7-Day Hokkaido Campervan Road Trip: New Chitose Airport to Furano and Lake Toya

This 7 day Hokkaido campervan itinerary covers about 707 km (439 mi) in a loop, starting and ending at New Chitose Airport. It runs north to Asahikawa and the Daisetsuzan mountains, then south to the hot springs of Noboribetsu and Lake Toya. No single day goes past about 3 hours of driving, which leaves time for stops.

• Route: New Chitose Airport ➤ Sapporo ➤ Asahikawa ➤ Sounkyo Gorge ➤ Furano ➤ Noboribetsu Onsen ➤ Lake Toya ➤ New Chitose Airport
• Distance: 707 km (439 mi) in total, approximate
• Duration: 7 days
• Best Time to Travel: June to September is outside Hokkaido's snow season. From late autumn to spring, the route needs winter tyres and the checks in the winter checklist article.
• Tolls & Fees: Expressway tolls depend on the route and vehicle class, so check the NEXCO toll and route search listed in Sources. Overnight fees are set by each RV park or campground.
• Best For: First-time campervan travellers in Japan, couples who want hot springs and lakes, and families who prefer short daily drives

Distances and drive times are approximate planning figures from OpenStreetMap routing, adjusted for a campervan, and they exclude stops.

Pick up: New Chitose Airport

New Chitose Airport is the pickup and return point for this loop. Plan a short first day so you have time for paperwork and a slow start on left-hand roads.

Bring your passport, your licence and a booklet-type paper International Driving Permit. The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) page states that card-type and smartphone permits are not valid in Japan (checked October 8, 2026). Drivers with licences from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan carry their original licence and a Japanese translation instead.

JNTO also notes that the arrival date comes from the entry stamp in your passport. Automated airport gates do not give a stamp, so JNTO advises renters to use a staffed gate on arrival.

At the counter, ask for an ETC card if you plan to use expressways. JNTO states that most rental companies lend ETC cards and that ETC gates are marked with a purple sign. Check the insurance level included, because JNTO notes that coverage and conditions vary by company.

Before you drive off, walk around the van with the staff. Photograph any marks you find. Ask how the toilet, water tank and power hook-up work, if the van has them.

Stop 1: Sapporo

Recommended stay

1 night

Best for

• A gentle first drive of about 1 hour
• Food shopping and supplies for the week
• Ramen, local food and city parks

Things to do

JNTO describes Sapporo as a young, wide-open city with a grid street plan. Odori Park stretches about 1.5 km over 12 city blocks and hosts the Sapporo Snow Festival in February. Sapporo Ramen Republic and Ramen Dojo gather ramen styles from across Hokkaido in one place.

For art, JNTO lists Sapporo Art Park, with craft studios for woodworking and glassmaking, and the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art. The Toyohira riverbank has a paved cycling road. Jozankei Onsen is named on the same page for a hot spring soak.

Where to park overnight

Plan this night at an RV park or an auto campground near the city. The Japan RV Association (JRVA) defines an RV park as a facility that meets its conditions for comfortable, safe overnight stays in a vehicle. Those conditions include a 24-hour toilet, 100 V power, waste disposal and a bath within 15 minutes by car. JRVA asks guests to phone each facility before use, since some are temporarily closed.

Stop 2: Asahikawa

Recommended stay

1 night

Best for

• Families who want a large zoo
• Sake tasting for non-drivers in the group
• A supply stop before the mountains

Things to do

JNTO calls Asahikawa Hokkaido's second-largest city and a gateway to Sounkyo Gorge and the Furano area. Asahiyama Zoo is Japan's northernmost zoo. Its exhibits let you watch polar bears diving and spotted seals swimming above a transparent tunnel. Feeding times are announced on the day, so check the schedule at the entrance.

The city has three sake breweries, and JNTO notes that all offer tasting. Heiwa Street, the main road from the station, was Japan's first pedestrian-only outdoor shopping street. Asahikawa ramen is known for its soy sauce base.

Where to park overnight

An RV park or an auto campground around the city suits this night. For an auto campground, the site's own page lists check-in times, power and fees. For an RV park, the JRVA guide sets out the facility conditions and notes that camping activities are not allowed there.

Stop 3: Sounkyo Gorge

Recommended stay

1 night

Best for

• Mountain scenery inside a national park
• Walkers who want trail information
• A short drive day

Things to do

Sounkyo Gorge sits in Daisetsuzan National Park. JNTO describes the park as alpine country with an average elevation of 2,000 meters, nicknamed "the roof of Hokkaido". Mount Tomuraushi and the Tokachi and Ishikari ranges are named on the park page.

