Hokkaido 3 Days Itinerary-C

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The mileage is about 200km to Otaru. 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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Your first stop for the day is [Arashiyama Park Observatory] which is not so popular. But if the weather is nice, you can see panoramic scenery with Asahikawa city and the amazing Daisetsuzan mountain range.

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After that, take the expressway (E5) to Sapporo direction. It is about 150 km from Asahikawa to Sapporo and takes about 2 hours. There are not many spots to see and take the expressway(E5). It is a long journey and please take a rest at Service Area (SA) along the expressway.
Just after Sapporo, there is [Ishiya Chocolate Factory (Shiroi Koibito Park)], which is well-known as a museum and factory of “White Lover Chocolate”.

Near the Shiroi Koibito Park, there is [Sapporo market outside market], 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 a fresh seafood lunch.

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Next, you will head to Otaru. 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.

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Otaru is your accommodation on this day. Please enjoy a stroll and Otaru sushi dinner with a spectacular night view of the canal.

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The mileage is about 70km to Sapporo and you can travel at a relaxing pace.
If you plan to fly from New Chitose Airport on this day, please see the end of the article.

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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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We also recommend [Otaru Kihinkan Aoyama Bettei], which is about 5km north of the town of Otaru. You can see how prosperous the town of Otaru was with herring fishing.

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After that, take the expressway(E5A) to Sapporo. Just before Sapporo, there is [Ishiya Chocolate Factory (Shiroi Koibito Park)], which is the most popular chocolate museum and factory in Hokkaido. [Sapporo market outside market] is where you can buy various seafood, fruits, and souvenirs, so nice to stop by. You also can eat seafood there too.

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

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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, shopping area in 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.