July 2026Hokkaido: Lavender Season Minimoon Revisit With Baby
Travelling There
Where We Stayed
Trip Video [Coming Soon]
“Same places, fresh eyes, three more people to share the experience with.”
Trip Snapshot
Route: Singapore → Tokyo → Sapporo | ANA
Departure: 10:00 PM · 7h Flight
Time Difference: +1 hour
Arrival Airport: Haneda → New Chitose
Travel Type: 12-day City + Countryside Drive · Sapporo, Furano & Hakodate
Travelling Party: 4 Adults + 1 Baby
Baby: 17 Months
Before booking, we went back and forth on whether a red-eye flight was a good idea, or whether we'd all just end up wrecked from a night of broken sleep. Compared to our other options though, we decided to give it a go.
The trip itself came together only three months before departure, once we'd navigated everyone's work schedules alongside Japan's own domestic travel peak (mid-July school holidays), and what accommodation and car rental availability was left.
It was also an early celebration of our wedding anniversary, the season we usually travel for it, this time with a little one and grandparents along for the ride. Less a straightforward holiday, more an adaptation of our minimoon: some familiar stops, some new ground.
Travelling There | Departing From Singapore
Getting To The Airport
~3.5h before departure — A cab ride, as usual, our go-to for getting to Changi. We always book a Comfort cab rather than a private-hire car, since we don't travel with a car seat, baby sits on my lap for the ride instead.
At The Airport
~3h before departure — At baggage drop-off, we were asked whether we'd prefer to collect our stroller at the aerobridge or with the rest of our luggage when transferring to our domestic flight. We opted for the latter, wary of a long wait on the connecting end with only just over an hour between flights.
We decided to have dinner at the airport while baby had already eaten at home. Even with the head start, we still ended up feeling a little rushed getting through security and to the gate in time.
Travelling There | Singapore → Japan
Bassinet Seat
For ANA, a bassinet seat isn't something you can pre-select online. You'll need to email the airline directly once your booking is confirmed to request one.
In-Flight Experience
10:00pm — Baby fed just as the plane took off, timed nicely with his usual bedtime.
1:30am — Diaper change. The cabin's changing table turned out to be more spacious than expected, with a gentle dip in the surface that kept him from rolling, even mid-squirm. He was cooperative, thankfully.
3:00am — A meal was served, an odd hour for it. In between, baby only slept briefly and was mostly awake from about 1:30am, after his diaper change. We spent most of the flight passing him between grandparents and parents, and none of us really slept.
Descent — Perhaps it was his ears feeling blocked, he started squirming and fussing, so we gave him water and yoghurt drops to help.
Arrival & Immigration at Haneda
5:40am — Landed a little early. Immigration was smooth since we'd prepared our QR codes in advance and had nothing to declare. (Note: Japan doesn't allow produce to be brought in.)
A tip worth flagging for other travelling families: at every immigration and clearance queue we passed through in Japan on this trip, there was priority boarding or a dedicated lane for those travelling with infants. A small thing, but a genuinely useful one when you're managing a stroller, bags, and a baby at the same time.
“On hindsight, seven hours is short enough that a meal service in the middle of it disrupts more than it helps. Something to reconsider if we ever do this again.”
Travelling There | Domestic Transfer: Haneda → New Chitose
At The Airport
Our stroller came out tied up in plastic at baggage claim. We left it bagged and trollied everything to Haneda’s domestic check-in counter, carrying baby along with an airport baby-seat trolley we found on the way; it turned out to be a great option. We skipped the carrier this leg. Less to manage, and baby's getting heavier by the trip.
Domestic customs required a second check, this time for liquids: clear bottles go through a scanner, opaque ones you drink from to prove they're safe. The connecting flight was in the same terminal, no shuttle bus needed this time, unlike our honeymoon back in 2023. We had a quiet pit stop at the ANA lounge beforehand, watching planes go by; a small Pokémon-themed play corner was a nice touch for the little one.
Haneda → New Chitose
"A two-leg transfer used to be nothing when it was just the two of us. With a little one and grandparents along this time, the pace was slow and steady."
In-Flight Experience
8:00am — The short hop had our baby asleep on his dad's lap before we'd even left the ground. We skipped the bassinet this time, one less thing to set up and take down.
