Hokkaido 9 Days Itinerary-X

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New Chitose Airport is the gateway to Hokkaido. First of all, please complete the reception procedure at the rental car counter at the airport. It takes about 15 minutes by free shuttle bus to the rental car company branch.

The mileage of this day is about 130km, so you can travel at a relaxing pace. If you can leave by about 13:00, you can go to Noboribetsu while sightseeing at some spots. However, if the drive departs in the afternoon, please consider skipping some spots.

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The first destination of this trip is [Lake Shikotsu]. It’s 30km west of the airport. You can enjoy the beautiful winter scenery of Lake Shikotsu there.

In addition to enjoying a walking at Lake Shikotsu, we recommend delicious cream puffs.

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You will arrive at the “National AINU museum and park UPOPOY”.
At UPOPOY, which opened in 2020, you can learn about the unique culture of the Ainu, the indigenous people of Hokkaido. There are also performances of unique musical instruments and dances, so don’t miss it.

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The biggest highlight of the day is Noboribetsu Jigokudani, which is also the place to stay. A desolate spectacle where sulfur vapor blows out spreads out. The walking path is 600m and you can walk in about 10 minutes.
It’s a 5-10 minute walk from the Noboribetsu Onsen Inn to the entrance of Jigokudani, so it might be a good idea to check in and take a break before heading there.

“Noboribetsu” where you stay on this day is a famous hot spring that represents Hokkaido. Please relax and heal the tiredness of the first day.

The mileage is a long distance of about 200km. About 150km of this is an expressway. There are many attractions in Hakodate, so we recommend that you leave from 8:00 to 9:00, especially if you stay in Hakodate only for one night.

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If you didn’t walk in Jigokudani yesterday, why not get up a little early and enjoy a walk in the morning?
It is about a 5-10 minutes walk from most of the inns in Noboribetsu Onsen to the entrance of Jigokudani. The walking path itself is 600m, and you can walk in about 10 minutes.

１１：００
[Yakumo Parking area(To Hakodate)] is highly recommended for a break.

It is a very pleasant parking area overlooking the Eruption Bay and the grasslands that spread from the hill.
From here, you can walk to restaurant “Harvester Yakumo”, where you can enjoy delicious fried chicken and pizza at a historic restaurant that was opened as an experimental farm for KFC(Kentucky Fried Chicken).

After lunch, you will head to Hakodate again on the expressway. It takes 2 hours to get to Hakodate, so please take a break on the way.

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If you arrive in Hakodate while it is bright, we recommend the Red Brick Warehouse.

If you have time, we recommend taking a walk in Motomachi, Hakodate, where old Western-style buildings are lined up on the cobblestone slopes.

The night view seen from Mt. Hakodate is one of the three major night views in Japan and it is wonderful

If you visit Mt. Hakodate, please use the ropeway as the road to the summit is closed during the winter season.

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The mileage is long, about 175-220km including 125km of expressway driving.

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You will get up early on this day and visit [Hakodate Morning Market]. Breakfast will consist of fresh seafood such as famous squid, sea urchins, and crab is the best.
It is also okay to visit on foot from your inn if possible.

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[Hakodate Red Brick Warehouse] is also nearby, so if you haven’t been there yet, please stop by.

１１：５０

After that, you will head to [Onuma National Park]. The winter scenery is beautiful and you can enjoy various winter activities there. There are also several recommended restaurants around Onuma Park, so please enjoy lunch around there.

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After Onuma Park, it is a 2-hour drive on the expressway. The final destination of the day is “Mt. Usu Ropeway”. From the ropeway, you can enjoy a magnificent view of Showa Shinzan, which was created in 1944, Lake Toya, and the Pacific Ocean.
There is also Showa Shinzan Bear Ranch in the same place, so if you have children, please visit it as well.

１７：００

There are 3 recommended area for this day.
If you would like to stay snow resort for ski and snow activities, either Niseko or Rusutsu is recommended. If you don’t plan to do skiing, Lake Toya is recommended. Please refer below “Where to stay” part.

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The mileage of this day is normal about 130km. But we recommend to leave the hotel at 9:00.

