Sunday, October 8, 2017

Hokkaido Aug'17: 12D11N Summer Road Trip Itinerary

Konichiwa, folks!

As you might already know, Japan is one of my top favourite destinations in the world! To date, I've been to Japan eight times, and I am still not tired of the country, what with its crazy amazing food, unique culture and gorgeous countryside/nature. Japan just has so much to offer, and every trip is always a brand new experience.

I have always, always wanted to visit Hokkaido, and I'm really glad that I made it happen this summer!

Although Hokkaido is famous for its winter and ski resorts, it's an absolutely splendid place to visit during summer time. Summers on the island of Hokkaido are mild and cool, with beautiful weather as well as their famous fields of flowers and lavender in full bloom!

I'll be sharing my 12D11N self-drive itinerary in this post, and will be following up with more detailed posts on each area and what they have to offer - I am certain that you'd fall in love with Hokkaido in summer, just as I did.

Basically sums up my time in Hokkaido. Lots of pretty flowers, onsen & soft serve ice cream - What is there not to love?

Flights to Hokkaido

First things first, flights to Hokkaido! There are no direct flights from Singapore to New Chitose Airport, and your best option is to do a layover at either Narita or Haneda Airport, before another short domestic flight to New Chitose Airport, located near Sapporo. Both ANA and JAL offer flights to New Chitose Airport, but tickets usually cost at least SGD800 and above for a return trip.

The next best option in my opinion is to fly via Thai Airways, which consists of a ten-hour layover at Bangkok, but costs less than $600. If you book early and there's a good promo going on, flights could be even cheaper than $400!

This could be a good option for you if a 10-hour layover at Bangkok isn't a problem - You even get to squeeze in some Thai massage and mango sticky rice before/after your Hokkaido trip!

I use Skyscanner to check for the cheapest ticket prices in the vicinity of my travel dates. Basically, SkyScanner searches for the cheapest airfares across 1,200 airline and travel sites, and there's also a feature that tells you exactly which dates offer the cheapest flights in that month, which is great to know, especially if you have slightly flexible travel dates.

How Long To Spend In Hokkaido?

Of course, when you book your flight, you need to have an idea of how many days you're going to be spending in Hokkaido. In my opinion, anything less than 7 days is really too short, because Hokkaido is huge and there are so many different, interesting areas to explore! Getting around from destination to destination also takes time, with our longest drive being over 2.5 hours long.

I had initially planned for a 7-day stay in Hokkaido, but found myself wanting to stay on longer and revised my plans! It also depends on what kind of vacation you prefer, do you want to just touch-and-go throughout the different areas (perhaps stay in Sapporo and do day trips throughout) or really travel around, staying overnight and experiencing what each area has to offer?

I went for the latter, taking my time to experience and indulge in what Hokkaido had to offer. It was a rejuvenating and highly gratifying experience that fulfilled the wanderlust in me and fed my soul.

Car Rental/Self-Drive in Hokkaido

Why choose to self-drive in Hokkaido? Unlike Tokyo or other parts of Japan, Hokkaido is a wild island that is a lot more sparsely populated, and getting around from destination to destination is so much more convenient with your own car!

It's not difficult to drive around in Hokkaido as most of the roads are well-maintained and traffic is friendly. Gas stations are aplenty and at no point in time did we run into any trouble on the roads.

Apart from the picturesque scenery along the roads, if you're fortunate enough, you might even run into wild foxes on the road, as I did!

This beauty was right smack in the middle of the quiet road that we were driving on - Instead of running away, it even approached the car as we slowed down to take pictures and say hi!

We rented our car online from RentalCars.com. For roughly SGD100 a day, you'll get yourself a decent Japanese car - In our case a Honda Fit. We picked up the car from a counter at New Chitose Airport (after which you'll be brought via shuttle bus to the car rental company to pick up your car).

You can decide on a few different locations to pick up and return your car, and we decided on returning the car at Sapporo (our last destination) as it's more fuss-free to travel around Sapporo City via public transport/walking. This way, we could also take the train from Sapporo to New Chitose Airport, saving on a couple days of car rental expenses.

