Cherry Blossom in Hokkaido

Hi,

I plan to visit Hokkaido coming May. Please advice where is a good place to view cherry blossoms.

Thank you.

Goryokaku Park in Hakodate:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5352.html

Below is my itinerary, please give me advice on where can be fine tuned.

Is the drive from Abashiri to Wakkanai worth it or is it better by flight?

Is 1 day at Daisetsuzan too short?

Any good strategy to tackle from central to eastern part?

Are there accommodation at Toya where we can see fireworks?

Apr 30, Day 1 Singapore - Tokyo

* 11:40pm (SG) - 7:30am (JP), Overnight flight from S'pore to Tokyo Narita Airport by SQ


Day 2 Tokyo - Hakodate

* 1:15pm - 2:35pm, Domestic flight from Tokyo Haneda Airport to Hakodate by JAL (424 miles)
* Enjoy spectacular night view of Hakodate city from Mount Hakodate (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5354.html)


Day 3 Hakodate

* Seafood breakfast at Morning Market (few steps from JR Hakodate station)
* Cherry Blossom viewing at Fort Goryokaku
* Explore Hakodate night life


Day 4 Hakodate - Toya

* Check out rental car
* Proceed to Onuma Quasi National Park (20km north of Hakodate, 30 mins)
o Dedicate half day

* Proceed to Shikotsu-Toya National Park
o Stay for the night
o Watch fireworks


May 4, Day 5 Toya - Noboribetsu

* Mount Usu
* Proceed to Noboribetsu
* Stay in Takimotokan
o http://www.takimotokan.co.jp/english/room/higashi.html
o Best dinner buffet in Japan tried by Uji san so far
o Onsen


Day 5 Noboribetsu - Sapporo

* City free and easy


Day 6 Sapporo - Otaru

* Day trip to Otaru


Day 7 Sapporo - Daisetsuzan National Park

* Proceed to Daisetsuzan (Sapporo to Asahikawa, 140km 1:49hr, around another 30 mins to NP)
* Asahidake Onsen
* Trekking


Day 8 Daisetsuzan - Furano

* Proceed to Furano (Asahikawa to Furano 58km 1:20hr)
* Farm Tomita
o With Daisetsuzan as backdrop

* Biei


Day 9 Furano - Akan National Park

* Proceed to Akan (~4:30hr)
* Lake Akan
* Lake Masshu, being considered as Japan most beautiful lake


Day 10 Akan - Shiretoko National Park

* Proceed to Shiretoko (~2:45hr)

* UNESCO World Heritage site
* Kamuiwakka falls
o http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6851.html
o Hot spring waterfall
o One of Japan most ultimate hot spring experience


Day 11 Shiretoko

* Explore Shiretoko
* Shiretoko Five Lakes
* Furepe Waterfall
* Shiretoko Pass


Day 12 Shiretoko - Wakkanai

* Return car at Membetsu

* Flight from Membetsu to Wakkanai


Day 13 Wakkanai - Rebun

* Fly to Wakkanai
* Take ferry to Rebun island


Day 14 Rebun - Rishiri

* Take ferry to Rishiri island


Day 15 Rishiri - Wakkanai

* Stay for the night


Day 16 Wakkanai - Tokyo
Day 17 Tokyo
Day 18 Tokyo
Day 19 Tokyo
May 19, Day 20 Tokyo - Singapore

hi

Did some of your destinations 2006 in the beginning of may.
Daisetsuzan hiking trails was closes because of snow.
Even the lift was closed when i visited.. waisted a whole day going there.
Maby it was alot of snow 2006 i dont know but you better check if its open.

For Akan-ko, Mashu-ko. Are you going by the rental car?
casue the busses are highly limited.

As for blossoms i would recommend Matsumae on the southwest coast. I visited there 13may and it was one of the nicest cherry blossom spots i saw in whole japan.

Hi,

Thank you very much for your suggestions.

Yes we are going to Akan by car.

Didn't know of matsumae. Really appreciate that.

if you follow the road from the castle up into the mountain there is like a garden with alot of different trees beside the road.
its said in books that the town has 250 species and about 10000 cherry trees.

if your interested i got some pics here:
http://www.resedagboken.se/Default.aspx?documentId=81§io...

the next 10 are from Matsumae

Is the drive from Abashiri to Wakkanai worth it or is it better by flight?

It is a nice drive along the coast. I would rather drive than taking a plane from Memanbetsu. I am not even sure whether there are flights between Memanbetsu and Wakkanai.

Is 1 day at Daisetsuzan too short?

Day 7 and 8 are the only days where I feel that you have a too packed program. And, as mentioned by Fluppo, April is still skiing season in Asahidake Onsen. Maybe you can replace it by a stop in Sounkyo on your drive from Furano/Biei to Akan National Park.

Are there accommodation at Toya where we can see fireworks?

Yes, there are daily fireworks at Lake Toya from the Golden Week through October.

Cherry Blossom viewing at Fort Goryokaku

The average date for cherry blossoms in full bloom in Hakodate and Matsumae is around May 10. Just a warning that you might be a few days too early.

Also note that Golden Week will last through May 6. During the Golden Week, I recommend to make hotel reservations in popular places early in advance.

As for Shiretoko, please note that unfortunatelly you will probably not be able to go to Kamuiwakka Falls as explained in the access section on the following page:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6851.html

We stayed there in our December trip to Japan. We had a wonderful Japanese room in the main building facing the garden. We asked for a non-smoking room when making our reservation, however, the room we stayed had very strong cigarette odor. The buffet is good but with less varieties to choose from. Some resort hotels in Shiretoko have better buffet dinner though.

I heard in a separate thread that the buffet is not as good as it used to be.

I guess if we don't compare, the buffet in Takimotokan by itself is good. Unlimited grilled/steamed crab legs were served in Takimotokan. In Shiretoko, one whole steamed crab per dinner was the order of the house. Chinese food section had less varieties, I could not even remember what I had in this section. Sashimi was a bit off color and the grilled scallop as tiny as a 100 yen coin. The pan fried beef was tender and delicious, though the portion was small with only three tiny pieces per plate. Our assigned dinning time was from 7pm to 8.30pm. We were extremely grateful that we were allowed in half an hour earlier and given a table at a quite corner, away from the buffet table. My wife and I are not fussy eater. What we are saying here is the buffet is good but may not be the "best".