2500 Yen IC Card: Japan has a public transport system unrivalled anywhere in the world for efficiency, cleanliness and coverage. The daily number of journeys on the Tokyo subway alone is in excess of 8 million yet despite its huge scope and vast number of lines navigating the system is really rather easy. As always the Japanese are pushing the boundaries with their transport technology and now there is a convenient tap-in, tap-out 'IC Card' that covers not just Tokyo's public transport but the entire country. In 2012 all the regional electronic transport cards were combined into a single system and now you can use any of them on the transport systems in most major cities in Japan (frustratingly not on the Kyoto buses yet!). Simply the most convenient and developed public transport system you will find anywhere.

Shared shuttle bus to your hotel: You will be met on arrival at Tokyo Haneda  Airport today and taken by shuttle bus to your hotel in Tokyo. Please note that as other people will be in the same bus, there may be a few stops before you arrive at your hotel (maximum of 3 other stops). Journey time is around 1 hour and this is a comfortable and easy way to make today's transfer. Look out for some great views as you ride the elevated highways into town!

Mobile WiFi Device: We have included for you the rental of a mobile wi-fi device which we will arrange to be delivered to your first hotel. This will mean that you can have wi-fi on the move and at all of your accommodation making staying in touch with friends or browsing the internet on your smartphone or laptop a breeze! The wi-fi can be shared between up to 10 devices. We have included full insurance for you in case of loss or damage. At the end of your stay simply return the device in the pre-paid envelope provided. The internet provider for your WiFi device is AU. This has wide coverage across Japan including most small islands and rural areas. There is unlimited data usage.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Shiba Park Hotel (Annex Room)

Day at leisure in Tokyo: Today you are free to explore the Japanese capital independently. You will be equipped with maps and your IC Transport Card which should give you a good sense of how to get around and make the most of Tokyo's excellent public transport.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Shiba Park Hotel (Annex Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Train journey to Hakodate: From Tokyo you will take the Shinkansen bullet train north all the way to Hakodate at the southern tip of Hokkaido Island. The final part of the journey takes you beneath the Tsugaru Strait through the Seikan Tunnel. Total journey time is 4 hours 10 minutes.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the La Vista Hakodate Bay (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Self-guided tour of Hakodate: Today you are free to explore the city independently. Highlights include the local fish market where you can sample the Shio Ramen and the Goryokaku Fort, a western-style citadel dating from the early 17th century. This is best viewed towards the end of the day from the Goryokaku Tower.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the La Vista Hakodate Bay (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Rental car pickup in Hakodate: Today you will pick up your Toyota Prius (or similar) rental car and begin your journey around Hokkaido. The car will have a GPS device and full instructions will be provided by the car hire centre and in your info-pack.

Self-drive from Hakodate to Toya Onsen: Set off today in your hire car to Toya Onsen. This is a journey of approximately 150km which, depending on stops, should take you around 2.5 hours. The Onuma Quasi National Park is just 20km north of Hakodate and makes for an interesting stop. The area is filled with lakes and islands near dormant Mount Komagatake. The lakes are connected by bridges and there are a selection of easy walking routes.

On arrival in Toya Onsen, check in to your hotel to explore this area of outstanding natural beauty or just relax in the waters of the hot spring baths.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Toya Kohantei (Lakeside Room - with bathroom)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Self-drive to Sapporo: Depart Toya-Onsen and drive to Sapporo. This journey is around 120km and should take about 1.5 hours. En route you may wish to make stops at Jigokudani or "Hell Valley" a spectacular, appropriately named valley of hot steam vents, sulphurous streams and other volcanic activity just above the town of Noboribetsu Onsen; or stop at Lake Shikotsu to climb Mount Tarumae, one of Japan’s most active volcanoes, last erupting in 1981.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Richmond Hotel Sapporo Ekimae (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Day at leisure: Today you have a free day to further explore Sapporo, a city famous for its buttery ramen noodles and beer! In the summer, Odori Park at the heart of the city is transformed into a vast beer garden, providing the perfect spot to enjoy the mild (comparatively to mainland Japan) weather and mix with the locals, whose eagerness to make friends after a couple of tipples may surprise you! We also highly recommend trying the Hokkaido speciality, “Genghis Khan” (lamb strips cooked on a dome-shaped hotplate), and making time to visit the Ainu Museum, which is dedicated to the culture of Hokkaido's native people.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Richmond Hotel Sapporo Ekimae (Double Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Self-drive to Biei: Depart Sapporo and drive to Biei. This journey is around 160km and should take about 3 hours. A stop en route at Furano for the picturesque rural landscape is highly recommended - but a must see in July when the lavender fields are in full bloom.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Resort House BIBI (Honkan Japanese Style Room - shared bathroom)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Self-drive to Daisetsuzan National Park: This morning you will set off in your rental car to Daisetsuzan National Park. The drive will take around 1hour 45 minutes, up into the mountainous countryside of central Hokkaido, with some outstanding views en route. On arrival in Daisetsuzan you have the remainder of the day at leisure to get acquainted with your hotel and surroundings.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Asahidake Onsen Hotel Bearmonte (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Private guided hike up Mount Asahidake: Today you will do a day hike of Mount Asahidake with well known local guide Michiko Aoki. You have the option of taking the gondola (2,900 yen pay on the day) or doing the whole thing on foot; it is up to you and Aoki-san will be able to advise. This is one of Japan's most beautiful national park areas and with an expert guide at hand you are sure to have a great day's hiking. The weather tends to deteriorate in the afternoon so the day's guided hike is usually finished by 3pm, however Aoki-san is very flexible; she'll check the weather before setting off to ensure you get the most out of the region.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Asahidake Onsen Hotel Bearmonte (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Self-drive to Sounkyo Onsen: This morning, you will set off in your rental car to the scenic Sounkyo Gorge, on the north-eastern side of the Daisetsuzan National Park. The drive will take around 1 hour 45 minutes taking you into an area of spectacular cliffs and dramatic waterfalls.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Sounkyo Choyotei (Japanese Style Room - with bathroom)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Self-drive to Lake Kussharo: Today you have a scenic drive to Lake Kussharo, a journey of around 3 hours. First you will pass through the spectacular cliffs of Sounkyo Gorge, home to “Milky Way Falls” and “Shooting Star Falls” a pair of waterfalls which plunge 100m down the cliff face. 

