I'm going early Dec too.. but just 2adult + 1 kid. As this is first time to Hokkaido.. and unsure about how snow will be. And 1st time visit with possible snow.. my hubby is not daring enough to drive. Hence we confine ourselves to focus only in Sapporo. And only do daytrip to Otaru, then another day to the Zoo. So we opt for public transport.

Yeah, we know. But the uncertainty is snow. It is not a weather that we've experience before, some more gotta drive on it. As we will be going in early December, there are flakes of snow but is actually is in a transition mode going in winter.. where there is nothing much to see yet due to winter not fully kicks in.. and believe that all the farm already close (no fruits, no flowers).

Agree... food, shopping, culture, scenery, ... so many things.
If $ allow.. annual trip will be nice.

Why not just get it renew, since you still have time to do that and worry free. Purchase flight ticket doesn't need the passport number yet.

Last year end, we went to Taiwan.. and I only notice my husband's passport have just 6mth before due. It was Friday night (when I found out during packing ) and we flying off Sunday. Immediately get it done on Saturday... phew.. lucky no system down issue.

Actually I was thinking to take the risk, as I was a frequent traveller to certain countries and this thing "pass-able" when they see your track records. But my hubby is not a frequent traveller, hence we better play safe.

Download google translator (or explore any other translator apps). Point your camera on the japanese words.. they will direct translate it once it scan on it. Thou the screen could make you dizzy, but minimally you can still get the meaning out of those words. It can also translate your spoken language too.. though the vocal translation I never try. My last 2 visits.. body language works well. Hahaha...

I order food by pointing pictures usually .. as their pictures are the reason I walk into the shop and it give me appetite.. the translated blur wording only make me diet.. dizzy ady.. no need eat.

This post has been edited by cc980024: Nov 15 2018, 03:52 PM

Yah.. it is very dizzy. But this is consider an easiest and cheap option for DIY ppl like us. Some app can take a snapshot then only translate.. won't be tat dizzy.. but of coz slower compare to the lens over.. immediate translate.

Order food is pretty easy.. point picture will do. I use this app more for shopping, to scan through the package.. at least I know won't mix up .. buying lotion vs shampoo. Just like the horse-oil produce.. the only word we know is horse-oil, and for the last 2 trips still dare not buy.. dunno what is this for.. so many different products.. at least now i know.. they have wide range.. from shampoo, lotion, etc.. and I won't mess up using lotion as shampoo.

Just came bk. I fly in Narita, and few days later fly off to Sapporo from Haneda. Actually don't feel any difference between these 2, as long as your hotel are easily accessible to/fr the airport and city area. Prioritise your choice based on time of flight and airline. Then get the most suitable lodging, settle.

We travel around with my boy since he was 3yrs old. Every online booking, we will indicate 2 adults n 1 child (provide age info). We don't really bother if they charge for the kid or not, just to make sure stress free for a vacation. And if any argument on hotel arrangement, with a booking properly said number of pax will always win. Recent trip, we booked a suite room in a osaka hostel. Booking indicated 2 single bed + 1 sofa bed for us 2 adults + 11yr old child. When we were there, the reception behave as in not expecting 3pax. When I insist we booked for 3pax and it mentioned sofa bed, she insist they only have sofa in the room, not sofa bed. Anyway, I don't care, and tell her my boy can have the sofa...or whatever, we just want our room without extra charge as my booking is accurate, hotel info misleading. In the end, they setup the sofa bed for us. Guess what, it really is sofa bed in the room. But don't know why they try to be funny with us.

For Japan, it is better to get a bed space for each pax. Unless you go for premium hotel or you all really small built. As you don't really know if their bed big enough to share.