I'd LOVE your Google Map, I always create a dedicated My Map for every trip and sometimes when someone has one that meshes I'll import theirs as a layer into mine!
Thank you!!!

Don't apologise for it being a lot, that's what I LOVE. It's GOLD! Thank you so very much, I really appreciate this and would love to have any other lists of places you researched but didn't get to as well, if they're in a format to be shared.

Thanks again!

Oh it's absolutely gorgeous, as are the ema hanging above it.
I have a collection of ema that I did bring out for Christmas, I got a modern tree that was just a spiral of silver metal in a cone shape and hung the ema from but not sure if that tree made it through the move (we moved to Wales 5 years ago). The ema will still be in a box somewhere!!!

Done! I just emailed them to you. Let me know if you have any questions. And thanks! We have a whole other group of ema in the living room as well. We had to stop buying them as we were runnign out of room. They are such great souvenirs!

I can't find the email, I checked spam. Best email is kaveyf at gmail dot com please! <3
Thank you so much!

Just sent to that email (I used the contact email from your blog).

They both come into the same inbox but no worries, the resend worked, thank you so much!

You're welcome!

​​​​​Hi All
Am now looking to review the itinerary and in particular see if I have the overnights / number of nights in each place about right.

TOTAL

• 2-3 nights – Tokyo
• 1 night - Local flight to Asahikawa and collect rental car
• 2 nights - Shiretoko National Park and Lake / Utoro / Aidomari Bridge
• 2 nights - Akan-Mashu National Park / Lake Mashu -- Lake Akan village (Ainu Theatre)
  • Tsurui (Tsurui-Itō Tanchō crane Sanctuary ) + Kushiro (Kushiro Marsh Wildlife Conservation Center ) for the cranes
• 2 nights - Sounkyo Onsen in Daisetsuzan National Park
• 2 nights - Asahidake Onsen
  • Biei (or Furano) for flower fields if still in bloom in September
  • Asahikawa for train to Sapporo
• 3-4 nights - Sapporo
  • Otaru (day trip from Sapporo?)
• 1 night - Noboribetsu hot springs
• 1 night - Lake Tōya (Toyako)
• 2 nights – Hakodate
  • Ferry to Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry Oma Terminal, Shimokita Peninsul
  • Shimokita Peninsula / Mount Osore
• 1 night – Aomori (or on peninsula)
  • Towada Art Center (en route)
• 2 night - Lake Towada / Oirase Valley
  • Sanriko coast (east coast) down and in to Morioka (inland) -- (en route)
• 1 night - Nyuto Hot Spring + Lake Tazawa
• 2 nights - Kakunodate
  • ??? Akita on west coast (day trip from Lake Tazawa)
  • ??? Yokote for ice igloos (day trip from Kakunodate)
  • ??? Tono for folk stories / museum (day trip from Kakunodate)
  • Hiraizumi + Geibikei Gorge + Takkoku-no-iwaya bishamondō (day trip from Kakunodate or en route to Matsushima)
  • Sanriku Fukkō National Park (day trip from Kakunodate or en route to Matsushima)
• 3 nights - Sendai
  • Matsushima (or day trip from Sendai)
  • Yamadera (en route)
  • Okama Crater + Zao Onsen + Zao + Yajiro (for Kokeshi dolls)
• 2 nights - Ginzan Onsen / Dewa Sanzan
  • Sakata (from Dewa Sanzan)
  • Nakuro onsen (for Kokeshi dolls)
• 1 nights - Aizuwakamatsu + Kitakata + Enzoji Temple + Ouchijuku
  • Tsuchiyu (for Kokeshi dolls)
• 1 night - Ōmaru Onsen (from HT's trip) + Oze National Park
• 2 nights - Nagano
• 2 nights - Matsumoto
• 2 nights - Tokyo

Ideally I need to cut about 5-6 nights from this, so your thoughts on either what to miss or where to cut back nights would be invaluable. I need to hit a total of 33-38 nights.

I'm hoping to finalise the total number of nights pretty soon so I can work out travel dates (ready to apply for airmile flights as soon as the dates become available) but can tweak the itinerary a bit after that, within the overall time frame.

Please can you let me know your thoughts and feedback.

Thanks so much!

If you can get award flights to Tokyo then you can probably get a connecting flight to Sapporo or Asahikawa. Or connect outside of Japan and arrive Sapporo on an international flight.

Suggesting cuts is a tricky thing.I don't like doing it but something has to give.

I gather that you are traveling by rental car except for Asahikawa for train to Sapporo. I can't help with itin before Sapporo. You can skip Otaru. My first trip to Hokkaido I skipped Sapporo and went directly from CTS to Otaru, then train to Nobo, bus to Toya to see the caldera and train to Hakodate the same day. Hakodate was just ok but YMMV.. At Toyako I realized that it would have been worth a stop. Second trip up there I stayed in Sapporo and day trip to Otaru (because I was not a sushi fan the first time I was there), then Noboribetsu Onsen this time to stay at Daiichi Takimotokan, bus from N.O. to CTS and flew to Fukuoka.

