Hello Everyone
I’ll be travelling to Japan with my partner for a month. For all the other cities, I have a good grasp on what to plan. However, I’ve been struggling to finalise the 9 nights to spend in Hokkaido. My current plan is to basically travel around Hokkaido in a circle with the aim to visit as many nature attractions as possible. Note that I will be renting a car during this whole section.
I would like a review of my plans and see if any itinerary days are not reasonable to achieve (i.e., I am being too ambitious/naive visiting too many attractions in a day) and will be happy for any suggestions of any attractions to include or remove from the proposed itinerary.
**Planned Accommodations**
26th > 30th – Sapporo (4 Nights)
30th > 1st – Asahikawa (2 Nights)
1st > 3rd – Abashiri or any surrounding towns (2 Nights)
3rd > 4th – Obhiro or any surrounding towns (1 Night)
# Itinerary
**Day 1 (Sat 26/10) \[Explore City\]**
* Arrive at New Chitose Airport in the morning and travel to Sapporo accommodation (I will either pick up the rental car at the airport and drive to Sapporo or catch a train into Sapporo and then pick up the rental car.
* Check out some city attractions:
* JR Tower Observatory
* Odori Park
* Susukino
​
**Day 2 (Sun 27/10) \[Day trip to Shakotan via Otaru\]**
*Round trip of \~ 3 hours of just driving.*
* Drive to Otaru and look around town and then visit Tenguyama Observation Deck.
* Drive to Shakotan and explore to coast line and then visit Cape Syakotan.
* Drive back to Sapporo.
​
**Day 3 (Mon 28/10) \[Day trip to Lake Tōya\]**
*Round trip of \~ 3.5 hours of just driving.*
* Drive to Jozankeifutami Park to walk around and to also see Futamitsuri Bridge.
* Drive by Jozankei town and visit Hōheikyō Dam.
* Dive to Fukidashi Park.
* Drive to Lake Tōya.
* Drive back to Sapporo.
​
**Day 4 (Tu 29/10) \[Day trip to Jigokudani (Hell Valley)\]**
*Round trip of \~ 4.5 hours of just driving.*
* Drive to Hill of the Buddha.
* Drive to Shikotsu-Toya National Park and look at Lake Shikotsu.
* Drive to Jigokudani (Hell Valley) and also see Lake Kuttara.
* Maybe have a quick look at Noboribetsu hot spring town.
* Drive back to Sapporo.
​
**Day 5 (Wed 30/10) \[Asahikawa\]**
* Drive to Shikisai No Oka from Sopporo. *(1h50m drive).*
* Visit Shirogane Blue Pond.
* Drive to Asahikawa.
​
**Day 6 (Th 31/10) \[Asahikawa\]**
* Drive to Daisetsuzan Sōunkyō Kurodake Ropeway.
* Visit Ryusei Waterfall and Ginga Waterfall.
* Drive to Daisetsuzan National Park.
* Drive back to Asahikawa.
​
**Day 7 (Fri 01/11) \[Abashiri\]**
* Drive to Lake Akan, Lake Kussharo, and Lake Mashu from Asahikawa. *(3h10m drive).*
* Drive to Abashiri.
​
**Day 8 (Sat 02/11) \[Abashiri\]**
*Round trip of \~ 3.5 hours of just driving.*
* Drive to Shiretoko National Park.
* Drive back to Abashiri
​
**Day 9 (Sun 03/11) \[Obhiro\]**
Drive to Obhiro from Abashiri *(2h20m drive).*
* Just chill for the whole day.
* Might visit Unkai Terrace.
​
**Day 10 (Mon 04/11) \[Drive back to Airport\]**
Drive to New Chitose Airport and drop off the car.
1 comment
Doing a lot of driving back and forth on days 3 and 4.
Why not stay in Lake Toya and Noboribetsu and save hours of repeated driving with more time to enjoy the places themselves?
Obihiro is good for food but not *that* interesting, I’d make a chill day somewhere else, e.g. on one of the lakes or in Sapporo.
It’s a pretty fast-paced, intense itinerary but that’s a personal choice of course.