Hi! Thanks so much and I’m so glad you enjoyed! Honestly I haven’t started *at all* planning my Hokkaido trip (also in August). Vague ideas are that I’d love to go out to Nemuro while staying in Obihiro on the way, and I need to get the Higashikawa Asaca from near Asahikawa too… ideally it’d be awesome to go up to Wakkanai as well, northernmost station in Japan, and see Rishiri & Rebun islands. And maybe ride the rest of the Senmo Main Line too??? I think that’ll probably take a flight or two, haha. (I had planned to go to Hakodate but I’ll actually be there this weekend, instead, so I can cut that out from August!)

Per https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6854.html it does look like there is some bus service around the Shiretoko Peninsula but yeah, it’s quite infrequent, though easier in summer than winter it seems. Might be a fun challenge to try and figure out! I haven’t done it myself but wish you luck if you try to do it (and let me know how it goes!)

Have a good day!

Ahhh, thank you so much for the really kind words, and for your support too!! This is so encouraging and makes me really happy to hear! Happy to find someone who also enjoys the style of travel I do. And also who takes claims of currencies on signs at face-value… :P

Have a blast in Sapporo! I’m headed up to Hokkaido again in August and am excited to see it in the not-snow for the first time.