Posted on September 25, 2024September 25, 2024 by admin

Cosplay event in Sapporo 2024

It was Sunday and my wife and I decided that we do not want to spend the whole Sunday at home, so we decided to check the Autumn Festival in Odori Park. We stopped in Odori Park Station and went to Tanuki Koji for quick shopping first. On the way to Odori Park, we noticed that there were so many people dressed up in costume. I knew it was still too early for Halloween, so we decided to follow the cosplayers crowd and we were lucky to find an annual cosplay event in Sapporo. There are many places in Sapporo that are waiting to be explored, do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Visit Date: 2024, September 22 (autumn)
Address: 2 Chome-1 Minami 1 Jonishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0061
Access: Odori Station

Cosplay Event in Sapporo 2024: Tanuki Koji Venue

Not only people dressing up in costumes, but there were also some professional-looking photographer taking pictures of the event. There are many characters I noticed, mostly from Japanese anime. I do not really watch anime recently so there were many characters that I did not notice. Some characters I noticed mostlye came from my childhood anime, which include ones from One Piece, Detective Conan, Hunter x Hunter, and of course, Hatsune Miku. Pictures featuring some cosplay models have been taken by the cosplayers’ permission, otherwise their face will be blurred. Here are some of the best pictures from the cosplay venue.

Cosplay Event in Sapporo 2024: Sapporo TV Tower Venue

On the way to Autumn Festival in Odori Park, we also noticed many cosplayers were gathering near the Sapporo TV Tower, mostly to take pictures. In the end I did not take pictures from the Autumn Festival, and instead write blog article about the cosplay event. Pictures featuring some cosplay models have been taken by the cosplayers’ permission, otherwise their face will be blurred. Here are some of the best photos taken from the cosplay event.

Thank you for reading this short travel blog! Feel free to let us know if you need guides/clues if you are planning to come to Hokkaido! Specially if it is your first time! And do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on September 17, 2024September 18, 2024 by admin

Wakkanai the Northernmost Point of Japan

It was a 3-day holiday in Japan, and we decided to do a road trip to Wakkanai. The weather was getting a bit cooler, but the road is still clear so we drove all the way to Wakkanai to Sapporo. Wakkanai is a small town located in the northern most point of Hokkaido island, and there is a cape which is also the northernmost point of the entire Japan. The drive took around 6 hours, so we departed really early in the morning at 6 am. There are many places in Hokkaido that are waiting to be explored, do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Road Trip to Wakkanai: First Rest Stop

Driving for 6 hours can be really tiring, so we took turn driving to make sure the trip is safe. The first one to drive was my sister in law. She first picked us up at exactly 6 am. After driving around 1 hour, we stopped in Yurikago Rest stop. It was still early in the morning, so all shops were closed, except the public toilet area. After taking a quick toilet break, we continued our journey, and this time, it was me who took the driving responsibility.

Visit Date: 2024, September 15th (Autumn)
Address: 81-10 Tsukigata, Kabato District, Hokkaido 061-0502
Drive Distance: 1-hour drive from Asabu Station Sapporo

Road Trip to Wakkanai: Lunch in Teshio Road Station

After driving for around 3 hours, we decided to take a quick lunch in Teshio Road Station. It was almost lunch time so the road station was quite crowded. During our trip from first road station in Yukikago to Teshio, we actually stopped in various convenience stores for quick toilet break and coffee, but I did not take any picture. Teshio Road Station is actually located only around 1 hour drive to Wakkanai Town, so we have covered more than half of the distance. We rewarded ourselves with nice scallop ramen lunch in this road station.

Visit Date: 2024, September 15th (Autumn)
Address: 4 Chome-7227-2 Shinkaidori, Teshio, Teshio District, Hokkaido 098-3305
Drive Distance: 4-hour drive from Asabu Station Sapporo

Road Trip to Wakkanai: Windmills in Road 106

After enjoying lunch in Teshio Road Station, I continued to drive along the scenic route along the seaside. Route 106 is part of the [Ororon Line], route really famous for its seaside scenery along the road. Not only the seaside scenery that captured my interest, but also the giant windmills built in the middle of lush green grass field, making the scenery even more breathtaking. The windmills look even bigger up close! There were some bikers and cyclists who stopped just to take pictures of the scenery, so make sure to drive slowly along this line.

Visit Date: 2024, September 15th (Autumn)
Address: 219 Hamasato, Horonobe, Teshio District, Hokkaido 098-3227
Drive Distance: 4.5-hour drive from Asabu Station Sapporo

Road Trip to Wakkanai: Cape Noshappu

After driving for almost 6 hours, finally we arrived in Wakkanai town. Our first destination was Cape Noshappu. There is also an aquarium here, but we did not have time to visit the aquarium. There is a cute dolphin statue which is perfect for photoshoot spot. The weather was clear, so we were able to view Russia in a distance (Sakhalin Island). Cape Noshappu is also famous spot to view sunset. So in the evening, we actually returned here to view the sunset. We were planning to just spend 30 minutes here during day time, but my wife and sister in law needed more materials for their instagram, so we spent almost 1 hour in here during day time.

Visit Date: 2024, September 15th (Autumn)
Address: 2 Chome Noshappu, Wakkanai, Hokkaido 097-0026
Drive Distance: 5.5-hour drive from Asabu Station Sapporo

Wakkanai the Northernmost Point of Japan: the Town

After staying in Cape Noshappu for a bit, we proceeded to Cape Soya, in which the northernmost point of Japan is located. On the way to Cape Soya, we drove through the downtown of Wakkanai. Wakkanai is a small town with its own charm. One interesting thing I noticed is some of the road signs have Russian Cyrillic written on it.

