Hokkaido 6 Days Itinerary-A

1

Rental car branch at New Chitose Airport

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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 is about 200-220km. We recommend heading to Asahikawa via Furano, but if you arrive in Chitose in the afternoon, consider skipping Furano area and heading directly to Asahikawa on the expressway(E5).
If you would like to visit Furano, staying overnight in Chitose is a good idea!

140 min

2

Farm Tomita

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１２：２０

Head directly to Furano, which has many attractions. First of all, you will visit the very popular [Farm Tomita]. Lavender from mid-July to early August is very famous, but at other times, various flowers such as poppies and lupines bloom, and you can fully enjoy it from mid-April to mid-October.

25 min

3

Shikisai no Oka

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１３：３０

After that, you will head to the biggest highlight of the day [Shikisai no Oka]. The colorful flower fields on the vast hills will be a lifetime memory. You can enjoy it from the end of May to the end of October, but especially in September and October, it is a wonderful place to visit.

In addition, the area from Kamifurano, where Shikisai no Oka is located, to Biei is dotted with farm restaurants, making it ideal for lunch.

20 min

4

Blue Pond

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１５：２０

After that, if you still have time, head to the famous [Blue Pond]. It has become known worldwide for being used as wallpaper for Macs on Apple Computers.

60 min

5

Inn in Asahikawa

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１７：３０

Asahikawa, where we will stay tonight, is the second largest city in Hokkaido. 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 check in before exploring the city.

Asahiyama Zoo is one of the most popular zoo in Japan because of their unique way to show the animals. However, you need to be careful that the zoo closes very early.
Beg May – Mid Oct 9:30-17:15(Last Ently16:00)
Mid Oct – Beg Nov 9:30-16:30(Last Ently16:00)
Mid Nov – Beg Apr 10:30-15:30(Last Ently15:00)

If you would like to visit here this day, please consider departing early and also skip some spots.
Or if you would like to enjoy Asahiyama zoo at a relaxing pace, you can consider staying at Asahikawa city one more night.

There are also amazing flower spots for Cherry Blossom and sunflowers along the drive route of the day.
[Sunflower field in Hokuryu town] is one of the best sunflower fields in Japan. If you will travel from end Jul-mid Aug, it is worth giving priority.

If you will travel from End Apr-Beg May, there is also amazing cherry blossom spots where is not well-known by foreign tourists and even local Japanese.
Please refer to the drive map and visit the place that suits your travel time.

The driving map will show additional 10-20 spots for the day! You will travel only to your favorite spots.
Check pin color and MAPCODE usage.

[Drive Map] SapporoChitose – Asahikawa (札幌-旭川) – Google マイマップ

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On this day, you will stay in Asahikawa city(旭川) which is 2nd largest city in Hokkaido.
The inns are concentrated on the north side of Asahikawa Station.

• Inn Type
  Most of these inns are 3 to 4-star western-style hotels.
• Parking
  Most inns have official parking, but the parking lot fee will be charged separately in addition to the accommodation fee.
• Onsen
  There is no Onsen in this town and no inns have Onsens.
• Meal Plan Reservations
  As many restaurants are open till midnight, it is recommended to book your inns with breakfast only or without meals.

2

Mt.Daisetsu Sounkyo Ropeway

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The first destination is [Mt. Daisetsu Sounkyo Ropeway]. Especially in autumn, you can see the most magnificent autumn leaves in Hokkaido.

5 min

3

Ginga & Ryusei Falls

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Also, 2km away from Sounkyo, there are two dynamic waterfalls, [Ginga & Ryusei Falls], with wonderful heights of 90m and 120m.

60 min

4

Kitakitsune Fox Farm

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１３：００

After that, you will cross the Ishikita Pass for about 60km and head for [Kitakitsune Fox Farm]. The foxes with adorable fluffy coats will welcome you. The roadside station is also adjacent, so it’s perfect for a break.

120min

5

Cape Notoro

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１５：５５

The last spot of the day is [Cape Notoro]. It is a spot where you can watch the magnificent sunset over the Sea of Okhotsk.

15 min

In addition, there are [Shibazakura Takigami Park] and [Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park] along the route of the day.
If you are traveling from early May to early June, we strongly recommend that you prioritize your visit to these locations. You can also enjoy coral grass in September and cosmos in October on this route.

The driving map will show additional 10-20 sightseeing spots and local restaurants for the day!
You can travel freely, choosing only the spots you like!
Check pin color and MAPCODE usage.

