In short
Hokkaido receives exceptionally dry snow, produced by Siberian winds picking up moisture over the Sea of Japan. Niseko and Furano, two hours from Sapporo, built their global reputation on it.
In summer, the island is the one part of Japan spared the muggy heat: Sapporo sits at twenty-five degrees in August when Tokyo is at thirty-five.
What it really costs
Sapporo is cheaper than Tokyo and Kyoto, with a simple metro and a wide choice of housing.
Miso ramen, seafood from the Nijo market and Sapporo beer, brewed here since 1876, are the three local things and cost little.
What nobody tells you
The Snow Festival, in early February, doubles accommodation prices and fills the city. It is booked six months ahead.
Hokkaido is large: Niseko, Furano and Daisetsuzan park need a car or long train journeys. The rail network is far thinner than on Honshu.
Brown bears live in the island's parks, with encounters reported every year. The trails post the guidance, and it is not decorative.