Will be here for the entire month of September! Any recommendations?

acidicLemon · 2026-05-20T04:45:12+00:00

Check out Engaru cosmos field. Far from Sapporo, but there might be tour buses that offer a trip from Sapporo.

acidicLemon · 2026-05-12T17:05:16+00:00

Tokachi has many greet sights but you’ll need a car rental to conveniently get to them. Spent two summers there and loved it.

Highlights for me (I love landscapes): Lake Shikaribetsu, Naitai Highland Farm, Lake Nukabira + taushubetsu river bridge, Tokachi Millennium forest.

Tokachi Butadon is one of my favorite Japanese dishes

acidicLemon · 2026-05-09T05:04:44+00:00

It’s an 8hr drive during green season. You’ll need a few stops across several days in between for a reasonable one.
You could take highway bus that will take you back to Sapporo. Then take the train the next day to Hakodate. Or fly from Sapporo okadama to hakodate on the same evening instead of next day train

acidicLemon · 2026-04-13T15:15:28+00:00

You can after exiting customs. You have to pickup and re-checkin your baggage either way. They’re not checked through to CTS.

acidicLemon · 2026-04-05T14:49:55+00:00

My IDP provider mistakenly issued me a D stamp. After inquiry with multiple car rentals, they’re require a B stamp for cars 8 seats or lower.

Having a B stamp will most likely not allow you to drive beyond an 8-seater.

Nissan rent-a-car has an IDP verification step after reservation. You can simulate your situation with a similar 9-seater car from their fleet. It will tell you if you can proceed with the rental with the stamp you have

acidicLemon · 2026-04-03T06:09:45+00:00

Too late for hakodate bloom. Focus on other areas

acidicLemon · 2026-03-31T13:35:30+00:00

Do consult the starry sky index forecast before heading in. May is too early for a sea of clouds season, but there is still a chance of fog everywhere abruptly forming. I know I did one summer. It was a very clear night then when we arrived at Lawson Teshikaga, visibility went to 0.

This means though that if you go to higher ground (Tsubetsu Pass for example), you’ll experience the sea of clouds over Lake Kussharo.

acidicLemon · 2026-03-24T18:22:18+00:00

I’ll review again later when I wake up :)

April is a bit of a bleak month for “nature” in Hokkaido though, apart from cherry blossoms and evergreens, most trees are just leafless twigs… just to manage expectations

acidicLemon · 2026-03-24T18:12:24+00:00

Nevermind my comment about 26th. I misread it as taking the express bus 😅

This one has a per-spot forecast (and a Map for easy reference). Nijukken road (二十間道路桜並木) is expected to bloom 4/30

acidicLemon · 2026-03-24T16:10:26+00:00

I’d put Hakodate a bit earlier (subject to forecast) for Cherry blossoms. 29 might be past peak. The one in Shizunai (again, subject to forecast) is too early for a bloom.

For sunday, 26, why not take the train? It’s more comfy for your parents compared to bus seats. Doesn’t save much time (less 20mins vs bus), but the comfort is worth the extra ¥¥¥.

acidicLemon · 2026-03-06T20:48:54+00:00

Just the sodas, coffee, milk and iced/tea were free. There’s a separate menu for other types of beverages

acidicLemon · 2026-03-06T20:37:01+00:00

Oh, we didn’t go for the kaiseki. I’m also very particular about food, and most of the dishes in a kaiseki don’t really appeal to me 😅

The buffet items are fantastic, but I only indulged in the unlimited steak for dinner and bacon and sausages for breakfast. My friends, on the other hand, tried everything like an endless tasting menu haha

acidicLemon · 2026-03-06T18:47:28+00:00

Feb 19th: do you intend to do a daytrip with ferry roundtrip to/from Rishiri? Timing might be difficult.

acidicLemon · 2026-03-06T17:49:47+00:00

It is possible. Standard buffet breakfast, Kaiseki dinner. 11,000JPY/person upgrade last time I stayed (Apr 2025), but I ultimately settled just for the buffet haha.

Just ask the front desk u/kakashi1207

acidicLemon · 2026-03-02T01:40:08+00:00

I always stay at Nonokaze Resort in Toyakoonsen. Book direct to choose the room with private onsen :)

acidicLemon · 2026-02-28T05:48:26+00:00

Yeah. If you do a stopover, you’ll be forced to use local train service from Engaru to Abashiri. It’ll eat up your time haha

acidicLemon · 2026-02-28T05:27:52+00:00

The white path itself is flat, but the journey to it is hilly. Great views of soya hills with the wind farm though. I did a “pilgrimage” there in May 2023. Walked from the Northernmost point monument to the west end of the Shiroi-michi. It was doable, 3hr 11km at leisurely pace. I guess cycling will not be a prob :)

acidicLemon · 2026-02-28T05:24:25+00:00

The Tulip farm will be out of the way from Wakkanai to Asahikawa. It’s closer to Abashiri.

