hokkaido in July/5days
Mar 28th, 2007, 10:06 AM
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hokkaido in July/5days
I'm trying to put together a nifty 5 days in Hokkaido...I'd considered concentrating around the Tohoku region but the response I received both via Japan nationals and this forum seems tepid...would a short visit to Hokkaido be more accessible? Would love to visit a beautiful onsen with a ryokkan nearby, some hiking, maybe bike riding, quaint, pretty, offbeat...sorry if I'm not anymore specific. Have been to Kyoto/Tokyo on previous visits and am looking for something different this time. Many of my husband's Japanese colleagues are recommending we visit Hokkaido...any itinerary suggestions? Thank you in advance!
Mar 28th, 2007, 11:35 PM
#3
Tohoku is pretty accessible via the shinkansen but so is Hokkaido. Fly to Sapporo and return from another city, or v.v. Search this forum for my thread "Japan domestic airline passes" where you will find links to a couple of airline webpages describing the passes and route maps so that you can determine what airports to use (e.g. into Sapporo and out of Kushiro, or into Hakodate and out of Sapporo). There is a JR Pass for Hokkaido. Might be a 5 day pass, actually.
When I went to Hokkaido I didn't stop in Sapporo but went on to Otaru. Good sushi to be had there, for sure. The chamber of commerce there has done a good job of boosting its attractions which aren't many, but it could be an interesting stop. There are some ryokans in a valley to the southeast of the city that I read about but didn't visit (this might be Jozankei, but it didn't seem as far from Otaru as shown on the pdf).
I highly recommend visiting Noboribetsu Onsen. It is one of the best onsen towns in Japan. You reach it by taking JR to Noboribetsu station, walking the 5 strides across the station, and then hop a bus that goes up the hill to Nobo Onsen town. (village, it is tiny, and after their bath you will see Japanese couples in their yukata and geta strolling down the street checking out the souvenirs) There is also a bus to/from Sapporo airport and probably a bus from Sapporo.
There are some nice ryokan in Noboribetsu Onsen and a couple of large tourist hotels. One of the big hotels is Daiichi Takimotokan and you could stay there but you must bathe there. On the men's side there were at least 7 pools inside and one or two rotenburo and a scorching hot Japanese sauna. It is a bit of a big Japanese tourist hotel experience, but a good one considering that you would be retiring to your cozy ryokan across the street (after your stroll thru town (about 2 blocks maybe 3) of course.
At the Daiichi place the wall on one side of the baths was all glass and the view was up the mountainside, partly barren with steam vents spewing, some trees around. A fairly unique scene. I am thinking now of your interest in a "beautiful onsen" and think that you mean you want a nice bath outside with a great view of the lake/mountains, and I have to say that is not the predominant theme of an onsen experience (I could argue with that statement, but really in general it is more about the baths, the water, and it is a social thing. I know that if you like Japanese baths then you would love the D.T. but am not sure it is exactly what you are looking for.
Go to this web page:
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/index.html
and you will find three pdfs with practical travel info for Hokkaido.
Just north of Noboribetsu, on the train line, is the town of Shiraoi. There is an Ainu village museum there and it is fairly interesting. Not anything to go out of the way for, but you could do that as a day trip from Noboribetsu Onsen. That is what I did, two nights at Nobo Onsen, going to the Ainu village during the day. There are some touristy things in Nobo Onsen, too.
From Noboribetsu Onsen I took a bus to Toya. Took a few hours but lots of Hokkaido scenery along the way. The bus stopped for a while outside of Toya at a fairly famous site - a hill sprouted out of a farmers field and grew and kept growing. A few steam vents. Souvenir stands nearby. Offbeat, for sure, and definitely worth getting off the bus. I think there is a ropeway somewhere nearby.
Toyako (Lake Toya) looked beautiful and there are lots of places to stay there. I think it is worth a couple of nights there, but I decided not to stop.
I went on to Hakodate. The train ride from Toya station to Hakodate was interesting and the city has some interesting sights, but it is not worth going there if you are then going to return to Sapporo.
When I went to Hokkaido I didn't stop in Sapporo but went on to Otaru. Good sushi to be had there, for sure. The chamber of commerce there has done a good job of boosting its attractions which aren't many, but it could be an interesting stop. There are some ryokans in a valley to the southeast of the city that I read about but didn't visit (this might be Jozankei, but it didn't seem as far from Otaru as shown on the pdf).
I highly recommend visiting Noboribetsu Onsen. It is one of the best onsen towns in Japan. You reach it by taking JR to Noboribetsu station, walking the 5 strides across the station, and then hop a bus that goes up the hill to Nobo Onsen town. (village, it is tiny, and after their bath you will see Japanese couples in their yukata and geta strolling down the street checking out the souvenirs) There is also a bus to/from Sapporo airport and probably a bus from Sapporo.
