Hokkaido suggestions...?

Hi.Going back to Japan for the fourth time and this time in September we thought we'd visit the North.
We'd love to hear any suggestions as to great things to do and see in Hokkaido and a good route to take around the area.
Not interested in theme parks or kitsch but we love old Japan,the food,great sights,markets,crafts and temples etc.
We're thinking of renting a car, taking a ferry back down to Tokyo way, staying at a mix of Toyoko Inns and ryokans and just drinking in the scene....

Not interested in theme parks or kitsch but we love old Japan,the food,great sights,markets,crafts and temples etc.

Hokkaido is mostly about nature. It has not been fully developed by Japan until the late 1800s, so you won't find a lot of "old Japan" on Hokkaido.

Here is a good starting point for research:
http://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1101.html

Hi Connie

Nice to see you here again. I see that you are another captive fan of Japan like me.

Hokkaido has a lot to offer and though we have been there twice totaling more than 4 weeks yet still have not covered all we want to see. We are also looking for a possible autumn trip to Hokkaido next year. Apart from winter, driving is the way to go in spacious Hokkaido. You can use the following site to get some ideas of the driving distance and time:
http://northern-road.jp/navi/eng/index.htm

For seasonal highlight, if you can go around late Sept. or even early Oct. you should see beautiful autumn foliage around the Daisetsuzan National Park. Asahidake Onsen and Sounkyo Gorge are popular destinations for seeing maple colours during that period.
www.japan-guide.com/blog/koyo09/090914.html
www.japan-guide.com/blog/koyo/080926.html

I myself love nature and the great outdoor and would suggest going east to Shiretoko National Park. Akan National Park and the Kushiro Shitsugen National Park are also worth going. For scenic countryside view, consider the Panorama Road and Patchwork Road of Biei. Unfortunately you would miss most of the lovely flower fields in Furano. But if you want to see the popular Hokkaido lavender, it can still be found inside the greenhouses of Farm Tomita. Sapporo and Otaru are considered by many to be a must for first time visit to Hokkaido. Sapporo is the gateway to Hokkaido and the town to stay for good Hokkaido food. Otaru is compact enough to be enjoyed just by walking. It is an easy side trip from Sapporo without staying the night but time allowed it serves as a good base for a scenic drive further west to the Shakotan Peninsula and a short drive south to the Yoichi/Niki area where you can find lots of fruit orchards and u-picks farms opened for visit.

There are lots of info. on the internet about Hokkaido. Here are just a few of them:
http://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1101.html
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/hokkaido/index.html
http://en.visit-hokkaido.jp/
http://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/foreign/english.htm
http://www.bfh.jp/en/index.html
http://www.tabi-hokkaido.co.jp/
http://n43.net/f-index.htm

Good to hear from you again with advice. We're recently back from Turkey for a month which was fantastic. We think we can sneak in about 3 weeks to Japan again , though it must be early part of September.
One of our favourite things about Japan is old parts, and we're wondering what "old" Hokkaido is like after Uji's comment above?
Will check out your suggested sites for more info. thanks.

How I envy you having a whole month in Turkey. We had been there once but did not venture east. We like to go back again for places such as the "cotton castle" in Pamukkale and the spectacular rocky landscapes in Goreme. But unlike Japan, we are a bit hesitant and feel uneasy going to Turkey on our own. In recent years it has all been JAPAN for us.

Back to Hokkaido, like Uji said, Hokkaido falls short on the historic aspects. So if you are after grand castles, temples and shrines, you may be disappointed. It is all nature and the great outdoors.

Early Sept. may not be a good time as flower season is coming to the end while autumn foliage is not yet in season. But with 3 weeks and assuming you start early Sept., by the end of your trip you may still catch some maple colours around Asahidake Onsen and Sounkyo Gorge in the Daisetsuzan National Park. Asahidake mt. area is said to be the first place to catch koyo.

Hokkaido never falls short of great natural scenery, so let me re-iterate the suggestion of driving to the east, esp. the Shiretoko Peninsula.

We also did a 3-week road trip in Hokkaido last year, but during summer time. You can take a look at the places we covered in that time frame and see whether it is of use:

http://picasaweb.google.ca/WilliamCWP512/Hokkaido#

Lovely photos!
I'm thinking, because we will arrive well south, that we'll enjoy making our way up to Hokkaido slowly and spend less time there before heading back slowly again. We enjoyed Matsumoto ,Kiso etc. last time and there would be lots to enjoy driving north of there towards Hokkaido.