Hello yall!I posted a pretty ambitious and all over the place itinerary a couple of months ago that I got some good pointers on. Just looking for some recommendations and a sanity check on this. I dropped a pin on literally everything my friend and I wanted to do in this region of Japan, and we whittled away the pins in accordance with time and budgetary constraints and interest until we were left with what I hope will be a fun trip. This would be the second time in Japan for the both of us, having visited for the first time this past summer and feeling like the trip suffered from under-planning and also, fuck, was it hot.
JR East-South Hokkaido pass x2 for both of us, to activate upon arrival and the second one on the 17th. I did the math and the cost is nearly identical (plus or minus 1000 yen, I figure its better to have the pass in case some unplanned trip or ride comes up) And I did consider an open jaw to Sapporo and out from HND, but the dates for the Hirosaki snow festival finally got posted and the trip to and from Tokyo was $600 cheaper.
[Itinerary Google Doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zHYuZT2e6XvdhaMMPgdjVhTzwbBDthdTbM2IHD45hoU/edit?usp=sharing)
10 FEB – Leave EWR
11 FEB – Arrive HND/travel to Morioka
12 FEB – Hirosaki (Snow Lantern Festival and castle)
13 FEB – Kakunodate + Tazawako (Samurai houses, park and lake)
14 FEB – Travel to Sapporo/Sapporo (Susukino)
15 FEB – Sapporo (TV Tower, Hokkaido Jingu, Asahiyama Park, idle wandering? Just ideas)
16 FEB – Upopoy + Noboribetsu (Museum and Jigokudani)
17 FEB – Otaru (Canals, aquarium, kitaichi or some other glass shop, something nice to eat)
18 FEB – Travel to Hakodate/Hakodate (Ropeway maybe?)
19 FEB – Hakodate (Morning market, Goryokaku park and tower, tachimachi cape, ropeway if not day before)
20 FEB – Travel to HND/return home
Hoping for food recommendations in Kakunodate and Otaru, anything really – we mostly lived off of and will live off of konbini food, but like to have a good meal a couple of times. Also cool places that would lead great photo opportunities (I like taking “skyline” photos, not sure what that’s called though)
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2 comments
Since you are flying in/out of HND, consider a domestic flight back from Hokkaido. Only 11000 yen on the JAL Japan Explorer Pass so should be cheaper than 2x full passes
In Otaru, Naruto Honten was a fun experience. A local favorite chicken place and a break from the usual Japanese fare. You didn’t ask, but in Morioka, I was glad I experienced Morioka Jajamen (one of the city’s three great noodles) at Pairon in the center of the city.