Self Drive in Hokkaido

hihi.. i would do with lots of help on planning my self drive trip.

we are a young couple who loves nature but am really lost in planning our 1st trip to hokkaido

This is our suggested plan.. but i have checked on the routes and found it a long distance esp from kushiro to sapporo. We have to fly from sapporo and back unfortunately. Please kindly offer help/ suggestions..

Day 1 reached sapporo in the day. explore sapporo.. eat.. sleep.. visit

Day 2 sapporo (day trip to otaru)

Day 3 Collect car from sapporo:

noribetsu/ lake toya (please advise which is a better base to explore both of that area)

Day 4 Asahikawa/ Furano (please advise which is a better base to explore both of that area)

Day 4 Asahikawa/ Furano(please advise which is a better base to explore both of that area)

Day 5 Kushiro / Akan/ Kawayu (please advise which is a better base to explore both of that area)

Day 6 Kushiro/ Akan/ Kawayu ((please advise which is a better base to explore both of that area)

Day 7 flight from sapporo to Narita at 150pm

Does it look okie? if not , how shld we turn it around? Is there anywhere else i shld do instead or add?

We have made several trips to Japan except for Hokkaido being our very 1st. Love love love hotsprings and been to Many fantastic hotsprings.Thus, would like to have at least 2 nights stay in our trip at hotspring. Which area should we start Kawayu onsen/Lake toya/ Akan/Noribetsu? We can also do with some great expertise on any great recommendations with open bath w views:)

THANKS!!

If you do not mind paying a little bit more in order to increase sightseeing time available and decrease the long driving distances, I recommend to fly from Sapporo to Kushiro (JAL operates six daily flights between Shin-Chitose and Kushiro) as soon as you arrive in Hokkaido and then slowly drive from Kushiro back to Sapporo.

Or you could do it the other way around: drive from Sapporo to Kushiro and then fly back to Sapporo at the end of your trip.

noribetsu/ lake toya (please advise which is a better base to explore both of that area)

You don't need a base for a 1-day visit. As for staying overnight, both towns have very attractive lodging choices (Noboribetsu is particularly strong with great baths, while Toyako has nice views of the lake with fireworks in the evening). I recommend to compare individual lodgings and make a choice.

Asahikawa/ Furano (please advise which is a better base to explore both of that area)

Furano is my recommended base.

Kushiro / Akan/ Kawayu

I strongly advice against establishing a base. That would result in needless travel back and forward. I recommend to spend each night in a different place. Kawayu and Akan are resort towns, while Kushiro is a small city. So, it depends on your personal preference.

Thanks for reply Uji
We will now be thinking if we shld change our iternary to make it less hectic

so 1st day drive from sapporo to kushiro
2: kushiro/ akan/ kawayu onsen
3:kushiro/ akan/ kawayu onsen
4.furano/bie/ashigawa
5. furano/ bie/ashigawa
6. drive bk to sapporo for noon flight

OR
so 1st day drive from
2: ashigawa/ furano/bie
3 ashigawa/ furano/ bie
4.lake toya / noribetsu
5. lake toya/ noribetsu
6. drive bk to sapporo for noon flight

which is better? we like outspring and outdoor walks But also eating:)

Option 2 involves considerably less driving and considerably more time for actual sightseeing, so it would be my recommendation.

we are thinking to explore option 1.. is it feasible? honestly which has more to offer out of the 2 options. We are interested to have great scenery and eating places as well as hotspring

thanks!

Hot springs: option 2 is slightly better than option 1 in my opinion (because of Noboribetsu)

Scenery: both options are equally good in my opinion (Noboribetsu's hell valley and the volcanic scenery of Lake Toya vs. Lake Akan and Masshu)

Food: I think they are equally good. The challenge is to find the good places to eat.

So, I would recommend option 2 even if the large driving distances weren't an issue.

hihi uji
thanks for your reply.
we will go by your suggestions. please kindly advise if we shld stay at lake toya/ noribetsu ?
we shld be doing:

sapporo-furano- 2nites- lake toya/ noribetsu 2 nites

we seemed to have 1 more nite to fill.. where shld we stay in this case?
thanks for your help!!

Depends on your interests. How about Sapporo? I recommend 2 full days in the Furano area and 2 full days in the Noboribetsu/Toya area.

we will already be staying for 2 nights in sapporo, making a day trip to otaru before going to lake toya noribetsu...

any suggestions?

how abt sournyo onsen? or hakodate?

can we include 1 more nite in the iternary? or.....?

sapporo- lake toya- noribetsu- furano- bie- ? -sapporo

or we can rearrange the plan.

sweetjing,

I also like Noboribetsu onsen.
If you come to Hokkaido in the future again and enough time, I recommend to soak in the onsens in Akan area as follows.
those have great hotsprings with views, but need not to stay.

(1)Akan Hotel Tsuruga (1470yen)
http://www.tsuruga-g.com/english/01tsuruga/

(2)Kawayu Hotel Kita Fukuro (600yen)
http://www.kitafukuro.com/onsen.htm (Japanese)

(3)Kussharoko hotel (400yen)
http://www.jalan.net/jalan/jweb/yado/YADL_340046.HTML (Japanese)

(4)Yoroushi onsen Daiichi (600yen)http://www.yoroushi.jp/SB/log/Bath/Bath_Konyoku.html (Japanese)

(5)Yoroushi onsen natural open bath Karamatsu no u (free!!!)
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/hitou_sukisuki_dabe/59597784.html (Japanese)

Suggest you take a look at :

http://www.marukoma.co.jp/spa.htm#roten

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6736.html

Lake Shikotsu is near Noboribetsu. I have not been to marukoma as I have just been recommended to take a look at that onsen hotel with great views of the lake. You can see more in my post "Moss Canyon".