Do remember to apply for your IDP (International Driving Permit) beforehand in Singapore and bring both your driver's license and IDP along when you pick up your car! You might not be allowed to pick up your car without these necessary documents.

The staff at the counter briefed us on how to use the built-in GPS, instructions on fuelling up the tank and numbers to contact in case of any emergencies, but we didn't have any issues with the car at all. ;)

Accommodation in Hokkaido

Hokkaido has got a plethora of unique accommodation options to offer, from ryokans (traditional Japanese styled rooms), pensions (sort of like b&bs), resorts and hotels. Prices can differ drastically - from SGD800 for a room with private onsen in Noboribetsu to under SGD100 for a small hotel room in Sapporo City.

Some of the websites I booked my accommodation from include JapanICan.com, Bookings.com, Agoda.com and Hotels.com! Here's a list of the various accommodations I booked for Hokkaido below.

*Starred accommdations are the highly recommended ones! Do also note that I booked my hotels quite late so they got pretty expensive. If possible, try to book as early as you can for the best prices!

Area	Accommodation	Price Per Night (2 Pax/1 Room)
Noboribetsu	Ryotei Hanayura (Private Onsen)*	787.57
Hakodate	La Vista Hakodate Bay Hotel*	308.59
Furano/Biel	petit hotel MELON Furano	273.5
Lake Toya	The Lake View Toya Nonokaze Resort*	371.77
Jozankei	Jozankei Hotel	221.22
Sapporo/Otaru	Hotel LiVEMAX Sapporo Eki-mae	86.99

WiFi Connectivity in Hokkaido

I stayed connected via my pocket wifi device from Changi Recommends!

This device can be booked online via Changi Recommends' website, then picked up and dropped off at Changi Airport on your day of departure and arrival. Extremely convenient and fuss-free! The network was very strong, save for some mountainous roads and areas where there was no reception. You can connect multiple devices to one pocket wifi too!

Hokkaido 12D11N Summer Road Trip Itinerary

The trickiest part about planning my self-drive road trip was determining the sequence and driving routes to make for the most time-efficient and sensible itinerary, as many of the places I wanted to visit were located all over the island of Hokkaido.

Some highlights of my itinerary include: the private onsen at Noboribetsu, fruit picking at Jozankei, traditional wagyu sukuyaki lunch at Hakodate, Furano's gorgeous flower farms and our day trip to beautiful Otaru!

There's really loads more to do in Hokkaido that I didn't get the opportunity to explore, from checking out the amazing coastal view at Shakotan/Cape Kamui to dolphine/whale watching at Shiretoko National Park.. Hokkaido is one of those places you really don't mind visiting again and again!

After studying the map for the longest time and lots of consideration and intensive brain work, I decided on the below itinerary:

Hokkaido
12D11N Itinerary
1 August - 12 August 2017

Day 1 - Chitose to Noboribetsu

Arrive at New Chitose Airport
Pick up rental car
Lunch at Wagyu Bibi Log House
Drive to Noboribetsu (58min)
Accommodation at Ryotei Hanayura (Private Onsen)
Kaiseki Dinner at Ryotei Hanayura

Day 2 - Noboribetsu to Hakodate

Breakfast at Ryotei Hanayura
Explore Jigokudani (Hell Valley) at Noboribetsu
Drive to Hakodate - Lunch stop along the way (2h 34min)
Accomodation at La Vista Hakodate Bay
Dinner at Uni Murakami (sea urchin restaurant)

Day 3 - Hakodate

Explore Hakodate Morning Market
Lunch at Asari Honten (wagyu beef sukuyaki)
Explore Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse area
Go on Mount Hakodate Ropeway
Dinner at Lucky Pierrot

