I am planning my trip (10 days) for this coming December to Hokkaido (Sapporo, Asahikawa, Otaru, Hakodate) via Tokyo (ANA), however contemplating on the transport methods to there

I would be arriving late into Haneda est 10:30PM+ and transport services would be out when I eventually retrieve my luggage. Probably going to wait through the night for next available transportation towards Hokkaido (Sapporo)

My options are below

1. Domestic flight through Haneda -> Chitose (10:05PM arrival @ Haneda, 6:25AM departure to Chitose next day)
- cost lesser than item (2) + shorter travel time. Will there be a luggage limit for non transit domestic flights ? Would have to purchase separate hokkaido rail pass to travel locally there. Furthermore Haneda airport does not allow stayover compared to Narita
2. JR east + south hokkaido pass  (6D Flex) Tokyo-> Shin-Hakodate -> Sapporo -> Otaru -> Shin-Hakodate -> Tokyo
- cost more than item (1) and lengthier travel hours. But could save on JR rail transport locally at Hokkaido

hi sifus, im going to tokyo with my wife this 23 dec until 30 dec. can anyone recommend the best ski resort near to tokyo? for a 2 or 3 days trip. thanks sifus prefer nice view.

lucaswjk hahaha....nothing much to tell la, the weather was hot and there was alot of difficult up hills for both patchwork and panorama course. Some more I could not find some of the place espacially at the panorama course.

Any a brief summary of my solo trip to sapporo

> Travel period, end of august 2016
> Yes it was hot around noon, but started to cool down from 4pm onwards

Places visited:

> Otaru: Very much boring IMO. I went there on sunday, so there was alot of tourist and local ppl at the canel. Beside than that went to the musicbox museum, again full with tourist but I find the music box to be interesting as there so many shape and design plus the surrounding building was old fashion and nice to take picture. I used this pass for my visit -> http://www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/englis...ss/welcome.html

> For area around asahikawa, biei and furano, I bought this 4 day pass http://www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/travel/

> Biei: I went for a bicycle tour. There is a shop just opposite the Biei station once u exit. They have both electric and normal bicyle. Basically there is two cources i.e. patchwork and panorama course. The patchwork will take u 2-3 hours to complete and panorama will take 4 hours to complete.

> Mt Kurodake / Sounkyo: The main event of my trip, the view was awesome. It was pretty much do able hike cuz the path is clear with stairs like trail. But the gap is quite narrow, about 2 - 4 meter. Nice for 1 ppl to hike but if 2 need to be careful cuz next to you is the edge and there is no barricade in between. And be mindful of the windy weather cuz you will not be allow to take the cable car, and hiking. Updates can be found here http://www.rinyu.co.jp/

Anyway, it took me 1 hour from the 7th station of the last chairlift to reach the top. And another 800 meter to the nearest hut you will find a nice place to take picture and relax. And the toilet, OMG....pls tahan if u have to. And if you have more time u can finish a loop which comprise of multiple peaks about 6 hours (that is wat a 50 plus yr old japanese guy told me and does not look like one at all, more like late 30s and he was very fit)

I stayed at sounkyo youth hostel, nice and cheap but best of all they provide hiking boots (JPY500) and walking stick (cant rmbr) for rental.

> Furano: Wanted to go but to tired after Mt. Kurodake

> Sapporo: Like many other city in Japan, maybe the size of kyoto i think. Anyway i did not went for all those food (not a fan). I went to few places like asahiyama memorial park and had a nice view of sapporo. And there is this place call moerenuma park, the place is huge (I got sunburn here too cuz it was super hot) but still I like the place cuz the landscape was too awesome and I wish it was spring. Here some reference http://moerenumapark.jp/english/

And for our muslim friend, there are few halal restaurant and a mosque around Kitajuhachijo and Kitajunijo train station. Apparently it is where most of the hokkaido university student stay but too bad it was summer break.

Hope this help you guys in planning future trip, and here some pics:

[attachmentid=7463562][attachmentid=7463530][attachmentid=7463534][attachmentid=7463538][attachmentid=7463484][attachmentid=7463487][attachmentid=7463488][attachmentid=7463491][attachmentid=7463497][attachmentid=7463511][attachmentid=7463515][attachmentid=7463516][attachmentid=7463517][attachmentid=7463519][attachmentid=7463523][attachmentid=7463528][attachmentid=7463529]

How much did you budget for Japan for each day?
planning to sightsee / makan / travel around via public transport

lucaswjk hahaha....nothing much to tell la, the weather was hot and there was alot of difficult up hills for both patchwork and panorama course. Some more I could not find some of the place espacially at the panorama course.

Any a brief summary of my solo trip to sapporo

> Travel period, end of august 2016
> Yes it was hot around noon, but started to cool down from 4pm onwards

Places visited:

> Otaru: Very much boring IMO. I went there on sunday, so there was alot of tourist and local ppl at the canel. Beside than that went to the musicbox museum, again full with tourist but I find the music box to be interesting as there so many shape and design plus the surrounding building was old fashion and nice to take picture. I used this pass for my visit -> http://www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/englis...ss/welcome.html

> For area around asahikawa, biei and furano, I bought this 4 day pass http://www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/travel/

> Biei: I went for a bicycle tour. There is a shop just opposite the Biei station once u exit. They have both electric and normal bicyle. Basically there is two cources i.e. patchwork and panorama course. The patchwork will take u 2-3 hours to complete and panorama will take 4 hours to complete.