Travelling There | Arrival in Sapporo
New Chitose Airport
9:50am — It was busy when we landed. Moving four large suitcases and several carry-ons through the crowds, while baby oscillated between wanting to be carried and wanting to push his own stroller, was genuinely tiring on very little sleep.
A quick lunch at Ramen Street, itself packed and chaotic by the time we got there near peak hour, gave us just enough fuel before we made our way to the car rental counter. It was somewhere in between, at a Pokémon store, that he had a small meltdown, refusing to leave, throwing toys off the shelves. That was the moment we first properly questioned whether the red-eye had been the right call. Or maybe it was simply one of those moments that happens regardless.
Picking Up The Rental Car
A short bus charter took us to the Nissan rental counter. Pick-up was smooth, though the car itself, a Serena, showed signs of previous use our usual Toyota Sienta hadn't; a few scratches, and a car seat that needed a wipe-down before we trusted it. Sienta availability had run out for our dates, so this was our first time with Nissan. In the end, the Serena did the job.
The Drive To Furano
The two-hour drive to Furano included one rest stop with a small play area and ice cream, an unplanned but welcome break. Rain set in as we neared Furano, dark clouds overhead as we collected our keys and checked into our first stay.
AYA Furano
Location: Furano Countryside
Stay Duration: 2 Nights
Travelling Party: 4 Adults, 1 Baby (Grandparents in a separate room)
Vibe: Countryside reset
How We Got Here
We originally booked a different property nearby but the power went out, less than 2 hours in
After close to an hour in limbo, with our car locked in the garage, no way to warm a bottle or feed baby, some of us were at our limits by then; no sleep the night before, hungry, hours of driving already behind us.
And we were still hoping to catch the season’s last lavender field light-up before it closed at 9.30pm
Thankfully, our accommodation's service staff responded fast: an electrician and admin staff arrived almost immediately, manually opened the garage, and offered an upgrade to AYA Furano.
Settling In
The staff drove alongside us from the original accoms to the new location at AYA Furano to help with the handover, even though it was past 10.30pm
We had a rushed dinner prior to the handover, before a 20min drive to catch the season’s last lavender field light-up show
Baby finally fell asleep past 12am
Looking back, that first day was the hardest of the whole trip. But it set the tone for everything after: things went wrong here and there, and each time, the people around us made it right.
🍼
Baby Care Friendliness
No baby chair for dining; brought our own chair restraint
Used the property's cutlery for breakfast
Milk station on the study desk in our room, shared with baby's things and our charging cables; functional, not pretty
🛏️
Property Highlights
4 bedrooms (3 downstairs, 1 master upstairs)
Accommodates up to 9 adults
In-house washing machine, useful sooner than expected after an ice cream mishap on baby's carrier
We stayed in a downstairs room with en suite, queen bed, baby between us
Master en suite had a lovely multi-function tub, a nice surprise
📍
Location & Convenience
4 bedrooms (3 downstairs, 1 master upstairs)
Accommodates up to 9 adults
In-house washing machine, useful sooner than expected after an ice cream mishap on baby's carrier
We stayed in a downstairs room with en suite, queen bed, baby between us
Master en suite had a lovely multi-function tub, a nice surprise
✨
Beyond The Property
Quiet, nature-surrounded setting with good outdoor views
Around Furano
Farm Tomita
Highlight of our second day, a proper lavender hill in daylight
Steep ascent (~45°), uneven ground with loose soil and roots; a carrier may be easier than a stroller here
Lunch was decent; the lavender and melon ice cream were some of the best we've had, baby included
After lunch, left the stroller in the car and let him roam the flatter areas; the inner pathways aren't stroller-friendly given the crowds anyway
Lake Biei
A quick melon smoothie stop en route
A honeymoon revisit; this time we took turns rather than going as a group, since baby was asleep in the car
Flower Farms: Kamifurano & Shikisai no Oka
Flower Land Kamifurano: free entry without crowds; lowers were not in full bloom when we visited
Shikisai no Oka: paid entry, more crowd Rented a buggy to cover more ground (licence required to drive it)
20 rushed minutes on the buggy across a massive property, but the colours and views were unmatched
Becomes a snow/sledging area in winter
Diaper changing room available on site
Furano Cheese Factory
Pizza brunch, chilly morning, great for photos
Meals
Farm Tomita: no baby chair, baby just sat in his stroller for lunch
Furano Cheese Factory: had a children's booster, but not really suitable for a baby his age
Night 1 dinner: stools-only restaurant, baby on our lap; gyoza and fried chicken were the only options left (first two choices were full or closed)
Night 2 dinner (sukiyaki): bench-style leather seating, baby between us with his own food and a few toys
“No meal came with a proper baby chair for pretty much the entire Furano leg.”
