Tokyo to Sapporo by train

[blade_bltz]

Anybody have any advice on this? I was looking at timetables and it looks though I can take a shinkansen to Hachinohe, then take a regular train to Hakodate and then on to Sapporo. Supposedly it should take around 10 hours. Expense wise, I am planning to have the JR pass, and thus I should be able to use that to get to Sapporo. But I was wondering if any of you have any similar experiences...also any advice about overnight sleeper trains. I have heard about them, but havent yet done any research. any help/advice would be appreciated. thanks

[Mike Cash]

A very close and careful inspection of sleeper train timetables will reveal something quite interesting. The trains stop along the way for several hours. Just sitting quietly in some station about halfway through the run.