Direct Flights from Helsinki to Sapporo

Hi everyone!

I've heard that Finnair is the only airline in Europe that has direct flights to Hokkaido (New Chitose Airport). I googled it and really saw that information (they began operating direct flights in the fall 2019/winter 2020).

However, when I searched for flights in the Finnair website, it only gave me flights with 1/2 stops along the way. I searched several different dates and it showed the same. No direct flights.

Then, I searched through the website, and I didn't see any information about the cancelation of direct flights to Sapporo. I used the chat on the website, but it led to no results (it is an automatic device with predesigned answers). Then, I went to google, and nothing...Quite weird, as I only found articles about the new direct flights from Helsinki to Sapporo, and yet, on the website, there were no direct flights at all.

Is it because of the pandemic? But, even if it is, why not announce the cancelation of direct flights? It is weird and confusing... (btw, I don't plan to visit Japan this year, maybe 2022 if everything is safer than it is now, but to search flights and prices, you can only search for this year, since most airlines don't have a schedule for 2022 yet).

They probably haven't announced cancellation because they haven't really been "cancelled" - they just have been postponed during the pandemic when there is less travel. If people aren't flying to Japan often, there is no profit in a direct route, but they probably still have plans to run the route in future, hence the route isn't strictly cancelled.

What about 2020 hasn't been weird or confusing?

OP here!

Yes that makes sense. I just find it weird that they didn't share news/updates about that route. Hence the confusion. Having a direct flight from Europe to Hokkaido is a plus, since the trip gets very tiring from having to stop in Tokyo (usually transfer from Narita to Haneda) or Osaka (from Kansai to Itami). Imagine myself like going from a country in Europe (my country don't have direct flights to Japan), then go to Helsinki, then go to Narita, then to Haneda, then to Chitose or Asahikawa...Exhausting...

I hope they will resume those flights for 2022 (if they resume the flights, I will go to Hokkaido, if not, then I will go Chubu-Kanazawa/Takayama/Toyama/Shirakawago/Nagoya/etc. via Kansai Inter. Airport)

If you end up going to Chubu, you might want to see if you can fly to Chubu Centrair vs. Kansai. Pre-Covid, Lufthansa and Finnair offered directs from Frankfurt and Helsinki to Chubu. It's 1250 yen and ~40 minutes between the airport and Nagoya and it is possible the airline ticket won't be any more expensive than to Kansai. Getting from Kansai to Nagoya will add up assuming you don't plan to do any sightseeing in Kansai and are just picking it because it is closer to Nagoya than Tokyo.

Good luck!

@rkold that is a nice option. In fact, when I search for trips to Japan, it's always Kansai Int. Airport or Narita Airport (I had the assumption that the other airports in Japan were only used for Domestic Flights or for close destinations in Asia).

If I go to Chubu instead of Hokkaido, I would like to visit Horyuji/Arashiyama/Iga-Ueno first, because I didn't explore those places during my last trip (I did visit Arashiyama, but it was only for 1 hour or so, and missed some spots). Maybe should I go to Kansai Int. Airport and return by Chubu/Nagoya Airport?

Last time I went to Japan, I went with KLM, Amsterdam-Kansai Int. Airport. And returned with Lufthansa (KLM canceled flights, and since I was solo, they easily put me in a different airline).

Either way, that's the plan. Hokkaido if there are direct flights (I am thinking for a July 2022 trip), otherwise Kansai/Chubu for May 2022.

Hi!

Chubu doesn't have as many International flights as it once did, but it still has some. I used it when United use to have flights from San Francisco. It's a nice little airport and unless you are coming into Itami, it's closer to Kyoto.

In fact with your addition of Iga-Ueno, Horyuji, and Kyoto, I still might consider flying into Chubu both directions. You could do: Nagoya to Iga-Ueno (there is a bus and it is faster than taking the train from Kyoto) you can then take the train down to Nabari and visit 48 Falls if you'd like to actually try out being a Ninja. (It's really hard, but fun! I did it Summer 2019.) then take Kintetsu to Sakurai to change for JR to Nara (if you can time it right) otherwise go to Kashihara and change for the Kintetsu line towards Kyoto and I think you then need to do one more change to get to Nara or just go directly to Kyoto from Nabari and then day trip to Nara. I would recommend if there is time checking out the Sakurai/Kashihara area though. Then from Kyoto Kanazawa. I am unsure what you want to do in Toyama, but depending on your plans you can go there from Kanazawa very easily and then from Kanazawa to Toyama go to Shirakawa Go, visit the Hida area, go to Takayama and then end in Nagoya.

I like Kansai, but the airport is already down closer to Wakayama. (Which is where I use to go when I flew into Kansai.) Itami is a super easy and not terribly expensive bus ride to Kyoto, but my then you are making more transfers.

Good luck!

@rkold very nice suggestions! Thank you so much! The 48 Falls sure sounds like fun, and looks beautiful too!

