Hokkaido 9 Days Itinerary-V

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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.

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[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.

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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 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.

１３：３０

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 230km, which is the longest on this trip, so we recommend leaving Asahikawa before 9:00 at the latest. You will be driving on the expressway (E39) for the first half and on the public road for the second half.

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After driving a long distance on the expressway, please enjoy lunch at a sushi restaurant. This is a revolving sushi restaurant, but you can eat very fresh sushi at a more reasonable price than in Sapporo.

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Next, you will head to Cape Notoro, which is a scenic spot where you can enjoy the beautiful and mysterious drift ice and the white world of icefalls. Road Abashiri Park Line, also known as the “Misaki Line”, is a scenic road where you can enjoy a comfortable drive even in winter. Drift ice can usually be seen from early February to early March.

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After that, you will go to the Okhotsk drift ice museum and learn about drift ice, preparing for tomorrow’s drift ice cruise.

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Abashiri, where we stay on this day, is a hot spring resort. Since the number of restaurants is quite limited, it is recommended to make a reservation at a hot spring inn with a plan to half board. Make sure you arrive at the inn by 5 pm at the latest.

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The mileage on this day is 160km and normal, but it is early in the morning to get on the Icebreaker Aurora. Please arrive at the platform of the Icebreaker Aurora before 9:00 and complete the check-in procedures, so you will need to leave the hotel by 8:50 at the latest. Also, the departure time of the Icebreaker Aurora may change depending on the season, so please check the information on the website (https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/en/).

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If you haven’t been yet, please take the [Abashiri Sightseeing Icebreaker Aurora] first thing of the day. This is a large ship that sails on the sea while breaking ice. You can see the ice floes that arrive every year off the coast of Abashiri Port up close, and you can enjoy a thrilling cruise as the vibrations and sounds of breaking the ice are transmitted directly to the boat.

Icebreaker Aurora departs at 9:30 most days. Please arrive at the platform before 9:00 and complete her check-in procedures. Also, the departure time of the Icebreaker Aurora may change depending on the season, so please check the information on the website (https://www.ms-aurora.com/abashiri/en/). The cruise time is a little over an hour.

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Next, you will head to [Bihoro Pass Observatory]. This is a popular spot to view the Lake because from here visitors can experience one of the most panoramic views of Lake Kussharo. Especially in winter, you can see the mystical scenery of the sun shining on the surface of the lake in the morning.

National Route 243 has traffic restrictions on Bihoro Pass 1-3 times a year due to heavy snowfall, so be sure to check the weather and traffic information in advance. And even if there are no regulations, if you feel that driving on a mountain pass is dangerous, please skip this place without hesitation.

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Next, you will head to [Lake Kussharo Sunayu]. This is a popular destination for photographers due to the abundance of swans and the stunning backdrop. Sunayu on the shores of Lake Kussharo is a natural hot spring. Therefore, the center of the lake is covered with ice in winter, but the lakeside is not frozen and becomes an open-air bath for swans. There is also a footbath here, so you can relax while watching the swans from the footbath.

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Next, you will head to [Mt.Iou]. Mt. Iou is an active volcano covered in solidified lava and emits a great deal of smoke.

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After enjoying Lake Kussyaro, you will head to [Lake Mashu]. The north side of Route 52 is closed in winter, so you will head to Lake Mashu No. 1 Observatory from the south side. Lake Mashu is famous as a beautiful lake with highly transparent water. Especially from the end of January to around February 20th every year, Lake Mashu is in the freezing season. It is especially beautiful to see the frozen ice in progress. The sapphire blue surface of the lake shines with the white frozen ice.

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Afterwards, you will head to Lake Akan via Route 241. There is also a mountain pass here on the way, so please drive carefully.

Lake Akan, where you stay on this day, is also a famous hot spring resort. Relax in the hot springs and rest your body.

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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.

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The mileage is long and about 195km to Obihiro or 245km to Tomamu. Depending on the weather in Hokkaido in winter, road conditions can deteriorate, and road regulations may be tightened. Please be careful when driving.

Before checking out of the hotel, it is recommended to enjoy the natural phenomenon of the frigid Lake Akan. You may be able to see Frost Flowers, Diamond Dust, Kearashi (Frost smoke), etc. if the weather conditions are good in the early morning.

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Next, you will head to [Tsurui-Ito Tancho Sanctuary]. You can see red-crowned cranes here. Winter here is a photographer’s paradise. During the feeding season from November to March, photographers gather along the fence to capture the beauty of the red-crowned cranes in the viewfinder. Here you will find the scenery that symbolizes Hokkaido in winter.

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After seeing the red-crowned cranes, you head to the [Kushiro Marsh Observatory]. This is a representative base where you can see, learn about, and explore the Kushiro Marsh. From the observation room on the 3rd floor and the rooftop, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the wetlands, the city of Kushiro, and the mountains of Akan.

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Next, you will head to “Ikeda Wine Castle” via Expressway (E38). This is the most famous winery in Hokkaido, and you can see the inside of a brewery that imitates a castle in medieval Europe.

Obihiro is one of the leading cities in Hokkaido. There are many restaurants and food stalls on the north side of the station, so please enjoy dinner while strolling after checking in at the hotel. In particular, Obihiro is famous for pork rice bowls as a local gourmet. Please try it.

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The mileage is about 170-210km. Depending on your fright schedule, Please adjust the time for snow activities for this day.

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On this day, please enjoy some light snow activities at Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU. Firstly, please take the gondola from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain and enjoy Muhyo (rime) Terrace. This place becomes Unkai (sea of clouds) Terrace in the summer. You can experience the superb view of Tomamu in winter. Enjoy the snow-covered trees and the majestic view of the snowy mountains.

You can also enjoy snowshoeing, dog sledding, snowmobiling, and more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVksREPIKKk

If you want to enjoy more snow activities such as skiing and snowboarding in Tomamu, we recommend staying another night in Tomamu.

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.