Note that there are flights between Sapporo and Akita. Knowing that, I can suggest going from Nobo or Toya to Chitose Airport and fly to Akita.

It seems obvious to me that you can cut Nagano and Matsumoto.You have have a great, long, list of interests in Akita Prefecture (from south end of Towada-ko through to Kakunodate/ is all Akita-ken). Kind of amusing to me that you have multiple interests listed for several stops and none for Nagano and Matsumoto, but I get why they are on the (wish) list. You can visit the castle in Aizu and see fall colors in Tokyo or in that huge Showa Kinen park west of Tokyo.]

The Sanriku/Morioka seems to be a reach given that you could find a more direct route between the two lakes. [

Nyuto Onsenkyo has an onsen bus that does a loop of the onsen ryokan properties, so that could be a full day with two nights. I mention this even though I know you will have a car.

Matsushima can be a morning or afternoon visit, not a full day (am assuming you are going mostly/only for the boat ride). Not much reason to spend any time in Sendai-shi. Besides Matsushima, aren't the other two stops you mentioned on the way to Ginzan?

Are there driving restrictions in Ginzan Onsen? I have been looking to stay there and I think I read something about that. Like park outside of town and bus in. If you see a place in G.O. that accepts solo travelers (other than Showakan) please let me know. Am trying to book for last week of October and Showakan is not showing availability (yet) and will only ever accept res for one night and I prefer two nights.

Departing Japan from Sendai might be an option (e.g. via Seoul).

Forgot to mention that Aomori is useful as a stop so that you can take you time and spend much of the next day making stops on the way to the lake area. Hirosaki might be more interesting than Aomori, though a different driving route to the lake.

Lake Towada (Towadako) - Towada Travel (japan-guide.com)

Noticed Tamagawa Onsen on the map and remembered that i planned to stay there and then thought that an onsen for cancer patients might not be fun.

Also saw that there was an onsen ryokan in the area that was rustic and so remote that they don't have electricity.

Yep that's the plan, to book with ongoing internal flight to one of those two airports on arrival into Tokyo.

OK I'll review this segment and rework and look at the flight options more closely.

Ha, no it's purely that I haven't yet done much reading on Nagano and Matsumoto yet as I have for the rest, but added it in as empty bullet points because it's relevant when trying to set the overall timings. There will be detail added to both of those destinations about what I'd like to see, just haven't got there yet!

Yep, might drop that, looked at drive times and it's doable but may not be worthwhile regardless!

Yep, still great to know, as we aren't wedded to using the car every day.

Yep they are on way to Ginzan, so I've dropped them between Sendai and Ginzan to remind me they are en route stops. May not stop at all of these.

Hadn't seen that but will investigate, thanks for the heads up!

Thanks, may make it harder to book with airmiles but will investigate!

Thank you SO MUCH, as ALWAYS, for your incisive input, it's super useful and I really appreciate it!

>> haven't yet done much reading on Nagano and Matsumoto yet
I figured that was the case. If you read about them then you will want to keep them on the itinerary, but you were looking for stops to cut. Those two cities are more/less outliers geographically to your other stops.

>> Yep they are on way to Ginzan
Then you could cut a night or two from Sendai (I don't like saying that the city can be cut). I see that Kakunodate to Sendai is 3 hr 8 min drive or only 1 hr 54 min on the shinkansen.

hm, so many options with a car. Kakunodate to Ginzan is 2.5 to 3 hr drive

>> Kakunodate to Sendai is 3 hr 8 min drive or only 1 hr 54 min on the shinkansen.
It occurred to me that there would only be a time saving if you could drop off the car in Kakunodate. Might have to drop off the car in Akita or Morioka in which case it would probably be best to keep it.

OK, reworked and corrected some of the sub-bullets which had slipped into incorrect places.
I think this is getting close!
(Number = day of trip, italic = not sure)
---

1. London
   
2. Tokyo
   
3. Tokyo
   
4. Asahikawa (1)
   • Drive to Shiretoko National Park overnight
     
5. Shiretoko NP (2)
   • In Shiretoko National Park
     
6. Shiretoko NP
   • In Shiretoko National Park
     
   • See Lake Mashu on the way to Akan
     
   • Drive to Akan-Mashu NP overnight
     
7. Akan-Mashu NP (2)
   • Tsurui (Tsurui-Itō Tanchō crane Sanctuary ) + Kushiro (Kushiro Marsh Wildlife Conservation Center ) for the cranes
     
