6D self drive or JR Hokkaido May

Hi- myself +mum+sister are planning to visit Hokkaido in 2nd week of May (our first visit to Hokkaido)

much appreciate if you can take a look and advise any changes and you think self drive or JR is better in between town

day 1 airport to Otaru
day 2 Otaru (via Yoichi) to Lake Toya or Otaru (via Yoichi, Shakotan) to Niseko
day 3 Furano
day 4 Furano (Bieli) to Asahidake Onsen
day 5 Asahikawa
day 6 back to Sapporo (head home)

Thanks for your help

We're in Biei in the snow on a self-drive trip at the moment, lots of snow but fabulously beautiful. We booked the car and hotel via Rakuten and the car was cheaper than JR would have cost us (especially since you are 3 persons), plus it gets you places you would otherwise never go.
Make sure to check if you need an international driving license for the car rental; it is just a translation of your driving license in several languages but they're sort of making a bit of a big deal out of it as if it has any significance and as if it would affect your driving ability... :-)

understood. the time i am looking to visit is May so by then I think there won't be any snow anymore. but i just got advise another itinerary, much appreciate if someone take a look and see which one you think is better for first time visit

day 1 Chitose drive to Asahikawa
visit the zoo / ramen village overnight at Asahikawa

day 2 Asahikawa to Biei
Drive to Sounkyo. visit twin waterfalls then go to Beie

day 3 Biei to Noboribetus
go to Furoano / Farm visit, then drive to Noboribetsu

day 4 Noboribetus - Otaru
visit Noboribetus then drive to Mt Usu, Showashinzan or stop over at Yoichi by pass mt Yotei then overnight in Otaru

day 5 Otaru - Sapporo

day 6 Sapporo to Chitose

The latest plan looks fine but if you are willing to skip some to accommodate seasonal flowers, consider driving a day out east from Asahikawa to Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park and Takinoue Park. May is the start of blooming period for tulip and pink moss in Eastern Hokkaido.

http://www.town.yubetsu.lg.jp/tulippark/en/index.htm

http://takinoue.com/?shiba

any recommendation where to start checking hotel or similar?

Thanks

william - just on your suggestion which particular day I should skip? from Airport head to your suggested location straight away?

Thanks

In Sapporo, any business hotel would do you good. It is the largest city in Hokkaido so any better would be pricey.
You can also stay in Otaru if your budget allows.

In Noboribetsu onsen the famous ones are Daiichi Takimotokan, Takimotokan Annex, Mahoroba and another whose name i cannot remember

Biei, just stay in any 3 star hotel with hot spring. You would rather be spending time exploring then relaxing in the hotel.

Not going to Hakodate?

I do want to but will have to cut one of th sights. We only have 6 days, if there is any locations you think better to cut and visit Hakadota instead, definitely I will check and look in details. Again looking forward to hear from you

Thanks

All the places on the original plan are worth going and it is indeed difficult to decide what to exclude. Consider cutting out either Sounkyo (best during autumn foliage season), Yoichi (u-pick season starts June and best during July and August) or those sites in Toya-ko.

Staying the first night in Asahikawa is a good idea. The long drive from New Chitose Airport to Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park (will pass through Asahikawa) is almost 4 hrs, not the ideal way to start a road trip right upon arrival !

For accommodation we mostly book through Rakuten, but there are other equally good and reliable sites.
http://travel.rakuten.com/
http://www.japanican.com/en/hotel/
http://www.jalan.net/en/japan_hotels_ryokan/
http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/
http://www.japan-ryokan.net/wp/

William my apologies keep on troubling you but hope your expertise can help. for first time visit which itinerary below is better

day 1 Chitose AP to Sapporo
day 2 Sapporo to Otaru (Asarigawa)
day 3 Otaru (Asarigawa) to lake Toya
day 4 Lake Toya - Hokadate
day 5 Hakodata (your suggestion Sakura)
day 6 Hakodate to sapporo to airport

or

day 1 Chitose AP to Sapporo
day 2 Sapporo - Asahikawa
day 3 Asahikawa - Asahikawa (tulip Park)
day 4 Ashikawa - Otaru
day 5 Otaru - Noboribetus
Day 6 Noboribetus to Chitose AP

Thanks again

So it is basically Lake Toya & Hakodate V.S. Noboribetsu onsen & Asahikawa.
I would personally take Lake Toya & Noboribetsu as their proximity are close. Plus, when in Hokkaido i prefer to relax as compared to rushing to see sights in Honshu. Mainly because Hokkaido has a resort feel to it.
For yourself, I would choose Lake Toya & Hakodate. Noboribetsu has a old hot spring feel and is a well known onsen. I am not certain how you feel towards hot springs, so I would ask you to pick Lake Toya instead. It has hot springs but to a lesser quality. If hot springs does not suit you, fear not, you can cycle around the lake or take a cruise about it.
Hakodate gives a good city feel.

Of course, if you prefer nature much more and seeing tulips or doing some trekking in the volcanic forest of Noboribetsu... then choose the other option.

This is very helpful. Much appreciate, you are spot on we do want to try osen but not huge fan, do you think is possible to combine two (cut some places?) till within six days?

Sorry I post too quickly, what I wanted to know is I am keen to visit the zoo, and see the flowers that are very famous for plus try out those fruit fames, not so much onsen, if so do you think I can cut Noboribetus and replace by Furano?

I'm very sorry for so many questions but because this is our first visit and taking my mum with us just want to have a better planning, what I want to check is if I want to do both the zoo and tullip visit will we have enough time to do both one day? Or I need to add extra day in Asahikawa? Or on day 2 from saporro to ashikawa I can visit the zoo on that day?

Thanks again

Both plans are good, but personally I would go for the second one. Although a lot depends on the unpredictable weather the second week of May could be a bit late for sakura as normally late April to early May is the cherry blossom season in Hokkaido. During your time of visit you stand a better chance of seeing tulip and pink moss.

You can take in the tulip park and the zoo in one day, but I would suggest sticking to your latest plan and do them on separate days. Driving up from Sapporo you can go to the zoo, and before spending the night in Asahikawa go to the Ramen Village to try out different favours of the famous Asahikawa ramen, the best in Hokkaido and for us the best in the whole of Japan!
http://www.ramenmura.com/
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6893.html
Time allowed the Hokkaido Folk Arts and Crafts Village is also worth visiting especially the Snow Crystals Museum.
http://www.yukaraori.com/yukibi/
http://www.yukaraori.com/img/pages/homes/flyer01.jpg
Start early the next day and you can take in both the tulip and pink moss parks in a day before returning to Asahikawa for the night.

Consider grouping Sapporo and Otaru together either in the beginning or the end of the trip and tour them without using a car to rid yourself of traffic and parking issue. Sapporo has an excellent subway network whereas Otaru is best explored on foot and it has frequent and direct rail link with Sapporo.