There are some nice ryokan in Noboribetsu Onsen and a couple of large tourist hotels. One of the big hotels is Daiichi Takimotokan and you could stay there but you must bathe there. On the men's side there were at least 7 pools inside and one or two rotenburo and a scorching hot Japanese sauna. It is a bit of a big Japanese tourist hotel experience, but a good one considering that you would be retiring to your cozy ryokan across the street (after your stroll thru town (about 2 blocks maybe 3) of course.
At the Daiichi place the wall on one side of the baths was all glass and the view was up the mountainside, partly barren with steam vents spewing, some trees around. A fairly unique scene. I am thinking now of your interest in a "beautiful onsen" and think that you mean you want a nice bath outside with a great view of the lake/mountains, and I have to say that is not the predominant theme of an onsen experience (I could argue with that statement, but really in general it is more about the baths, the water, and it is a social thing. I know that if you like Japanese baths then you would love the D.T. but am not sure it is exactly what you are looking for.
Go to this web page:
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/index.html
and you will find three pdfs with practical travel info for Hokkaido.
Just north of Noboribetsu, on the train line, is the town of Shiraoi. There is an Ainu village museum there and it is fairly interesting. Not anything to go out of the way for, but you could do that as a day trip from Noboribetsu Onsen. That is what I did, two nights at Nobo Onsen, going to the Ainu village during the day. There are some touristy things in Nobo Onsen, too.
From Noboribetsu Onsen I took a bus to Toya. Took a few hours but lots of Hokkaido scenery along the way. The bus stopped for a while outside of Toya at a fairly famous site - a hill sprouted out of a farmers field and grew and kept growing. A few steam vents. Souvenir stands nearby. Offbeat, for sure, and definitely worth getting off the bus. I think there is a ropeway somewhere nearby.
Toyako (Lake Toya) looked beautiful and there are lots of places to stay there. I think it is worth a couple of nights there, but I decided not to stop.
I went on to Hakodate. The train ride from Toya station to Hakodate was interesting and the city has some interesting sights, but it is not worth going there if you are then going to return to Sapporo.
Mar 28th, 2007, 11:42 PM
#4
Noboribetsu and Shiraoi stations are very small. Trains from Sapporo stop at a platform on the station side of the tracks. The northbound trains headed to Sapporo stop at a platform across the tracks from the station. To get those trains you walk upstairs, about 20 or so, across a bridge, and then down stairs. Probably the same at Toya station. I mention this because it might be a challenge for some people with luggage, but sounds like you can handle it.
Apr 7th, 2007, 05:26 PM
#5
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Hi there
Yes - come to Hokkaido!
It slightly depends what season you are coming...if it is in the next 2 months...I'd stick with south Hokkiado:
Hakodate (side day trop by rental car to Esashi trading and fishing village and the old ship, and also to Matsumae castle ruins and the lovely temple areas). Two nights?
Lake Toya - 4 years ago volcano area...1 night
Noboribetsu - hot springs as the other poster nicely decscibbes....2 nights
Shiraoi is an Ainu center...buses from Noboribetsu go there - further alone the coast - 2 hours by rental car is the excellent Ainu Museum at Nibutani.
If you'd like to stay at a lake with a hot spring and traditional hotel - go to Marukoma at Lake Shikotsu - a few famous people have stayed there (King of Norway etc)...and the hot pools of water in the lake and the wooden deck overlooking the lake are great - also good food.
Hokkaido is a good and easy place to drive - check TooCoo2 for car rental - you could arrive by plane of train into Hakodate and then drive by renta car north via the above mentioned places...give the car back in Chitose.
Otaru too is a good place to stay - lots of old buildings, fish markets, boat tours, hikes, hot springs...
Amanda
Yes - come to Hokkaido!
It slightly depends what season you are coming...if it is in the next 2 months...I'd stick with south Hokkiado:
Hakodate (side day trop by rental car to Esashi trading and fishing village and the old ship, and also to Matsumae castle ruins and the lovely temple areas). Two nights?
Lake Toya - 4 years ago volcano area...1 night
Noboribetsu - hot springs as the other poster nicely decscibbes....2 nights
Shiraoi is an Ainu center...buses from Noboribetsu go there - further alone the coast - 2 hours by rental car is the excellent Ainu Museum at Nibutani.
If you'd like to stay at a lake with a hot spring and traditional hotel - go to Marukoma at Lake Shikotsu - a few famous people have stayed there (King of Norway etc)...and the hot pools of water in the lake and the wooden deck overlooking the lake are great - also good food.
Hokkaido is a good and easy place to drive - check TooCoo2 for car rental - you could arrive by plane of train into Hakodate and then drive by renta car north via the above mentioned places...give the car back in Chitose.
Otaru too is a good place to stay - lots of old buildings, fish markets, boat tours, hikes, hot springs...
Amanda
