HOKKAIDO (Experts & Novices Alike Please Come In!)

kosongice

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So I recently came back from Hokkaido and am SMITTEN by the country. You can find out more about my trip in this thread:

http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/eat-drink-man-woman-16/kosongice-hokkaido-gpgt-adventure-5372041.html

Suaku as I may be, I am completely enchanted and mesmerized by the place, and am planning for a return visit in May 2017, thus the birth of this thread. I'm hoping people can share their experiences, advice, itineraries and everything else about Hokkaido in this humble thread.

My recent trip was with a group tour, and as much as I enjoyed it, there were certain restrictions and simply not enough time to thoroughly soak in everything each destination has to offer. As such, I'm planning for a free and easy vacation.

Some of the more memorable areas during the group tour are:

Lake Toya
Otaru
Sapporo

I'm hoping to cover these areas again, but at my own pace. The following are some of my concerns:

i. How useful/worthwhile are rail passes if I'm not covering a large area?

ii. What are some affordable and good hotels in the Sapporo area? I previously stayed at New Otani Inn Sapporo, enjoyed it.

iii. Would it be difficult to go around the island, especially Lake Toya, without a vehicle?

iv. When should I start purchasing and planning for my plane tickets?

v. What is the estimated budget (All-In) to plan for a 10-day trip? I'm thinking $4000-$5000?

vi. When should I start booking for hotels? Heard the rooms get snapped up quite fast, especially in the peak season.

vii. Is it crazy to go there alone (or maybe with just another friend) when we both don't speak any Japanese? No tour guide this time.

viii. How should I roughly plan my days? Are 4-5 days in Sapporo too long?
 

hgkiaboon

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i. How useful/worthwhile are rail passes if I'm not covering a large area?

ii. What are some affordable and good hotels in the Sapporo area? I previously stayed at New Otani Inn Sapporo, enjoyed it.

iii. Would it be difficult to go around the island, especially Lake Toya, without a vehicle?

iv. When should I start purchasing and planning for my plane tickets?

v. What is the estimated budget (All-In) to plan for a 10-day trip? I'm thinking $4000-$5000?

vi. When should I start booking for hotels? Heard the rooms get snapped up quite fast, especially in the peak season.

vii. Is it crazy to go there alone (or maybe with just another friend) when we both don't speak any Japanese? No tour guide this time.

viii. How should I roughly plan my days? Are 4-5 days in Sapporo too long?

1. depends where you wanna go; if you're gonna stay in Sapporo, then hell no. If you're gonna be travelling to Kushiro/Hakodate/Wakkanai/Asahikawa, then the Hokkaido rail pass might work out for you since it covers all JR trains and buses apart from the shinkansen.

2. Best Western Fino is really good and ideally located; be prepared to pay though. Sunroute New Sapporo is cheap and located at Tanukikoji.

3. No. You can take a train from Sapporo Station to Toya Station, then change to a bus bound for Lake Toya (about 10mins ride iirc).

4. Depends on when you wanna fly? I usually book mine about half a year in advance. JAL/ANA usually costs me 700-800 SGD to Tokyo + 10k yen to Sapporo. You can look into taking Delta/Thai/whatever cheapo airline to Tokyo, then take Peach lowcost carrier from Narita to New Chitose.

5. 4k all-in for a 10day trip is doable in relative comfort. Flight 800$, Accomodation 700~1500 depending on where you stay, remainder on food and shopping.

6. check Jalan.net/expedia/whatever else a few months in advance. The only time the hotels are fully booked out is during the Sapporo Snow Festival; other than that I've had no problems finding accommodation in all the times I've been there.

7. why is it crazy? I've been to JP over a dozen times. Never joined a tour group, always gone F&E. I've been to Hokkaido twice on my own, once with my gf's family and once with my parents/grandmother. They didn't have any issues either, apart from the incessant complaining about the cold (Winter both times). You don't need to speak Japanese to get around/order food.

8. It's all up to you. How about you come up with an itinerary and get the people here to check it? 4-5 days is easily doable in Sapporo; a trip to any of the ski resorts will burn about 2-3 days easy. Add in Otaru as a day-trip, and wherever else you wanna go. Don't worry about being bored.

Nice pictures in the other thread, by the way.

edit:
places you can look at -
Takino Suzuran, a park that has flowers in summer and offers skiing/bobsledding in winter.

Sapporo Factory, a lot of clothing/souvenir/craft shops. I didn't really like the place but the gf loved it.

Apia/Esta/Paseo/Stellar, there are a crapload of underground malls branching out from Sapporo Station. Pretty sure you haven't been to them since you joined a tour group.

