The Limited Express Hokuto for Hakodate, Tomakomai, and Sapporo

The Hokuto is a limited express service that runs between Sapporo Station and Hakodate Station providing a speedy link between two of Hokkaido’s major cities. This train runs along parts of the Hakodate Main Line, Chitose Line and Muroran Main Line.

Previously, this service was called the “Super Hokuto,” but its name was shortened to Hokuto in March 2020. The Hokuto is operated by JR Hokkaido, so it is completely covered by the Japan Rail Pass. All seats are reserved, and pass holders should obtain a seat reservation before boarding.

Key Destinations

The Hokuto has the following 16 possible stops, but not every train calls at every station.

Sapporo – Shin-Sapporo – Minami-Chitose – Tomakomai – Shiraoi – Noboribetsu – Higashi-Muroran – Datemonbetsu – Toya – Oshamanbe – Yakumo – Mori – Onumakoen – Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto – Goryokaku – Hakodate

The key destinations are listed below with standard adult ordinary reserved-seat fares and representative direct Hokuto journey times from Sapporo. Individual trains make different stops, so check the timetable for the service you plan to use.

Sapporo Station

Sapporo is Hokkaido Prefecture’s capital city and has plenty of shopping, dining and entertainment facilities as well as sightseeing attractions. Famous attractions in Sapporo include the 19th century Sapporo Clock Tower, the Sapporo Beer Museum, and the Mount Moiwa Ropeway. The annual Sapporo Snow Festival is a popular event held every February when giant snow sculptures and ice statues are on display in Odori Park and the Susukino entertainment district.

Shin-Sapporo Station

A number of museums can be accessed from this station.

Sapporo Science Center is a six-minute walk from this station. This hands-on museum has exhibits on snow and ice, astronomy and earth science, the human body and other scientific themes, as well as a planetarium. It is open from 9.00 to 17.00 between May and September and from 9.30 to 16.30 between October and April. It normally closes on Mondays, the final Tuesday of each month, the day after national holidays, the day after a special exhibition and from December 27th through January 4th, although there are calendar exceptions. Admission for adults is 800 yen for the exhibition rooms and 550 yen for the planetarium. Junior-high pupils and younger can enter both for free.

Also nearby is the Sunpiazza Aquarium, which displays about 200 species and 10,000 animals at peak periods, including spotted seals, Asian small-clawed otters, Cape penguins and fish. The aquarium is open from 10.00 to 17.00 year-round, with last admission 30 minutes before closing, although its hours may change seasonally. Admission is 1,200 yen for adults and 400 yen for children aged three through junior-high school. A web-only combination ticket for the aquarium, Sapporo Science Center exhibitions and planetarium costs 2,100 yen for adults. The aquarium is on the 2nd floor of the Sunpiazza Shopping Center, which is a five-minute walk from the station.

The Historical Village of Hokkaido is an open-air museum of preserved buildings dating from the frontier period of late 19th century and early 20th century Hokkaido. Admission costs 1,000 yen for adults and high-school or university students. Junior-high pupils and younger are admitted free. JR Hokkaido Bus route Shin 22 takes about 20 minutes from stop 10 at Shin-Sapporo. The village is open from 9.00 to 17.00 between May and September. From October through April it closes at 16.30 and is closed on Mondays, with holiday adjustments, and from December 29th through January 3rd.

The Hokkaido Museum explores Hokkaido’s history through the relationship between the natural world and human culture. Admission costs 800 yen for adults and 300 yen for high-school or university students. Junior-high pupils and younger are admitted free. A combination ticket for the museum and Historical Village costs 1,400 yen for adults and 1,000 yen for high-school or university students. The Hokkaido Museum is about 15 minutes from Shin-Sapporo on route Shin 22. It is open from 9.30 to 17.00 between May and September and from 9.30 to 16.30 between October and April. It closes on Mondays, with holiday adjustments, and from December 29th through January 3rd. Check each venue’s calendar for temporary closures and other exceptions.

