Summer Hokkaido 14 day travel plan

Hi,

I'll be in Hokkaido in the last 2 weeks of July.. Do comment if my itinerary is feasible. Btw, i'm on a budget trip..

Thanks!

Day 1) Chitose - Asahikawa (3 nights stay)
Is it possible to get to the Ramen Village by Bus?

Day 2) Asahikawa - Biei - Asahikawa
Cycle along the Biei roads & perhaps visit the Cheese Making factory

Day 3) Asahikawa - Furano - Asahikawa
Visit Farm Tomita & wine making factory.
(I really love flowers and want to spend time absorbing the flower fields)
Should I go for the lavender bus?

Day 4) Asahikawa - Abashiri (2nights)
Am considering if I should rent a car (5days) for the eastern part of trip. Any one knows where can I check the toll prices & petrol prices? Would want to compare before I decide between Car or Jrail.
Any recommended stops between this journey?

Day 5) Abashiri - Shiretoko - Abashiri
Should i do the hiking tour or cruise? or both if money & time permits?
Is a day trip be enough time spent in Shiretoko?

Day 6) Abashiri - Kushiro (2 nights)
Lake Akan, Lake Onneto (since it is very recommended). Assuming that I am driving, any more stops to make before I reach Kushiro?

Day 7) Kushiro
Not too sure where to visit here... Was thinking if it is a waste of time to go back up Lake Akan areas to view.. Any suggestions?

Day 8) Kushiro - Asahikawa (1 night- most likely to return the car)
I think this will be an extremely long drive back. Should be going by Obihiro-Furano route. Any idea how long it takes?
I heard that there is a really good pork-rice at Obihiro. Do you have the name of the restaurant?

If I am not renting a car, would most prob be staying at Obihiro.

Day 9) Asahikawa(Obihiro) - Noboribetsu (2 nights)
By rail.

Day 10) Noboribetsu

Day 11) Noboribetsu - Sapporo (3 nights)
Any nice recommendations at Sapporo?

Day 12) Sapporo - Otaru - Sapporo


Day 13) Sapporo
Have not decided what to do yet...Some shopping maybe?

Day 14) Sapporo - Chitose - Narita - Home sweet home.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

It seems you leave through Narita. Hence, I assume you are not forced to use Chitose Airport to enter and leave Hokkaido, are you?

I am asking, because you could save a lot of time by entering Hokkaido through one airport in western Hokkaido and leave through another in eastern Japan.

Narita is directly connected with only Chitose and Asahikawa Airports, but "nearby" Haneda Airport is also connected with airports such as Kushiro, Obihiro and Memanbetsu. By entering or leaving through such an airport in the east, you could make your itinerary much more efficient.

For example:
? - Chitose - Noboribetsu - Sapporo - Asahikawa - Abashiri - Kushiro - Haneda - Narita

Or possibly the other way around.

Is it possible to get to the Ramen Village by Bus?

Yes, access to the village is explained here:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6893.html

Asahikawa - Furano - Asahikawa
Visit Farm Tomita & wine making factory.
(I really love flowers and want to spend time absorbing the flower fields)
Should I go for the lavender bus?

The "Lavender Bus" is a regular bus that connects Furano with Asahikawa Airport and Asahikawa. It is not a tourist attraction. I recommend to explore Furano and Biei by car and consider staying a night in Biei and Furano in order to save traveling back and forward. A car would take car of luggage complications because you can just leave the luggage in the car all the time.

Any one knows where can I check the toll prices & petrol prices?

There are no toll roads in Eastern Hokkaido. Petrol currently costs around 150 yen per liter, but it would not be surprising if it would be increasing somewhat in the coming months.

Day 5) Abashiri - Shiretoko - Abashiri
Should i do the hiking tour or cruise? or both if money & time permits?

It is personal preference. The boat tours come with a high probability of seeing wildlife, such as bears, especially the longer ones.

Is a day trip be enough time spent in Shiretoko?

It depends on how much you want to see. It is enough to get a quick impression, but if you want to see and do some more, two days are recommended. If you travel by public transportation, you will be able to see much less, because it is rather inconvenient on the peninsula.

