Hokkaido Summer

[tissuepaper]

hi all,

planning to do a summer trip to hokkaido this summer

trying to keep it brief, so please give any feedback if you have any!

day 1: Flight to Haneda then to Hokkaido
day 2: Hokuryu
day 3: Sounkyo/ Biei
day 4: Furano
day 5: Furano
day 6: Sapporo
day 7: Otaru
day 8: To Lake Toya
day 9: Leave Lake Toya for Hakodate
day 10: Hakodate
day 11: Ferry to Aomori and back on same day
day 12: Noon flight back sg

do let me know if you have any tips/recommendation whether food or travelling etc

thanks!

/edit 1: updated itinerary
1) Any dining suggestions at Sapporo and Hakodate? For breakfast, lunch and dinner. In between snacks/ tea-break suggestions are good too.
2) Any comment on Pierrot? there seem to be whale meat burger and fried squid burger too. look tempting to try.

/edit2:
any advice on mt hakodate ?

planning to go for a evening-night view. (5pm - 7pm) will it be crowded at that timing ?

will be there at aug 1 and there will be fireworks for the summer matsuri. only concern is will be crowded and good spots might get taken so what might be a good time to go up if i intend to go there.

 

[evilerniex]

asahikawa city probably nothing much. but u can use it as a base to travel to Biei or Furano if u are not planning to stay in these places.


for Sapporo, u can also visit Odori park and Sapporo TV tower, and also go Shiroi Kobito factory


any reason for travelling to Aomori? it is in Tohoku and will take 2hr by train to get there. it is along the way if u are taking train from Hokkaido to Tokyo. but if u are going making it a day trip from Hakodate, I think it is a bit too rush.

 

[tissuepaper]

for aomori , will be going for this festival

Aomori Travel: Nebuta Matsuri

hope the calender still the same for this year.

yup, will leave hakodate in the morning for amori, train there 2h+ , spend a night there. next morning go back to hakodate and fly back to haneda airport probably.

what is at Shiroi Kobito factory? any things notable to try/ get ?

 

[cheefarn]

for aomori , will be going for this festival

Aomori Travel: Nebuta Matsuri

hope the calender still the same for this year.

yup, will leave hakodate in the morning for amori, train there 2h+ , spend a night there. next morning go back to hakodate and fly back to haneda airport probably.

what is at Shiroi Kobito factory? any things notable to try/ get ?

Well there is a lot to see even though its a tourist attraction. You will be trilled if history and antique phonographs are your thing... You will also enjoy it if you're a fan of turn of the century British and French architecture styles and interior designs.

Shiroi Koibito Park

 

[isky]

what is at Shiroi Kobito factory? any things notable to try/ get ?

Hi, just to share some pictures I took previously at some of the places you plan to visit.

Sapporo & Otaru

If you have time, a visit to the Shiroi Koibito Park is quite worth it.

For your Day 8, maybe you can consider Noberibetsu, this place is known for their onsen (hot spring).

Late Toya & Hakodate

For Biei, unless you're very strong cyclist, it's quite tiring and difficult to cover the 2 scenic routes there. Taking the twinkle bus tours are more relaxed but you will have limited time at each spot.

 

[tissuepaper]

Hi, just to share some pictures I took previously at some of the places you plan to visit.

Sapporo & Otaru

If you have time, a visit to the Shiroi Koibito Park is quite worth it.

For your Day 8, maybe you can consider Noberibetsu, this place is known for their onsen (hot spring).

Late Toya & Hakodate

For Biei, unless you're very strong cyclist, it's quite tiring and difficult to cover the 2 scenic routes there. Taking the twinkle bus tours are more relaxed but you will have limited time at each spot.

wow 5 year old tread. will take a look later.

do you have any comments about the fireworks at lake toya ?

Toya lake Long-run Fireworks Display | Plan Your Trip ? Visit Hokkaido! Visit Japan!

it says there will be a daily firework during a period of time.

unlikely to be taking the bus tours. i assume its the one that brings you to every scenic spot for about 15mins each.
not regular cyclist. but for 20km+ route, will you recommend? though have to factor the up and down slope as well i think. or car rental might be a better ideal.

 

[tissuepaper]

Well there is a lot to see even though its a tourist attraction. You will be trilled if history and antique phonographs are your thing... You will also enjoy it if you're a fan of turn of the century British and French architecture styles and interior designs.

Shiroi Koibito Park

okay now i know what this is when saw the packaging

thanks!

 

[tissuepaper]

anybody have book advance ferry ticket for trips between hakodate- aomori before ?

and how's the ferry service like?
seem's like its a shared room and every sits on the floor for the whole trip.

 

[Wood41]

for aomori , will be going for this festival

Aomori Travel: Nebuta Matsuri

QUOTE]

Are u sure u still can get Aomori reasonably priced lodge
at this Nebuta Matsuri period ?

 

[tissuepaper]

not staying overnight at aomori
arriving and leaving on the same day.
can take train / ferry to and fro. but doesnt seems like train can get advance booking or sort.

 

[Wood41]

I will stay at Hakodate Toyoko Inn but travel 2 hours to Aomori for the evening nebula..

 

[limweeli]

1) not going asahikawa zoo , any other attractions there ?

