Need transportation advice for a 20 day Trip (Tokyo - Nagano - Otaru - Sapporo - Sendai)
With my best friends we are currently planning an almost 3 weeks long trip to japan, we might have gotten a bit ambitious which is why I'm here...
We've already bought our tickets and booked a few hotels but one thing that's been bugging me is anything related to public transportation.
I'll detail our schedule briefly:
17 Dec - 20 Dec : Tokyo
20 Dec - 22 Dec : Nagano
22 Dec - 25 Dec : Otaru
25 Dec - 28 Dec : Sapporo
28 Dec - 30 Dec : Sendai
30 Dec - 5 Jan : Tokyo
Nagano is quite close from Tokyo and from memory it seems that a single shinkansen is enough to make the trip, however the trip from Nagano to Otaru must be done via planes, but I think it's possible to take the shinkansen to Hokodate and from there rely on local transports all the way to Otaru (we face the same dilemma with Sapporo to Sendai).
We are currently considering to purchase a JR Pass but after scooping around a few posts I find myself a little hesitant. I have made a few research on it and I'm still a little confused, I have no idea if the pass works in Hokkaido, I've heard there are some JR bus lines so I think it should be fine for trains (if we go by the shinkansen which we most likely will). I also have no idea if we absolutely must book shinkansens with a JR Pass, if we have to I'd like to know when to do it, we would rather do it as early as possible.
I think that's it, I'm probably missing a few things so if anyone has any suggestion I'm all ears, likewise if anyone wants to recommend a place for either Nagano, Otaru, Sapporo or Sendai I'll take it! (our schedule is always subject to change lol)