Nice to see you again.

Start your journey getting off the train at the JR Hachihone station and catching the bus to an ryokan or ryokan hotel like hotel Oriase in Towada-ko. You can read my trip report here, start at the ending of October for the Towadako and Kakunodate/Tazawako parts.

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia/capturing-the-koyo-of-autumn-in-japan-2009.cfm

We hit the jackpot here in Todawako with pictures similar to this years Japan_Guide koyo report and their pictures seen here:

http://www.japan-guide.com/blog/koyo12/121031.html

Definitely go for the boat ride on Lake Towada. Tons of hiking trails throughout this whole area.

Take the shinkansen back down to Kakunodate or Tazawako.

Near Lake Tazawa(Tazawako) I highly recommend Tsurunoyu Onsen if you haven't been already. I did another trip report here on our stay there earlier and it is a gem with lots of hiking trails from the inn and the prices in this minshuku are hard to beat. The roofs on this minshuku are gassho-zukuri style and the inn dates back into the 1600's

http://japaneseguesthouses.com/db/akita/tsurunoyuonsen.htm

Take the shinkansen down to Nasu-Shiobara

Nasu-Shiobara(also in above trip report) is another ryokan heaven in the mountains near Nikko with hiking trails all over the place. The mid section of the mountain area should be in koyo about this time of year. Easy access via shinkansen and bus or car rental. You can even hike up to the top Nasu-dake at the end of the gondola ride....we did...well maybe 500 yards or so, lol

Aloha!

HT, thank you, good to hear from you also.
Your trip report is amazing! The story about the fellow with the tatoo in the onsen is fascinating !
I will pore over your report and come back with questions.
Do you think mid October to November is a good time ?
I am glad to know there is good hiking near Tsurunoyo and Nikko. Maybe we can base ourselves in those two areas.

If I were to do it again I would not miss Towadako and environs.....breathtaking is a word that comes to mind. Tsurunoyu is also a keeper.

Yes mid Oct to November is a good time.

Aloha!

HT you spent several weeks traveling from Hokkaido and down. We do not have as much time therefore would probably have to do Hokkaido another time. I guess I am surprised you can travel in Hokkaido late in the fall. It sounds beautiful.

For Lake Towada , Lake Tazawako and Oirase areas I am hoping to use public transportation to reach hiking areas , towns and lodgings.Hope this is doable.

You mentioned a village called Yasumiya that you enjoyed. Would this be a good base for a few days to access that area ?

Rather than move around too many times hoping to get a couple of bases in this area of Tohoku. Is that reasonable ? I am not sure what to expect in terms of commuting to hiking areas.

Yes there are a network of buses in the Towada-ko and Tazawa-ko areas with the better systems being at Lake Towada.

Yasumiya is a little town on the shores of Lake Towada. Yes it would be a nice but remote area to base yourself. Hiking could start out your front door in this area. We stayed in Yakeyama at the head of the Oirase stream a few kilometers away from Yasumiya where the hiking trails also start right outside your door. The river that travels down the Oirase stream empties into Lake Towada. Yakeyama has more transport facilities but you can base yourselves in either town.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3775.html

http://www.jrbustohoku.co.jp/towada/index.html

Aloha!

Thank you for the links- all very reassuring that using public transportation will work for our needs.
Will look into Yakeyama as well .

Do you have some thoughts about Nikko that is where to stay ? Looking for modest ryokan.

Thanks.

not a ryokan but know people who have stayed here and liked it.

http://www.turtle-nikko.com/turtle/index_en.html

Aloha!

http://www.turtle-nikko.com/hotori-an/index_en.html

I stayed two nights in the Turtle Inn Annex....inexpensive and a good location imo...

Will explore Turtle suggestion.Thank you.

I am digressing a bit here . Because this trip will need to be put together at the last minute that is we don't know for sure if we can take the time in the fall want to do something that can work spontaneously. The onsens in Nyuto seem to book up many months ahead. Can a trip to Hokkaido be done without much planning ahead ? Could we fly in early October and expect that lodgings near Shiretoko for example will be available ?

Shiretoko reservations could be made at the last minute I am thinking without too much difficulty.

The Nyuto Onsen, especially Tsurunoyu and some of the more favored Oirase area hotels should all be done well in advance ie 9-12 months in advance imho.

Aloha!

Thanks HT. I was afraid that was the case in Nyuto. Needs planning way ahead of time.

I have re-read your report on Hokkaido and it certainly sounds enticing-to be able to drive in Japan stress-free !

Poster JC98 mentions flying into Memanbetsu would cut down on drive time from Chitose Airport. Would a RT from Sapporo to Shiretoko in some circular route (haven't plotted it out yet) be doable or is it retracing same route going up ?

Eager to see JC68 finish his report !

Thanks.


Eager for JC68 to finish his report !