8. Akan-Mashu NP
   • In Akan-Mashu NP
     
   • Drive to Sounkyo overnight
     
9. Sounkyo Onsen (2)
   • In Daisetsuzan NP (with ropeway access to Kurodake mountain and then chair lift higher)
     
10. Sounkyo Onsen
    • Biei (or Furano) for flower fields if still in bloom in September or in Daisetsuzan NP
      
    • Drive to Sapporo overnight
      
11. Sapporo (3)
    • Sightseeing Sapporo
      
12. Sapporo
    • Otaru day trip
      
13. Sapporo
    • Drive to Lake Toya - Usuzan Ropeway for panoramic views of Lake Toya (or next day)
      
14. Lake Tōya (1)
    • Noboribetsu onsen view of volcanic crater (or day before)
      
    • Drive to Hakodate overnight
      
15. Hakodate (1)
    • Ferry to Mainland
      
    • Shimokita Peninsula / Mount Osore (en route)
      
    • Towada Art Center (en route)
      
    • Drive to Aomori or Lake Towada overnight
      
16. Aomori / Lake Towada (1)
    • Lake Towada / Oirase Valley Lunch and boat trip in Yasumiya
      
17. Lake Towada (1)
    • Optional drive East to see Sanriko coast (east coast)
      
    • Visit Morioka for 3 types of noodles incl wanko soba
      
    • Hōonji Temple
      
    • Drive to Nyuto Onsen overnight
      
18. Nyuto Onsen (1)
    • At Onsen
      
    • Drive to Kakunodate
      
19. Kakunodate (3)
    • Yokote for ice igloos (day trip from Kakunodate)
      
    • Tono for folk stories / museum (day trip from Kakunodate)
      
20. Kakunodate
    • Hiraizumi + Geibikei Gorge + Takkoku-no-iwaya bishamondō (day trip from Kakunodate)
      
    • Sanriku Fukkō National Park
      
21. Kakunodate
    • Sakata Dewa Sanzan - 3 mountain temples, Yudono-san and Hauro-san are very accessible from road
      
    • Naruko for Kokeshi Doll Museum
      
    • Drive to Ginza Onsen
      
22. Ginzan Onsen (2)
    • At Onsen
      
23. Ginzan Onsen
    • Yamdadera temple (v steep)
      
    • Drive to Sendai / Matsushima
      
24. Sendai / Matsushima (2)
    • Explore Sendai / Matsushima
      
25. Sendai / Matsushima
    • Okama Crater
      
    • Zao + Yajiro (Kokeshi dolls)
      
    • Tsuchiyu (for Kokeshi dolls)
      
    • Kitakata (for food)
      
    • Drive to Aizuwakamatsu
      
26. Aizuwakamatsu (1)
    • Tsuruga Castle
      
    • Enzoji Temple
      
    • Ouchijuku
      
    • Drive to Yamanouchi
      
27. Yamanouchi (2)
    • See snow monkeys
      
28. Yamanouchi
    • Drive to Nagano or Obuse
      
29. Nagano / Obuse (1)
    • Daio Wasabi Farm (or on last day in Matsumoto)
      
    • Drive to Matsumoto
      
30. Matsumoto (3)
    • In Matsumoto (more research to do)
      
31. Matsumoto
    • Daio Wasabi Farm (or on day we drive into Matsumoto)
      
32. Matsumoto
    • Return car and train to Tokyo (or drive to Tokyo)
      
33. Tokyo
    
34. Tokyo
    
35. Tokyo
    • Flight home
      
36. London

One change to the above: I've been chatting to a friend who's a food writer with specialism in Japan and an going to take one of the 3 nights in Sapporo to add an overnight in Kushiro.

>> (or day before)
Yes, Nobo before Toyako. Overnight in N.O. ,m
,
Drive from Nobo to Hakodate with a stop to view the caldera should be easy enough with a car. I took a bus to Toya, the ropeway, and then train to Hakodate same day,. The bus went inland which I did not think was particularly scenic, so if drive along coast is quicker then I would go that way (could be scenic, but only thing I know is that Muroran is a cruise ship port so maybe something to see (maybe the cruisers go to Nobo or Toya. The Ainu village north from Noboribetsu Station is mildly interesting)

>> Drive to Nyuto Onsen overnight
Not sure what you mean by overnight. I would take it to mean thst you would leave late at night to arrive early morning. But maybe you mean you would leave that evening/night to arrive that night. If the latter meaning then of course arrival would need to be at a time that is acceptable to your lodging.

Sorry that's my shorthand, it means drive to Nyuto Onsen FOR the overnight.
We'd intend to get there for around 3-4 pm so we have time to settle in, use baths, have dinner, perhaps use baths again before bed...

