Trip to Hokkaido in November 2023

Hi fellow travellers, Ifm planning to travel to Hokkaido on this coming November. Would like to take some of your precious time to read & seek your professional advice.

1. Reaching Narita airport on 14/11 @ about 7am. Wanted to experience the long ride enjoying the view from Narita to Kushiro(Main purpose is to see the red head crane) though is going to be a long ride, approximately 12 hours journey. Will stay for about 2-3 nites at Kushiro.

2. Thereafter travel to Shiretoko( to visit Shiretoko Park) Will stay about 2 nites at Shiretoko. Just thinking aloud, if is advisable to travel to Aoni Onsen for 1 nite and back to Tokyo.

3. Will be getting 7 days JR pass, am deciding whether to get the Green pass and upgrade to Grand seat. Wonder what will be the added cost if I will upgrade to the Grand seat. Need you guys expertise advice.

4. Is my travel intenaries ok. Kindly advise & share your thoughts. Greatly appreciate😊

1. Reaching Narita airport on 14/11 @ about 7am. Wanted to experience the long ride enjoying the view from Narita to Kushiro(Main purpose is to see the red head crane) though is going to be a long ride, approximately 12 hours journey. Will stay for about 2-3 nites at Kushiro.

As I checked via Jorudan, if you catch 9:16 Narita Express, you will arrive Kushiro at 23:53. It takes 14:37, not 12:00. If you miss the 9:16 Narita Express, you cant reach Kushiro on the same day.

2. Thereafter travel to Shiretoko( to visit Shiretoko Park) Will stay about 2 nites at Shiretoko. Just thinking aloud, if is advisable to travel to Aoni Onsen for 1 nite and back to Tokyo.

You will take train from Kushiro to Shiretokoshari and then bus to Utoro. Note that trains/buses are not frequent.

I hear there are only two taxis in Utoro, so you may need to join a guided tour (there are many tour companies in Utoro). Since November is off season, you may encounter difficulty in finding an appropriate tour.

3. Will be getting 7 days JR pass, am deciding whether to get the Green pass and upgrade to Grand seat. Wonder what will be the added cost if I will upgrade to the Grand seat. Need you guys expertise advice.

Unfortunately I am a Japanese so am not eligible for the Japan Rail Pass, but as far as I searched Japan Rail Pass holders (both normal and green pass) must pay full fare for the Gran Class (express fee and the Gran Class fee) which is about 28000 yen from Tokyo to Shin-Hakodate Hokuto. The base fare is covered though. I would just take the green seat if I have the green pass.

1. Reaching Narita airport on 14/11 @ about 7am. Wanted to experience the long ride enjoying the view from Narita to Kushiro(Main purpose is to see the red head crane) though is going to be a long ride, approximately 12 hours journey. Will stay for about 2-3 nites at Kushiro.

As I checked via Jorudan, if you catch 9:16 Narita Express, you will arrive Kushiro at 23:53. It takes 14:37, not 12:00. If you miss the 9:16 Narita Express, you cant reach Kushiro on the same day.

2. Thereafter travel to Shiretoko( to visit Shiretoko Park) Will stay about 2 nites at Shiretoko. Just thinking aloud, if is advisable to travel to Aoni Onsen for 1 nite and back to Tokyo.

You will take train from Kushiro to Shiretokoshari and then bus to Utoro. Note that trains/buses are not frequent.

I hear there are only two taxis in Utoro, so you may need to join a guided tour (there are many tour companies in Utoro). Since November is off season, you may encounter difficulty in finding an appropriate tour.

3. Will be getting 7 days JR pass, am deciding whether to get the Green pass and upgrade to Grand seat. Wonder what will be the added cost if I will upgrade to the Grand seat. Need you guys expertise advice.

Unfortunately I am a Japanese so am not eligible for the Japan Rail Pass, but as far as I searched Japan Rail Pass holders (both normal and green pass) must pay full fare for the Gran Class (express fee and the Gran Class fee) which is about 28000 yen from Tokyo to Shin-Hakodate Hokuto. The base fare is covered though. I would just take the green seat if I have the green pass.

Good morning frog1954, thank you for your advice, greatly appreciate 😊

Aoni OnseniÂ‰×‰·òj is located in Aomori, so if you take the Shinkansen, you need to get off at Shin-Aomori.
From there, take a JR train to Hirosaki and take the Konan Railway to Kuroishi Station.
Konan Railway is not included in the Japan Rail Pass.
I have taken a bus from Kuroishi Station to the Tsugaru Traditional Crafts Museum.
Bus from Kuroishi Station fronti•Î‰w‘O,Kuroishi eki-maej to Niji no Miyako Park(“ø‚Ì“sŒö‰€,Niji-no-miyako kouen)
”­šdeparture,’…šarrival
https://www.konanbus.com/1397.html
The hotel's shuttle bus is by reservation only.
https://www.aoninet.com/access/access.html
Hokkaido is so vast, and the Shinkansen only goes to Hakodate.
So, if possible, it might be better to fly from Haneda and travel by train one way.
Transportation costs will be higher.

Good morning Haro1210, thank you for your advice. Greatly appreciate😊

So, if possible, it might be better to fly from Haneda and travel by train one way.
Transportation costs will be higher.

Well "normal" person will fly from Narita to Kushiro, but there are some train fans who want prefer long train ride. Further, as I searched the web there seems to be no direct flight from Narita to Kushiro, so you may need to transfer at Chitose (Sapporo) or go back to Haneda to catch direct flight to Kushiro. I think one way train ticket from Abashiri to Tokyo (via Minami Chitose, Shin hakodate Hokuto, and Shin Aomori) costs 33000ish which is more expensive than 7 day Japan rail Pass.

Good morning Haro1210, thank you for your advice. Greatly appreciate😊

As you are traveling in Nov be aware of the increase of the JRP from October. Exact details are unknown if JRPs bought before Oct can be used still in Nov.

Good afternoon LikeBike, yes will check it out. Hopefully it doesnft effect cause thatfs also the reason why I want to take the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kushiro. Thank you for your advice. Greatly appreciate 😊

By the way, I do not recommend a one-way ticket. You should buy the Japan Rail Pass.
I arrived at Hakodate Airport and traveled to Kushiro Airport by train for 5 nights and 6 days.
It's hard to travel from Narita to Kushiro in one day, and considering your physical condition (there's little time difference, but after a 7 hour flight), you should move to Hokkaido the next day, or a shorter distance on the first day. I think it's better to move the
For example, up to Hakodate.
If you really want to go to Kushiro, I think it would be better to go by plane.

Good morning Haro1210, thank you for your advice. Yes, for sure Ifll be getting the JR pass provided it can still be used after the price increase otherwise I got to have contingency plan. As for staying a nite at Hakodate due to the long ride from Tokyo, I will play be ear my physical condition allow😊