Otaru

I was going from Sapporo to Hakodate, so I bought a five-day JR pass for 22,000 yen, which was quite expensive. But I was guaranteed a seat in the reserved area, so it was acceptable!

Buying tickets on your phone at the aquarium entrance was super convenient, saving you time queuing on-site. Just show your QR code to enter. The ocean view in the marine mammal park was beautiful, and the penguins and walruses were so cute and therapeutic. The rest area was also very comfortable and convenient. A fantastic and well worth a visit!

I've used many eSIMs before, but this is the first one that's so easy to install, affordable, and fast... It was the best!

Departing from Sapporo Station, the group consisted of 5 people. The driver, who also served as the leader, had a hard time driving, as the journey was long and the return to the Sapporo meeting point was required. Although the stops at each point were short, the smell of sulfur at Jigokudani (Hell Valley) was like rotten eggs. Lake Toya, according to the driver and guide, is an unfrozen lake with magnificent scenery. Showa Shinzan is an active volcano, and lunch was at our own expense. We could then decide how much time we had for eating, shopping, and sightseeing. Otaru has a quaint old-world charm and beautiful canal scenery. We could also manage our time for shopping, taking photos, and sightseeing before heading back to the pick-up point. The itinerary was tight, with long travel times, making it a rather whirlwind day trip.