I will show you 4-day sample trip plan of the eastern Hokkaido from Sapporo. This trip plan covers these following spots:
✔ Abashiri
✔ Shiretoko Five lakes
✔ Shiretoko cruise
✔ Kushiro Marshland
✔ Lake Akan
✔ Lake Mashu
✔ Lake Kussharo
Overview
The blank map provided by CraftMAP
On day 1, go to Abashiri and enjoy city sightseeing or Lake Notoro (late August to mid September) or Icebreaker tour (mid February to early March) .
On day 2, move to Shiretoko. Visit Shiretoko Five Lakes and take a sightseeing cruise.
On day 3, move to Kushiro and enjoy ride Kushiro Norokko train or SL Fuyu no Shitsugen train (winter).
On day 4, enjoy one day sightseeing bus tour and move back to Sapporo.
JR Pass, Hokkaido Rail Pass and Furano Biei Rail Ticket covers most part of this trip.
Day 1, Sapporo – Abashiri
On the first day of trip, you will take the limited express Okhotsk from Sapporo to Abashiri and spend the rest of the day in Abashiri.
Itinerary
| Time | Place and transporation |
|---|---|
| 06:56 | Sapporo station |
| | (The limited express Okhotsk 1) |
| 12:18 | Abashiri station |
You will take the limited express train to Abashiri and spend the rest of the day in Abashiri.
You have three options in Abashiri. Please see the below to check the highlights.
Highlight
Prison Museum
The Abashiri Prison opened in 1890. Abashir was very isolated at that time and this prison held more than one thousands dangerous prisoners. This prison became well known by the Yakuza (Japanese gang) movie.
A part of the old prison was moved to this current location and opens as a museum.
Stay overnight in Abashiri
Lake Notoro glasswort watching (late August to mid September)
If you go to Abashiri in early fall season, you may visit Lake Notoro to see fall color of glassworts. It is only 15 minutes away from Abashiri by a local bus. The scenery is breathtaking.
| 13:36 | Abashiri station bus stop |
| (Abashiri bus) | |
| 13:54 / 15:03 | Sangosou Iriguchi bus stop |
| (Abashiri bus) | |
| 15:21 | Abashiri station bus stop |
A one way bus fare is 530 yen. Only cash is accepted.
Drift Ice watching (Ryuhyo)
The drift ice watching tour is most popular attraction from the late January to the early Marh. You can watch the ices from the shore when these ices reach the coastline. But most popular way is taking an icebreaker ship to watch it on the water.
The fare is 3,500 yen and the trip time is about 1 hour. You can watch the ice at the highest chance from early February to early March. But the season has been getting shotrer in these years due to the global warming.
I traveled from Abashiri to Shiretoko in February, 2020 just before COVID-19 outbreak. Please find the movie below how I traveled there:
Day 2, Abashiri – Shiretoko
On the second day of trip, you will take a local train from Abashiri and change to the bus for Shiretoko. You will watch most of major places in Shiretoko Peninsula.
Itinerary
| Time | Place and transporation |
|---|---|
| 06:41 | Abashiri station |
| | (JR Senmo line local train) |
| 07:22 / 08:40 | Shiretoko-Shari station / Shari Bus Terminal |
| Shiretoko Roman Fureai Gou bus tour A Drop by Oshin Koshin Falls | |
| 09:50 / 10:05 | Utoro Onsen Bus Terminal |
| Shiretoko Roman Fureai Gou bus tour B Visit Shiretoko Pass and Shiretoko Five Lakes | |
| 14:10 / 14:30 | Utoro Onsen Bus Terminal / Utoro harbour |
| Shiretoko Kamuiwakka falls sightseeing Cruise | |
| 16:00 | Utoro harbour |
If you visit these in the winter time, the sightseeing bus tours are not available. But you can visit Shiretoko by a scheduled local bus. And you can participate the winter activity, such as walking on the drift ice.
Highlight
Shiretoko Five Lakes
Shiretoko Five Lakes are located in the middle of Shiretoko Peninsula. You can walk on the board walk and anyone can access there easily.