Updated to show the Kushiro addition and removal of 1 night in Sapporo.
-----------------

1. London
2. Tokyo
3. Tokyo
   • Flight to Asahikawa for overnight
4. Asahikawa (1)
   • Drive to Shiretoko National Park overnight
5. Shiretoko NP (2)
   • In Shiretoko National Park
6. Shiretoko NP
   • In Shiretoko National Park
   • See Lake Mashu on the way to Akan
   • Drive to Akan-Mashu NP for overnight
7. Akan-Mashu NP (2)
   • In Akan-Mashu NP
8. Akan-Mashu NP
   • Tsurui (Tsurui-Itō Tanchō crane Sanctuary ) + Kushiro (Kushiro Marsh Wildlife Conservation Center ) for the cranes
9. Kushiro (1)
   • Drive to Sounkyo for overnight
10. Sounkyo Onsen (2)
    • In Daisetsuzan NP (with ropeway access to Kurodake mountain and then chair lift higher)
11. Sounkyo Onsen
    • Biei (or Furano) for flower fields if still in bloom in September or in Daisetsuzan NP
    • Drive to Sapporo for overnight
12. Sapporo (2)
    • Otaru day trip
13. Sapporo
    • Sightseeing Sapporo
    • Drive to Lake Toya - Usuzan Ropeway for panoramic views of Lake Toya (or next day) - fpr overnight
14. Lake Tōya (1)
    • Noboribetsu onsen view of volcanic crater (or day before)
    • Drive to Hakodate for overnight
15. Hakodate (1)
    • Ferry to Mainland
    • Shimokita Peninsula / Mount Osore (en route)
    • Towada Art Center (en route)
    • Drive to Aomori or Lake Towada for overnight
16. Aomori / Lake Towada (1)
    • Lake Towada / Oirase Valley Lunch and boat trip in Yasumiya
17. Lake Towada (1)
    • Optional drive East to see Sanriko coast (east coast)
    • Visit Morioka for 3 types of noodles incl wanko soba
    • Hōonji Temple
    • Drive to Nyuto Onsen for overnight
18. Nyuto Onsen (1)
    • At Onsen
    • Drive to Kakunodate for overnight
19. Kakunodate (3)
    • Yokote for ice igloos (day trip from Kakunodate)
    • Tono for folk stories / museum (day trip from Kakunodate)
20. Kakunodate
    • Hiraizumi + Geibikei Gorge + Takkoku-no-iwaya bishamondō (day trip from Kakunodate)
    • Sanriku Fukkō National Park
21. Kakunodate
    • Sakata Dewa Sanzan - 3 mountain temples, Yudono-san and Hauro-san are very accessible from road
    • Naruko for Kokeshi Doll Museum
    • Drive to Ginza Onsen for overnight
22. Ginzan Onsen (2)
    • At Onsen
23. Ginzan Onsen
    • Yamdadera temple (v steep)
    • Drive to Sendai / Matsushima for overnight
24. Sendai / Matsushima (2)
    • Explore Sendai / Matsushima
25. Sendai / Matsushima
    • Okama Crater
    • Zao + Yajiro (Kokeshi dolls)
    • Tsuchiyu (for Kokeshi dolls)
    • Kitakata (for food)
    • Drive to Aizuwakamatsu for overnight
26. Aizuwakamatsu (1)
    • Tsuruga Castle
    • Enzoji Temple
    • Ouchijuku
    • Drive to Yamanouchi for overnight
27. Yamanouchi (2)
    • See snow monkeys
28. Yamanouchi
    • Drive to Nagano or Obuse for overnight
29. Nagano / Obuse (1)
    • Daio Wasabi Farm (or on last day in Matsumoto)
    • Drive to Matsumoto for overnight
30. Matsumoto (3)
    • In Matsumoto (more research to do)
31. Matsumoto
    • Daio Wasabi Farm (or on day we drive into Matsumoto)
32. Matsumoto
    • Return car and train to Tokyo (or drive to Tokyo)
33. Tokyo
34. Tokyo
35. Tokyo
    • Flight home
36. London

Toya before Noboribetsu Onsen is about 30 minutes more driving plus 45 minutes backtrack, but nbd I guess.

Shiraoi is the location of the Ainu village I mentioned. It would be worth a stop on the way to N.O., if you went that way. The big museum building wasn't there when I visited, just the village: Upopoy National Ainu Museum - Hokkaido Travel (japan-guide.com)

Noboribetsu Onsen is a traditional onsen town with people strolling about in yukata and geta. I recommend staying at Daiichi Takimotokan. The baths are right up against Jigokudani. It is a large tourist hotel. Might be the largest bath area that I have ever seen and worth a visit even if not staying there. Actually, my memory of the strollers in the town is from years ago. In 2022 I went directly to Daiichi Takimotokan and stayed there until gettng the airport bus the next day.