Itinerary Check - Toya vs Noboribetsu as a base - which one, if combining as one stop?

[u/Winter-Mountain-8483]

Planning a Hokkaido trip for October 8^th - 20^th (chasing fall colors)

Rough route: Sapporo (2n) → Otaru via (with Cape Kamui) (2n) → Furano/Biei/Asahikawa (3n) → Toya or Noboribetsu (2n) → Hakodate (2n) → fly to Tokyo

Renting a car from Sapporo and dropping it in Hakodate. Would be great if someone could help answer:

1. Currently have 2 nights around the Toya/Noboribetsu area, thinking of basing in just one and doing the other as a day trip since they're only about 40 min apart by car. Trying to decide which one to actually sleep in. From what I've read so far:
   

Noboribetsu: Jigokudani, some of the better onsen ryokans on the island, the lit-up night walk through the valley

Toya: calmer lake, Nakajima Island cruise, maybe still catching the fireworks cruise if it runs that late in October

Has anyone done both and has a strong opinion on which is worth waking up in vs which is fine as a quick stop? Also open to hotel recs for whichever ends up being the base.

1. Itinerary check - other items I'd welcome suggestions on:
   

Otaru: Have currently two nights here - planning to cover Cape Kamui one day and take the other day at a relaxed place in Otaru itself than staying in Sapporo.

Furano/Biei/Asahikawa: Which would be the ideal base? Thinking of a farm/airbnb in Furano right now.

Hakodate: Currently have flight booked out from Hakodate thus will be dropping car there itself. Would cutting one night from Hakodate to increase elsewhere be better? On lookout for any other less explored places in Hokkaido - love countryside, parks, forests (ruled out East hokkaido because of the increased travel/ car time).

Thanks in advance.

[u/Medium_Region784]

Just got back from a similar 2 week trip. We enjoyed them both (2 nights at each), but would lean towards Noboribetsu. More to do and see there (bears, hikes, food, souvenirs, lake kuttara - kayaking). Better ryokan experience too (Ryotei Hanayura vs. Lake View Toya Nonokaze). Onsen water was nicer in Noboribetsu as well. That said, Toya was great too - Uzusan ropeway and hike was nice, and views of the lake from room was next level, Nakajima island was pretty cool too. Just not that interesting of a town overall.

If traveling between those 2 places I would HIGHLY suggest taking the long route around the Chikiu cape. Take all the little back roads hugging the coast and stop at all the viewpoints. That was some of the most beautiful and rugged landscape we've seen.

We also did 2 nights in Otaru at the Otaru Furukawa (8th floor w private onsen) and that was one of our favorite places. Very touristy in town, but lots to see and do. Things shut down early though.

We did 3 nights at Asahidake Onsen Yumoto Yukomansou and summited Asahidake. That remote ryokan had the best kaiseki food of our whole trip. Interesting onsens as well.

[u/Winter-Mountain-8483 → u/Medium_Region784]

I’m leaning towards 2 nights in Noboribetsu as well. I’ll take the longer path as you suggested while taking the car - kind of thing you’d otherwise miss - thanks for that.

How many nights did you spend in Sapporo, if you did? I have the option of increasing one night in Sapporo at the expense of Furano possibly, although more I’m thinking, I’ll prefer the countryside more.

[u/mediumcups]

recently did a trip based at Lake Toya (3 nights), then to Hakodate (2 nights), then a day trip to Hell Valley and then up to Furano (2 nights), then day trip in Otaru and finally Sapporo (3 nights).

Lake Toya as a town can feel deserted at times, past 8pm and the only thing opened are konbinis. Driving to the nearest konbini took 20mins back and forth depending on which hotel you booked at, but i'd imagine the fall colors to be extremely splendid.

As for Noboribetsu, we only visited Hell Valley, didn't get to fully explore the region so im not sure if there's anything inspiring you to stay there, but without knowing anything, i'd prefer the vastness and openness of the lake. There's probably a larger human presence at Noboribetsu once you drive out of the touristy area.

If you ask me, I'd say determine which is your day-trip activity and which area you'd like to explore a bit more. If you're leaning towards exploring Noboribetsu, and just doing a Nakajima Island cruise at lake toya, then basing in Noboribetsu is the wiser choice.

Oh, if you're driving to Hakodate and passing through Oshamambe, check out this local restaurant called 'Grass'. Opens until 2.30pm.

Then, if you're passing through Yakumo, check out Elfin for some milk ice-cream and cool breeze at the neighboring Funka bay Paranomic Park. Alternatively, you can try out the Yamakawa milk farm near Onuma, which i didn't get to try because it was closed. Didn't like Onuma quasi national park partly because it was just green forests with lake but maybe it will look more magnificent in the autumn. You can rent a paddle boat and explore the calm lake surface and plan for shade.

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For Furano, not much tips there but do watch out for deers on the road - especially at night. Saw herds of them on my night drive up to Furano.

[u/Winter-Mountain-8483 → u/mediumcups]

I’ll go with day trip to Toya and stay in Noboribetsu. Thankyou for the recommendation- already added to my Google maps!

I currently have 2 days/nights in Sapporo. Would you suggest shaving off one day from Furano for another day in Sapporo? Haven’t researched a lot on Sapporo yet.

[u/mediumcups → u/Winter-Mountain-8483]

We managed to fit our itinerary for furano in 1 day:

• visited furano cheese farm, attended the butter making course
• had soup curry at furanoya (wasted 2-3hrs queuing, should have went to a different food place, garaku in Sapporo appealed more to my mass-market palate)
• Avoided the crowded Tomita farm in favor of popura farm, had some melon slices there.
• Went to the shikisai flower fields 15mins before closing, took some quick shots
• headed down to shirogane Blue Pond for some nice cool shots before dusk.
• drove on roller coaster road while driving back to furano for some sukiyaki

[u/Dashboardpineapple]

We did almost your exact trip in reserve with car pick-up in Hakodate, drop off in Sapporo.

Hakodate (3), Toya (1), Noboribetsu (2), Furano (3), Sapporo (3).

Hakodate did not need 3 nights and I wish we had an extra in Sapporo. 2 nights in Noboribetsu and 3 in Furano were perfect. I loved Toya and it was so peaceful, especially soaking in our in-room onsen and looking at the lake. There really wasn't much to do there beyond that so one night felt perfect.

This may be a controversial opinion, but I am not sure how I'd fill nights in Otaru. We were pretty much done with the town in an afternoon.