Day 4 - Hakodate to Lake Toya

Breakfast at La Vista Hakodate Bay
Drive to Lake Toya (2h 32min)
Accommodation at Lake Toya Nonokaze Resort
Buffet dinner at Lake Toya Nonokaze Resort
Watch summer fireworks by the lake

Day 5 - Lake Toya to Jozankei

Breakfast at Lake Toya Nonokaze Resort
Lunch at Sendoan (scallop & seafood)
Stop for ice cream at Lake Hill Farm
Drive to Jozankei (1h 6min)
Cherry picking at Jozankei Farm
Foot spa at Kokoro No Sato Morino Bettei
Accommodation at Jozankei Hotel
Dinner at Jozankei Hotel

Day 6 - Jozankei to Yubari to Furano

Drive to Yubari (1h 51min)
Stop for yubari melons at Yubari
Drive to Furano (1h 42min)
Accommodation at petit hotel MELON Furano
Dinner near petit hotel MELON Furano

Day 7 - Furano/Biel

Visit Tomita Farm
- Eat Lavender Ice Cream
Visit Shikisai No Oka
- Alpaca Farm
Lunch at Fukuzushi (giant sushi)
Visit Blue Pond at Biel
Family Mart Combini Dinner

Day 8 - Furano to Sapporo

Jam making at Furano Jam Garden
Visit Rokutei Viewing Platform
Lunch at Campana Rokkatei
Drive to Sapporo (1h 50min)
Accommodation at Hotel LiVEMAX Sapporo Eki-mae
Drop off rental car
Explore Sapporo City
Oysters & scallops at Gotsubo
Ramen at Aji No Karyu

Day 9 - Sapporo to Otaru

Train from Sapporo to Otaru (58min)
Take a bus to visit Otaru Aquarium
Lunch at Wakadori Jidai Naruto Honten
Explore Otaru Canal
Explore Sakaimachi Street
Visit Otaru Music Box Museum
Train from Otaru to Sapporo (58min)
Dinner at 串鳥 Kushidori

Day 10 - Sapporo to Shiroi Koibito Park

Combini Breakfast
Train from Sapporo to Shiroi Koibito Park (32min)
Explore Shiroi Koibito Park
Eat Shiroi Koibito Soft Serve
Train from Shiroi Koibito Park to Sapporo (32min)
Dinner at Yoshinoya

Day 11 - Sapporo

Coffee at Streamer Coffee Company
Shopping at Sapporo Station
Lunch at Sutadonya
Explore Susukino area
Dinner at Onya-sai (shabu shabu sukiyaki buffet)

Day 12 - Sapporo to Chitose

Train from Sapporo to New Chitose Airport (49min)
Last minute shopping for snacks and omiyage
Flight back home

View downloadable itinerary here.

***

Hopefully, this will be a useful reference for your own Hokkaido road trip planning - I'd be glad to know that all the effort I put into planning my trip and writing these blog posts are of help to others!

I'll be going in-depth in the upcoming Hokkaido blog posts, so remember to hit subscribe on my blog feed if you'd like to be updated when new updates are up!

Until the next update, see you in a bit!

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Japan! Osaka: Universal Studios Japan Halloween 2016

For the fun-loving traveller looking to experience the most out of Osaka, a visit to Universal Studios Japan is a must! Despite having been to Universal Studios Japan once before (read my first blog post on Universal Studios Japan here!), my second visit was even more enjoyable and fun with all the new happenings for Universal Studio Japan's 15th Anniversary as well as special Halloween attractions and festivities!

How To Buy Tickets for Universal Studios Japan

I'm so glad to share that I found out the easiest way to purchase tickets for USJ! Instead of wasting precious time queuing outside USJ or trying to figure out how to get tickets elsewhere, you can actually purchase tickets directly via JTB Singapore, at JTB Travel Saloon – Takashimaya S.C. #03-11!

More interestingly, JTB offers an exclusive Universal Studios Japan® x ABENO HARUKAS Premium Package that you can't get anywhere else!

