Hokkaido Road Trip Map

Day 1 - 9/15 Monday

6:05 pm: Arrive at Shin Chitose Airport

Check in to Best Western Plus Hotel Fino Chitose

7:30 pm: Dinner at a Izakaya near the hotel

Day 2 - 9/16 Tuesday

Wheather Forecast: Sunny / 60 - 82 f (16 - 28 c)

9:40: Head out to the rental car office (HIPs Rental Car)
<15-20 min by taxi>

10:00 am: Get a rental car, head out to Lake Shikotsu
<driving 40 min>
11:00 am: Arrive at Lake Shikotsu

Lunch at one of the restaurants by the lake

12:45 pm or 2:45 pm: Nature cruising by canoe (2 hrs)

Dinner and stay at Shikotsuko Daiichi Hotel

Day 3 - 9/17 Wednesday

Weather Forecast: Cloudy with occasional rain / 60 - 71 f (16 - 22 c)

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.

6:00 pm: Sushi dinner at Nishizuka

Check out Otaru Night Market

Stay the night at Granbell Hotel Otaru

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

Weather Forecast: Mostly rainy / 57 - 71 f (14 - 22 c)

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 
<driving 90 min>

Have dinner with people from the brewery

Staty the night at ANSHINDO

Day 5 - 9/19 Friday

Weather Forecast: Cloudy with occasional rain / 53 - 68 f (12 - 20c)

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

Weather Forecast: Sunny / 50 - 69 f (10 - 21 c)

After breakfast, head out to Lake Kussharo
<driving 3 hrs>

There are several places to go around the lake

Bihoro Observatory

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

Weather Forecast: Mostly sunny / 52 - 62 f (11 - 17 c)

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.

Stay the night at Hotel Nikko Northland Obihiro

Day 8 - 9/22 Monday

7:15 - 7: 30 am: Head out to Shin Chitose Airport
<driving 2 hrs and 15 min>
10:00 am: Return the rental car

Flight back to SF at 1:05 pm

Trip Expense

*Excluding airfare and gifts/personal shopping.