You can drop by Ramen Village. There is a big Uniqlo there and some other shopping places.

2) is about 3 days in furano & biei enough ? recommended i read is 2 days each. and rent bicycle there or take their bus services? if bicycle ,will be cycling up to 20km in distance i think

I think 2 days is enough. North of Biei (Patchwork Road area) you can spend around a morning there as the attractions are closer. South of Biei you can spend a full day as there are more and further apart. Farm Tomita is there. Drop by and have food at the northern restaurant where you can have a good view of the flowerbed.

3) doesnt seems sapporo have much to do. planning to go mt moiwa and the sapporo station to take night shot. day time walk around the city.

Odori park is a good. Shiroi Koibito factory is recommend to you liao. If you are adventurous, you can go Moerenuma Park and walk the man-made structures there, i.e. 65m hill Food-wise you can go Nijo market and Ramen Yokocho. Both are closeby to Odori Park and Susukino area.

5) car rental in the furano/ biei area. train for hakodate/aomori /sapporo. is this ok ?

You land at Asahikawa airport, pick up the car and return it at Sapporo (for a fee).

do let me know if you have any tips/recommendation whether food or travelling etc

If you drive from Sapporo to Asahikawa or vice-versa, be sure to stop by Mikasa Eki no Michi (roadside station). I highly recommend the yakitori from the mobile van there (beside the toliet and opposite the 7-11).

what is at Shiroi Kobito factory? any things notable to try/ get ?

You can take pics around the outside area where there is a flower gallery, glass house and many small houses (for kids). If you decide to get the passport (entry pass), take a break at the cafe upstairs and eat the cake/ice-cream. Also time it close to the hour so you can see the musical hour up close from the restaurant. I would recommend about 2 hours there to explore the place.

do you have any comments about the fireworks at lake toya ?
it says there will be a daily firework during a period of time.

Fireworks is 8:45-9:15pm every night during this period. It's shot from a boat that departs from the Toyako Onsen Town where the ferry is. If you have a lake view room, stay in it as the boat will cover the town from left to right so everyone can see the fireworks. Alternatively, you come to the waterfront but I feel it's nicer and more comfortable from the hotel room.

I have a thread of my 2013 trip to some of the areas you are going. You can check it out too.

Edit: Found the link to my trip report - http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/japan-271/sharing-our-11d-trip-hokkaido-tokyo-4396312.html

 

[tissuepaper]

I will stay at Hakodate Toyoko Inn but travel 2 hours to Aomori for the evening nebula..

you travel via train ?

it starts at evening, but by ferry will take about 3.5hrs. so leaving hakodate around noon.

after arrival will walk around / go their nebula museum, have dinner then go for the festival.

 

[tissuepaper]

thanks @lim !
looking at your album and thread. good photos !!

 

[Wood41]

you travel via train ?

it starts at evening, but by ferry will take about 3.5hrs. so leaving hakodate around noon.

after arrival will walk around / go their nebula museum, have dinner then go for the festival.

Using my JR Pass & it takes 2 hours.

 

[tissuepaper]

Using my JR Pass & it takes 2 hours.

jr pass the one that is 3 days ?
can share is which one

 

[tissuepaper]

/edit 1: updated itinerary
1) Any dining suggestions at Sapporo and Hakodate? For breakfast, lunch and dinner. In between snacks/ tea-break suggestions are good too.
2) Any comment on Pierrot? there seem to be whale meat burger and fried squid burger too. look tempting to try.

 

[tissuepaper]

Odori park is a good. Shiroi Koibito factory is recommend to you liao. If you are adventurous, you can go Moerenuma Park and walk the man-made structures there, i.e. 65m hill Food-wise you can go Nijo market and Ramen Yokocho. Both are closeby to Odori Park and Susukino area.

nijo market seems tempting. any thing i should take note? esp when ordering food from there. seems like a fish market there?

If you drive from Sapporo to Asahikawa or vice-versa, be sure to stop by Mikasa Eki no Michi (roadside station). I highly recommend the yakitori from the mobile van there (beside the toliet and opposite the 7-11).

tried seeing from your post
http://www.bfh.jp/en/special/15e/
http://www.bfh.jp/en/special/15e/area/04/
didnt really get the exact location of the roadside station?


You can take pics around the outside area where there is a flower gallery, glass house and many small houses (for kids). If you decide to get the passport (entry pass), take a break at the cafe upstairs and eat the cake/ice-cream. Also time it close to the hour so you can see the musical hour up close from the restaurant. I would recommend about 2 hours there to explore the place.

planning for a morning 9-11am at the chocolate factory. Then head for Otaru in the noon.


I have a thread of my 2013 trip to some of the areas you are going. You can check it out too.

Edit: Found the link to my trip report - http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/japan-271/sharing-our-11d-trip-hokkaido-tokyo-4396312.html

some questions

 

[Wood41]

jr pass the one that is 3 days ?
can share is which one

JR Pass : 7,14 & 21 days only.
I will go from Biei lavender , Aomori Nebuta ( 1-2 others ) to Mt Fuji hike & Nagano .

 

[evilerniex]

JR Hokkaido pass comes in 3, 5, 7 days, and 4 days flexi.
but it will not cover ur trip to aomori