I would reduce the length of my trip from 3 weeks to 2. In Japan it is possible to make tight connections, and also some tourist spots can be seen in passing—you don't have to stay there a full day.
I would consider going in the spring rather than autumn because of the wildflowers.
I would omit the parts of Hokkaido below Sapporo and Otaru. Tōya-ko is not spectacular and Noboribetsu I've heard is tacky. The only thing I would miss about Hakodate is the seafood. But the first time you want to see everything.
I would use a rental car more to go to small places not served well by public transport. Of course there is cost to this but just hanging around in Japan also costs money.
I would be more willing to use hotels since the prices for single rooms aren't that much more than hostel accommodation. The drawbacks are that you have to arrange your own meals, and you don't get to meet other travellers.
I would learn Hiragana to at least be able to read place names and common terms.
And some comments:
Japan is a small county with a large population and settled all over. Even in the wilds you are never too far from civilisation. So the outdoors can be tame compared to bigger countries in say the Americas.
Japanese culture is quite similar all over. Sure, if you are a native, there are things that slightly different in your nook of Japan, and there are regional differences in food. But the modern aspects of Japan are the same all over. In Europe, if you go a couple of hundred km, you are in a different country.
There isn't a heavy backpacker trail in Hokkaido. I met few non-Japanese travellers, whereas in say SE Asia, you would be tripping over them in hostels. There is a lot of internal tourism and this means that things are geared towards the Japanese, i.e. the brochures, the signs, the facilities. However there are signs of change, there are backpacker hostels in Sapporo and Otaru that advertise on the Internet.
Finally probably a prejudice of mine: Most of the history I know is Eurocentric because Europe has dominated history for last half a millennium. Japan was a late comer to the world stage. So I don't have much interest in Japanese history and all related things: buildings, temples, shrines, sacred spots. That leaves only scenic spots.
I would consider going in the spring rather than autumn because of the wildflowers.
I would omit the parts of Hokkaido below Sapporo and Otaru. Tōya-ko is not spectacular and Noboribetsu I've heard is tacky. The only thing I would miss about Hakodate is the seafood. But the first time you want to see everything.
I would use a rental car more to go to small places not served well by public transport. Of course there is cost to this but just hanging around in Japan also costs money.
I would be more willing to use hotels since the prices for single rooms aren't that much more than hostel accommodation. The drawbacks are that you have to arrange your own meals, and you don't get to meet other travellers.
I would learn Hiragana to at least be able to read place names and common terms.
And some comments:
Japan is a small county with a large population and settled all over. Even in the wilds you are never too far from civilisation. So the outdoors can be tame compared to bigger countries in say the Americas.
Japanese culture is quite similar all over. Sure, if you are a native, there are things that slightly different in your nook of Japan, and there are regional differences in food. But the modern aspects of Japan are the same all over. In Europe, if you go a couple of hundred km, you are in a different country.
There isn't a heavy backpacker trail in Hokkaido. I met few non-Japanese travellers, whereas in say SE Asia, you would be tripping over them in hostels. There is a lot of internal tourism and this means that things are geared towards the Japanese, i.e. the brochures, the signs, the facilities. However there are signs of change, there are backpacker hostels in Sapporo and Otaru that advertise on the Internet.
Finally probably a prejudice of mine: Most of the history I know is Eurocentric because Europe has dominated history for last half a millennium. Japan was a late comer to the world stage. So I don't have much interest in Japanese history and all related things: buildings, temples, shrines, sacred spots. That leaves only scenic spots.
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