Chitose Airport to Cape Erimo by Campervan: Hidaka Coast Drive at 200 km a Day, and the RV Park Gap to Obihiro [2026-27]

From New Chitose Airport to the Kaze no Yakata (Wind Museum) at Cape Erimo is 180.0 km by road, or 193 minutes of pure driving (calculated on the public OSRM server, 2026-10-13). But the road does not dead-end at the cape. If you continue through to Obihiro, it is about 308.6 km from New Chitose to central Obihiro, which is over our limit of 200 km and 9 hours a day. The conclusion comes in two parts. In summer, break the trip at Hyakunin-hama Auto Campground and take 2 days. In winter, Hyakunin-hama is closed on irregular days, so break it at Niikappu and Moving Inn Tokachi Kita no Mori in Taiki Town and take 3 days.

This article is an itinerary guide for people driving the Hidaka coast in a rental campervan. For details on where you can stay, we leave it to our article on overnight parking at Cape Erimo and places to stay in Hidaka. Here we only work out, in numbers, how many days to split the trip into and where to break it. There is no RV park between Niikappu and Obihiro, and we will not hide that gap either.

How far is Cape Erimo from New Chitose Airport, and how long does it take?

Distances and times were calculated from the road network on the public OSRM server (http://router.project-osrm.org) (2026-10-13). The starting point is New Chitose Airport, and the destination is the Kaze no Yakata (Wind Museum) at Cape Erimo.

Section	Road distance	Driving time (no breaks)
New Chitose Airport → Cape Erimo, Kaze no Yakata	180.0 km	193 min
RV Park Niikappu → Kaze no Yakata	99.6 km	122 min
Kaze no Yakata → Michi-no-Eki Cosmall Taiki	68.9 km	53 min
Kaze no Yakata → RV park Moving Inn Tokachi Kita no Mori (Taiki Town)	84.9 km	73 min

193 minutes is 3 hours 13 minutes. On paper you could arrive in half a day. But that figure excludes traffic lights and breaks, and it leaves out the time you will spend pulling over for ranch scenery. In a campervan, add 2 to 3 hours for lunch and photos.

If you drive through from Cape Erimo to Obihiro, how many days does it take at 200 km a day?

First, the ground rule. Driving is capped at 200 km and 9 hours a day. We do not loosen this. If there is nowhere to stay, we split the trip into more days rather than stretch the distance.

Lining up the distances at points along the coastal route gives the table below. Road distances from New Chitose Airport were calculated on the public OSRM server (2026-10-13).

Point	From New Chitose Airport	From previous point
RV Park Niikappu (Niikappu Town)	81.6 km	81.6 km
Mitsuishi Kombu Onsen Kurazo (Shinhidaka Town)	113.4 km	31.8 km
Tomabetsu Ikoi no Yu Chappu (near Cape Erimo)	188.0 km	74.6 km
Michi-no-Eki Cosmall Taiki (Taiki Town)	249.8 km	61.8 km
End point in central Obihiro	308.6 km	58.8 km

The 200 km line falls just past Chappu (188.0 km). You can reach Cape Erimo from New Chitose in one day, but Obihiro beyond it does not fit. This is the dividing line that decides where to put your second night.

Is there an RV park in the 227 km between Niikappu and Obihiro?

No. We checked the Japan RV Association’s list of RV parks in Hokkaido (web.rv-park.jp) and found not a single RV park in Shinhidaka, Urakawa, Samani, Erimo, or Hiroo (2026-10-13).

From RV Park Niikappu (81.6 km point) to the end point in central Obihiro (308.6 km point) is 227.0 km, which is 27.0 km over the 200 km limit. And along that stretch of coast there is no RV park registered with the Japan RV Association. In other words, an itinerary that leaves Niikappu in the morning and reaches Obihiro in one day does not work in terms of distance. None of the five coastal towns has an RV park, and none lies within 5 km of the coastal route. The first RV park you meet is Moving Inn Tokachi Kita no Mori, on the inland side of Taiki Town, about 12 km from Michi-no-Eki Cosmall Taiki on the route (calculated on the public OSRM server, 2026-10-13). So you should plan on spending one night somewhere in this stretch, and the only coastal option narrows to Hyakunin-hama Auto Campground in the next section. You can see the full list of RV parks in our list of RV parks in Hokkaido.

Can you stay at Hyakunin-hama Auto Campground? The town’s official season, and what to check

According to the Erimo Town official page, the season for Hyakunin-hama Auto Campground is “April 1 to March 31,” with irregular closures from November onward. All 19 auto sites have AC power (16 for regular vehicles, 3 for large vehicles), and the fee table also has a column for December to March (Erimo Town official page, last updated 2026-04-09, checked 2026-10-13). The phone number for reservations and inquiries is listed on that page.

