What I would do different

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.

Goodbye Hokkaido

I had about 3 hours in the morning before I had to catch the train to New Chitose Airport so I decided to go back to the tourist district to buy some small glassware gifts. After that I decided to have another taste of Northern Haskop.

Otaru has a couple of unusual covered outdoor malls.

I think this huge pot and kettle are to attract attention; I don't think giants come shopping here.

And then it was time to go. I ate my bento lunch in the train. 72 minutes later, I was at the airport. I decided to use up the coins buying something from the last-minute shops. I picked a box of 18 chocolate nut praline bars to see what the fuss about these upmarket manufacturers is about. They were good, but probably they rely on their reputation amongst gift-givers. Sorry, I'm not bringing any back; I'll be eating them at the rate of 3 or 4 a day before returning; I don't want to have to declare to AQIS that I have food.

Also I bought what looked like rice crackers. There were rice crackers in the bag, but the feature was tiny candied crabs sprinkled throught. Delicious if a bit unusual. Reminded me of the Monty Python Crunchy Frog skit.

The domestic terminal was a flurry of activity, probably people headed home for the mid-autumn festival, but the international terminal was relatively quiet, only HK holiday-makers returning, or Hokkaido tourists setting out.

About 4-½ hours later, I was in Hong Kong for the next chapter of my trip.

Off to Hokkaido

In the end, no matter how many well wishes a traveller receives, you have to to face your fears alone and set out. Each trip has its peculiar worries. The main one this time was the language. I had taken a few Japanese courses and could probably make simple requests and understand the replies. I regret not learning to read Hiragana, the main Japanese writing system. I can recognise Kanji which is derived from Chinese and that would give me some clues such as knowing that a place is a park (koen). But to read Japanese you need Hiragana and if there are no Romaji (Latin characters) then I'm illiterate. At least in the Balkans I could recognise the names of places.


A secondary worry was the sparseness of transport links in Hokkaido. You have to plan carefully or you may for example find that the last of only three buses for the day has left. Fortunately with the help of the Internet and translation engines, a lot can be discovered ahead of time. It wasn't easy to plan my itinerary; I had to undergo several iterations. No doubt I will have to modify it on the run.


Japan is an expensive destination, but it has become more affordable for Aussies compared to many years ago. An pleasant surprise was that single hotel rooms in the lower categories aren't as expensive as you might think, about the same level as Australia. Perhaps it's because the lone business traveller is an established species. Perhaps it's because the Japanese love automation particularly in the form of vending machines and there is a large component of self-service at such hotels. Which would probably feel sterile but if you just want a bed for the night, that's ok. And being such a wired country, Internet access is thrown in.


Another convenient aspect is that Japanese hostels usually provide dinner in addition to breakfast, saving one the trouble of looking for a meal. Packed lunches can also be ordered. I get the impression that hostelling is well-organised in Japan. My main concern is how many other hostellers would be competing for the rooms. It was hard to judge. I picked September because it's a narrow window after the summer peak and before the cold descends.


I wasn't sure about the temperatures, so I thought I might need a heavy coat. But looking at recent weather forecasts, it seems that temperatures will be in the low 20s which is almost perfect if it isn't too humid, so a light jacket should do. But in the mountains it will be colder and windier so I have extra layers for those places. I may have to contend with rain so I have an umbrella.


Well, I'm sure it will be ok, I have a good track record. A bit of planning and foreknowledge help reduce the worries. It's just departure nerves. Once I'm in the thick of it, there won't be time to fret.


It's been a week of lasts, lasts before the trip; last film I will watch, last time I will eat there, last trip to the beach. My normal life has been put in hold.


Well, I'm off. My fridge hasn't been this empty for a long time and I can see the bottom of my fruit bowl.