Do you know courtesy bus between cities and accommodation? It is for free. It is called “Muryo Sougei Bus”.
Basically there is a condition that you make reservation of specific accommodations. Such accommodations are usually big hotel or ryokan. Don’t you like a big hotel? But please consider a little.
For example, if you want to go to Noboribetsu from Sapporo, you will take a train. If you have a Japan Rail Pass, it would be no problem, though you have to find transportation from Noboribetsu station to your hotel. But, if you don’t have Japan Rail Pass, you have to pay train fare. How much is the fare of transportation? It is 2000 yen with local train for one-way ticket. If you take an express train, it would be 3850 yen for one-way tickets.
However, if you make a reservation of hotel which has courtesy bus service from Sapporo, you can go to Noboribetsu without paying money! And the bus lifts you in front of your hotel.
Of course you can come back to Sapporo by the same bus.
Do you think that a huge hotel is tasteless? But I think that huge onsen hotels are also one of Japanese cultures. Big hot springs are exciting. Buffet having many food is also very fun. It would be a topic of conversation after travel.
It would be difficult for you to find such service. Sometimes its information is omitted from site in English. So you need time and you need to make effort to find out. But thinking of the fare of transportation, it would be about 8000 yen per person in case of Noboribetsu, it would be worth to try.
Also there is some pay shuttle bus service from Sapporo to hot springs areas. Those buses run more cheaply than other transportation.