Universal Studios Japan® x ABENO HARUKAS Premium Package

With this package, you can skip the queue and enjoy exclusive entrance to Universal Studios Japan as well as an Admission Ticket to HARUKAS 300!
- Enter faster through an exclusive entrance when the park opens
- Enjoy the skyline of Osaka from 300m above ground level.
- VIP Shopping Card at Kintetsu Department Store to enhance your shopping experience!

Find out more about Universal Studios Japan® x ABENO HARUKAS Premium Package here!

The amazing view at the Helipad at Abeno Harukas - The tallest skyscraper in Japan. More in an upcoming post!

The best part of the Universal Studios Japan® x ABENO HARUKAS Premium Package has got to be the exclusive special entry via the Harukasu Gate: This gives you first access to the entire theme park while all the other theme park visitors have to wait in line to enter one by one!

When I arrived early in the morning, there were long snaking queues forming outside the entrances already.

Harukasu Gate

Those with the Universal Studios Japan® x ABENO HARUKAS exclusive entry ticket were able to dash right in once the park opened - via the Special Entry Harukasu Gate! This allows you first access into the themed park, and you can make a mad dash to the most popular area: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (for which a timed ticket is required if it gets too crowded during peak season!)

September/October has got to be the best time to visit Universal Studios Japan, thanks to all the Halloween festivities going on during October!

I love seeing all the theme park visitors dressed up in intricate Halloween costumers - It's amazing how much effort is put into having coordinated outfits like this group of girls above.

Isn't the effort to detail just astonishing?

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

My favourite place of all in the whole of Universal Studios Japan and the first place to rush to: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! I'm a true blue Potter Head!

Every corner of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter fills me with delight, such as seeing a real-life Zonko's (the joke shop from the series)!

The attention to detail within The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is just incredible! Spot those owls perched in the wooden beams above!

Wand Magic

One really cool thing I got to experience at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was Wand Magic!

With one of the Magical Wands purchased from Ollivander's, you can perform magic and cast spells around Hogsmeade!

These designated spots are where you can perform different magical spells and incantations!

A friendly witch guided us through the spell incantation, right down to the arm movement required to cast a successful spell!

My attempt at casting a spell.. INCENDIO!!

Imagine my delight when flames burst out from the chimney top on my third attempt!

The best view of Hogwarts is definitely from The Hog's Head, where you can see the stunning reflection in the Great Lake (Only at Universal Studios Japan)!

Enjoying my Butterbeer at The Hog's Head!

Oh yes, you MUST try the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey™ in 4K3D! It's one of the best rides ever and I loved how immersive and realistic it was.

We headed over to Jurassic Park next!

New Attraction: The Flying Dinosaur

For the thrill-seekers, The Flying Dinosaur is yet another new ride at Universal Studios Japan that wasn't there the last time I visited!

The Flying Dinosaur is the world's longest flying rollercoaster and it was absolutely exhilarating! The high-speed twists and drops were super thrilling and fun, it wasn't as scary as I expected too! A must-try for the rollercoaster lovers! :D

"Dinosaur Panic!"

One of the street shows to look out for at Jurassic Park is "Dinosaur Panic!", during which you'll get to see the most incredibly realistic dinosaurs up-close!

Lunch at Discovery Restaurant

We had our lunch at Discovery Restaurant within Jurassic Park!

We were so hungry that we gobbled up these jungle-themed food like carnivorous dinosaurs!

Re-boooooooorn! Party

It being the 15th year anniversary of Universal Studios Japan, there were so many celebrations under way, and main theme is "Re-born!"!

Being "Re-born!" is the act of breaking out of one's shell. Not only reclaiming a pure heart, but also grasping that simple sense of excitement we had as children. Through this state of mind, people can be emotionally refreshed and rejuvenated.

At the "Re-born!" party, where everyone was dancing, singing and jumping along enthusiastically to the performances and music! Love love love the high atmosphere!

Some of the jaw-dropping dress-ups I spotted!

Love this family of four that dressed up their kids in Halloween costumes too, how adorable!

