Passes and arrivals
Suica / Pasmo / Kitaca usually work; a subway day pass excludes JR. New Chitose JR rapid ~40 minutes to Sapporo. Stow bags, then pick Odori or Tanukikoji — do not bolt to Otaru.
How to lock the first three days
Lock Odori–Tanuki → Maruyama–Moiwa or Beer Garden → Otaru or Jozankei. Asahiyama and Toya are long days — day four or next trip. Near on the map is not the same day Lock the axis before you add another district.