I've already been to Kyoto and Nara. However, I could not do Horyuji because I spent too much time on the day trip I did to Nara (too much to see in Nara and appreciate the deers xD/also had one of the best meals in Japan=Kamameshi). So since I already visited Nara, I thought in combining Horyuji with Iga-Ueno in a single day, perhaps...not sure if the distance is too long or not (Why these two? Because I want to admire the oldest wooden Building in the world; as for Iga-Ueno, just for fun because of Ninja).

As for Arashiyama, I planned (maybe?) to see it in the morning (I've already been there, so I will only see the spots I missed during my last trip), and explore Kurama in the afternoon (I have the desire to do the hiking trail from Kurama to Kibune).

On my way to Kanazawa, I thought of stopping in Azuchi and Hikone along the way. But is it feasible?

Also, is it okay to do Takayama as a day trip from Kanazawa? I thought in getting accommodation in Kanazawa, and explore Shirakawago, Takayama, Toyama from there (perhaps, I will purchase the Takayama-Hokuriku Pass). Also about Toyama, it's not the city I want to visit, but the Murodo Snow Corridor/do part of the Kurobe Alpine Route (Toyama is the starting point as far as I could see/walking through the Snow Corridor has been one wish I want to fulfill).

There is still a long way until 2022 is here. But time flies, so I am already planning my trip ;) But as I said, Hokkaido comes first (if direct flights become operational again), because I want to explore the countryside in the summer, do bycicle there (especially around Biei and Furano), and appreciate the flower fields. I am planning to explore Daisetsuzan and Noboribetsu as well (my trip to Hokkaido will be about nature only).

Regarding flights to Sapporo (New Chitose), obviously a direct flight from your home country might be preferable, but if that is not available, at least pre-Covid there were many flight from Narita or Kansai International as well, And at least from Narita, as far as I remember, often cheaper than from Haneda. So no need to change airports.
(This is all pre-Covid... but once you will be able to travel, will be post-Covid so many things will have recovered)

Hi Sophia!

For all discussion, I am working on pre-Covid ticket and travel options since I have no idea what things will be like post Covid. I hope you don't find this offensive, but I think you are underestimating travel times. Murodo, where the snow passage is, is about the 1/3 to 1/2 way point of the Kurobe Alpine Route. The discount ticket most foreigners use for the route doe not allow back tracking. I mean its ~7400 if you wanted to just go to Murodo and do a round trip back to Toyama, but you're also skipping a good portion of the route. Doing the whole route and then trying to get back to Toyama the same night is just really hard. I think you would also find going to Horyuji and Iga-Ueno all in one day sort of challenging. Takayama is a long day trip from Kanazawa or Toyama, partially because transportation is only so frequent, and trying to fit a trip to Shirakawa Go and Takayama and then go back to Kanazawa and Toyama just makes it hard. It's not even just a bus issue. There are only 8 trains a day that connect Takayama to Toyama, 4 of which are expresses. I ran into this issue when trying to get from Takayama to Nagano. There are a lot more trains (and presumably buses) between Takayama and Nagoya.

How much time do you have for this trip? I guess you could also fly into Chubu go up to Matsumoto go from Matsumoto to Shinano-Omachi and start the Alpine Route in reverse and end in Toyama. Go from Toyama to Takayama, then go back up to Kanazawa by way of Shirakawa Go to then go down to Hikone and Azuchi via Maibara and then go to Kyoto and then head back to Nagoya by way of Iga Ueno or switch the Hikone and Azuchi part of the trip. But again, you would need a decent amount of time or you are just going to be rushing around. I happened to really like Kanazawa. I know @Lazy Pious adores Hikone. I've been once and would like to go back.

I'm not sure any pass would be worth it. A lot just depends on where you want to go and the time frame.

Good luck!

@rkold thank you for the honest response, I really appreciate it. I seem to have a difficulty in organizing a fair schedule that wouldn't be so exhausting (I did rush things during my last trip to Japan because I wanted to see everything). In fact, I am not sure about the days I will stay in Japan. I don't know how much money for the trip I will have in 2022. It will depend by then. But those places are the places I chose for Chubu. But the Nagoya/Chubu airport is a good idea instead of Kansai, thanks for suggesting it.

I really need to think carefully about this trip, I had no idea that Toyama-Takayama route had so few trains a day. That might pose a problem.

Hi!

No, I get that. My first trip to Japan I tried to push a lot (until I got sick) because I didn't know if I would be back. Now, outside of Covid, I always assume I will at some point make it back, so while I enjoy sightseeing, I don't push things as much. I also now travel with my daughter so I try to limit how much travel I do per day.

We missed our train from Takayama to Toyama, which is why I am now acutely aware of how few trains there are. There are buses as well (definitely to Kanazawa, possibly to Toyama) but they don't run as often. In our case we were trying to make it to Nagano in time to see Zenkoji since we had an early morning train the next day to get to Koriyama. Missing our train to Toyama meant we missed being able to go to Zenkoji. We made another trip to Nagano the next Summer, but it was still disappointing.

When it's safe to travel again though, let us all know where and we can hopefully help you come up with the best possible itinerary. :)

Good luck!

Thank you @rkold! I will come back for sure and let everyone know of my plans, getting advice is certainly helpful!

Be safe! ;)