The energy and excitement was so palpable that I couldn't help joining in the dancing and fun!

Of course, the ever popular Minions were around to incite laughter and gaiety during the party!

More cute kids all dressed up!

Halloween Re-boooooooorn! Market

Of course, Halloween is nothing without Trick or Treating! At the festive "Re-born!" Halloween Market, there was lots of snacks and food to buy, including the ever popular turkey leg, but with a special Halloween twist!

Spin the wheel of fortune and win a giant up-sized turkey leg if you get lucky!

Just look at that mammoth leg of turkey (on the left) as compared to the regular-sized turkey leg on the right!! Even the two of us had difficulty finishing one giant turkey leg on our own!

Universal RE-BOOOOOOOORN Parade

Yet another highlight of the day has got to be the Universal RE-BOOOOOOOORN Parade!

The atmosphere was so so lively and vivacious as everyone clapped, danced and sang along unrestrainedly along with the performers and characters!

Minions "BEE-DO!" Rescue

Don't miss out on Minions "BEE-DO!" Rescue, another funny and entertaining street show that had us tickled silly with the Minions' funny antics!

I'm so looking forward to the new Minions area that will be opening in 2017, along with a Minions theme ride!! Big fan here, as you can tell. Hehe!

More Halloween fun in the form of these Halloween Churritos with spooky decorations!

It was delicious too, or maybe I was just plain hungry!

Tatari Haunted House at J-Horror

For the first time this year, Universal Studios Japan debuted a new "J-Horror" area with a Japanese-style haunted house!

Although we had experienced The Exorcist haunted house earlier in the day and had already gotten scared out of our wits, Tatari – Curse of the Living Doll was yet another heart-pounding experience! Suffice to say that half our group (especially the Japanese ladies) ran out shrieking at the frights and scares we experienced inside Tatari!

Death Eaters Appearance In Hogsmeade

Before dinner time, we headed back to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter for one more exciting event!

Just for Halloween, we were treated to a magnificent duel between Death Eaters and Hogsmeade that started off spectacularly with a flash of green explosion (to mimic the Dark Mark!) before a chase ensured through Hogsmeade as we watched the two sides fight in earnest!

It was another unforgettable moment for a Potter head like myself, and I was so thrilled and overwhelmed to feel like I was living in my favourite storybook of all time!

Dining at Park Side Grille

We had a really good dinner at Parkside Grille - The food was sumptuous!! Here's my grilled live lobster that was so sweet and fresh!

YZ's huge slab of steak that was juicy and tender as well. I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the food quality, I wasn't expecting very much from theme park food but everything we had was above and beyond my expectations!

Street Zombies

Of course, one of the most iconic sights during Halloween at Universal Studios Japan is the appearance of zombies and undead once night falls.. These zombies are extremely life-like and they roam the streets terrorising unsuspecting passersby by suddenly lunging in their direction or chasing after them!

More undead scenes on the streets of Universal Studios Japan, this female zombie was feeding off a human and the scene was indeed grotesque!

It was seriously a fun, fun day at Universal Studios Japan and I enjoyed every single second of my day in the theme park!

Staying at Hotel Universal Port

For the most convenient and fun theme park experience at Universal Studios Japan, we stayed at Hotel Universal Port, located right next to the theme park!

It's literally just across the road, and took us barely a few minutes to get to the theme park from the hotel!

The hotel lobby is adorned with minions galore, all dressed up for Halloween too in their vampire capes! Too cute!

Do you spy those minions amongst the fishes within the full-length aquarium at the reception area?

Our comfortable hotel room!

So glad that the bathroom came with a bathtub for me to soak in after a long day of walking non-stop around Universal Studios Japan!

And possibly the best amenities I've ever seen in a hotel: They were packaged so nicely too!! Everything from hair ties to disposable shavers were provided for us!

Yet another thoughtful Japanese gesture: herbal relaxing sheets for relaxing sore muscles!! These were a godsend and I happily stuck these on my sore legs after a nice hot bath. What bliss!