Kamuiwakka Fall
The east part of Shiretoko Peninsula is isolated. There is no ground access route. You must take a boat to see the scenery. Kamuiwakka Fall is one of highlights in this area. You can enjoy 1.5 hour boat tour to visit this area.
Day 3, Shiretoko – Kushiro Marshland – Kushiro
On the third day of trip, you will move to Kushiro from Shiretoko.
Itinerary
| Time | Place and transporation |
|---|---|
| 09:30 | Utoro Onsen Bus Terminal |
| | (Shari Bus) |
| 10:20 / 11:11 | Shiretoko-Shari station / Shari Bus Terminal |
| (JR Senmo line rapid train) | |
| 13:01 / 14:48 | Toro station |
| Sightseeing train Kushiro Shitsugen Norokko Train *This train runs in the summer peak season only. When it’s not available, do not get off the rapid train at Toro. Keep riding on it until you get to Kushiro at 13:33. | |
| 15:36 | Kushiro station |
You will take the limited express train to Abashiri and spend the rest of the day in Abashiri. You have three options in Abashiri. Please see the below to check the highlights.
Highlight
Kushiro Shitsugen Norokko Train or SL Fuyu no Sitsugen Train
Kushiro Shitsugen Norokko Train run on weekends and holidays from late April to October. And it usually operates many more days in the late July and August.
If you travel in the winter time, you can take SL Fuyu no Shitsugen Train. This train is operated by the old style carrigage with a steam locomotive. This train usually runs on weekends and holidays from late January to early March. If you take this train, the schedule is the following:
| 10:20 / 11:11 | Shiretoko-Shari station / Shari Bus Terminal |
| (JR Senmo line rapid train) | |
| 12:39 /14:00 | Shibecha station |
| (SL Fuyu no Shitsugen Train) | |
| 15:40 | Kushiro station |
Day 4, Kushiro – Akan National Park – Kushiro – Sapporo
On the last day of the trip, you will participate the sightseeing bus to visit Lake Akan, Lake Mashu, Lake Kussharo and Kushiro Marshland. It is impossible to visit all these places by your own except renting a car. The public transportation runs infrequently. The sightseeing bus is the best solution. The bus usually operates in both summer and winter seasons.
Itinerary
| Time | Place and transporation |
|---|---|
| 08:00 | Kushiro station |
| | Sightseeing Bus “Pirika” visit Kushiro Marshland Viewpoint, Lake Mashu, Mt. Iou, Lake Kussharo, Lake Akan |
| 16:55 / 19:00 | Kushiro station |
| (The limited express Super Ozora 12) | |
| 22:58 | Sapporo station |
Highlight
Akan National Park
Lake Akan, Lake Mashu and Lake Kussharo are cold “Doutou Sanko” which means three lakes in eastern Hokkaido. You can get off the bus at these three lakes. The bus tour includes Kushiro Marshland and Mt. Iou (Sulphur mountain) too.
Travel cost
All train trips are covered by JR Pass, Hokkaido Rail Pass or Peach Higashi Hokkaido Free Pass. The local bus trips, the sightseeing bus rides and the admission fees are extra.
Please see the table below to find the cost breakdown:
| Trip | Cost |
|---|---|
| The limited express Okhotsk from Sapporo to Abashiri | Covered |
| The local bus for the round trip to Abashiri Prison Museum | 480 yen |
| Admission fee for Abashiri Prison Museum | 1,080 yen |
| JR Senmo line rapid train | Covered |
| Shiretoko Roman Fureai Gou course A (Sightseeing bus) | 1,800 yen |
| Shiretoko Roman Fureai Gou course B (Sightseeing bus) | 3,200 yen |
| Shiretoko Kamuiwakka Falls sightseeing cruise | 3,300 yen |
| Shari Bus from Utoro Onsen to Shari | 1,650 yen |
| Sightseeing Bus Pirika | 4,600 yen |
| Total cost | 16,110 yen |
Accommodations and meals are not included.
Summary
The summer season is the best season to do this trip plan. But you can use this trip plan in the winter time too. The drift ice season is very popular too.
I hope this trip plan helps you to build your trip plan.