Furano → Sapporo
Took the scenic route through the flower farms rather than driving straight; added time, worth every minute for the season's colour
Mitsui Garden Hotel Sapporo
Location: Sapporo City Centre, Near Sapporo Station
Stay Duration: 3 Nights
Travelling Party: 2 Adults, 1 Baby (+ Grandparents in Separate Rooms)
Vibe: Convenient city base for shopping and exploring
🍼
Baby Care Friendliness
Baby cot provided, one less thing to source ourselves
🛏️
Room Highlights
Recently renovated, modern design
Shelves next to the sink, one each; became our makeshift drying spot for milk bottles and washing after cleaning
📍
Location & Convenience
6-minute walk to Sapporo Station and the malls, mostly flat terrain, easy with a stroller
Walk isn't sheltered, so bring an umbrella or rain jacket
✨
Beyond The Room
Parking is via car elevator; unload what you need before handing the car over
Shared microwave and a small drinks lounge on the second floor
Around Sapporo
Shopping, And Yodobashi Camera, And Gachapon
Spent a day at the underground shopping belt, Daimaru, and Stellar Place, all walkable, so we left the car behind
Swung by Yodobashi Camera after an early dinner for baby shopping and gachapon
Odori Park
A nice stretch of open space and greenery before dinner
An Overtired Meltdown
Queued early for sushi, missed our turn, ended up waiting ~50 minutes anyway
Baby was well past nap time by the time we sat down; stroller, nursing room, sleep playlist, none of it worked
Not entirely sure if it was linked to the wait, the lunch, or something else, just a guess either way
Eventually gave up trying to force it and walked him through the food hall instead; he fell asleep shortly after
Meals: Sushi & BBQ, Soup Curry Near The Hotel
Sushi restaurant did have a baby chair, though the queues and crowds may have been more overstimulating than the meal itself
BBQ dinner near Odori Park: no baby chair, but staff lent us toys and we made do on a wide bench seat
Finally got our soup curry fix one night, at a spot near the hotel
Otaru
Fed baby breakfast in the car on the drive to Otaru
About 1 hour by car this time, compared to the roughly 45-minute train ride we took on our honeymoon
Parking: 1500 yen for the day, at a lot near the shopping street
We dumped everything back in the car after a quick lunch, to walk the streets hands-free, with just a milk feed in a small bag
Sapporo → Toya
Hill Of The Buddha
Vast open space, plenty of room for baby to run
Several pockets of space to explore beyond the main statue
Baby was more drawn to the loose stones and rocks scattered around than the artwork itself
From here, about a 2-hour drive on to Lake Toya.
The Lake View Toya Nonokaze Resort
Location: Lake Toya Lakeside & Mountain Views
Stay Duration: 1 Night
Travelling Party: 2 Adults, 1 Baby (+ Grandparents in Separate Rooms)
Vibe: Minimoon revisit, tranquil lakeside pause
The View
Unblocked lake view with mountains in the distance, a real picture of tranquility from your room, the lobby, or the buffet area
Not all rooms come with the lake view, worth checking at booking if that matters to you
Fireworks From Our Room
Caught fireworks from our room that night, baby's very first, a lovely unplanned bonus
A Floor Without AC
One hiccup: the entire floor had no air conditioning
Response was quick: portable AC units installed in each room, plus a spare room offered in case things still got too warm
A reminder that even the best-run properties hit snags; what matters is how it's handled
A Small Anniversary Surprise
We'd mentioned our anniversary at booking; the hotel gave us a card, a photo frame with a picture taken during dinner, and a small dessert. A genuinely touching gesture we didn't expect.
