A JR East transportation pass can be a large upfront cost, but it could save you money on your next trip to Japan if you learn how to use it wisely! Using a JR East Pass, I visited 5 different cities in 5 days and got to do so much sightseeing, and with the pass, I saved around 40,000 yen!

We took a 4-hour train ride from Sapporo to Hakodate! After arriving we explored the city, ate good sushi, and tasty Hokkaido milk desserts, and enjoyed the quiet small town vibes. We visited Goryokaku tower and park and the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse to do some shopping (and more eating)!

Spending the day in Otaru was so much fun! We got to explore in the snow, see the beautiful small town, make our own music boxes, and see all the beautiful glasswork. We also got to try some great Otaru-based desserts like double fromage cheesecake from LeTAO!

During our first full day in Hokkaido, we had breakfast at Nijo Market where we had some delicious seafood bowls! Then we spent the day at Shiroi Koibito Park learning about the history of their chocolate factory. We also visited the Sapporo Beer Museum before heading to Soul Store for dinner to try soup curry.