Back Door to Hokkaido
16 Days/14 Nights
The northernmost of the main islands, Hokkaido is Japan's last frontier, kept at bay by wild mountains, virgin forests, sapphire lakes and surf-beaten shores. The attitudes of the inhabitants are akin to those of the pioneers of the American West, but still unmistakably Japanese.
Destinations:
Tokyo, Sapporo, Abashiri, Shiretoko, Akan-ko, Sounkyo Onsen, Noboribetsu Onsen, Shiraoi, Toya-ko, Hakodate
Although Hokkaido comprises about 20% of the total land area of Japan, it only accounts for 5% of the nation's population. Hokkaido is a natural wonderland of mountain ranges, deep caldera lakes, active volcanoes, numerous thermally-heated mineral springs and virgin forests.
You'll enjoy Sapporo, Hokkaido's largest city and host to the 1972 Winter Olympics, with its many fine restaurants and the secluded beauty of the Shiretoko National Park. You will bike through Sounkyo Gorge in the middle of the beautiful Daisetsuzan National Park with its soaring mountain ranges, visit Noboribetsu Onsen, one of Japan's largest and most popular hot springs resorts and walk along the rim of an active volcano at Toya-ko. You will explore the morning market of Hakodate, where you can have the local specialties of crab, sea urchin or squid prepared for you for breakfast, and learn about Hokkaido's original inhabitants, the Ainu, whose culture almost disappeared until recent efforts of restoration.
Every day you'll enjoy the friendliness, fun and flexibility of small group travel by experiencing sights, Japanese restaurants and family-run ryokans that are off-limits to larger groups. From start to finish, all group transportation, group admission fees, lodging, all breakfasts, 11 dinners and more is included. Our local, English-speaking Japanese tour guides bring Japan alive with their insights.
Back Door to Hokkaido Tour Itinerary
Click here for a detailed itinerary.
| Day 01: | Leave for Japan |
| Day 02: | Arrive at Tokyo's Narita Airport, Stay overnight at a hotel next to Narita Airport, Dinner at the hotel |
| Day 03: | Transfer luggage to Sapporo, Fly to Sapporo's Chitose Airport, Express train to Sapporo, Sapporo JR Tower Observatory, Dinner at Sapporo Beer Garden |
| Day 04: | Sapporo - Hokkaido Historical Museum, Hokkaido Historical Village Open Air Museum |
| Day 05: | Sapporo - Free Day, Transfer luggage to Abashiri |
| Day 06: | Sapporo, Abashiri - Travel to Abashiri by Express train, Abashiri Prison Museum |
| Day 07: | Abashiri, Shiretoko - Travel by train and bus to Shiretoko, Boat cruise along the Shiretoko Peninsula, Bus to Shiretoko-Go-Ko, Free time at Shiretoko-Go-Ko, Bus to Utoro and Abashiri |
| Day 08: | Abashiri, Akan-ko - Transfer luggage to Sounkyo Onsen, Sightseeing bus to Akan-ko with stops at Lake Kussharo, Iozan and Lake Masshu, Free Time at Akan-ko, Ainu Dance Exhibition |
| Day 09: | Akan-ko, Sounkyo Onsen - Free day at Akan-ko, Travel by bus to Sounkyo |
| Day 10: | Sounkyo Onsen - Free Day |
| Day 11: | Sounkyo Onsen, Noboribetsu Onsen - Transfer luggage to Noboribetsu, Travel by bus and train to Nobiribetsu Onsen, Free Time at Noboribetsu Onsen |
| Day 12: | Noboribetsu Onsen, Shiraoi - Free morning in Noboribetsu, Travel by bus and train to Poroto Kotan Ainu Museum, Return to Noboribetsu Onsen |
| Day 13: | Noboribetsu Onsen, Toya-ko - Transfer luggage to Tokyo, Travel by bus and train to Toya-ko, Usu-zan, Showa-shin-zan, Volcano Science Museum |
| Day 14: | Toya-ko, Hakodate - Travel by bus and train to Hakodate, Goryo-kaku Fort and Tower, Moto-machi Historical Area, Evening views of Hakodate from Mount Hakodate |
| Day 15: | Hakodate, Tokyo - Hakodate Morning Market, Bus to Hakodate's Airport, Fly to Tokyo's Haneda Airport, Bus to Tokyo's Narita Airport, Stay overnight at hotel next to Narita Airport, Sayonara Dinner |
| Day 16: | Fly Home |