About

Hi, I’m Sachiko.

This site started with a friend. After I moved to the Netherlands, a friend here told me she wanted to travel to Japan, to Hokkaido, Osaka, Tokyo, and more. I tried to help her plan over WhatsApp, and I realized something. For Hokkaido, the place I am from, there was so much I wanted to share, and so little of it written in English by someone who actually knows it.

So I decided to write it down properly. That is what Hokkaido Itinerary is.

Where I’m from

I was born and raised in Nakashibetsu, a town in eastern Hokkaido. I grew up with places like Shiretoko, Lake Mashu, and the Kushiro Wetlands not far away. Later I lived in Sapporo for six years, so I know the city side too, not only the countryside.

I am not a writer who visited Hokkaido for two weeks. I grew up here. That is the difference I hope you will feel in these pages.

Who I write for

I usually travel with my husband, but I write for anyone planning a trip to Hokkaido, whether you are going as a couple, with friends, with your family, or on your own, and whether it is your first time in Japan or your fifth.

I write about where to stay, how to get around and drive here (including in winter, which worries a lot of visitors), the nature I grew up with, and the food. I try to give you real, current information, the kind that is easy to get wrong if you do not live in Japan.

I will not tell you that you “must” see something. I will tell you what I love, what I would actually do, and let you choose.

A note on how this is written

I write in Japanese, and I use AI to translate it into English. Then I check it myself. The experiences and the choices here are my own. I would rather be open about that than pretend otherwise.

Thank you for reading. I hope this helps you plan a trip you will remember.

Sachiko