For walks and viewpoints in the gorge, start at a Daisetsuzan visitor centre. JNTO states that they provide trail maps, safety advisories and weather information.

Where to park overnight

Mountain areas have fewer overnight options, so book an auto campground or RV park near Sounkyo before the trip. Roadside stations, called michi no eki in Japanese, are another kind of stop on this road. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) states that a nap in the vehicle there is fine. MLIT also asks drivers to refrain from staying overnight in the car park as lodging (checked October 8, 2026).

Stop 4: Furano

Recommended stay

1 night

Best for

• A rural break between two longer drives
• Travellers heading on toward the south
• Views toward the Tokachi range

Things to do

JNTO's Asahikawa page names the Furano area as one of the places reached from Asahikawa. Sights and seasonal events in Furano change through the year, so ask the local tourist information office or check the official tourism page on the day you arrive.

Where to park overnight

Choose an RV park or an auto campground in the Furano area. MLIT notes that some roadside stations set aside a separate space for overnight stays. If you plan to use one, read that station's own website for its conditions first. Without such a space, MLIT's request to avoid overnight lodging in the car park applies.

Stop 5: Noboribetsu Onsen

Recommended stay

1 night

Best for

• Hot spring bathing after the longest drive
• Short forest walks near a volcanic valley
• Learning about Ainu culture

Things to do

JNTO states that Noboribetsu has nine distinct types of mineral-rich hot spring water. They are fed by Jigokudani, or Hell Valley, a volcanic valley you can visit. Many hotel hot spring facilities accept day visitors as well as overnight guests.

Lake Kuttara, a round caldera lake, is about 15 minutes by car from the centre of Noboribetsu Onsen. You can rent a kayak there or look down from an observatory 320 meters above the water. The Noboribetsu Primeval Forest has around 60 kinds of trees.

The Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park is in Shiraoi, between Noboribetsu and the airport. It has a reconstructed Ainu village, craft workshops and performances of traditional Ainu dance.

Where to park overnight

Day 5 is the longest drive, at about 3 hours, so a reserved site helps. An RV park or auto campground near Noboribetsu works here. JRVA notes that RV parks are being set up at many kinds of facilities, including hot springs and inns. Confirm the bathing and power details on each facility's page.

Stop 6: Lake Toya

Recommended stay

1 night

Best for

• Lake scenery on the last night
• Volcano views
• A short final drive back to the airport

Things to do

Lake Toya is in Shikotsu-Toya National Park, which JNTO calls one of Hokkaido's most accessible parks. The park is known for caldera lakes, active volcanoes and hot springs. JNTO names Mt. Usu and Mt. Showa-Shinzan, two of Japan's most active volcanoes, near the lake.

For walking routes and current safety advisories, visit a park nature and information centre. JNTO notes that they also offer tips on what to see and where to stay.

Where to park overnight

An auto campground or RV park around the lake fits this last night. Each auto campground publishes its own rules on arrival times, generators and noise. Read those rules on the site's page before you book.

Travel Tips for Your Hokkaido Road Trip

Before You Go

• Get a paper International Driving Permit under the 1949 Geneva Convention before you leave home. JNTO states it is valid for up to one year.
• Book overnight sites for each night, especially Sounkyo and Noboribetsu.
• Check tolls for your vehicle class in the NEXCO toll and route search.
• For travel from late autumn to spring, read the winter checklist linked below. Hokkaido's government lists snow chains, shovels, jumper cables and tow ropes to prepare.

On the Road

• Cars drive on the left in Japan.
• JNTO notes that main roads carry English signs, though rural roads may not.
• Park in designated spaces only, since JNTO states that penalties can apply otherwise.
• JNTO notes that rental charges exclude fuel, and lists a 2022 figure of about 170 yen per liter.
• Roadside stations offer free parking and 24-hour toilets, according to JNTO. Hokkaido has more than 100 of them, which makes them useful rest points.
• In early winter, the Hokkaido government warns that black-looking roads may be frozen. It advises early braking and three times the summer following distance.

When You Arrive

• At each site, ask staff about waste sorting and where rubbish goes.
• Use RV park power and nearby baths as listed on the facility's page.
• Refuel before Day 7 so the return at New Chitose Airport runs smoothly.
• Conditions change, so confirm details with the facility, road operator or rental company before you go.

More Inspiration

• Winter campervan checklist for Hokkaido
• Overnight parking rules at roadside stations, FAQ
• Campervan rental cost items compared