Transfer at this station to Sapporo Municipal Subway’s Tozai Line.

Minami-Chitose Station

Northern Horse Park offers horse and pony encounters, guided horse riding, horse-drawn carriage rides and seasonal outdoor activities. Rail passengers can transfer at Minami-Chitose for New Chitose Airport and use the park’s free shuttle from the airport. The shuttle has a limited seasonal schedule, and activities vary by date and operating conditions, so check the programme before travelling.

Transfer at this station to the Sekisho Line and the Airport Branch Line of the Chitose Line.

Tomakomai Station

Tomakomai is a port city with a number of ferry services linking Hokkaido to destinations around Japan. Four companies operate ferry services from two separate terminals.

Shin Nihonkai Ferry operates services to Akita, Niigata, Tsuruga and Maizuru from Tomakomai East Port.
Taiheiyo Ferry operates services to Sendai and Nagoya from Tomakomai West Port.
MOL Sunflower operates a service to Oarai in Ibaraki Prefecture from West Port.
Silver Ferry operates a service to Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture from West Port.

Donan Bus number 24 runs to the Tomakomai West Port Ferry Terminal from bus stop 1 outside Tomakomai Station and takes approximately 17 minutes. Shin Nihonkai Ferry’s East Port has a separate connecting bus from Minami-Chitose timed to selected sailings, so passengers should check the operator’s access instructions for their ferry.

Tomakomai is also a convenient base for visits to two nearby sights of outstanding natural beauty.

Mount Tarumae is a 1,041m-high active volcano registered as a Hokkaido Natural Monument. The usual East Peak route begins at the 7th-station parking area and takes about 50-60 minutes on foot to the peak. There is no public transport, and the drive from central Tomakomai takes roughly 40-60 minutes. The access road closes seasonally and may close at short notice, so check the city’s road, gate and volcanic information before setting out. Hikers should remain on marked routes and outside the restricted inner-crater and lava-dome area.

Lake Shikotsu is on the far side of Mount Tarumae and can be accessed by rental car or taxi from Tomakomai. Popular activities here include canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing, hiking, camping and pleasure boat cruises. Shikotsu Onsen is a hot spring spa resort on the east side of the lake that is a 30 minute drive from Tomakomai Station. Popular resort hotels here are Kyukamura Shikotsuko, a traditional Japanese inn with hot spring bathing facilities and saunas and Resort Spa Mizu-no-Uta, a high-end luxury hotel with a hot spring spa, two restaurants, a café and a bar.

Transfer at Tomakomai Station to the Hidaka Main Line.

Noboribetsu Station

Noboribetsu is famous for its volcanic hot springs, but it also has easy access to forested nature trails and a number of theme parks.

Noboribetsu Onsen is a hot spring resort about 27 minutes by Donan Bus from Noboribetsu Station. Services are limited, so check the timetable before travelling. There is a public bath where day trippers can take a soak in the natural mineral waters and many hotels here open their public baths to day trippers too. Jigokudani (literally “Hell Valley”) is a dramatic landscape of smoking rocks and sulfurous fumes a short walk from the central onsen area. Two traditional inns in this area are Dai-ichi Takimotokan and Kashoutei Hanaya. These ryokan offer traditional hospitality, local cuisine and hot spring bathing facilities.

Noboribetsu Marine Park Nixe is an aquarium about five minutes on foot from Noboribetsu Station. It features the Danish-style Nixe Castle, an aqua tunnel for an undersea experience and scheduled animal presentations. Its small amusement area operates seasonally and is subject to weather conditions.

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura is a recreation of an Edo-era village where you can dress up in historical clothes and watch dramatic samurai, ninja and oiran performances. This theme park is about six minutes by bus or five minutes by car or taxi from Noboribetsu Station.