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If you haven’t visited, please visit [Mt. Usu Ropeway & Showashinzan Bear Farm]. After that, you will head north toward Niseko while looking at the magnificent view of Mt. Yotei.
There are observatories overlooking Lake Toya and a delicious ice cream shop along the way, so stop by and proceed.

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Next you will head to [Fukidashi Spring Water Park] with the famous water that springs from Mount Yotei. A tremendous amount of water is springing out, and you can put water in your bottle and take it the hotel if you like.

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The final destination of the day is “Nikka Whiskey Yoichi Distillery”. You can tour the historic distillery of Japan’s leading whiskey brand.

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Otaru is your accommodation on this day, but most shops on Sakaimachihondori, which is the main street, close around 17:00, so you will take a walk here the next day. Instead, enjoy a stroll and Otaru sushi dinner with a spectacular night view of the canal.

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The mileage on this day is about 10km, so you can travel comfortably.

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Firstly, you will head to [Old Villa (Bettei)] which is a very beautiful old home with a nice pretty Japanese garden. This villa has become a symbol of herring fishing and the Aoyama family was very successful because of the herring. The villa has a very lavish style and took 6 years to be completed. You can sit back and relax with a coffee at the Villa’s restaurant, Kihinkan(貴賓館).

１２：００

Next, you will head to Otaru. For parking in Otaru, please use the hotel where you plan to stay or [Otaru City Parking (小樽駐車場)].

In Otaru city, you will be sightseeing on foot. Here are some spots you will be interested to visit: the area around the “Otaru Canal” and the “Sakaimachi-dori shopping street” are the main areas.
●[Otaru Canal] is a symbol of the city and a must spot. You can also have a fantastic and romantic time on a popular canal cruise.
●[Canal Plaza] (Otaru City Tourist Product Plaza)—Otaru is known as the city of glass, and representative works of art will be displayed in the Canal Plaza.
●[Denuki Koji]—A food stall village located at the Asakusabashi crossing of the Otaru Canal. You can climb the symbolic fire tower for free, and you can also see the beautiful Otaru Canal and the Otaru sea.
●[Taisho Glass Hall Main Store] displays and sells hand-made glass, mainly Japanese-style glassware.
●[Kitaichi Glass No. 3 Building] is a renovated stone warehouse that was built as a fishery warehouse and is designated as an Otaru Historic Building. The store offers a wide variety of glass products, from every day glasses and tableware to accessories that are perfect for gifts.
●[Night Light] is installed at the “Marchen Crossroads” and is a reproduction of the wooden lighthouse on the hill in Nobukacho, Otaru City during the Meiji period.
●The [Steam Clock] installed in front of the Otaru Music Box Museum ticks the time with white smoke and a steam whistle every 15 minutes.

●The 3-story brick building [Music Box Museum] is a music box specialty store that boasts a large number of items.

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You will stay in Otaru for the second consecutive night. Please spend a relaxing night in Otaru on the second day.

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The mileage is about 185km to Asahikawa. Although you can drive most of the part by expressway, it is a long distance and the travel pace will be fast.

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First of all, please take a walk on Sakaimachihondori(境町本通り), which is the main street of [Otaru]. There are many attractions such as various sweets shops and the main building of Otaru Music Box Museum.

It is also recommended to eat famous Sushi for lunch.

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After that, take the expressway(E5A) to Sapporo direction. Just before Sapporo, there is [Ishiya Chocolate Factory (Shiroi Koibito Park)], which is well-known as a museum and factory of “White Lover Chocolate”.
[Sapporo market outside market] is where you can buy various seafood, fruits, and souvenirs, so nice to stop by. If you haven’t had lunch yet, it is also a good place to have fresh seafood lunch.

１７：３０

Asahikawa, where you will stay tonight, is the second largest city in Hokkaido. Here you can enjoy various gourmet foods such as Genghis Khan and Asahikawa ramen.
There are many shops within walking distance that are open until late at night, so please check in before exploring the city.

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The mileage is about 95km, so you can travel at relaxing pace.

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The first destination of the day is the most famous zoo in Hokkaido, [Asahiyama Zoo].

