Hokkaido rough itinerary..please help
 

Hi all,
just wanted some advice on my rough itinerary please

Feb6 Sun
Travel from Kyoto into Hokkaido. Arrive in Hakodate about 5.30pm. Go to accommodation. Check out Mt Hakodates view.

Feb7 Mon
Spend morning in Hakodate. Travel to Sapporo and check in at Marks Inn Sapporo. Check out area, snow festival.

Feb8 Tue
Sight seeing : Moerenuma Park, clock tower, odori park, beer museum, nijo fish market. check out susukino.

Feb9 Wed
my birthday :). Travel to Asahiyama Zoo. Diner there maybe or back at Sapporo.

Feb10 Thur
Day trip to Otaru. May stay til night to look at otaru yukiakari no michi - snow gleaming. Back to Sapporo.

Feb11 Fri
Day in Sapporo. Travel to Alpha Resort Tomamu (ice bar, air balloon). Back to Sapporo.

Feb12 Sat
Check out of acommodation at 10am and train out of Hokkaido.



Very rough. Thinking about buying Sapporo-Otaru Welcome pass and flexiable four day JR pass.

what else is there to do in Sapporo? Otaru? Hakodate? Is Alpha Resort Tomamu any good? not sking there just for experience.

Anything that we should or MUST do while we are in Hokkaido that we have missed.

any suggestions would be great :)

thanks in advance for any replies.

You arrival in Hakodate might be after or right about sunset at that time of year and it will be cold but I am sure you will be prepared.

Don't miss the morning fish market very close to the JR station for some fresh sashimi or crab for breakfast. The cuttle crab is delicious!

I remember you asking questions earlier about winter travel. I see you have narrowed your schedule down quite a bit and it really looks well thought out now.

The Snow Festival should be fabulous, I envy you. Don't forget to make time for the Belvedere ice bar in Sapporo at the festival, I would start my day there personally ;)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/glazaro/3099058604/

Aloha!

If you are interested in visitng an onsen then you should consider a stop at Noboribetsu.

A zoo in Sapporo in February would not be on my itinerary.

Noboribetu onsen and etc. : http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/r...oboribetu.html

Asahiyama Zoo was great! I think even in winter, it's still a charming little zoo -- much better than a lot of Japanese zoos, anyway. However, the food there was basically ramen, IIRC. It's about an hour and a half from Asahikawa to Sapporo, so if you can wait, I'd eat back in Sapporo.

The onsen at Fairy Fontaine is nice, and you can combine it with a trip to the extensive swimming pools, as well. Noboribetsu is much more famous, though.

Otaru is gorgeous, and I think it would be worthwhile to see the "night view" of the canals -- but be sure you check the return train schedule! My cousin arrived in Otaru by ferry from Maizuru, and there wasn't a train available that evening (I think it was about 9 p.m.).