Higashi-Muroran Station

Transfer here to the branch line of the Muroran Main Line for services bound for Muroran.

Toya Station

This station serves the town of Toyako which is named after the nearby Lake Toya. Donan Bus connects JR Toya Station with Toyako Onsen in about 26 minutes for 400 yen, but services are limited, so check the timetable before travelling. This scenic crater lake with its clear blue waters is a popular sightseeing destination with boating, hiking, canoeing, camping and horseback trekking all being popular activities. A ropeway leads up to observation decks on nearby Mount Usu from which you can view both the sparkling waters of the lake and the waves on Uchiura Bay. Toyako Onsen is a hot spring resort on the edge of the lake which has several luxury hotels. Of these the Lake View Toya Nonokaze Resort has standout facilities with indoor and outdoor mineral baths, a sauna, three restaurants, a patisserie/café, and a glass art gallery. The spacious guest rooms also have superb panoramic views over the lake.

Onumakoen Station

This station is a convenient exit point for Onuma Quasi-National Park a picturesque area dominated by the Onuma and Konuma lakes and by the 1,131m high Mount Komagatake. Popular activities in this area include boating, canoeing, cycling, horseback trekking, fishing, and snowshoeing in winter. This area is particularly famous for its colorful fall foliage.

Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station

This station is the northern terminus of the Hokkaido Shinkansen which provides a direct link between Hokkaido and Tokyo.

Goryokaku Station

This station in Hakodate is named after the star-shaped Goryokaku Fort which was built in 1866. The site of the fort is a park, but its five-pointed star shape can be seen very clearly in its outer moats. Nearby Goryokaku Tower offers excellent views over the fort. Goryokaku Station is not beside Goryokaku Park: walking takes more than 30 minutes, and daytime buses 41 and 42 run only about once an hour before a further walk of about 10 minutes from the bus stop. Most sightseeing visitors will find it easier to continue to Hakodate Station, which has more frequent buses and a direct service to Goryokaku Tower.

Transfer here to the South Hokkaido Railway Line for services bound for Kikonai.

Hakodate Station

Hakodate is Hokkaido’s third biggest city and has numerous sightseeing attractions. Taking one of Hakodate’s tramcars is a good way to see the city and these can be boarded from a stop outside the Hakodate Station.

Hakodate’s most famous sight is the spectacular nighttime city view from the top of Mount Hakodate. To see it take a 3 minute cable car trip on the Mount Hakodate Ropeway.

Hakodate’s Motomachi district is a scenic area with many historical Western-style buildings which are illuminated at night. Hakodate’s bay area also has many historic red brick warehouses that have been converted into restaurants and shops.

Yunokawa Onsen is a hot spring resort with many hotels overlooking the sea. Yunokawa Prince Hotel Nagisatei has large indoor and outdoor mineral baths with views of the ocean, a mixture of Western and traditional Japanese style rooms, and facilities that include a sauna, a buffet restaurant with an open kitchen, and a souvenir shop. Bourou Noguchi Hakodate is a modern luxury hotel with indoor and outdoor baths overlooking the city, a dry sauna, a Sky Salon for twilight views, Western and Japanese style guest rooms, and private dining. The hotel is closed for maintenance from August 20th 2026 through April 19th 2027 and plans to resume check-ins on April 20th 2027.

Hakodate Morning Market is a lively seafood market that generally operates from 5.00 until after 14.00 between May and December and from 6.00 until after 14.00 between January and April. Individual shop and restaurant hours vary. The restaurant arcade in the market is famous for its fresh seafood rice bowls.

Useful Information

There are 11 regular Hokuto services in each direction every day, and additional trains may run on selected busy dates. To plan your trip, use the timetable and route finder on the official JR Hokkaido English language website for your date of travel. A downloadable route map can be found on the same website.

Article by Michael Lambe. Photos by Michael Lambe and Angkana Unthaya. All rights reserved. Last updated 23-Aug-2026.