Teineyama, ski resort.

Moerenuma, a park where you can rent bicycles outside of winter.

Curb market/Nijo market, you've probably been to one of them since you went with tour group, but you can go explore the inner market instead of the chopcarrot stalls on the exterior. Same ***** packet of scallops (brand/weight/size) cost 30k outside and 19k inside.

Add Otaru/Toyako to the mix and you'll easily burn a week.
 
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MajiMax

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i. How useful/worthwhile are rail passes if I'm not covering a large area?

There are a few passes for Hokkaido, you can refer this site to see worth the cost or not.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_01.html


ii. What are some affordable and good hotels in the Sapporo area? I previously stayed at New Otani Inn Sapporo, enjoyed it.

Hakodate I stayed at Smile Hotel Hakodate approxi $36 a night per pax. The hotel just across a road from JR Hakodate station.

Sapporo I stay Hote Route-Inn Sapporo Ekimae Kitaguchi, approxi $98 a night per pax. The hotel just outside JR Sapporo station.

Winter time I went, choose hotel nearby station so no need to walk in -10 ~ -15 deg in snow.


iii. Would it be difficult to go around the island, especially Lake Toya, without a vehicle?

Got bus services from Toya Station.

iv. When should I start purchasing and planning for my plane tickets?

If you know exact dates when will you be going then see if the flight fare is it within your budget can just buy it.

My trip was in Feb 2016 and I purchased my ticket in Apr 2015.


v. What is the estimated budget (All-In) to plan for a 10-day trip? I'm thinking $4000-$5000?

Went earlier this year to 9days trip to Winter Hokkaido for Snow festival.

About 2.7k total less Souvenir expenses and shopping,

Big items are,
-Flight via ANA $912
-Hokkaido 4 day flexi Pass 22k yen, approxi $275
-Day trip to Sapporo Teine Ski Resort for Skiing, approxi $200
-8 nights accommodation, approxi $600


Places I went Hakodate, Otaru, Sapporo, Asahikawa, so definitely worth to get passes.


vi. When should I start booking for hotels? Heard the rooms get snapped up quite fast, especially in the peak season.

The moment hotel open for reservation, I start my booking as the period I went is consider peak. Snow festival alot of ppl travel to Sapporo, since domestic traveler will visit Sapporo as well.

vii. Is it crazy to go there alone (or maybe with just another friend) when we both don't speak any Japanese? No tour guide this time.

I have traveled 12 / 47 prefectures in whole Japan alone, no issue at all despite I don't speak Japanese at all. My 13rd prefectures was with a friend which also doesn't speak any Japanese.


viii. How should I roughly plan my days? Are 4-5 days in Sapporo too long?

Can use site to see what are the things you wanna see and plan accordingly instead of limit yourself by setting the days.

http://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1101.html
 

kosongice

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Thanks for the lengthy replies! Haven't planned for any trip before, so here's a very sketchy itinerary in its infant stages.

ANA - Tokyo - Hokkaido
Day 1/2: Lake Toya - Onsen Hotel
Day 3 - 10: Hotel/AirBnB in Sapporo, with side trips to Otaru/Hakodate/Asahikawa.
ANA - Tokyo - Singapore

Am I placing too much emphasis on Sapporo? Also, are railway passes overkill for my relatively short trip? Also, should I stay in a slightly better hotel (willing to do up to $200+/- a night) since I'm sharing with a friend, with WIFI and comfort secured, or rent a WIFI device from Changi Airport?

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MajiMax

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It takes approxi 220mins to take train from Sapporo to Hakodate, time wasted if you go front and back like that.

1101_1603.gif


Take openjaw flight route.

SG night flight -> Hakodate airport, reach around afternoon then return via Chitose airport to SG.

Day 1 - SG -> Hakodate (afternoon)
Day 2 - Hakodate
Day 3 - Hakodate -> Toya (train fare 5490 yen, 1way), activate Hokkaido 5 Day Pass
Day 4 - Toya
Day 5 - Toya -> Sapporo (train fare 5920 yen, 1way)
Day 6 - Sapporo -> Asahikawa -> Sapporo (train fare 9620 yen, round trip)
Day 7 - Sapporo -> Otaru -> Sapporo (train fare 1280 yen, round trip)
Day 8 - Sapporo
Day 9 - Sapporo
Day 10 - Chitose -> SG

Hokkaido 5 Day Pass cost 22,000 yen, based on the route route is around 22,310 yen.

If you wanna make the Pass worthwhile, then can see if you wanna go Furano or Biei.

Identify the places of interest you would like to visit first then decide which pass to get.

