Hi all, I've got a very last minute opportunity to take 9 days (!!) of time off in Hokkaido end Sept/early Oct came up before I need to be elsewhere in Japan for work, so am trying to work out what makes sense.
This would be my first time, I'd love to drive around and catch any autumn foliage that's already out but most of the road trip itineraries I've seen took about two weeks and focused on the South and West — I'm quite curious about the North-East. I'm considering the following, any advice, suggestions, guidance, mockery about being overambitious gratefully etc received. Would prefer to see wild landscapes over visiting built-up areas.
Day 1: flight into New Chitose, connect into Nakashibetsu or Memanbetsu and rent a car there. Visit Akan Mashu/Kaminokoike, sleep there
Day 2: Shiretoko Nat'l Park, whale cruise, sleep near Rausu
Day 3: Lake Abashiri, Meruhen-no-oka then drive inland to Kinsenkyo Gorge, sleep in Takinoue?
Day 4: Drive up to Wakkanai and explore the cape, sleep there
Day 5: Ferry to Rishiri Island, Toyosaki Kompira shrine, sleep partway down the coast (maybe Haboro?)
Day 6: Drive down to Asahi-dake, explore and see Blue Pond etc, sleep locally e.g. Asahikawa?
Day 7: Drive to Sapporo, explore
Day 8: Otaru and maybe Yoichi, as day trip from Sapporo
Day 9: Noboribetsu, sleep locally?
Day 10: Drop off car, departure from Sapporo
Any thoughts? Conscious I'm missing Hakodate, not sure if you would consider that a fair trade.
by banbourg