Hi everyone, we’re a couple, planning a trip on the 5th May to 5th June (avoid golden week, see sakura in Hokkaido and leave before rainy season).
I’ve been to Japan 5 times in the last 10 years (mainly Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo) and my partner has been once but on a tour bus stopping briefly at a few places so wasn’t memorable. It’s our first time in Hokkaido and we plan to share the driving and see sakura! We like to eat, shop, take photos, walk around to explore, nature and wildlife and onsen. We planned Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo again even though we said we wanted to avoid other tourists if we can…but I guess we are having a mix of unfamiliar and familiar and it’s easier to plan.
\*\*4th May – New Chitose -> Otaru (1night)\*\*
* Arrive in evening, get dinner and walk the canal
\*\*5th May – Otaru -> Sapporo\*\*
* Otaru Canal
* Sakaimachi St
* dessert at Le Tao
* Visit Music box museum
* See the Steam clock
* Kitachi Glass shop / cafe
* Nichigin-dori
* Maruyama Park for sakura night viewing (forecasted to be peak bloom)
\*\*6th May – Sapporo -> Otaru -> Niseko -> Hakodate (3 nights)\*\*
7am car rental, Otaru in the morning, break at Niseko for lunch and spend afew hours, then get to Hakodate in the evening
* Nikka Whiskey Distillery
* Mt Tengu (sakura viewing)
* stop at either Kutchan or Niseko to lunch
* Drive to Hakodate
\*\*7th & 8th May – Hakodate\*\*
Parking might an issue here so will leave car at hotel and take the tram. Explore at a leisurely pace
* Morning Market
* Goryokaku & Tower (Sakura viewing if theres any left)
* Red Brick Warehouse / Meijikan
* Motomachi Area (Public hall, churches, Hachimanzaka Scenic Road, Soma house)
* Green Island and Marina
* Daimon Yokocho for food
* Kosetsu-en Park (Trappistine Monastery)
* Mt Hakodate Obervatory for sunset
\*\*9th May – Hakodate -> Lake Toya (1 night)\*\*
* Onuma Quasi-National park (spend an hour or two here)
* Lake Hill Farm for ice cream
* Lake Toya Observatory
* Footbath onsen around town
* Walk around the lake promenade
* Mt Usu
* Get on the Espoir (castle looking cruise) to Nakajima Island or just for a nice cruise on the lake
\*\*10th May – Lake Toya -> Noboribetsu (1 night)\*\*
* Sakura lined road from JR Noboribetsu to Noboribetsu Onsen
* Jigokudani
* Oyunuma Pond & Oyunuma River Natural food bath
* Onsen at Dai Ichi Takimotan
* Sengen Park then Yuzawa Shrine
* find all 11 demon statues in 9 locations
* Date Jidai Village if there is time
\*\*11th May – Noboribetsu -> Lake Shikotsu -> Sapporo -> Furano (2 nights total)\*\*
* Drive 1.5hr to Lake Shikotsu East wild bird forest to see some birds
* Hill of the Buddha & Stonehenge (aim to get there by 10 and stay for 2hrs)
* Moerenuma Park (sakura viewing, have lunch here so maybe 3hours total)
* 2hr drive to Furano, try to get there by 5 or 6pm.
\*\*12th May – Furano\*\*
* Morning if the weather is good, drive an hour to Tomamu to see the Unkai Terrace & Chapel on the Water
* furano marche for snacks
* Farm tomita & melon house
* Campana Rokkatei (dessert/cafe)
* Ninguru Terrace at night
* Cheese Factory
\*\*13th May – Furano -> Biei -> Asahikawa (2 nights)\*\*
Not sure what to do in Biei besides the blue pond (maybe the shrine?). Probably spend the morning there then head to the zoo.
* See Unkai Terrace if didnt do it the day before
* Shirogane Blue Pond
* Shirahige waterfall
* Biei Shrine
* Arashiyama Zoo
* Maybe eat at Ramen village for dinner
\*\* 14th May – Asahikawa -> Takinoue/Mombetsu (daytrip)\*\*
5hrs and 11min round trip (309km), not sure if it’s worth it. I read somewhere that it’s a scenic drive.
