Going to Hokkaido 31st Jan - 8th Feb 2014

Would appreciate if you could suggest an itinerary that include sight seeing & also 2 nights stay in a ski resort. Pls also advise is it advisable to rent & drive a car during winter? If not what is the best way to go around the island. Thanks

It is generally not recommended to drive in Hokkaido in winter unless you are used to driving in winter conditions.

As for the itinerary, it is very difficult to create one for a person whose interests I am not familiar with. What do you want to see? Mountains? Cities? Hot Springs? Zoos? Food?

In order to create an itinerary it is also crucial to know your entry and exit point. Will you be entering and leaving through Sapporo?

Some things I recommend are the Sapporo Snow Festival that starts on the 5th:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5311.html

And the light festival in Otaru:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6706.html

I recommend Niseko as the ski resort:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6720.html

If you are interested in hot springs, I would recommend Noboribetsu:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6750.html

Seeing drift ice is a special experience, however, depending on the year there may not be a lot of drift ice in late January and early February. Furthermore, the drift ice can only be seen on the opposite side of Hokkaido from Sapporo. Still, if it sounds interesting to you, I would recommend it:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2269.html

Some people may also be interested to see cranes, but the cranes are also on a different corner of the island:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6792.html

The rest really depends on what you want to see.

Dear Uji, thanks so much for the info provided.My entry point would be Chitose airport. My interests would be seeing nice sceneries, trying good food,spa & baths & some unique Japanese cultural stuffs. I have forgot to clarify that we are novice skiers, is Niseko still a recommended place ? I have read that not all places are served by trains. So in most cases buses is the other option. Are the buses frequent & easy to get if there are no prior bookings ? Also I heard Shikotsu-Toya National park is worth visiting. How do one get there & move around by public transport?

Yes I'm entering & exiting via Chitose Airport.

You will be right on time ofr the Sapporo Snow Festival. It starts on 5th Feb.

Check this out at http://www.snowfes.com/english/

As Uji said, if you have not driven in Winter and snowy place before, it is NOT recommended to do rent a car and drive around at this time.

I have forgot to clarify that we are novice skiers, is Niseko still a recommended place?

Virtually all ski resorts have some slopes for beginners, including the Niseko ones. If you feel that the lift pass is too expensive for just novice skiing, you may want to consider a smaller resort with cheaper lift tickets, but these usually come with less of a holiday resort feel (or none), which you may be interested in, e.g. Mount Moiwa in Sapporo:
http://www.rinyu.co.jp/modules/pico02/

I have read that not all places are served by trains. So in most cases buses is the other option.

Yes.

Are the buses frequent & easy to get if there are no prior bookings?

Not always. It depend on the bus.

Also I heard Shikotsu-Toya National park is worth visiting. How do one get there & move around by public transport?

It is explained here:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6735.html

I recommend you do some more research to find out what places in Hokkaido you are interested in:
http://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1101.html

Thanks very much Uji & Feiniao