Shikisai No Oka

A hotel room with an epilepsy warning? An omakase course of tea-based cocktails? I can't say for sure these are hidden gems, but after months of seeing everyone and their moms go to Japan since COVID reopening, I can say these were some of my favorite spots that I seldom saw people visit. Hi! I'm a Brooklyn-based tech journalist-turned-corporate comms editor. Early in my career I spent a stint as a luxury travel planner and writer specializing in Asia, and if I can toot my own horn, I'm often the friend everyone says "wth Natt, how do you find all these cool spots, drop that itin." (Fine, they don't say it like that, but you get the point). Travel planning is a great hobby for me, and I am writing this as both a journal to remember my trip by and to share with friends, hence the overly familiar tone you might find below. If you discovered this on the Thatch platform, consider giving my guide a shot and hopefully you'll find it useful for an adventuresome visit to Japan! This guide includes: ✈️ Pre and post-arrival pro-tips 🛌 Hotel, restaurant, and activity suggestions with some personal anecdotes (we vetted any Instagram vs realities!) 📍 Resources, databases, and things to make your journey more efficient and economical It is not: 📆 A list of daily itineraries ❓ "Beginner's guide to Japan" i.e. how to book JR trains, basic etiquettes, how to transfer from airport to city 🔝 The absolute best of the bests - opinions here totally my own

Please enjoy my free guide to the absolutely gorgeous Hokkaido. We spent two weeks driving around Hokkaido, and have compiled a list of most excellent restaurants, cafes, scenic scenery, and hotels. TRAVEL TIPS: Fly from Tokyo (Haneda Airport) to New Chitose Airport (the closest airport to Sapporo, and third largest airport in Japan). It takes less than 2 hours, and since it is a local flight, you only have to arrive 1 hour before you fly out. I recommend this route over the Shinkansen (bullet train) which will take much longer and will cost more money. CAR RENTAL: A free shuttle bus from the airport took us to the car rental location. We drove to Sapporo and stayed for a few days before embarking on this excellent summer roadtrip. Please note, renting a car in Hokkaido in the wintertime takes an experienced and skilled snow driver, so if this isn't you, I recommend leaving the driving to the summertime. GUIDE INDEX: 1. Sapporo 2. Furano 3. Niseko

Hokkaido is Japan's second largest island and northernmost prefecture 🗾 The prefecture is notably famous for their ski resorts in the winter. But it offers so much more than skiing, it's also known for their breathtakingly, colourful flower fields during the summer season 🌷 This is a comprehensive guide with a list of attractions you can add to your Hokkaido itinerary. For a more personalised experience, order a custom itinerary travel guide package for Japan from my services that is catered to your needs and wants! 🗺️