Plan for 1 week in Hokkaido

Hi, we will be arriving New Chitose Airport on 20 Dec and leaving for Tokyo on 28 Dec. Will be hiring a car and go round central hokkaido, thinking to go this way:
Day 1: Arrival at New Chitose and proceed to Noboribetsu for 2 nights.
Day 4: Proceed to Niseko for 1 night
Day 5: Back to Sapporo
Day 6: Day trip to Otaru
Day 7-8: Sapporo

We dont know how bad the weather will be in Dec, any advice on this itinerary please? Good to stay a night in Otaru?

Cheers,
lingling

Do you have a experience to drive on snow road?
It's impossible to expect weather during snow season.
Please don't underestimate a risk of driving on snow road.

We are ok with driving in snow, so long there is no storm I think it should be fine.

Any idea if our planned itinerary being too rush? Thanks!

We have winter driving experience at home but would not do it under unfamiliar road conditions in a foreign country during snowy weather. In recent years there were 2 fatal accidents during winter in Hokkaido that involved tourists with rental cars from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Under adverse weather conditions public transports have a better chance of getting through whereas roads maybe closed to private vehicles.

All the listed places are well served by trains and buses. Even without snow a car is not of much use in Sapporo and Otaru due to traffic and parking problems. Sapporo has an excellent subway system whereas Otaru is best explored on foot and the 2 places are connected by frequent and direct train service. Some hotels in Noboribetsu and Niseko provide shuttle service to and from Sapporo and a few in Noboribetsu also have shuttle running to and from New Chitose Airport.

For your reference below are some weather patterns during the month of Dec last year.
http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/daily_s1.php?prec_no=14&... (Sapporo)
http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/daily_s1.php?prec_no=16&... (Otaru)
http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/daily_a1.php?prec_no=21&... (Noboribetsu)
http://www.data.jma.go.jp/obd/stats/etrn/view/daily_s1.php?prec_no=16&... (Kutchan near Niseko)

I don't think your itinerary is too rush.
Have a enjoy at winter Hokkaido.

I searched sample 7days Itinerary blog.
http://resituate.com/7-day-itinerary-hokkaido/
http://forsoutheastasiatravelar.blogspot.jp/
Looks it is similar itinerary with you.

Thank you guys!

We were told we could see more if go buy car now got to reconsider if should take train or bus instead. ...

Any particular things worth to see or do in noboribetsu? Any recommendations which onsen has private hot spring?

Taiwan and Hong Kong has little or no snow.

It is okay. Hokkaido roads are fine. Especially city roads and highways. Farmland like Bei and Tokachi on the other hand isn't as well maintained.

2 nights in Noboribetsu is REALLY RELAXING. You might want to spend some time outside of that onsen town. Maybe to Sounkyo Gorge or Lake Toya. Or see a mountain. Many national parks to choose from.

I can stay in onsen towns every night but I can't stay there in the day time. There are a lack of actives.

Indeed some places in Hokkaido are better explored if you have your own wheels outside winter months, but those on your initial plan are easily accessible by public transports.

The main attraction in Noboribetsu is the popular walk around the Hell Valley Promenade of Jigokudani. Besides that a slightly longer walk are Oyunuma and Oku no Yu. Also worth a visit is the nearby Oyunumagawa natural footbath and on the way there you can make a photo stop in Taisho Jigoku.
http://ramblingonmyhokkaido.blog112.fc2.com/blog-entry-159.html (Oyunuma)
http://www.noboribetsu-spa.jp/?see=%E5%A5%A5%E3%81%AE%E6%B9%AF&lang=en (Oku no Yu)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mydll/6587226045/ (Oyunumagawa natural footbath with snow)
http://www.noboribetsu-spa.jp/?see=%E5%A4%A7%E6%AD%A3%E5%9C%B0%E7%8D%8... (Taisho Jigoku)

In town the Sengen Park is holding an annual winter illumination starting Dec. Below is last year schedule, just keep monitoring the webpage for update information this coming winter.
http://www.noboribetsu-spa.jp/?events=sengen&lang=en

If you need extra food on top of those provided by the hotels/ryokans, there is a popular ramen shop boosting hot and spicy ramen "from hell".
http://www.noboribetsu-spa.jp/?eat=%E5%91%B3%E3%81%AE%E5%A4%A7%E7%8E%8...

There is an animated "hell king" in the following small shrine.
http://www.noboribetsu-spa.jp/?see=%E9%96%BB%E9%AD%94%E5%A0%82%EF%BC%8...

In search of souvenirs in Noboribetsu the following shop holds a large selection. Upon arrival a courtesy cup of tea is served.
http://daikokuya-m.com/

3 nearby theme park type establishments are Marine Park Nixe, Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura and Bear Park. The official website of Date Jidaimura is not working properly when I last check, let's hope it does not mean the place has closed down as it is quite a fun site! The Bear Park is one of the few places in Japan that we regret going. Seeing those poor creatures begging for food down by the pit almost made us weep. Admittedly it is hard to see bears but they belong in the wild. Just can't help thinking what if those were humans down there in the pit!
http://www.nixe.co.jp/main.htm (Marine Park Nixe)
http://en.visit-hokkaido.jp/travelPlanner/details.php?code=63090040000... (Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura)
http://www.edo-trip.jp/lng_english/ (Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura, not working properly)
http://www.bearpark.jp/ (Bear Park)

Hotel Hanayura has rooms with private onsen.
http://www.hanayura.com/en/contents_01/index.html#01

Thanks William5!

OK, figure out what we will be doing in noboribetsu, next is niseko. what else except for skiing there?

Niseko is indeed a winter paradise for all sorts of snow related activities including an interesting "potato harvest and cooking experience" that we read about.
http://www.noc-hokkaido.jp/e/e_nocwinter2.html

Sunrise with Mt Yotei view is famous and people make special trip to spend a night in Niseko to take in that scene. We too went for it but had to get up real early before dawn to catch that magical moment.
http://ramblingonmyhokkaido.blog112.fc2.com/blog-entry-160.html

Not sure about the scenery in winter but during autumn foliage season we enjoyed koyo view in Shinsen-numa/Shinsen Marsh, Niseko Panorama Line and Oyunuma (differs from the one in Noboribetsu).
http://www.bfh.jp/en/theme/theme_searchdetail/20010126601/ (Shinsen-numa)
http://www.scenicbyway.jp/recommend/road.php?rid=2&lid=2&num=3 (Niseko Panorama Line)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQq1qArYEzI (Oyunuma)

We also went for some fresh dairy products in Takahashi Farm.
http://www.milk-kobo.com/

Further up the road from Takahashi Farm is Niseko Cheese Factory, but during winter months it is only opened from Friday to Tuesday.
http://www.niseko-cheese.co.jp/