Usually I just get data simcard in Japan, if need to share data, just tether hotspot, device troublesome as still need to charge battery.
 

deodorant

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Day 3 - 10: Hotel/AirBnB in Sapporo, with side trips to Otaru/Hakodate/Asahikawa.
No good. Many places in Hokkaido you need to (at least) overnight, can't do day trips. Otaru can day trip, but other further-away places like Furano, Asahikawa, Biei, Sounkyou, Noboribetsu, etc much better to relocate there and overnight.

BTW why no consider renting car and driving?

Anyway if you're interested, give you some sample itinerary from my last year autumn trip: http://look-see-eat.blogspot.sg/2015/11/hokkaido-autumn-guide-sapporo-moiwa-curb-market-ramen.html
 

Silverelf

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You've got quite a few replies, but I still very kaypoh!

i. How useful/worthwhile are rail passes if I'm not covering a large area?
JR Pass is generally poor value if you don't cover a large area, but regional passes are worth considering. You can decide after you kind of set your itinerary. If mainly moving within cities, you won't need a rail pass.

ii. What are some affordable and good hotels in the Sapporo area? I previously stayed at New Otani Inn Sapporo, enjoyed it.
Depends on your budget. I usually stay in business hotels. No frills. Just the room and everything else that you can want for a night's stay. Usually about SGD 80 for one night in a single room.


iii. Would it be difficult to go around the island, especially Lake Toya, without a vehicle?
Others have replied about trains. Having a car is flexible, and is a viable idea if you have 3 or 4 people around. Else, train is probably better.


iv. When should I start purchasing and planning for my plane tickets?
Hokkaido is generally not busy so you don't have to plan very much in advance UNLESS you plan to go in July. If you want to go in July, please start 6 months ahead or your preferred accommodations may be booked out (especially if you go with a few people and need 2 or 3 rooms).


v. What is the estimated budget (All-In) to plan for a 10-day trip? I'm thinking $4000-$5000?
I have just finished tabulating the estimated expenses for my 8 day trip this July. So far, the expenses are around SGD 1900. Includes airfare, accommodation, trains, car rental and toll fees. My airfare is slightly expensive at $1050 because I am flying in and out on weekends.

For reference on distance covered, I will be in the following places: Sapporo, Otaru, Shakotan, Noboribetsu, Furano, Asahikawa, Daisetsuzan, Hokuryu.


vi. When should I start booking for hotels? Heard the rooms get snapped up quite fast, especially in the peak season.
As mentioned above, if you choose July, please book 6 months ahead so that you can get your choice of good rooms in your budget. Even Grand Sapporo gets booked out very early in July. So doesn't mean that you will get a room as long as you willing to pay.


vii. Is it crazy to go there alone (or maybe with just another friend) when we both don't speak any Japanese? No tour guide this time.
My first trip to Japan, I only knew 3 phrases and 2 of these 3 were not nice things to say to someone lol. I survived 17 days.
There is no need to speak Japanese really.


viii. How should I roughly plan my days? Are 4-5 days in Sapporo too long?
Really depends on what you like to see. Probably more stuff outside of Sapporo will interest you, unless you are a city shopper.
 

Silverelf

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Thanks for the lengthy replies! Haven't planned for any trip before, so here's a very sketchy itinerary in its infant stages.

ANA - Tokyo - Hokkaido
Day 1/2: Lake Toya - Onsen Hotel
Day 3 - 10: Hotel/AirBnB in Sapporo, with side trips to Otaru/Hakodate/Asahikawa.
ANA - Tokyo - Singapore

Am I placing too much emphasis on Sapporo? Also, are railway passes overkill for my relatively short trip? Also, should I stay in a slightly better hotel (willing to do up to $200+/- a night) since I'm sharing with a friend, with WIFI and comfort secured, or rent a WIFI device from Changi Airport?

Sent from my toaster oven using GAGT
You might not want to plan Hakodate as a day trip. I did that the last time... I only had time to go eat at Lucky Pierrot and walk around the shopping areas. Hakodate doesn't have all that much to do, but we stood on the train for nearly 4 hours from Sapporo to Hakodate (we did not manage to gets seats) and then when we reached Hakodate, we were absolutely pooped.

Yu might want to stay at least one night in Hakodate so that you can go to the morning market, and I hear that the night scenery is beautiful (I did not manage to catch that).

Asahikawa is about 2 hrs away by train, so do keep that timing in mind when you plan.
 

kosongice

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It takes approxi 220mins to take train from Sapporo to Hakodate, time wasted if you go front and back like that.

1101_1603.gif


Take openjaw flight route.

SG night flight -> Hakodate airport, reach around afternoon then return via Chitose airport to SG.

