I am just posting to get some suggestions and help polish this out. This is an itinerary for a trip for a friend and I to Hokkaido/Touhoku during 11-22 February. We’ve both been to Japan before, but never during the winter and never these regions. We will be getting the JR Hokkaido pass for JPY 9k and the JR Touhoku pass for JPY 30k since I did the math and saw that they both paid each other off pretty well. We are both from cold weather climates as well (Wyoming and Upstate NY) so the cold and snow shouldn’t be an issue for us! Apologies if my formatting is weird or confusing. And apologies for the inclusion of transport info, if those should be removed I will remove them.
**FEB 10**
Leave US
**FEB 11**
Arrive HND **\~14:15**
Check into hotel at HND
**FEB 12**
Check out at **05:00**
Flight at **07:05** to Memanbetsu
Arrive Memanbetsu at **09:00**
Take Airport bus to Abashiri station at **10:21** to arrive at Abashiri station at **10:53**
Lock up luggage
Idle time **11:00** to **12:10**
*Making way to ferry port approx. 20min walk*
Ice Drift Cruise from **12:15** to **13:30**
Taxi to Northern People’s Museum
Leave Northern People’s Museum by **15:15**
Idle Time **15:15 to 17:05**
*Making way back to and staying in vicinity of Abashiri Station/retrieving luggage*
Train to Asahikawa at **17:26**
Arrive Asahikawa at **21:15**
Check into hotel
**FEB 13**
Asahikawa zoo open from **10:30 to 15:30**Last entrance at **15:00**
*Heiwa Dori Shopping Street/Wandering whenever*
**FEB 14**
Check out of hotel at **10:00**
Train to Otaru at **10:30**
*Transfer at Sapporo for Rapid Airport 115 to Otaru*
Arrive Otaru at **12:47**
Hold luggage at station lockers/Bike rental shop or hotel
*Wander around Otaru for a day (Kitaichi/Music Box Musueum/Sakaimichi/Canals)*
Check into hotel before **21:30**
**FEB 15**
Check out hotel at **09:15**
Train to New Chitose Airport at **10:00**
Arrive New Chitose at **11:14**
Flight to Akita at **13:35**
Land in Akita at **14:35**
Shuttle to Akita Station at **15:30**
Arrive Akita Station at **16:00**
Train to Oumagari at **16:12**
Arrive at Oumagari at **16:45**
Check into Hotel
*Wandering/free time at night*
**FEB 16**
*Yokote Snow Festival/wandering*
Trains to Yokote at **10:25, 11:14, 12:51, 13:42, 14:42, 15:42**
LAST TRAIN to Oumagari at **23:00**
**FEB 17**
Train to Tazawako at **09:50**
Arrive at Tazawako at **10:13**
Tazawako Circular tour bus at **10:45**
Arrive back at Tazawako Station at **12:16**
Train to Kakunodate at **13:11**
Arrive at Kakunodate at **13:24**
Tomachi Museum/Gift shop closes at 17:00 (10 minute walk from Aoyagi House)
Aoyagi House closes at 16:00 (20 minute walk from station)
*Wandering/finding food maybe, leave whenever*
LAST TRAIN to Oumagari at **22:19**
**FEB 18**
Check out of hotel at **10:00**
Train to Shin-Aomori at **11:41**
*Transfer at Morioka for Hayabusa 19*
Arrive at Shin-Aomori at **13:57**
Check into hotel
*Wander/free time Aomori (Fish Market)*
**FEB 19**
Leave hotel by **08:45**
Bus from Aomori Eki West Entrance at **09:00**
Arrive at Sannai Maruyama Site at **09:40**
Bus to Aomori Eki West Entrance at **11:30**
Arrive at **11:43**
Day trip to Hirosaki (Castle/Food)
Train to Hirosaki at **12:14**
Arrive at **12:59**
*Leave whenever*
LAST TRAIN is at **22:08**
**FEB 20**
Train to Okuki/Tanesashi Coast at **08:24**
*Transfer to Hayabusa 14 at Shin-Aomori*
*Transfer to Hachinohe Line for Kuji at Hachinohe*
Arrive at Okuki at **10:05**
Walk the coast
Train to Hon-Hachinohe Eki at **12:15**
*Kushihiki Hachimangu, food at Miroku Yokocho, leave whenever*
LAST TRAIN to Aomori from Hon-Hachinohe at **21:49**
*Transfer at Hachinohe for Hayabusa 43*
*Transfer at Shin-Aomori for Ou Line to Aomori*
**FEB 21**
Check out of Hotel by **10:45**
Train to Tokyo at 11:08
*Transfer at Shin-Aomori for to Hayabusa 22*
Arrive/Check in at hotel between around 16:00
**FEB 22**
Check out of hotel
Airport shuttle to HND
2 comments
Seems a shame to not go to the prison in Abashiri – I thought it was a lot more interesting than the Northern People’s museum.
No time in Sapporo or Hakodate either? They’re probably the two most interesting cities in the region!
I recommend walking the full [Michinoku Trail](https://visithachinohe.com/en/course/michinoku-trail/) from Same to Okuki or vice-versa depending on convenience. There are a lot of unique/varying sights along the way and a great kaisendon restaurant that overlooks the ocean. The whole things took us around 5-6 hours but that included a lot of breaks along the way and lunch. It could probably be done in under 3-4 hours if you keep moving. You just have to be aware of the train times because they can get pretty sparse along that line.