🍼
Baby Care Friendliness
No baby cot, so baby slept between us
Vacuum-seal diaper bin provided, useful for keeping odour at bay
Baby chair and kids' cutlery provided
Kids' food available at the buffet, though nothing specifically for babies
🛏️
Room Highlights
In-room onsen, let us take a quick dip while baby slept, without losing sight of him
📍
Location & Convenience
We drove; there are bus option available
✨
Beyond The Room
Breakfast spread was excellent, plenty of options for both the adults and little ones alike
Toya → Niseko
Niseko added about an hour's detour on the way to our next stop, Hakodate, but felt worth trying, an area we'd otherwise never visit, since we don't do snow sports
Being low season for the ski slopes meant surprisingly affordable rates too
Hinode Hills Niseko Village
Location: Niseko Countryside
Stay Duration: 1 Night
Travelling Party: 2 Adults, 1 Baby (+ Grandparents in Separate Rooms)
Vibe: Quiet detour, off-season calm
A Quiet Stop
Niseko is known for snow slopes, so visiting in July meant off-season quiet and affordable rates, a version of the area we'd never otherwise see since we don't ski
Added about an hour's detour to our route to Hakodate, worth the small diversion
🍼
Baby Care Friendliness
A fabric-sided cot was provided
No high chair, but dining chairs had backrests, so we used our own chair restraint
Nice touch: baby got a welcome kit with a toothbrush and slippers, though he's not old enough for the slippers yet
🛏️
Room Highlights
2-bedroom apartment, useful for our group size
Communal dining table, a nice change from eating out, let us have a relaxed takeaway dinner in
📍
Location & Convenience
Very quiet property, in a very quiet area
✨
Beyond The Room
A summer festival was on the same weekend, with food trucks nearby
Heavy rain for most of our stay
Hotel & Spa Century Marina Hakodate
Location: Hakodate Waterfront, Walking Distance To Sights
Stay Duration: 3 Night
Travelling Party: 2 Adults, 1 Baby (+ Grandparents in Separate Rooms)
Vibe: Homely city base, apartment-style comfort
A Home Away From Home
Felt more like a service apartment: washing machine, microwave, induction cooker
3 beds, one enclosed with a sliding door, so one of us could watch the World Cup finals while the other slept
Fireworks, Again
Our first night coincided with Marine Day, a public holiday marking the ocean and the unofficial start of summer; caught fireworks a second time this trip
🍼
Baby Care Friendliness
Wooden cot with a lowerable gate on one side, no bending all the way down to lift baby in or out
Wide range of baby chairs at breakfast for different ages, including a reclined option for younger babies
🛏️
Room Highlights
Washing machine, microwave, induction cooker
3 beds, one enclosed with a sliding door for privacy
📍
Location & Convenience
Walkable to most things, 5–20 minutes on foot; took cabs about half the time to conserve energy or manage shopping bags
✨
Beyond The Room
Breakfast at Yuuyoo Terrace: wide, varied spread, fresh local produce and international options
~15-minute wait around 9am
At least 10 varieties of Japanese salads
Around Hakodate
Goryōkaku Tower
~20-minute cab ride from our hotel; overlooks the gardens and the wider city
Coincided with baby's nap and milk time, so he was cranky by the top
Getting down means one flight of stairs before the lift, worth knowing if you're alone with baby or with elderly family who find stairs difficult
Toilets and diaper-changing facilities in the cafe area
Goryōkaku Park
Short walk in through a bumpy, stone-paved path; baby finally dozed off, sun was strong and glaring
Only managed ~30 minutes before we had to cab to our next stop, cutting the nap short
The Seafood Market, And A Meltdown
Baby was due for a longer nap by now, well past the point of settling easily
Fussed, cried, was a little sick on himself and the stroller
Made me wonder, briefly, whether disrupting his routine for the sake of exploring was the right call
Lesson: pack spare clothes even when you think you won't need them (I'd taken mine out the night before; a spare vest coat worked as a stand-in)
He eventually fell asleep resting on me at the now-quiet eating area; we transferred him to the stroller and carried on
Hachimanzaka Slope
Golden hour walk past pastel houses, mix of flat stretches and steep climbs
Even underfoot, but tough going with a stroller or carrying baby
Architecture felt different from the rest of Japan, art deco and European details, almost reminiscent of somewhere in the States, with churches scattered throughout
Best explored before dark; we took a different route back down
The Fish Market
Right opposite our hotel, great for king crab, gelato dessert, and buying local produce. We caved and got one more melon to bring home, our third of the trip
Old Public Hall
Stroller parking at the entrance; shoes off before entering
Loved the pastel colours and wide hall space, plenty of room for children to run around
True to form, the little one was more taken with a small stone on the ground than the building itself
Meals
Ramen one day near the red brick warehouse area, chair restraint on the baby chair again, a familiar routine by now
Two trips to Lucky Pierrot, a Hakodate institution: retro, artsy vibe, baby chair without a belt (chair restraint as usual), and our little one bobbing along to the music. Enjoyed it enough to go back the next night for a fresh order, keen to try more of the menu since it's exclusive to Hakodate
Inbetween: Last Night in Hakodate
A fresh Lucky Pierrot order for our last night, no qualms eating it twice since it's exclusive to Hakodate and we wanted to try more of the menu
But dinner wasn't really about the food. It was a proper mixed bag: Lucky Pierrot, snacks from earlier in the day, fruit from the supermarket, combini desserts, and drinks we'd picked up along the trip but hadn't gotten around to finishing, all pulled out at once since our luggage was already bursting and something had to give
No pressure of sitting in a restaurant, no menu to decide on, everyone just ate whatever they felt like, at their own pac
Baby settled into his cot easily and fell asleep on his own, giving us a rare bit of time to enjoy the onsen, though the view was hard to make out in the dark
Had one last dip in the onsen the following morning, bright and early before breakfast.
