering what the equivalent pleasures are around southern Hokkaido and where to enjoy them – especially when it comes to food.
**Research I did:** I’m aware that strawberries seem to come into season over winter because of the surrounding greenhouses. I believe oysters come into season in December and Gotsubo is a place to have them, but that seems to be the only spot I’ve come across online for Sapporo. There’s the soup curry, miso ramen, crab, uni, genhkis kahn, odamaki mushi, imo-mochi, and haskap berries.
**My questions for y’all:** But I’m hoping you all can help me with two things here.
* The first is, are there any other foods I haven’t come across yet that are really typical of December that would be fun to try? For example, do bakeries start putting out something seasonal like pan de muerto in October in Mexico? Or does cider become a thing after the first ferment from the apples in fall?
* And second, I’m having trouble finding places that serve dishes that don’t seem to have as much online content about them (e.g. odamaki mushi, oysters, uni, imo-mochi, etc.). Do you have any recommendations for where to try these dishes? Especially in Sapporo or southern Hokkaido?