While the direct route to Lake Kussharo will not take you past Lake Akan, we highly recommend making the slight detour to stop by this scenic lake. This lake's claim to fame is marimo, a rare species of algae that form green balls - sometimes the size of footballs - on the lakebed. We are not sure how anybody first spotted marimo, but you can see them up close in a little island museum which all the sightseeing boats on the lake stop at. At the western edge of Lake Akan’s only town is a small Ainu village – a street selling Ainu crafts and a theatre hall where Ainu performances take place daily. A beautiful road takes you to Lake Kussharo across the mountains from Lake Akan. The total journey time to travel via Lake Akan will be just under 5 hours.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Kussharo Prince Hotel (Lake View Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Explore Lake Kussharo: Today you will have the opportunity to take the car out and explore the stunning local scenery. Mt Io, Lake Mashu, Kami no ko and the Sunayu baths are all very much worth a visit. Lake Mashu is the smallest of the three lakes in Akan National Park and was once considered the clearest lake in the world. In summer, the surface of Lake Mashū is often obscured by fog, giving the lake a reputation for mysteriousness. Mount Io, or Iozan, is an active volcano famed for its yellow, sulphurous vents can be viewed by visitors who are free to walk around the area. There are several pleasant walking trails and visitors can purchase and cook eggs using the natural heat of the mountain. The Sunayu baths is a collection of sand onsens on the shores of Lake Kussharo. There are several pre-prepared holes to bathe in but if you have time, you can try digging your own onsen!

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Kussharo Prince Hotel (Lake View Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Self-drive to Rausu: Set off today in your hire car to Rausu. This is a journey of approximately 125km which should take you around 2 hours. You may wish to break up the journey with stops at any sights in the Akan-Mashu National Park you didn’t cover on your previous days, the most convenient options would be: Lake Kussharo, Iozan and Lake Mashu.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Rausu Daiichi Hotel (Sinkan Room - with bathroom)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Shared Shiretoko Peninsula cruise: This morning you will drive to the small fishing village of Utoro to embark on a cruise of the Shiretoko Peninsula. This three-hour cruise takes you around the Shiretoko Peninsula and the Sea of Okhotsk for a look at the rugged peninsula from the sea. Your cruise will be in one of the smaller vessels allowing it to get closer to the coast to maximise your chance of seeing some of the resident wildlife. If you are lucky you’ll have chance to spot whales and orca (best chance between April to August), sea lions, dolphins, deer, foxes, brown bears (best chance June and July) and numerous species of birds. This is a great chance to appreciate the dramatic beauty and diverse wildlife of this isolated region of Japan.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Rausu Daiichi Hotel (Sinkan Room - with bathroom)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Self-drive to Abashiri: Today’s journey will be a scenic drive across the Shiretoko Peninsula to the fishing town of Abashiri. There are several places of interest along the beautiful Shiretoko pass which make for convenient places to stop. Utoro has an abundance of great sea food restaurants so a lunch stop is highly recommended. The coastline here is famous for its large rock formations particularly Uronko, which is 60 metres tall and is accessible via steps to the top. From Utoro you can make a slight detour to the Shiretoko Five Lakes to enjoy a walk on the area’s hiking trails, although precautions do need to be made as it is an area with a population of brown bears. Finally, just outside Utoro is the Oshinkoshin waterfall, also nicknamed "Sobi no Taki", meaning twin beauties waterfall, as the stream is split into two visible falls.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Hokuten no Oka (Japanese-Western Room Tower Building)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Self-guided tour of Abashiri: Abashiri is the largest town on the Okhotsk Coast of north eastern Hokkaido and best known in Japan for the Meiji era penal facility, Kangoku, used to house the most serious offenders and political prisoners. Today the prison has been turned into an excellent museum where you can stroll through all the old buildings and even spend some time in a cell. Mount Tento in the suburbs is a great place from which to view Abashiri.

The town is a Mecca for seafood lovers with an abundance of seasonal seafood available throughout the year. Should you find yourself visiting during the winter months, the town becomes encased by dramatic ice flows which extend far out into the Sea of Okhostk.

Drive to Memanbetsu Airport and return your rental car: Today you will drive to Memanbetsu Airport and drop off your hire car. The journey should take around 25 minutes but leave enough time to return your car.

Flight: JL564 Memanbetsu - Tokyo Haneda 15.10 - 16.55

Shared shuttle bus to your hotel: You will be met on arrival at Tokyo Haneda  Airport today and taken by shuttle bus to your hotel in Tokyo. Please note that as other people will be in the same bus, there may be a few stops before you arrive at your hotel (maximum of 3 other stops). Journey time is around 1 hour and this is a comfortable and easy way to make today's transfer. Look out for some great views as you ride the elevated highways into town!

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Shiba Park Hotel (Annex Room)

Meals: Breakfast