Day 1 - SG -> Hakodate (afternoon)
Day 2 - Hakodate
Day 3 - Hakodate -> Toya (train fare 5490 yen, 1way), activate Hokkaido 5 Day Pass
Day 4 - Toya
Day 5 - Toya -> Sapporo (train fare 5920 yen, 1way)
Day 6 - Sapporo -> Asahikawa -> Sapporo (train fare 9620 yen, round trip)
Day 7 - Sapporo -> Otaru -> Sapporo (train fare 1280 yen, round trip)
Day 8 - Sapporo
Day 9 - Sapporo
Day 10 - Chitose -> SG

Hokkaido 5 Day Pass cost 22,000 yen, based on the route route is around 22,310 yen.

If you wanna make the Pass worthwhile, then can see if you wanna go Furano or Biei.

Identify the places of interest you would like to visit first then decide which pass to get.

Usually I just get data simcard in Japan, if need to share data, just tether hotspot, device troublesome as still need to charge battery.

thanks for this! btw, pardon me being noob, but what's an openjaw flight route?
 

kosongice

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No good. Many places in Hokkaido you need to (at least) overnight, can't do day trips. Otaru can day trip, but other further-away places like Furano, Asahikawa, Biei, Sounkyou, Noboribetsu, etc much better to relocate there and overnight.

BTW why no consider renting car and driving?

Anyway if you're interested, give you some sample itinerary from my last year autumn trip: http://look-see-eat.blogspot.sg/2015/11/hokkaido-autumn-guide-sapporo-moiwa-curb-market-ramen.html

I can't drive, and my friend (if he decides to join me), isn't comfortable with driving in a foreign place. Your blog is lovely!
 

kosongice

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You might not want to plan Hakodate as a day trip. I did that the last time... I only had time to go eat at Lucky Pierrot and walk around the shopping areas. Hakodate doesn't have all that much to do, but we stood on the train for nearly 4 hours from Sapporo to Hakodate (we did not manage to gets seats) and then when we reached Hakodate, we were absolutely pooped.

Yu might want to stay at least one night in Hakodate so that you can go to the morning market, and I hear that the night scenery is beautiful (I did not manage to catch that).

Asahikawa is about 2 hrs away by train, so do keep that timing in mind when you plan.

You've got quite a few replies, but I still very kaypoh!

i. How useful/worthwhile are rail passes if I'm not covering a large area?
JR Pass is generally poor value if you don't cover a large area, but regional passes are worth considering. You can decide after you kind of set your itinerary. If mainly moving within cities, you won't need a rail pass.

ii. What are some affordable and good hotels in the Sapporo area? I previously stayed at New Otani Inn Sapporo, enjoyed it.
Depends on your budget. I usually stay in business hotels. No frills. Just the room and everything else that you can want for a night's stay. Usually about SGD 80 for one night in a single room.


iii. Would it be difficult to go around the island, especially Lake Toya, without a vehicle?
Others have replied about trains. Having a car is flexible, and is a viable idea if you have 3 or 4 people around. Else, train is probably better.


iv. When should I start purchasing and planning for my plane tickets?
Hokkaido is generally not busy so you don't have to plan very much in advance UNLESS you plan to go in July. If you want to go in July, please start 6 months ahead or your preferred accommodations may be booked out (especially if you go with a few people and need 2 or 3 rooms).


v. What is the estimated budget (All-In) to plan for a 10-day trip? I'm thinking $4000-$5000?
I have just finished tabulating the estimated expenses for my 8 day trip this July. So far, the expenses are around SGD 1900. Includes airfare, accommodation, trains, car rental and toll fees. My airfare is slightly expensive at $1050 because I am flying in and out on weekends.

For reference on distance covered, I will be in the following places: Sapporo, Otaru, Shakotan, Noboribetsu, Furano, Asahikawa, Daisetsuzan, Hokuryu.


vi. When should I start booking for hotels? Heard the rooms get snapped up quite fast, especially in the peak season.
As mentioned above, if you choose July, please book 6 months ahead so that you can get your choice of good rooms in your budget. Even Grand Sapporo gets booked out very early in July. So doesn't mean that you will get a room as long as you willing to pay.


vii. Is it crazy to go there alone (or maybe with just another friend) when we both don't speak any Japanese? No tour guide this time.
My first trip to Japan, I only knew 3 phrases and 2 of these 3 were not nice things to say to someone lol. I survived 17 days.
There is no need to speak Japanese really.


viii. How should I roughly plan my days? Are 4-5 days in Sapporo too long?
Really depends on what you like to see. Probably more stuff outside of Sapporo will interest you, unless you are a city shopper.