There are the following parking lots.
Main gate 1st parking(Free 65 slots) MAPCODE:79 357 856
Main gate 2nd parking(Free 125 slots) MAPCODE:79 357 856
East gate parking(Free 300 slots) MAPCODE:79 357 881

Please be careful that Asahiyama zoo closes very early.
Mid Nov – Beg Apr 10:30-15:30(Last Ently15:00)
Beg May – Mid Oct 9:30-17:15(Last Ently16:00)
Mid Oct – Beg Nov 9:30-16:30(Last Ently16:00)

Asahiyama Zoo in winter has a lot to offer, just like in summer.
● Asahiyama Zoo is famous for penguin walks, but it is much better in the snowy landscape.
● Drift ice plaza appears in the outdoor enclosure of the “Seal Museum” only during the cold winter season. It’s only in the cold winter that you can see their faces popping out of the holes in the ice floes.
● Monkeys don’t like the cold. On colder days, you can see monkey dumplings that cling together to keep warm.

● In early February, the opening hours of the zoo will be extended. You can experience Asahiyama Zoo at night under the snow light.
● Polar bears also look better in snow and ice.

If you would like to enjoy Asahiyama zoo at a relaxing pace, please consider staying one more night.

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Next, you will head to [Seven Star Tree & Patchwork Hills]. The area around Biei’s Seven Star Tree is famous as Patchwork Hills in summer. In winter, too, the appearance of this tree dignifiedly standing in the wide snowfield is very tasteful. Please enjoy driving the hills around here.

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You will go to [Shirahige Falls] next. It is not well known, but it is worth a visit as well.

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Your last destination of the day is the famous [Blue Pond]. It has become known worldwide for being used as wallpaper for Mac on Apple Computer.

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Furano has a limited number of shops that are open until late at night. It is recommended to include a supper when booking the inn or to go to the inn after having supper.

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The mileage is about 80km, so you can travel at relaxing pace. It is enough to leave the inn around 10 o’clock.

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Furano has many attractions. First of all, you will head to the [Furano Marche]. This is a vast and diverse facility, but we especially recommend the shops and cafes that offer freshly made sweets and freshly baked bread. How about a slightly late breakfast with freshly baked delicious bread?

１３：００

Your next destination will be the famous [Blue Pond]. It has become known worldwide for being used as wallpaper for Mac on Apple Computer.

１４：３０

Your last destination of the day is [Shirahige Falls]. It is not well known, but it is worth a visit as well.

１６：２０

On this day, you will be staying in Furano for the second consecutive night. Please spend a relaxing time at the inn.

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The mileage is about 150km. Depending on your fright schedule, you might skip some sightseeing sites we recommend here.

１０：１０

Furano has many attractions. First of all, you will head to the [Furano Marche]. This is a vast and diverse facility, but we especially recommend the shops and cafes that offer freshly made sweets and freshly baked bread. How about a slightly late breakfast with freshly baked delicious bread?

１２：００

Next, you head to [Furano Delice], a recommended sweets shop in Furano. Enjoy your favorite sweets such as famous pudding and cheesecake.

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Your last visit in Furano is [Glass Forest In FURANO]. Many handmade glass products such as glasses and accessories are sold. Because of the elaborate glass work, people tend to think that it is expensive, but all the products in this shop are reasonably priced, making them ideal gifts.

１６：３０
This concludes your Hokkaido road trip.

①Returning a car in Sapporo
When you return to Sapporo, refuel, and then return the car to the car rental branch. Use the MAPCODE on the driving map for the nearest rental car stores and gas stations near Sapporo Station.
Sapporo offers a wide variety of culinary delights! For dinner, try Sapporo Miso ramen, Soup curry, Crab, and Sushi.

②Returning a car at New Chitose Airport
When heading to New Chitose Airport, the distance from Sapporo is about 60 km, about 1 hour. Make sure you arrive at the car rental company branch 3 hours before your flight. You need to take the shuttle bus from the company branch to the airport. In addition, New Chitose Airport is the best in Japan. There are restaurants where you can enjoy all kinds of Hokkaido gourmet food and countless souvenir shops, so the waiting time for your flight feels short.