Originally Posted by Daichovo

Nice...I did 15 days but in mid to end of May. MUCH nicer.

No problems at check in, they laughed at the rate but no problem. Just charged me at check in. No one spoke English though other than one woman who knew about 20 words to my 10 of Japanese.

I took the bus there from Sapporo (goes up the coast mostly) and then hitchhiked to Furano on the way back.

I sweated that ferry to Russia so hard...but I left for my RTW trip too early and couldn't get the visa sorted (can apply no more than 90 days before). Went to Rebun and Rishiri islands though which were awesome. I'm too broke to stay in normal priced places so camped there, unfortunately in torrential rain and wind for the most part. The view from Rebun onsen is spectacular...as well as the sunrises from the ANA. Make sure you request harbor view. I think I was in 907.

The food in town was awesome, especially uni don. $3-4 got you a 10 to 12 piece really fresh sushi in the supermarket. There's a weird swim center next to the hotel. I recommend the cheap onsen down the street instead...I forget, 300 yen? 500? No English sign. Also this sorta tourist center across the street with restaurants upstairs and gifts downstairs. Another restaurant/ice cream shop/beer place in the bus-train station (also across the street) with a movie theater (only showing Japanese films). There's a cool park with lots of cherry trees which were just finishing when I arrived but probably no good for y'all in October.

Unfortunately I have no pictures, my iPhone broke from a dodgy charger I bought in a Dushanbe bazaar. Hoping one of these days I'll find a repair place that can fix it (anyone have suggestions for Chennai? Or Bodhgaya?)