Haha no worries about being kaypoh, it's all good! Thanks very much for the detailed reply!
 

kosongice

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I am basically interested in Hakodate just for the much acclaimed Lucky Pierrot haha. As much as I love the scenery, nature and flowers; I'm more of a food, shopping and culture person.

I hope to spend at least a night in an onsen hotel - preferably in Toya.

Asahikawa, Otaru and Sapporo are relatively nearby, and can be done within day trips right?

So maybe, my 7-10 days itinerary will be something as such:

Day 1: Hakodate/Toya (Overnight)
Day 2: Hakodate/Toya (Overnight)
Remainder of the days: Sapporo (main accommodation) with trips out to Asahikawa/Otaru/etc.

Does this seem feasible? Would I be better off getting the rail pass this way, or should I pay the one time fare?
 

MajiMax

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thanks for this! btw, pardon me being noob, but what's an openjaw flight route?

Round trip flight is arrival airport and return airport = same.

Open jaw is arrival airport and return airport = diff.

Price are more or less the same between the two unless you take stop by Tokyo for few days.

Alternative you can purchase flight to Tokyo Haneda or Narita airport then purchase additional domestic flight to Hakodate or Chitose, but you have to manage the transit time between those flights.
 

kosongice

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Haha thanks for the heads up bro! Been to 2 onsen hotels during my group tour.

Toya Sun Palace
Sounkyo Onsen Hotel Taisetsu

Didn't do Noboribetsu much except for Hell Valley. The view at Toya Sun Palace is gorgeous.

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Hetheone

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I am basically interested in Hakodate just for the much acclaimed Lucky Pierrot haha. As much as I love the scenery, nature and flowers; I'm more of a food, shopping and culture person.

I hope to spend at least a night in an onsen hotel - preferably in Toya.

Asahikawa, Otaru and Sapporo are relatively nearby, and can be done within day trips right?

So maybe, my 7-10 days itinerary will be something as such:

Day 1: Hakodate/Toya (Overnight)
Day 2: Hakodate/Toya (Overnight)
Remainder of the days: Sapporo (main accommodation) with trips out to Asahikawa/Otaru/etc.

Does this seem feasible? Would I be better off getting the rail pass this way, or should I pay the one time fare?

U can consider land tokyo n use JR pass to take train to Hakodate....

N on the 7th day.... Take train back to tokyo

Hakodate is a nice town... Spending a night or two is good....

Have good onsen facing the sea....

Good seafood..... N western culture of the early days....
 
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kosongice

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U can consider land tokyo n use JR pass to take train to Hakodate....

N on the 7th day.... Take train back to tokyo

Hakodate is a nice town... Spending a night or two is good....

Have good onsen facing the sea....

Good seafood..... N western culture of the early days....
Hmm you mean fly to Narita then train to Hokadate? Ain't that far?

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MajiMax

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U can consider land tokyo n use JR pass to take train to Hakodate....

N on the 7th day.... Take train back to tokyo

Hakodate is a nice town... Spending a night or two is good....

Have good onsen facing the sea....

Good seafood..... N western culture of the early days....

If TS does that, he won't have enough days for day trip out from Sapporo unless he cut away a full day to explore Hakodate and reduce one night stay in Toya.

Day 1 - Tokyo -> Hakodate, 5hrs+ of train ride. :s22:
Day 2 - Hakodate
Day 3 - Hakodate -> Toya
Day 4 - Toya
Day 5 - Toya -> Sapporo
Day 6 - Day trip out Sapporo
Day 7 - Sapporo to Tokyo, 7~8hrs+ of train ride :s22:
 

kosongice

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If TS does that, he won't have enough days for day trip out from Sapporo unless he cut away a full day to explore Hakodate and reduce one night stay in Toya.

Day 1 - Tokyo -> Hakodate, 5hrs+ of train ride. :s22:
Day 2 - Hakodate
Day 3 - Hakodate -> Toya
Day 4 - Toya
Day 5 - Toya -> Sapporo
Day 6 - Day trip out Sapporo
Day 7 - Sapporo to Tokyo, 7~8hrs+ of train ride :s22:
I see, thanks for the breakdown! I'm thinking of doing anything between 7-10 days! One year of planning ahead haha!

Probably getting tickets in December. I wanna fly ANA.

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MajiMax

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ANA take exit row seat, no need to pay extra fee unlike SQ. Can sit infront of stewardess and longer leg room.

For Hokkaido, price around 900 on economy via ANA (I ever flew via SQ to Tokyo, almost 1.3k :s22:) is pretty much ok price.
 
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