Hokkaido 4 Days Itinerary-C

９：００

New Chitose Airport is the gateway to Hokkaido. First of all, please complete the reception procedure at the rental car counter at the airport. It takes about 15 minutes by free shuttle bus to the rental car company branch.

The mileage of this day is about 130km, so you can travel at a relaxing pace. If you can leave by about 13:00, you can go to Noboribetsu while sightseeing at some spots. However, if the drive departs in the afternoon, please consider skipping some spots.

９：４０
The first destination of this trip is [Lake Shikotsu]. It’s 30km west of the airport and you can enjoy a drive through the beautiful woods.

In addition to enjoying a walk or boating at Lake Shikotsu, we recommend delicious cream puffs.

１２：００
You will arrive at the “National AINU museum and park UPOPOY”.
At UPOPOY, which opened in 2020, you can learn about the unique culture of the Ainu, the indigenous people of Hokkaido. There are also performances of unique musical instruments and dances, so don’t miss it.

１４：００

The biggest highlight of the day is Noboribetsu Jigokudani, which is also the place to stay. A desolate spectacle where sulfur vapor blows out spreads out. The walking path is 600m and you can walk in about 10 minutes.
It’s a 5-10 minute walk from the Noboribetsu Onsen Inn to the entrance of Jigokudani, so it might be a good idea to check in and take a break before heading there.

If you have time until sunset, you can enjoy other interesting strolling spots.

If you walk about 20 minutes from Jigokudani, you will arrive at [Oyu-numa], where steam is coming out of the swamp. Blue is very beautiful.
If you walk for another 15 minutes from there, you will arrive at [Oyunuma River Natural Footbath]. As the name suggests, this is a rare place where the stream flowing from Oyunuma has become a natural footbath. If you go there, please bring a towel.

“Noboribetsu” where you stay on this day is a famous hot spring that represents Hokkaido. Please relax and heal the tiredness of the first day.

The mileage is a long distance of about 230km. About 150km of this is an expressway. There are many attractions in Hakodate, so we recommend that you leave from 8:00 to 9:00, especially if you stay in Hakodate only for one night.

９：００
If you didn’t walk in Jigokudani yesterday, why not get up a little early and enjoy a walk in the morning?
It is about a 5-10 minutes walk from most of the inns in Noboribetsu Onsen to the entrance of Jigokudani. The walking path itself is 600m, and you can walk in about 10 minutes.

Also, it is a 5-minute drive to [Oyunuma] near Jigokudani, so it is recommended to stop by when you leave Noboribetsu.

Oyunuma　Parking Lot MAPCODE: 603 288 875

１０：５０
The first destination of this trip is [Cape Chikyu].
It is an observatory where you can feel that the earth is a sphere from the horizon that draws a slight arc.
It’s a very pleasant observatory, but if you want to spend a lot of time in Hakodate, please consider skipping it.

After this, you will take the Hokkaido Expressway(E5) for a long-distance drive along the Eruption Bay.

１３：００
[Yakumo Parking area(To Hakodate)] is highly recommended for a break.

It is a very pleasant parking area overlooking the Eruption Bay and the grasslands that spread from the hill.
From here, you can walk to restaurant “Harvester Yakumo”, where you can enjoy delicious fried chicken and pizza at a historic restaurant that was opened as an experimental farm for KFC(Kentucky Fried Chicken).

After lunch, you will head to Hakodate again on the expressway. It takes 2 hours to get to Hakodate, so please take a break on the way.

１５：２０
If you arrive in Hakodate while it is bright, we recommend the Red Brick Warehouse.

If you have time, we recommend taking a walk in Motomachi, Hakodate, where old Western-style buildings are lined up on the cobblestone slopes.

The night view seen from Mt. Hakodate is one of the three major night views in Japan and it is wonderful

If you visit Mt. Hakodate between 17: 00-22: 00, please use the ropeway as parking for general vehicles is restricted.
You can drive to the top of the mountain after 22:00, so it’s a good idea to check in at the hotel and have dinner first. However, please drive carefully as you will be driving on a narrow mountain road in the dark.

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The mileage is a little long, about 170km including 125km of expressway driving.

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You will get up early on this day and visit [Hakodate Morning Market]. Breakfast will consist of fresh seafood such as famous squid, sea urchins, and crab is the best.
It is also okay to visit on foot from your inn if possible.

１０：１０

[Hakodate Red Brick Warehouse] is also nearby, so if you haven’t been there yet, please stop by.

１１：５０

After that, you will head to [Onuma National Park]. The small islands floating in the swamp are connected by 18 bridges, and you can enjoy a very pleasant walk. You can also enjoy a 30-minute tour boat, rental boat, and cycling. There are several recommended restaurants around Onuma Park, so please enjoy lunch before taking a walk.

１５：３０

After Onuma Park, it is a 2-hour drive on the expressway. The final destination of the day is “Mt. Usu Ropeway”. From the ropeway, you can enjoy a magnificent view of Showa Shinzan, which was created in 1944, Lake Toya, and the Pacific Ocean.
There is also Showa Shinzan Bear Ranch in the same place, so if you have children, please visit it as well.

１７：００

On the south side of Lake Toya, there is the Toyako Onsen Hot Spring town, where a number of hot spring inns are gathered.
There are many inns where you can see Lake Toya from the open-air bath, so it is recommended to stay at one of them.

９：００

The mileage is about 150km from Lake Toya to Sapporo via Otaru and about 170km to the airport.
If you plan to fly from New Chitose Airport on this day, please see the end of the article.

９：１０

If you haven’t visited, please visit [Usuzan Ropeway & Showa Shinzan Bear Ranch].

１１：５０

After that, you will drive north while looking at the magnificent Mt. Yotei and head for [Fukidashi Spring Water Park]. In the park, where 80,000 tons of underground water from Mt. Yotei springs up a day, you can get mellow and sweet natural water containing abundant minerals.

１４：００

After that, you will head north for 60km to Otaru, the highlight of today. Since the distance is long, please take a break at the roadside station on the way.
There is [Kenashiyama Observatory] just before Otaru. You can overlook the streets of Otaru and Ishikari Bay, so please stop by.

１５：００

[Otaru] is famous as a canal town, but the main walk is Sakaimachihondori. Attractions such as the music box hall, sweets like LeTAO and Kitakaro, and Kitaichi Glass are lined up along the street. Also, sushi is definitely recommended. Both are within walking distance, so park your car and take a walk. It is safe to plan for at least 3 hours including meals.
Most shops in Otaru close at 17:00. Please make sure to arrive at Otaru by 15:00 at the latest.

１８：３０
This concludes your Hokkaido road trip.

①Returning a car in Sapporo
When you return to Sapporo, refuel and then return the car to the car rental branch. Use the MAPCODE on the driving map for the nearest rental car stores and gas stations near Sapporo Station.
Sapporo offers a wide variety of culinary delights! For dinner, try Sapporo Miso ramen, Soup curry, Crab and Sushi.

②Returning a car at New Chitose Airport
When heading to New Chitose Airport, the distance from Sapporo is about 60 km, about 1 hour. Make sure you arrive at the car rental company branch 3 hours before your flight. You need to take the shuttle bus from the company branch to the airport. In addition, New Chitose Airport is the best in Japan. There are restaurants where you can enjoy all kinds of Hokkaido gourmet food and countless souvenir shops, so the waiting time for your flight feels short.