Hokkaido 2025
Hokkaido Road Trip Map
Day 1 - 9/15 Monday
6:05 pm: Arrive at Shin Chitose Airport
Have dinner at the Airport and stay at the Air Terminal Hotel as we head out early next morning.
Day 2 - 9/16 Tuesday
8:00 am: Get a rental car, head out to Lake Shikotsu
<driving 40 min>
9:00 am: Arrive at Lake Shikotsu
10:00 - 11:30 am: Nature cruising by canoe
Lunch at one of the restaurants by the lake
1 pm: Head out to Makkari Onsen
<driving 90 min>
2:30 pm: Arrive at Makkari Onsen
Enjoy soaking with great view of Mt Yohei
Dinner at Maccarina
*Farm-to-table style auberge which is highly recommended by my friend.
Day 3 - 9/17 Wednesday
After breakfast, head out to Otaru (*see more below)
<driving 90 min>
Arrive at Otaru before noon, have lunch there.
In the afternoon, we check out art & craft boutiques, museums, etc.
Sushi for dinner (Otaru is known for the best sushi in Hokkaido)
Otaru Night Market is happening while we are there.
About Otaru
Otaru, a charming port city on Hokkaido’s western coast, is best known for its beautifully preserved canal lined with historic stone warehouses, now transformed into cafes, boutiques, and museums. Once a bustling center of trade and herring fishing, Otaru retains a nostalgic atmosphere with its Meiji- and Taisho-era architecture, including the iconic Otaru Music Box Museum and Sakaimachi Street, a lively district filled with glass workshops and sweet shops. Visitors can enjoy fresh seafood at the Sankaku Market, stroll through the scenic Otaru Canal at sunset, and explore the Otaru Art Base or nearby Mt. Tengu for panoramic views and seasonal activities.
Day 4 - 9/18 Thursday
After breakfast, head out to Shirogane Blue Pond
<driving 3 hrs>
Walk around the lake and have lunch
After lunch head out to Kamikawa Taisetsu Shuzo (where I had internship for 3 weeks)
<driving 90 min>
Have dinner with people from the brewery
Staty the night in Kamikawa Cho
Day 5 - 9/19 Friday
After breakfast, head out to Kurodake.
<driving 30 min>
Get to the top of the mountain by cableway and lift. Enjoy amazing autumn color
Sounkyo photography museum
<walking distance from the cableway station>
*This is a great museum. You can see how the landscape in Hokkaido is so different from anywhere else.
Dinner and stay at Sounkyo Onsen Kanko Hotel
* This hotel has a very large outdoor bath that is co-ed (they provide bathing cloth)
**Dinner is casual style buffet
Day 6 - 9/20 Saturday
After breakfast, head out to Lake Kussharo
<driving 3 hrs>
There are several places to go around the lake
Wakoto Peninsula
* About 1.5 miles senic walk around the peninsula
Sulphur Mountain
*Jake and Olivie visited here and said it was great!
Dinner and stay at Oyado Kinkiyu Annex SUIKAZURA
*A bit more fancy hotel than the night before with Kaiseki dinner
If the sky is clear, view starts from Mashu Lake Observatory
Day 7 - 9/21 Sunday
After breakfast, head out to Kushiro Shitsugen
<driving 1 hr and 15 min>
Go hiking or canoe tour
Head out to Obihiro, eat dinner, and stay the night there.
<driving 2 hrs and 15 min>
Obihiro Kita no Yatai is a small outdoor food stall area in Obihiro City, Hokkaido. It features about 20 cozy stalls offering local dishes, drinks, and a lively atmosphere. Visitors can enjoy specialties like butadon (pork rice bowl), fresh seafood, and Hokkaido-style izakaya food, all while chatting with friendly locals.
Day 8 - 9/22 Monday
Head out to Shin Chitose Airport
Flight back to SF at 1:05 am
<driving 2 hrs and 15 min>