itinerary feedback – Hokkaido + Tokyo family of 4

Day 1 ✈️ Sapporo Arrival CTS Airport → Car rental pickup (45 min) → Drive to Sapporo (70–80 min) → Odori Park → Nanda Buffet Pick up Suica IC card & SIM at airport ⚠️ First drive ever in RHD + left-side traffic. Both steering side AND road side are unfamiliar (you drive LHD in PH/US). Allow 90–105 min CTS→hotel. Do a slow car park practice loop first.
Day 2 🍫 Shiroi Koibito + Otaru Shiroi Koibito Park (10:00), Otaru Canal, Sushi Street, LeTAO, Sakaimachi St Buy Shiroi Koibito at source — freshest & cheapest here Leave hotel 09:30. 50–60 min to Shiroi Koibito (norm. 25 min), 65–75 min to Otaru (norm. 35 min). Cascading later times — all built into Day 2 tab.
Day 3 🏔 Niseko / Mt Yotei Mt Yotei viewpoint, Prativo (lunch), Lake Hangetsu Reserve Prativo in advance. Scenic volcanic crater lake. ⚠️ LEAVE 08:30. Drives are 120–135 min each way (norm. 90 min). Mountain roads — narrow and winding. Take breaks on the return.
Day 4 🍫 Buddha + Royce' Makomanai Buddha, Costco ⭐optional, Royce' Chocolate World, Garaku/Daruma dinner Pack bags tonight — flying to Tokyo tomorrow! Verify Costco Sapporo address. Last driving day — 70–85 min back from Chitose area. Return car at CTS next morning. Keep ETC card safe.
Day 5 ✈️ Travel to Tokyo Car return at CTS (20 min), fly to Tokyo, check-in, Pokémon Store Tokyo Station ⭐, Ramen Street Pokémon Store (Character Street B1) — Tokyo exclusives! ⚠️ Leave hotel 07:30. Allow 85–95 min to CTS (norm. 50–55 min). Fill petrol before expressway. Car return takes 20–25 min.
Day 6 🌊 teamLab + Joypolis teamLab Planets 09:30 ⭐, Toyosu Market (lunch), Yurikamome to Odaiba, Joypolis ⭐ (3 hrs) Joypolis day passport — unlimited VR rides! Rainbow Bridge views on Yurikamome. Book teamLab timed entry in advance. June = rainy season — umbrella essential.
Day 7 🎮 Super Potato + Akihabara Super Potato ⭐ (retro games), Akihabara shops, Yodobashi Akiba, Square Enix Café, Arcades Super Potato rooftop retro arcade. Retro Pokémon cartridges! Pokémon Café closed till end Jun — replaced with retro shop crawl + Pokémon Store done on Day 5.
Day 8 🌸 Harajuku + Shibuya + Kirby Café Takeshita St, Meiji Jingu, Afuri Ramen, Omotesando, Hachiko 📸, Shibuya Crossing 📸, Kirby Café 20:00 ⭐ 🌟 KIRBY CAFÉ: , booking confirmed. Hachiko photo stop added. Leave Shibuya by 18:30 → Hanzomon Line DIRECT to Oshiage (35 min). Don't miss this train!
Day 9 🏠 Departure Checkout, Tokyo Station Gransta + Character Street (last shopping), Airport Return Suica IC card at JR machine (¥500 deposit back minus ¥220 fee) Check out by 09:00. Adjust airport departure to your flight time.

by blitzie