On this day, you will stay at Abashiri(網走). The inns are spread from the east side of Lake Abashiri to the Abashiri station area.

• Inn Type
  There are various styles of accommodations in Abashiri, from 3-star western-style hotels to 5-star Japanese-style Ryokan with an Onsen. If you prefer a reasonably priced hotel, we recommend staying near Abashiri Station, and if you prefer a Ryokan with Onsen, we recommend staying on the east side of Lake Abashiri.
• Parking
  Most inns will offer free parking.
• Onsen
  This town is famous for Onsens and most of the inns have one.
• Meal Plan Reservations
  There are few restaurants in this area, so be sure to make a reservation with a plan that includes dinner and breakfast.

2

Lake Kussharo(Bihoro Pass Observatory)

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１０：００

The first destination is Lake Kussharo [Bihoro Pass Observatory], which is the biggest highlight of the day. The panoramic view of Lake Kussharo, the largest caldera lake in Japan and the second largest in the world, is called the “superb view of the world”, and from here you can see the Shiretoko mountain range and Mt. Daisetsuzan.

In addition, Route 243 from Bihoro Pass to Lake Kussharo is a road where you can enjoy an exhilarating drive, which is ranked 28th in the touring course ranking of a motorcycle magazine. Drive through the beautiful contrast between the green of bamboo grass and the blue of the lake.

40 min

3

Mt.Iou

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While driving along Lake Kussharo, you will aim for the next destination [Mt. Iou]. The eruption that blows out while making a rumbling noise is very dynamic. You can also see yellow sulfur crystals.

10 min

4

Lunch

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It is recommended to have lunch around Mt. Iou. If you like ramen, please try the local ramen [Teshikaga ramen] that represents Eastern Hokkaido.

20 min

5

Lake Mashu No.3 observatory

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１４：１０

After lunch, you will head to the next lake, Lake Mashu. It is called Mashu Blue because of its second highest transparency in the world and a depth of 211m, and the appearance of the sky reflected on the surface of the lake is like a huge mirror. There are multiple observatories on Lake Mashu, but if you are traveling on a driving trip, the view of [Lake Mashu No.3 observatory], which is not accessible by bus, is the best, and parking is free, so it is recommended.

70min

6

Road to the Sky

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After that, you will head to Shiretoko, a World Heritage Site. Stop by the observatory called “Road to the Sky” on the way. Originally known only to local bikers, the name comes from the sight of a 28km straight road leading to the sky. Must see.

30min

7

Inn in Shiretoko

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Utoro town in Shiretoko where you stay on this day is a hot spring resort. About 8km before Shiretoko, there is Oshinkoshin Falls just next to the coastal main road. It is recommended if you have time.

In addition, there are [Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park] the best moss pink spot in Hokkaido along the route of the day.
If you are traveling in May, we strongly recommend visiting.

The driving map will show additional 10-20 sightseeing spots and local restaurants for the day!
You can travel freely, choosing only the spots you like!
Check pin color and MAPCODE usage.

On this day, you will stay in Shiretoko(知床). Because of the schedule for the next day, it is better to stay at “Utoro(ウトロ)” town on the west side of the Shiretoko peninsula. Most inns are concentrated around “Roadside Station Utoro Shirietoku”.

• Inn Type
  Most of these inns are 4 to 5-star Japanese-style Ryokans with Onsen facilities. There are few reasonably priced inns in Shiretoko. However, they all offer excellent food and hot springs, so we recommend that you stay at a better inn in Shiretoko even if you save money on lodging in other towns.
• Parking
  Most inns will offer free parking.
• Onsen
  This town is famous for Onsen and most of the inns have one. You can enjoy an open-air Onsen and enjoy an Onsen with a magnificent view of the Sea of Okhotsk.
• Meal Plan Reservations
  There are few restaurants in this area, so be sure to make a reservation with a plan that includes dinner and breakfast.

2

Shiretoko Five Lakes

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The first destination is Shiretoko Five Lakes, a World Natural Heritage Site. You can stroll along the wooden path while watching Shiretoko’s magnificent mountains and lakes. If you want to see all five lakes, you must take a guided tour, so make a reservation in advance.
If you are lucky, you may also see wild brown bears along the way.