> Mt Kurodake / Sounkyo: The main event of my trip, the view was awesome. It was pretty much do able hike cuz the path is clear with stairs like trail. But the gap is quite narrow, about 2 - 4 meter. Nice for 1 ppl to hike but if 2 need to be careful cuz next to you is the edge and there is no barricade in between. And be mindful of the windy weather cuz you will not be allow to take the cable car, and hiking. Updates can be found here http://www.rinyu.co.jp/

Anyway, it took me 1 hour from the 7th station of the last chairlift to reach the top. And another 800 meter to the nearest hut you will find a nice place to take picture and relax. And the toilet, OMG....pls tahan if u have to. And if you have more time u can finish a loop which comprise of multiple peaks about 6 hours (that is wat a 50 plus yr old japanese guy told me and does not look like one at all, more like late 30s and he was very fit)

I stayed at sounkyo youth hostel, nice and cheap but best of all they provide hiking boots (JPY500) and walking stick (cant rmbr) for rental.

> Furano: Wanted to go but to tired after Mt. Kurodake

> Sapporo: Like many other city in Japan, maybe the size of kyoto i think. Anyway i did not went for all those food (not a fan). I went to few places like asahiyama memorial park and had a nice view of sapporo. And there is this place call moerenuma park, the place is huge (I got sunburn here too cuz it was super hot) but still I like the place cuz the landscape was too awesome and I wish it was spring. Here some reference http://moerenumapark.jp/english/

And for our muslim friend, there are few halal restaurant and a mosque around Kitajuhachijo and Kitajunijo train station. Apparently it is where most of the hokkaido university student stay but too bad it was summer break.

Hope this help you guys in planning future trip, and here some pics:

[attachmentid=7463562][attachmentid=7463530][attachmentid=7463534][attachmentid=7463538][attachmentid=7463484][attachmentid=7463487][attachmentid=7463488][attachmentid=7463491][attachmentid=7463497][attachmentid=7463511][attachmentid=7463515][attachmentid=7463516][attachmentid=7463517][attachmentid=7463519][attachmentid=7463523][attachmentid=7463528][attachmentid=7463529]

Thanks for sharing. I heard the Blue Pond in Biei was damaged by Typhoon and is closed. Any other areas affected?

Really ?? anyplace to check ? because i heard JR hokkaido some express line suspended for 1 month too ...

hi guys, 2 main questions need help please:
1. do most of you buy travel insurance when visiting japan? if so, which one?

2. travel method from airport to hotel and around kyoto/osaka. please let me know if this make sense.
- buy icoca + haruka combo from (http://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/icoca-haruka/)
- reaching japan : use haruka to travel from KIX - kyoto hotel (kyoto station)
- during stay at japan : icoca card to travel around kyoto/osaka by subway, buses
- leaving japan : use haruka to travel from osaka - KIX

hi guys, 2 main questions need help please:
1. do most of you buy travel insurance when visiting japan? if so, which one?

2. travel method from airport to hotel and around kyoto/osaka. please let me know if this make sense.
- buy icoca + haruka combo from (http://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/icoca-haruka/)
- reaching japan : use haruka to travel from KIX - kyoto hotel (kyoto station)
- during stay at japan : icoca card to travel around kyoto/osaka by subway, buses
- leaving japan : use haruka to travel from osaka - KIX

We are having the same idea as per your inquiry. Mind sharing your travel itinerary.

Our trip to Osaka is from 22nd to 26th Oct. 2016. This is our first trip to Japan

We are travelling in pair (my wife and me). Tentatively we had booked a hotel in Shin Osaka for the whole duration.

Really grateful if you do not mind  sharing your idea and itinerary/planning. Thanks.

I am planning my trip (10 days) for this coming December to Hokkaido (Sapporo, Asahikawa, Otaru, Hakodate) via Tokyo (ANA), however contemplating on the transport methods to there

I would be arriving late into Haneda est 10:30PM+ and transport services would be out when I eventually retrieve my luggage. Probably going to wait through the night for next available transportation towards Hokkaido (Sapporo)

My options are below

1. Domestic flight through Haneda -> Chitose (10:05PM arrival @ Haneda, 6:25AM departure to Chitose next day)
- cost lesser than item (2) + shorter travel time. Will there be a luggage limit for non transit domestic flights ? Would have to purchase separate hokkaido rail pass to travel locally there. Furthermore Haneda airport does not allow stayover compared to Narita
2. JR east + south hokkaido pass  (6D Flex) Tokyo-> Shin-Hakodate -> Sapporo -> Otaru -> Shin-Hakodate -> Tokyo
- cost more than item (1) and lengthier travel hours. But could save on JR rail transport locally at Hokkaido

We are having the same idea as per your inquiry. Mind sharing your travel itinerary.

Our trip to Osaka is from 22nd to 26th Oct. 2016. This is our first trip to Japan

We are travelling in pair (my wife and me). Tentatively we had booked a hotel in Shin Osaka for the whole duration.

Really grateful if you do not mind  sharing your idea and itinerary/planning. Thanks.