* Hokkaido Ice Pavilion
* Shibazakura Takinoue Park
* Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park
\*\*15th – Asahikawa -> Sapporo (2 nights)\*\*
Car rental return day so try to do afew more things that require a car
* Mt moiwa
* Fushimi Inari temple
* maybe Maruyama Park again as it seems to have alot to do.
* Mt. Okura Ski Jump Stadium
* Shiroi Koibito Park
\*\*16th – Sapporo\*\*
* Lilac Festival at Odori Park
* Former Hokkaido Government Office Building & clock tower
* Sapporo TV Tower for the view
* Botanic Garden at Hokkaido University
* Beer Museum
* Tanuki Koji Shopping St
* Susukino for dinner and maybe bar hopping
* Ganso Ramen Yokocho
\*\*17th May – Sapporo -> Okayama/Kurashiki\*\*
* Arrive Okayama airport in the afternoon, stay in Kurashiki
\*\*18th May – Okayama/Kurashiki -> Naoshima (2 nights)\*\*
* Morning in Kurashiki
* Mid day in Okayama Korakuen & Castle
* Afternoon get to Naoshima and see the James Turrell Open Sky Night program at Chichu Museum
\*\*19th May – Naoshima\*\*
Although not that into modern art, am a fan of architect Tadao Ando so seeing his designs here.
* Chichu Museum
* Benesse Museum (Turrell’s Open Sky)
* Lee Ufan Museum
* Go to Honmura to see the art house projects
* I <3 Yu bathhouse for photos and onsen during onsen hours
\*\*20th May – Naoshima/Teshima/Inujima -> Okayama\*\*
Daytrip
* Teshima Art Museum
* Inujima Art Museum (if worth going)
* stay the night in Okayama
\*\*21st May – Okayama -> Osaka (2 nights)\*\*
* Travel to Osaka and staying near Universal Studios
* Catch the Captain Line to Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan.
* Tempozan next to Aquarium
* Denden Town
* Dotonbori
* Namba Park for the architecture and shopping
* Shinsekai
* Pokémon Center Osaka
* Osaka Museum of Housing and Living
* 16th floor of the Harukas for free
\*\*22nd May – Osaka \*\*
* Universal Studios
* Universal City Walk Shopping Mall
\*\*23rd May – Osaka -> Kyoto (4 nights)\*\*
Been doing alot of traveling so might relax and have an easy day here walking around Kyoto
\*\*24th May – Kyoto\*\*
* Miho Museum
\*\*25th May – Kyoto -> Uji (Daytrip)\*\*
Been before but loved it
* Matcha!
* Phoenix Hall
* hopefully Nintendo Museum will be open by then
\*\*26th May – Kyoto\*\*
* Walk around and explore Kyoto
* Concert in Osaka at night
\*\*27th May – Kyoto -> Hakone (2 nights)\*\*
Staying in Gora
* Enoura Observatory
* Hakone Shrine at sunset
\*\*28th May – Hakone\*\*
* Start the Hakone-Kamakura Pass
* Hakone loop
* Pirate ship
* Eat black egg
* rent private onsen at Hakone Yuryo
* Pola Art museum
* Open Air museum
\*\*29th May – Hakone -> Enoshima -> Kamakura\*\*
* Gotemba outlets for half day
* Train to Enoshima and explore
* Train to Kamakura and stay for the night
\*\*30th May – Kamakura -> Tokyo\*\*
Rent an E-bike
* Hokokuji Temple
* Kotoku-in
* Hasedera Temple
* Meigetsu-in
* Komachi Street
* Onari Dori
* Marushichi Shotengai
* Train to Tokyo with the pass
\*\*31st May – Tokyo\*\*
Been to Tokyo many times so no plan just go wherever we want
* walk around and explore places
\*\*1st June – Yokohama\*\*
* Port Festival
\*\*2nd-4th May – Tokyo\*\*
* walk around and explore places
\*\*5th May – Fly out\*\*
by Successful-Eye340