Summary
- Start
New Chitose Airport or Sapporo Station - Finish
New Chitose Airport or Sapporo Station - Mileage
Total 470km
160km per day - Travel Pace
Normal - Onsen Stay
Max.1 nights - Recommended Seasons
May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov
This itinerary takes 3 days to circle central Hokkaido.
Due to standard daily mileage and by staying consecutive nights in 1 city, you can travel at a pace that is not too rushed.
If you want to stay in Sapporo after the road trip, you can return the car not to the airport but to Sapporo. Walking and the subway are more convenient for sightseeing in Sapporo.
Chitose Airport – Furano(Sample)
Start： New Chitose Airport(新千歳空港) or Sapporo(札幌)
Finish： Furano (富良野)
Mileage： 150km
Travel Pace： Fast
On this day, you will head from New Chitose Airport to Furano famous for its lavender and hill views.
1
Rental car branch at New Chitose Airport
Parking MAPCODE：
１０：００
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. You need to drive a long distance on a general road to Furano. If you arrive in Chitose in the afternoon, consider skipping some spots.
55 min
2
Kacha Ice Cream & Restaurant
Parking MAPCODE：
230 297 851What is MAPCODE?
１０：２０
Hokkaido is known for its delicious ice cream. First of all, you aim for [Kacha Ice Cream & Restaurant]. Find and enjoy your favorites from various flavors of ice cream. If you haven’t had lunch yet, you can also enjoy kiln-baked pizza and curry.
130min
After that, you will head to Furano. [Sandantaki Waterfall] or [Roadside Station Yubari Merodo] are ideal spots for breaks. Especially for those traveling in June and July, you can enjoy seasonal Yubari melons at a reasonable price at Yubari Merodo.
3
Farm Tomita
Parking MAPCODE：
349 276 713What is MAPCODE?
１４：００
Furano 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.
30min
4
Ningle Terrace
Parking MAPCODE：
919 553 423What is MAPCODE?
１５：３０
[Ningle Terrace] is recommended. You can buy various works by local artists such as crafts and accessories at the log houses lined up in the woods.
It opens till 20:45 so it is also okay to visit after dinner.
10 min
5
Inn in Furano
Parking MAPCODE：
Please head to the hotel you reserved.What is MAPCODE?
１５：４５
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.
Along the drive route of the day, there are famous places of Kokia, Linaria, and lavender. 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.
On this day, you will stay in Furano town(富良野) which is famous for beautiful hills and flower fields.
The inns are spread over a wide area around Furano Station.
- Inn Type
Most of these inns are 2 to 4-star western-style hotels. - Parking
Most inns will offer free parking. - Onsen
Most inns don’t have Onsen. If you would like to stay in an inn with an Onsen, the “New Furano Prince hotel” is recommended. It is located just next to Ninngle Terrace and convenient. - Meal Plan Reservations
Because Furano is not a big city, restaurants that are open late at night are limited to the area around Furano Station. If you are not staying near Furano station, we recommend a plan with dinner and breakfast.
Furano – Asahikawa
Start： Furano(富良野)
Finish： Asahikawa (旭川)
Mileage：100km
Travel Pace： Relax
On this day, you will leave Furano and drive through the beautiful hills of Furano and Biei to Asahikawa.
1
Inn in Furano
Parking MAPCODE：
９：００
The mileage is about 60 to 100km, so you can travel at relaxing pace. However, if you want to go to Asahiyama Zoo, please leave as early as possible in the morning and try to arrive at least 2 hours before closing.
15 min
2
Farm Tomita
Parking MAPCODE：
349 276 713What is MAPCODE?
９：１５
If you haven’t been there yet, please visit [Farm Tomita]. Lavender from mid-July to early August is very famous. Various flowers such as poppies and lupines bloom at other times, and you can fully enjoy them from mid-April to mid-October.
25 min
After that, you will head north on the beautiful hills of Furano. On the way, you will go through the [Roller Coaster Road]. The 4.5km straight road that repeats ups and downs is a unique road named like a roller coaster.
3
Shikisai no Oka
Parking MAPCODE：
349 701 217What is MAPCODE?
１０：４０
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
Parking MAPCODE：
349 569 454What is MAPCODE?
１３：００
After that, if you still have time, head to the famous [Blue Pond]. It has become known worldwide for being used as wallpaper for Mac on Apple Computer.
3 min driving from Blue Pond is Shirahige Falls. It is not well known, but it is worth a visit as well.
60 min
When you go north again from the blue pond, there is a road you should definitely take. It is a farm road called [Fujino Daini]. You can drive through the beautiful hills for 7km. This is a secret scenic road that Drive Japan luckily found that is not listed in guidebooks. There are no signs, so please refer to the MAPCODE on the drive map.
5
Asahiyama Zoo
Parking MAPCODE：
Please refer belowWhat is MAPCODE?
１５：００
The most famous zoo in Hokkaido, [Asahiyama Zoo], can be reached in about an hour and a half from Furano and about 20 minutes from Asahikawa.
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.
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 enjoy Asahiyama zoo at a relaxing pace, please consider staying one more night.
30 min
6
Inn in Asahikawa
Parking MAPCODE：
１６：３０
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.
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.
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.
Asahikawa – Sapporo or Chitose
Start： Asahikawa(旭川)
Finish： Sapporo or Chitose Airport (札幌or千歳)
Mileage：
To Sapporo: 200km
To Chitose Arirpot: 240km
Travel Pace： Fast
On this day, you will head from Asahikawa to New Chitose Airport or Sapporo.
1
Inn in Asahikawa
Parking MAPCODE：
９：００
The mileage is as long as 200km to Sapporo. About 140km of this is an expressway trip, but we recommend that you depart between 8:00 and 9:00 because it’s long-distance driving. Especially if you want to go to Otaru, please be careful that most stores there close at 17:00.
If you plan to fly from New Chitose Airport on this day, please see the end of the article.
30 min
2
Asahiyama Zoo
Parking MAPCODE：
Check belowWhat is MAPCODE?
９：３０
The most famous thing in Asahikawa is [Asahiyama Zoo]!
It is 10 km from Asahikawa city.
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
125min
There are not many attractions from Asahikawa to Sapporo, so it is recommended to move directly on the Hokkaido Expressway(E5). It takes about 2 hours, so please take a break at Parking Area on the way.
3
Ishiya Chocolate factory(Shiroi Koibito Park)
Parking MAPCODE：
9 602 296What is MAPCODE?
１４：０５
If you drive west from Sapporo for about 30 minutes, you will find [Ishiya Chocolate factory (Shiroi Koibito Park)].
It is great for buying Hokkaido famous souvenir “White Lover Chocolate”.
35 min
4
Mt.Moiwayama
Parking MAPCODE：
9 308 894What is MAPCODE?
１５：４５
Also, at dusk, we recommend Mt.Moiwayama. You can enjoy a vast night view from the observatory overlooking Sapporo, the largest town in Hokkaido.
35 min
5
Rental car branch at Sapporo or New Chitose Airport
Parking MAPCODE：
Please refer driving mapWhat is MAPCODE?
１７：２０
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.
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
There are also amazing flower spots for Cherry blossoms 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 are also amazing cherry blossom spot that 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.
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 inns 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.