Travelling Home
Departing Hakodate
Two separate cabs got us to the airport, about 20 minutes away
Hakodate's domestic terminal was small but well equipped: food court, small eateries, combinis, and a proper diaper-changing and play area for kids
Liquids over 100ml are still fine to carry through, subject to a check on their machine, same as our arrival
In-Flight: Hakodate To Haneda
Baby had a fruit-in-a-sucker for take-off, stayed wide awake the whole short flight exploring everything within reach
Considered feeding him dinner on board, but he wasn't hungry enough for it
Luggage, Made Easy
On the way back, luggage is tagged and automatically forwarded from domestic to international, unlike arrival, where we had to collect and re-check it ourselves
Downside: the walk from disembarking to the international wing felt long, even with the travelators
Dinner In The ANA Lounge
~1.5 hours between flights; dinner was plain rice (his favourite) and a hard-boiled egg we'd brought ourselves, already past 10pm by the time he ate
Tip: our favourite ANA lounge in Asia so far, large and spacious, good variety of rest areas, bright lighting, showers available with pre-booking
Beyond the usual spread (fruit, cold sandwiches, salads, onigiri, sides), some hot items can be made on request; we had garlic beef fried rice and udon
Core Memory
The Backwards Stroller
After disembarking at Haneda, the little one refused the airport stroller and wanted to be carried, right in the middle of a long stretch of walking. We then flipped the stroller around so he could hold the handlebar facing us, like a theme park ride. An instant hit that triggered nothing but laughter, a dull, dragging moment was turned into one of the most fun parts of the trip
The Flight Home
Baby asked for milk before take-off, asleep before we left the ground, stayed asleep through the bassinet transfer all the way to Singapore
Blanket liners were provided, but we added his swaddle and a sweater just in case, using ourselves as a rough gauge
Home
Landed at about 7am, two separate cabs home
Baby went straight for a hug with his pillows in the playpen. Reunited, at last.
Reflections
Looking back, the hardest parts of this trip weren't really about Hokkaido itself, they were about learning what a red-eye flight with a baby and grandparents in tow actually asks of you. The first day tested us the most: the exhaustion, the meltdown at the airport, the power outage on our first night. But it also set the tone for the rest of the trip. Things went wrong here and there, and each time, the people around us made it right.
Travelling with grandparents changed the shape of the trip too. Gone were the days of whizzing quickly from place to place, footloose and quick on our feet. In their place was a slower, more considered pace, one that, on hindsight, suited a 17-month-old just as well as it suited the grandparents.
Final Thoughts
This trip felt different from our usual Japan drills. We didn't visit a single Uniqlo or Don Quijote this time, both a little out of the way, and we simply didn't have the time. In their place were lavender fields, daily ice cream, backwards strollers, and a lot of melons lugged around. Perhaps that's the real shape of travelling as a family: less about ticking off the usual stops, more about making room for whatever the day, and your little one, actually needs.
We're grateful we managed this trip at all, given how last-minute it came together. A few of us were still nursing the flu beforehand, or on the tail end of it by the time we boarded. And for our little one's grandma, who loves lavender, seeing the fields in full bloom made it all worth it; their peak season is fleeting, often just a matter of weeks. Perhaps that's true of most things worth cherishing. You catch them while they last, intentionally, or not at all.
Explore our full itinerary on Wanderlog
Note: The actual days panned out a little differently as we adjusted our pace along the way.