In other words, you may be able to stay not only in summer but also at the start of winter. However, the days it is open from November onward are not fixed. Before you set out, call the number on the official page to confirm that your night is open. If it is not, switch to the winter itinerary in the next section.

The Kaze no Yakata is closed from December to February (confirmed on 2026-09-21 in the article on places to stay mentioned at the top). Do not plan around spending the night in the cape’s parking lot.

How do you split it in summer? A 2-day itinerary from New Chitose to Obihiro

This is the basic plan for when Hyakunin-hama is open. The break point is Hyakunin-hama. Day 1 stays within 200 km, and Day 2 comes to about 120 km.

Day	Route	Distance	Where to stay
Day 1	New Chitose Airport → Hidaka coast → Cape Erimo	about 188 km	Hyakunin-hama Auto Campground (irregular closures from November)
Day 2	Cape Erimo → Taiki → Obihiro	about 121 km	A place on the Obihiro side, or return the vehicle

Day 1’s 188 km is close to the 200 km cap. If you linger at the ranches in Niikappu and Shinhidaka, you will reach Hyakunin-hama late in the evening. To have time to check in as soon as you arrive, aim to leave Shinhidaka (the 113.4 km point) about 2 hours before sunset. For side trips on the Tomakomai side, see our Tomakomai and Shiraoi guide.

What about winter, or days when Hyakunin-hama is closed? A 3-day itinerary

On days when Hyakunin-hama is closed irregularly and you cannot stay, drop the idea of spending the night at the cape and break the trip at two places where you can be sure of a stay: RV Park Niikappu, and Moving Inn Tokachi Kita no Mori in Taiki Town.

According to its listing on Kurumatabi.com, RV Park Niikappu is available “year-round.” Closing days follow those of the Niikappu Onsen Hotel Hills, and there are also irregular closures at individual facilities. Power is 100V 20A and free, and the toilets are open 24 hours. Reservations are by phone only, and same-day bookings are accepted until 12:00 noon on the day if a space is available (Kurumatabi.com, checked 2026-10-13). Kita no Mori is an RV park in Taiki Town. Its winter operation is confirmed in its official information (checked 2026-09-14; for details see 5 RV parks in Obihiro and Tokachi and how to use them in winter).

Day	Route	Distance	Where to stay
Day 1	New Chitose Airport → RV Park Niikappu	81.6 km	RV Park Niikappu
Day 2	Niikappu → Cape Erimo → Taiki Town	about 184.5 km (via the Kaze no Yakata, to Kita no Mori)	Moving Inn Tokachi Kita no Mori
Day 3	Taiki Town → toward Obihiro	44.3 km from Kita no Mori to Tokachi-Obihiro Airport	Return the vehicle, or stay on the Obihiro side

Day 2 is 184.5 km, which fits within 200 km. Driving time is about 3 hours 15 minutes without breaks. However, the Kaze no Yakata is closed from December to February, so in winter this itinerary is one where you admire the view and pass through. Do not try to get from Niikappu to Obihiro in one day. 227 km is over the limit.

In winter, there are days when the Hidaka coast cannot be driven because of snow and icy roads. Check for closures in our article on Hokkaido roads that close in winter and on the Hokkaido Regional Development Bureau’s “Kita no Michi Navi” on the day you depart. For the full picture of where you can stay in winter, see our check of 13 RV parks and Michi-no-Eki open in winter.

How do you prepare for the wind at Cape Erimo when driving a campervan?

On the night before departure and on the morning of the day, check the wind forecast for Erimo Town.

• If the previous night’s forecast shows strong wind, push back the day you go to the cape and add one more night on the Niikappu side
• Tall Cabcons get pushed around by crosswinds, so slow down on the descent toward the cape
• When opening a door in the parking lot, check the wind direction first and hold the door with your hand as you open it

Can you refuel near Cape Erimo?

It is 99.6 km from Niikappu to Cape Erimo and 84.9 km from the cape to Kita no Mori. Fuel economy varies by vehicle, so make a habit of filling up the evening before. For how to find gas stations, see our guide to gas stations on a campervan trip in Hokkaido, and for places you can refuel at night, see our article on night-time refueling.

Pages to read next

• Can you sleep in your vehicle at Cape Erimo? The Kaze no Yakata’s official notes, Hyakunin-hama Auto Campground, and the Hidaka and Cape Erimo coastal drive with places to stay
• List of RV parks in Hokkaido
• 5 RV parks for overnight stays in Obihiro and Tokachi, and how to use them in winter
• Hokkaido roads that close in winter
• Which RV parks and Michi-no-Eki in Hokkaido allow overnight stays in winter? 13 facilities