Hokkaido - 9 Oct to 15 Oct

Hi all,

We will be in New Chitose T1 on 8 Oct 18.

Can you suggest an itinerary on

1. Where are the must visit places in the 9 days?
2. Where are the outlet mall?
3. Any off the beaten track places (ie non tourist places)?
4. Can we drive and can rental of car be from the airport? or
5. Should we buy JR pass instead?


Thank you in advance.

Et

A car would be very convenient, since there�fs a lot of open country in Hokkaido. It would be especially useful if you visit the national parks. You�fll need an international driver�fs license, along with your regular driver�fs license and passport to rent a car. You may not want to deal with parking in cities, though, so maybe don�ft get a car for the entire time.

I wouldn�ft bother with a JR Pass. It mostly only pays off over several shinkansen trips, and the shinkansen hasn�ft extended into Hokkaido yet.

Thanks for the advice on car rental.

Any advice on where to proposed itinerary on places to visit?

Eunice

Unfortunately your question is way too general for most people to respond to.

This post while missing Furano and Biei is a possibility: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2400_hokkaido_summer.html

For autumn foliage go to Sounkyo upon arrival as early Oct is a good time for koyo in that part of Hokkaido. Then work yourself down south via Biei and Furano where you can still see some colourful flowers although outdoor lavender would be gone. By mid Oct autumn colour can be enjoyed south of Sapporo in Jozankei, Houheikyou Dam, Niseko, Shikotsu-ko and Noboribetsu. While in Noboribetsu nearby Toya-ko is also worth going, even better if an overnight stay can be arranged to enjoy its firework at night.

Thank you for the proposed route. We will start planning from there.

Is there any outlet mall / great shopping area in Hokkaido?

Thanks.

For outlet malls consider Rera Outlet Mall and Mitsui Outlet Park.
http://www.outlet-rera.com/english/
https://mitsui-shopping-park.com/mop/sapporo/english/

Flying out from New Chitose Airport we checked in our luggage early in the morning and took the free shuttle from the airport to Rera Outlet Mall. After a couple of hours shopping we had lunch in the outlet and took the shuttle back to the airport for our departure flight in the afternoon.

Here is a list of autumn foliage destinations in Hokkaido in mid-October. Asterisks indicate multiple entries at the curation sites I looked into. Jozankei has 8 entries, Sapporo 6, Sounkyo 5, Noboribetsu 5, Akan 5, Shikotsu 4, and Shiretoko 4. Unless you want to do an adventure, drop destinations far from Chitose, such as Shiretoko and Akan. Sounkyo and Onuma are still far, but including one would be borderline. Jozankei, Sapporo, Noboribetsu, and Shikotsu would be a core. Try to include less known sites with no asterisk.

* Shiretoko Five Lakes
* Shiretoko Pass

Akan Lake Onneto
* Lake Akan
* Lake Kussharo

Nayoro Nabo Tunnel
Shumarinai Nature Park
Takinoue Keikoku Kinsenkyo Gorge

***** Sounkyo Obako
Ginga & Ryusei no Taki Waterfalls

Asahikawa Kamui Kotan
Mikasa Katsurazawa Koen Park
Sunagawa Hokkaido Kodomo no Kuni, Kids World

* Hidaka Iwanai Senkyo Gorge
Goshiki Keikoku Gorge
Sarugawa Keikoku Gorge
Shimukappu Akaiwa Seigan Kyo Gorge
** Takinoue Koen Park

* Sapporo Maruyama Park
* Eniwa Keikoku Gorge
* Takino Suzuran Hillside Park
* Mt Moiwa Ropeway
* Nishioka Park
Monami Park
Nakajima Koen Park

******* Jozankei Jozankei Dam
Hoheikyo Dam

Chitose Aoba Park
*** Lake Shikotsu
***** Noboribetsu Jigokudani Hell Valley
Orofure Pass
Shin Noboribetsu Ohashi Bridge

* Lake Toya

Kyogoku Fukidashi Koen Park

Niseko Iwaonupuri
Kagaminuma Pond

Kuromatsunai Garo Kogen Highland
Yakumo Unsekikyo Gorge

** Onuma Quasi National Park

Here is one of the conservative routes, including neither Sounkyo nor Onuma.

Chitose
Noboribetsu (1)
Lake Toya (1), needs car hereafter
Lake Shikotsu (1)
Eniwa
Suzuran
Jozankei (1)
Otaru (1), no more car hereafter
Sapporo (3)
Rera Mall
Chitose
https://www.env.go.jp/en/nature/nps/park/shikotsu/index.html
https://www.env.go.jp/park/common/data/06_shikotsu_map_e.pdf

An adventure version.

Chitose
The overnight bus from Sapporo to Shiretoko (2), check in a car there
Akan (1)
Lake Onneto
Mikuni Pass
Sounkyo (1)
Tokachidake Bogakudai Observatory
Furano (1)
Mitsui Mall
Sapporo (3), check out the car on arrival
Chitose
https://www.env.go.jp/en/nature/nps/park/shiretoko/index.html
https://www.env.go.jp/park/common/data/02_shiretoko_map_e.pdf
https://www.env.go.jp/en/nature/nps/park/akan/index.html
https://www.env.go.jp/park/common/data/03_akan_map_e.pdf
https://www.env.go.jp/en/nature/nps/park/daisetsu/index.html
https://www.env.go.jp/park/common/data/05_daisetsu_map_e.pdf