Purpose
In 2020 just before the Covid-19 pandemic, I had the good fortune to go on a trip to Japan with my Mom, my step-father Stephen, and some of their friends from a scuba diving group. This trip was among the most memorable I have ever taken for a number of reasons, from the country’s unique culture to the sights we got the chance to see. The only thing I would’ve done differently is to spend a couple of days visiting the northernmost island of Hokkaido, which has a very different feel from the rest of Japan and also was the inspiration for the Sinnoh region of the Pokemon series. However, since we visited in early March, it was not the most ideal time to go there due to the island having a colder climate overall.
The odds are very good that I will return to Japan at some point in the future. When I do, I would like to set aside a few days of that trip to see Hokkaido proper. This project will use generative AI to help me come up with an itinerary for this part of the trip, and then I will use QGIS (a free GIS software, with fewer overall features and an easier-to-use interface compared to ArcGIS) to create a map showing the trip’s route, stops, etc.
Methodology
To come up with an itinerary, I decided on a number of criteria for my trip:
- 4-5 days total
- Maximum budget of $3,500
- Things I’d want to see, including: Geological highlights such as onsens (hot springs) & crater lakes
- Sampling the region’s famous seafood & sushi
- A couple of unique POIs for variety, such as the Tokoro Ruins
I used Generative AI to suggest which POIs would fit these criteria, as well as generate a route based on train routes & schedules, and hotels to stay at for the night. I then was able to generate an Excel spreadsheet containing the coordinates of each major stop along the route to import into QGIS, and then manually digitized line-based vector layers representing the route of each day, color coding each one for reference.
(Note: I did not include Day 5 on my map since it is just a return trip to Sapporo to prepare for my flight back home)
Itinerary
Day 1: Sapporo to Yubari City, then Overnight in Sapporo
- Train Ride: Take the JR Hakodate Line from Sapporo to Oiwake Station, then transfer to the JR Sekisho Line to reach Yubari.
- Activity: Spend the morning exploring the Yubari Coal Mining Museum. Head back to Sapporo in the afternoon for the Nijo Market and relax in Sapporo for the night.
- Hotel Check-In: Check into a Sapporo hotel in the evening, minimizing travel-related fatigue.
Day 2: Sapporo to Noboribetsu Onsen
- Train Ride: From Sapporo, take the JR Muroran Line to Noboribetsu.
- Activity: Spend the day at Lake Shikotsu or Lake Toya, then head to Noboribetsu Onsen in the late afternoon.
- Hotel Check-In: Check into a ryokan in Noboribetsu and spend the evening enjoying the onsen facilities and a traditional meal.
Day 3: Noboribetsu to Furano/Biei (Blue Pond Area)
- Train Ride: From Noboribetsu, take the JR Muroran Line to Sapporo, transfer to the JR Hakodate Line to Asahikawa, then take the JR Furano Line to reach Biei/Furano.
- Activity: Leave Noboribetsu early in the morning to reach Furano around midday. Spend the afternoon at the Blue Pond and Shirahige Falls.
- Hotel Check-In: Stay overnight in Biei/Furano, ensuring you have time to enjoy the local scenery.
Day 4: Furano to Abashiri (Tokoro Ruins)
- Train Ride: Take the JR Furano Line to Asahikawa, then transfer to the Limited Express Okhotsk to Abashiri.
- Activity: Given the long train ride, use this as a transit day. Arrive in Abashiri in the late afternoon. Visit the Abashiri area for a light evening stroll or a quick visit to the Tokoro Ruins if time permits.
- Hotel Check-In: Check into a hotel in Abashiri for the night.
Day 5: Abashiri to Sapporo
- Train Ride: Take the Limited Express Okhotsk back to Sapporo.
- Activity: Leave Abashiri in the morning to arrive in Sapporo by early afternoon. Use the rest of the day for any remaining sightseeing or shopping in Sapporo.
Conclusions
Overall I feel like this could definitely be a viable outline to keep in mind, should I decide to actually visit Hokkaido some time in the near future.
According to my Generative AI analysis of costs, I could expect to pay around $1,800 to $2,400 for this trip by staying at relatively cheap hotels, and using trains instead of renting a car. This would allow extra money for other things such as souvenir shopping, slightly better hotels, or simply adding this in as a side-trip on a much larger comprehensive return trip to Japan (my 2020 Japan trip, by contrast, was 10 days long & cost roughly $5,000 per person).
And even if I can’t get around to making a return trip to Japan for several more years and/or my priorities of what I would want to see have completely changed by then, I still wanted to take this opportunity to re-learn how to use QGIS, as well as experiment further with using Generative AI!