Shiretoko Five lakes

45 min

After leaving Shiretoko, cross the Shiretoko Peninsula and head toward Rausu town.
[Shiretoko Crossing Road] is a very popular route that ranks 13th in the touring course ranking of motorcycle magazines.

The Shiretoko Pass may be closed depending on the weather. If you can’t cross the Shiretoko Pass, return to the road you ran yesterday and head for Kaiyodai.

3

Lunch

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１２：００

We recommend [Roadside Station Rausu] and [Jun no Banya] for lunch. You can enjoy seafood such as sea urchin, salmon roe, crab, and Kinki(Rare deep-sea fish, very expensive) at a much more reasonable price than in Tokyo or Sapporo. We definitely recommend eating here.

Roadside Station Shiretoko Rausu-MAPCODE 757 353 737
Jun no Banya-MAPCODE 757 353 276

60min

4

Kaiyodai Observatory

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１４：３０

From here, drive along the sea to [Kaiyodai]. After passing through North Route 19, which is a farm road nicknamed Milk Road, there is Kaiyodai, which overlooks grasslands and farmland to the horizon. There is a famous yogurt drink shop nearby, so you can stop by.

80 min

６

Lake Akan AINU Kotan

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１９：３０

One of the highlights at Lake Akan is [Akan AINU Kotan]. A place where you can experience the culture of the indigenous Ainu people of Hokkaido, you can not only see their traditional dances every night in the theater but also do shopping in various woodcraft shops.
The theater and shops open till night and you can visit them after dinner.

Ainu Kotan Traditional Dance Schedule

10 min

The driving map will show additional 10-20 sightseeing spots and local restaurants for the day!
You can travel freely, choosing only the spots you like!
Check pin color and MAPCODE usage.

On this day, you will stay at Lake Akan(阿寒湖) the tiny Onsen town that is famous for “Ainu Kotan”, the village of Ainu, the indigenous people of Hokkaido. Many inns are concentrated on the south side of the lake.

• Inn Type
  Most of these inns are 3 to 5-star Japanese-style Ryokans with Onsen facilities.
• Parking
  Most inns will offer free parking.
• Onsen
  This town is famous for Onsen and most of the inns have one. You can enjoy an open-air Onsen with a lake view.
• Meal Plan Reservations
  There are few restaurants in this area, be sure to make a reservation with a plan that includes dinner and breakfast.

2

Lake Onneto

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The first destination is [Onneto]. It is a beautiful lake famous for its different colors of water depending on the season and time, and it is also a famous spot for autumn leaves.

100min

3

Naitai Highland Farm

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１２：００

After that, you will head to [Naitai Highland Farm]. It is a 90km long drive from Onneto on a general road for an hour and a half, so please take a break at a roadside station on the way. In particular, Road Station Kamishihoro is one of the most fashionable road stations in Japan, which opened in 2020. From the Naitai Terrace on the farm on the mountain at an altitude of 800m, you can enjoy the best view of Hokkaido overlooking the vast Tokachi Plain.

GPS may not be able to properly direct you to this place. Please follow the below way.
1.Key in MC:679 103 687
2. Turn left at this junction.
3.Key in MC:679 127 048

100min

After leaving Naitai Highland Farm, you will head south toward Obihiro. There is a photo spot with beautiful birch trees along the way, so why not stop by?

Obihiro is famous for its Butadon. The juicy pork grilled over charcoal has a good reputation, and some people come all the way from Sapporo to eat it. Highly recommended.

4

Shichiku Garden

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１４：４５

After lunch, you will drive south on the vast Tokachi Plain to Shichiku Garden. The garden, which was created by an old woman when she was 62 years old and has been built over 20 years, is now a famous place visited by more than 100,000 people a year.

40 min

There are many other famous places for flowers, autumn leaves, gardens, and museums in Obihiro, so please travel according to the season and taste.

You can also head to Obihiro via Kushiro on this day. The mileage is over 200km, but you can enjoy walking in the vast Kushiro Marsh and seafood at Kushiro Port. In that case, we recommend using the expressway from Kushiro to Obihiro.

The driving map will show additional 10-20 sightseeing spots and local restaurants for the day!
You can travel freely, choosing only the spots you like!
Check pin color and MAPCODE usage.

On this day, you will stay in Obihiro (帯広) city located in the center of the vast Tokachi Plain and it is famous for its delicious agricultural products.
Many inns are concentrated in the following two areas.