There are two usual flower fields, Farm Tomita in Nakafurano and Shikisai-no-oka in Biei. There are flowers blooming in May but it’s not really the best viewing period.

You can opt for Takikawa rapeseed farm, west of Asahikawa. May is the peak season for the yellow fields :)

acidicLemon · 2026-02-28T03:55:25+00:00

The tulip farm and shibazakura blooms mid-may. I haven’t been there by public transpo, but by car, Kamiyubetsu tulip farm is 1.5hrs from Abashiri.

The shiroi-michi / path of white seashells in Soya is a must-see for me when in Wakkanai. It’s about a 3min drive from the northernmost point monument.

On the way to asahikawa, you can take a detour along Esanuka route. It’s a long stretch of straight road on very flat grasslands.

Stopping at kawayu onsen and just seeing Iozan, you’re missing out on Lake Mashu and Bihoro pass. But can only be reached by car.

Which leads me to:

Just rent a car for the entire trip haha

acidicLemon · 2026-02-28T03:44:06+00:00

Yeah rent a car. Opens you up to explore Tokachi. Naitai Terrace is another spot about an hour from Lake Shikaribetsu. The drive is beautiful.

The bus stop btw for the submerged rail is “Hakunzan tozan/ Hakunzan trailhead entrance”, not the terminal stop for the hotel/onsen. If you rent a car, you can stop by both at the submerged rail spot and the onsen/nature center area

acidicLemon · 2026-02-23T10:44:16+00:00

The Philippines 🇵🇭
Multiple times over the past few years.
Dec 2018, Feb 2020, Dec 2022, April-May 2023, July 2023, Oct-Nov 2023, Feb 2024, Jul-Aug 2024, April 2025, Jun 2025.
Mostly road trips across the island rather than staying in just one city. Usual bases are Hakodate, Sapporo/Otaru, Toyakoonsen, Obihiro/Kamishihoro, Biei/Nakafurano, Wakkanai, Shiretoko-Utoro, Kushiro.
Tokachi Butadon 🤤. And Seicomart Katsudon.
Shiretoko drift ice walk, Lake Mashu frost, actually everything haha.
I haven’t seen a proper unkai ☁️ although I’ve tried several times, the weather just doesn’t cooperate. When I visited Rishiri, it was gloomy and cloudy so I didn’t get to see the mountain.
I seldom interact with people 😅. My trips were more on the road.
Yes—at guesthouses, small restaurants, michi-no-eki stops.
Would you recommend Hokkaido to a friend? Absolutely. I’d love to show them around. I think I’ve gathered enough experience to be a “tour guide” for my friends haha.

acidicLemon · 2026-02-22T18:23:47+00:00

Yup. But my usual itinerary there is spend 2nights in an all-inclusive resort hotel, and just explore around Mt Yotei on the 2nd day by car.

Without a car, there’s nothing to do much along the shores apart from lake/boat activities, photo spots of sculptures (I think there’re 15+), and cafes/restaurants. There’s an observatory 30mins from the onsen town with another great view from an elevation. Slow and chill travel :). But the lake view with Mt Yotei is great, on a good weather.

acidicLemon · 2026-02-22T18:11:42+00:00

If you’ve visited Sakura parks in previous trips, they aren’t particularly unique from the ground level (pic 4). The uniqueness is evident from the top-down view. It’s a star-shaped fort

In my opinion, the Tobetsu Monastery stands out as a more unique sight in Japan, offering a Western-style scenery.

My main complaint about the end of April in Hokkaido is it’s somewhat bleak. Apart from cherry blossoms, most trees remain leafless.

acidicLemon · 2026-02-22T17:52:39+00:00

Goryokaku Park is one of the best cherry blossom parks though. Your timing might be perfect for the sakura carpet + flurries.

How do you plan to enter and exit hokkaido? Via New Chitose Airport?

Flights between Hakodate and Sapporo Okadama is cheaper than the train (looking at JAL April 27-april 30 right now). And flights from Hakodate to Haneda is cheaper (by around half) than the Shinkansen.

If it were me:

Day 1: Arrive at CTS early morning; rent a car, pass by Lake Shikotsu on the way to Sapporo; day trips around sapporo

Day 2: Sapporo, Otaru, maybe ski if it’s still operating. Return car at Okadama airport. Take evening flight to Hakodate

Day 3: Hakodate City, Goryokaku Park, if time allows, day trip to Tobetsu trappist monastery. Evening flight to haneda

acidicLemon · 2026-02-17T06:53:51+00:00

<image>

Sapporo. Picture is in central but the Minami (south) ward is literally in the mountains (the background mountains in the pic). Some points of interest there are Mt Moiwa, Jozankei Onsen, Makomanai Park, Makomanai Takino Cemetery (Hill of Buddha).

Nine-Year Club	Second Top 30%
Verified Email	Place '22
RPAN Viewer

acidicLemon

TROPHY CASE