Day 7) Kushiro
Not too sure where to visit here... Was thinking if it is a waste of time to go back up Lake Akan areas to view.. Any suggestions?

Kushiro has not much to see. And the cranes are not there in summer either. I would recommend to spend some time in Akan National Park, instead:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6800.html

Any nice recommendations at Sapporo?

The Historic Village open air museum and nearby museum about Hokkaido if you are interested in the history of Hokkaido. And the Morerenuma Park if you are interested in modern art:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2163.html

If using public transport, two days at Shiretoko. Bear sightings not so common in July. Usually a bit later, when they are anticipating the arrival of the salmon and pace up and down the beaches. But may be lucky.

If by car, no need to go back to Abashiri. From Utoro you can go back only as far as Shari, and turn across towards Kushiro from there. A pretty drive past Shari Dake. ith a bit of research, there are nice places along the way.

And from Kushiro, no need to go back to Asahikawa. You can drive down the coast to Cape Erimo, with a very rugged coastline, sea lions, etc. and down through the Hidaka region with its pretty thoroughbred horse farms, to Tomakomai/Chitose, which makes it a lot easier to get down in the Noboribetsu direction. But unless you are really keen on seeing poor, tortured captive animals, Noboribetsu can be bypassed for the spectacularly beautiful Lake Toya, then either on to Hakodate or around to the Niseko area with the beautiful Mt Yotei (Ezo-Fuji). Or Niseko and then Hakodate, and fly out of there.

Hi Uji! Noticed that you replied to most of the Hokkaido's queries & was secretly hoping you would reply to me! Appreciate your reply!

Unfortunately, yes I am flying in through Chitose & flying out through Chitose as well.
Air flight promotion.


Is it possible to get to the Ramen Village by Bus?

Yes, access to the village is explained here:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6893.html
Thanks!

Asahikawa - Furano - Asahikawa
Visit Farm Tomita & wine making factory.
(I really love flowers and want to spend time absorbing the flower fields)
Should I go for the lavender bus?

The "Lavender Bus" is a regular bus that connects Furano with Asahikawa Airport and Asahikawa. It is not a tourist attraction. I recommend to explore Furano and Biei by car and consider staying a night in Biei and Furano in order to save traveling back and forward. A car would take car of luggage complications because you can just leave the luggage in the car all the time.

As mentioned, I'm on a tight budget & can only afford to rent a car for maximum 4 days. Am only driving to from Asahikawa Abashiri - Shiretoko - Kushiro - Asahikawa (to return the car). The need to take the public transport for the rest of the journey.

Any one knows where can I check the toll prices & petrol prices?

There are no toll roads in Eastern Hokkaido. Petrol currently costs around 150 yen per liter, but it would not be surprising if it would be increasing somewhat in the coming months.
Thanks!

Day 5) Abashiri - Shiretoko - Abashiri
Should i do the hiking tour or cruise? or both if money & time permits?

It is personal preference. The boat tours come with a high probability of seeing wildlife, such as bears, especially the longer ones.

Is a day trip be enough time spent in Shiretoko?

It depends on how much you want to see. It is enough to get a quick impression, but if you want to see and do some more, two days are recommended. If you travel by public transportation, you will be able to see much less, because it is rather inconvenient on the peninsula.
Would be driving

Day 7) Kushiro
Not too sure where to visit here... Was thinking if it is a waste of time to go back up Lake Akan areas to view.. Any suggestions?

Kushiro has not much to see. And the cranes are not there in summer either. I would recommend to spend some time in Akan National Park, instead:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6800.html

Maybe I should change my Kushiro stay to else where since there is nothing much to do. Any recommendations for accommodations around the areas before I head by to Asahikawa to return the car.

By the way, I have decided not to go Noboribetsu (onsen) but booked one in Date instead. It is called Meisui-tei, have you been there before? Any reviews?

Any recommendations for accommodations around the areas before I head by to Asahikawa to return the car.

No, I am afraid I don't have any recommendations for Kushiro.

By the way, I have decided not to go Noboribetsu (onsen) but booked one in Date instead. It is called Meisui-tei, have you been there before? Any reviews?

No, I have never heard of the place before.