Hokkaido 9 Days Self-Drive

I'm looking for recommended itinerary for a 9 Days Hokkaido self-drive (early Oct, Autumn). Will be arriving in New Chitose first day in the evening, and planning to stay first two nights in Sapporo, and after that rent a car.

Looking for something relaxing (i.e. possibly staying 2 nights per hotel instead of changing hotel every night), and looking at driving maximum of 3 hours a day.

Would love to visit a good Onsen, and perhaps look at Salmon swimming upstream.

Recommendations will be much appreciated

For autumn foliage starts from Sounkyo Gorge (early Oct) and work your way down south to Jozankei and Houheikyou Dam (mid Oct).

Noboribetsu is a very popular onsen destination in Hokkaido. Together with Toya-ko and Shikotsu-ko (another koyo site) the region is worth visiting for a couple of days.

Onnebetsu Bridge is a popular site to see wild salmon swimming upstream but it is in the Shiretoko Peninsula which is a long way from Sapporo and New Chitose Airport. To learn more about salmon you can go for the aquarium of Chitose Sake no Furusato Kan or the Sapporo Salmon Museum.