Hokkaido 18 day Road Trip

Me and my wife are planning a 18 day Hokkaido road trip with Photography in mind. Below is our plan up to now;

South trip
Date Place Hotel
8th May Sapporo Hotel Booked
9th May Lake Toya Hotel Booked
10th May Hakodate Hotel Booked
11th May Hakodate Hotel Booked
12th May Esashi
12th May Suttsu

North Trip
13th May Sapporo
14th May Biei & Furano
15th May Biei & Furano
16th May Urakawa
17th May Biruwa
18th May Biruwa
19th May Mombetsu
20th May Wakkanai
21st May Wakkanai
22nd May Asahikawa
23rd May Sapporo Hotel Booked
24th May Home

I have planned this as a road trip so maximum of ~200 kilometres a day. I have no idea of what to see so hence my question is this;
looking at the places I have chosen where would you recommend for us to do are sight seeing.
Thanks in advance

Neil

How did you make an 18 day itinerary without knowing what any of these places have to offer?

Google maps and google in general. I�fm hoping to get some guidance from this forum.
Neil

You may better see this website's guide page for Hokkido.

https://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1101.html

As you see, the top three sites are Rishiri/Rebun, Shiretoko and Daisetsuzan, and you will miss most of them. These three places are rather remote, so not so many tourists visit: but you will have plenty of time so I think you may better cut some southern places and dedicate your days more to these places.

Have you looked at the JG Hokkaido page yet? This gives a good idea on what to do and unfortunately this can be seen through what you have currently chosen location wise. You have not left enough time in some locations, missed some locations and given way too much time for others.

I've put together a basic idea of what I may have completed with what time you have:

8/5: Sapporo
9/5: Sapporo
10/5: Sapporo

Sapporo is a really great city to spend a few days as apart from Hakodate it's the only city with a significant historical context and things to do. Some of the highlights include: Historic Village, Sapporo Beer Museum, Moerenuma Park etc.

https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-1105

11/5: Otaru

Otaru is located close to Sapporo - but I really liked Yoichi which is also home to a famous whisky brewery. I'm not an alcoholic (or even drink the stuff), but it's interesting. Also note that there is some interesting history in these two towns.

https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-3064
https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-3063

12/5: Lake Toya

This is a nice stop with plenty to see specifically looking at the volcanics in the area.

https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-1104

13/15: Hakodate
14/5: Hakodate

Hakodate is nice and it's located close to Onuma Koen which is a nice half day trip. My trip to this location was before I started posting on Japan Guide

15/5: Noboribetsu

This is my favourite onsen resort in Japan. Stay at the Daiichi Takimotokan. The hotel is ok - but the onsens are the best in the country.

https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-1118
https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-3066

16/5: Furano / Biei
17/5: Furano / Biei

The time of year your visiting is not the best time to visit as it's still melting snow in this area (I think).

https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-3057
https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-3058

18/5: Daisetsuzan National Park
19/5: Daisetsuzan National Park

This is the second most wildest national park in Japan ( apart from down south in the Yaeyama Islands. There should also be good onsens and possibly some interesting wildflowers potentially here at lower elevations.
https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-3053
https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-1107

20/5: Asahikawa

Visit the zoo!

https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-1106

21/5: Abashiri

22/5: Akan National Park

23/5: Chitose Hotel (Airport Hotel)
24/5: HOME

Note that I have not gone up to Wakkanai. This area is pretty but there is not much to do here. The best part of Hokkaido (in my opinion) is Rishiri and Rebun Island but it's too early in the season to see the wildflowers. These two islands are North of Wakkanai.

https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-3048
https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-3049
https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-3050
https://www.japan-guide.com/community/mfedley/report-3051

Agree with PPs. Either read this webpage on the Hokkaido part to decide where to go or buy a normal travel guide book.
Also what are you interested in? Hiking? Onsen? Flowers? Culture? We don�ft know.

Enjoy planning your trip to Hokkaido!

The main purpose of this trip is photography. Landscape and people style photography we like to explore by getting off the highways and exploring the countryside

Thanks for all the information I will spend the next few days reading up on this.

Neil

What�fs the name of the park with the volcanic rock?
Neil

Go to the Lake Toya page. The information is there

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6725.html

I suggest you head to the national parks and the towns around them. Asahidake onsen, sounkyo onsen, lake Akan, Iozan, lake Masshu, Shiretoko peninsula, shiretoko pass, etc. Don't worry about Wakkanai as it's got very little to offer except the ferry link to Rebun and Rishiri, but May isn't the best time for them.

Don't worry about Wakkanai as it's got very little to offer except the ferry link to Rebun and Rishiri, but May isn't the best time for them.

Well, it depends on what you expect for Rishiri and Rebun. If it is flower, May is too early, but if you want to see snowy Rishiri from Rebun, May is good season. It gets longest sunlight hours in May in northern Hokkaido though it is somewhat cold and it might be rainy when you are there (and you will have almost nothing to see in rainy Rebun). But note that May is the most sunny month there.
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i am totally confused by this whole topic. photography of what? Hokkaido is an exciting island and 18 days is plenty of time to see what your interest desires. even a trip to eastern Hokkaido is more than doable based on time and you will have the advantage of stopping along the way to see so many great places. the big decisions are as follows: national parks, cities, country side, etc what do you want from this trip- the weather (up north-still snow is very possible) can be a factor as is time spent driving but with so much time, you have an opportunity to really experience Hokkaido and all that it has to offer: food, onsen, zoos, parks, and just the rural atmosphere that dominates the island. there are not a lot of people who live in Hokkaido