①Around Obihiro Station
The inns are concentrated around Obihiro station. Convenient for dinner and walking around Obihiro city but no inns offer Onsen.

• Inn Type
  Most of these inns are 3 to 4-star western-style hotels.
• Parking
  Most inns have official parking, but the parking lot fee will be charged separately in addition to the accommodation fee.
• Onsen
  There is no Onsen in this town and no inns have Onsens.
• Meal Plan Reservations
  As many restaurants are open till midnight, it is recommended to book your inns with breakfast only or without meals.

②Tokachigawa Onsen(十勝川温泉)
This hot spring resort area is located 10km east of Obihiro station. If you would like to stay in better accommodation with Onsen, here is recommended.

• Inn Type
  Most of these inns are 4 to 5-star Japanese-style Ryokans with Onsen facilities.
• Parking
  Most inns will offer free parking.
• Onsen
  Most inns provide Onsens. Tokachigawa Onsen is a “Mall spring” which is among only a few places in the world good for skincare.
• Meal Plan Reservations
  There are few restaurants in this area, so be sure to make a reservation with a plan that includes dinner and breakfast.

2

Mugioto Bakery

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First of all, in the morning, we recommend the wonderful bakery [Mugioto Bakery] located 4km south of Obihiro. You can have breakfast on the terrace, or take it out to eat in the car as it’s a long way to go on this day.

Shintoku Town, north of Obihiro, is a soba-producing region, so Shintoku Soba is also recommended for lunch.

80 min

3

Sahoro resort Bear Mountain

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After that, head to [Sahoro Resort Bear Mountain]. There are several places in Hokkaido where you can see brown bears, but this is the most recommended because you can see bears living in a natural way on a private bus in a safari park format.

170min

It is 130km, about 2 hours, by expressway from here to New Chitose Airport, and another 30km from there to Sapporo. As it is long, please take a break in the parking area on the way. For those who want to enjoy shopping, we also recommend stopping by “Mitsui Outlet Park Kitahiroshima”.

4

Rental car branch at New Chitose Airport or Sapporo

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１６：２０
This concludes your Hokkaido road trip.

①Returning a car at New Chitose Airport
When heading to New Chitose Airport, 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.

②Returning a car in Sapporo
When you return to Sapporo, the distance from the airport is about 60 km, 1 hour. Please 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.

It is also possible to go to [Otaru] on this day.
However, it takes 2 hours for a round trip from Sapporo to Otaru on the expressway. Even if you leave Asahikawa first thing in the morning and head straight, you will arrive at noon in Otaru, so please pay attention to the time allocation.
Also please note the following points.
・It is recommended to allocate 2-3 hours for sightseeing in Otaru as there are many attractions.
・Most shops close at 17:00

Also, at dusk, [Mt. Moiwayama] is recommended. You can enjoy a vast night view from the observatory overlooking Sapporo, the largest town in Hokkaido.

The driving map will show additional 10-20 sightseeing spots and local restaurants for the day!
You can travel freely, choosing only the spots you like!
Check pin color and MAPCODE usage.

On this day, you will stay in either Sapporo city, the capital of Hokkaido or Chitose town near the “New Chitose Airport”. Please choose the following options depending on your travel schedule.

①Staying in Sapporo
Sapporo is the largest city in Hokkaido and there are hundreds of accommodations from Sapporo Station to the Susukino area, the entertainment district. It is convenient to stay either on the south side of Sapporo Station or around “Odori Park”.

• Inn Type
  Most of these inns are 3 to 5-star western-style hotels.
• Parking
  Most inns have official parking, but the parking lot fee will be charged separately in addition to the accommodation fee.
• Onsen
  There is no Onsen in this town and no inns have Onsens.
• Meal Plan Reservations
  Because there are more than 9,000 restaurants in Sapporo, it is recommended to make reservations with a breakfast-only plan.

②Returning to New Chitose Airport
If your flight is a morning flight, staying near Chitose Airport is a good idea. There is some hotel in and around the airport.
Once you return the car, rental car company bring you to the airport by free shuttle bus.

• Inn Type
  Most of these inns are 2 to 4-star western-style hotels.
• Parking
  It is better to return your car first and take public transportation or a shuttle bus to these hotels.
• Onsen
  There is no Onsen in this town and no inns have Onsens.
• Meal Plan Reservations
  Since there are many restaurants in the airport and around Chitose Station where you can have dinner, it is recommended to book breakfast only or stay overnight.