Road Trip to Wakkanai: Cape Soya

Cape Soya is literally the northernmost point of Japan, and it is located around 45 minutes driving from downtown Wakkanai. You can also see Sakhalin Island (Russia) more clearly from this place. My wife’s grandparents actually lived in Sakhalin Island for a bit and returned to Hokkaido Island after the World War 2 ended. There is a triangle-shaped monument that marks the northernmost point of Japan, and there were a long line of visitors trying to take pictures.

Visit Date: 2024, September 15th (Autumn)
Address: 3 Soyamisaki, Wakkanai, Hokkaido 098-6758
Drive Distance: 45 minutes drive from Cape Noshappu

Cape Soya: Deer

I was expecting Cape Soya to be a small area with some shops and restaurants around, but I was surprised that this place also have many wild deer! I wonder why in Japan, only Nara is really famous for its deer. In my honest opinion, the deer in Cape Soya are more well-behaved, they are not trying to “harass” tourists for some snacks. Deer in Cape Soya appear to be used to humans, but not too-friendly to ask for foods. There is also a small temple inside the area. Not only in the Cape Soya area, but we also spotted some deer in the downtown area of Wakkanai, so make sure you drive safely; look out for deer that jump out suddenly to the road.

Road Trip to Wakkanai: Hotel Sakhalin

After enjoying some sceneries in Cape Soya, we drove back to downtown Wakkanai to check in into our Hotel. Yes, the name of the Hotel is “Hotel Sakhalin”. The accommodation in this hotel is not bad, our room is big enough for four of us and the wifi is quite fast. The room itself is a Japanese style room with tatami floor and futon-style beds, but it was comfortable enough for 1-night stay.

Stay Date: 2024, September 15th (Autumn)
Address: 1 Chome-5-5 Central, Wakkanai, Hokkaido 097-0022
Cost: 30,000 yen for 1 night (4-person), breakfast included

Road Trip to Wakkanai: Watching Sunrise in Wakkanai Observation Deck

We woke up at around 5 am and drove 5-minute to Wakkanai Observation Deck to watch the sunrise. There are a monument (Monument of Nine Maidens) commemorating some Japanese people who needed to left their houses in Sakhalin Island after World War 2. We could see most of Wakkanai downtown and combined with the sunrise, it was a breathtaking scenery and it was definitely worth it to wake up really early in the morning! One of my greatest photoshoot is probably the second picture below, in which the Sakhalin Island is visible behind the Nine Maidens Monument.

Visit Date: 2024, September 16th (Autumn)
Address: Yamuwakkanai-2816 Wakkanaimura, Wakkanai, Hokkaido 097-0000
Drive Distance: 5-minute drive from Hotel Sakhalin

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on September 11, 2024September 11, 2024 by admin

Escon Field Stadium Home of Nipponham Fighters

My wife invited me to see Fighters (Hokkaido) vs Buffaloes (Osaka) baseball match in newly built Es Con Field. I am not a big baseball fan, but I have never been to the new stadium, which is home of Hokkaido’s beloved baseball team Fighters. The stadium is located a bit far from Sapporo city center and since it was a big event, the parking spot needed to be booked in advance, so we decided to go via public transportation. The stadium is one of new establishment built in Sapporo in recent years. There are many places in Sapporo that are waiting to be explored, do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Visit Date: 2024, August 8th (Summer)
Address: 1-F Village, Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido 061-1116
Access: Kitahiroshima Station

Escon Field Stadium: Arrival

Since we could not drive there due to fully booked parking spot, we went there via public transportation. We first took a subway to Oyachi Station and took a direct bus to the stadium. The bus only accept ticket bought in the station or credit card payment (touch system). Upon arriving in the stadium, there is sign saying that we cannot bring foods or drinks from outside. Pet bottle or own water container is allowed however. There is also a quick bag check in the entrance to make sure we do not bring any foods from outside.

Escon Field Stadium: Inside

This is a new stadium, and inside the stadium there are some restaurants and shops selling merchandise. The foods and drink price inside is relatively more expensive compared to normal price. The stadium itself looks a bit like a mall, and it is really nice place nonetheless.

Escon Field Stadium: Seats

The normal price of the entrance ticket and booked seat is around 3000 yen per person. My wife for some reason got the tickets for free from her sister. After exploring the stadium a little bit, we proceeded to our seats, which are located on the back side so we could see the whole field. We were lucky to be seated near journalist seats in which we could see some sports journalists working.

The Match: Fighters vs. Buffaloes

The game itself was quite entertaining. It was a match between Hokkaido team Fighters against Osaka team Buffaloes. Even though I am not Japanese or Hokkaido native, I have lived here for more than 7 years. So deep inside I really hope Hokkaido team Fighters can win this game. The match itself started with team Fighters losing. Even though in the end team Fighters could catch up, in the end team Buffaloes beat Fighters 5-4. This article focuses more on the stadium, and I am not sports journalist, so I will not add any sports commentary on the match.

Escon Field Stadium: VIP seats

Since both my wife and I are not big fan of baseball, we decided to leave earlier to avoid crowds. We decided to explore the stadium a little bit more on the way back. There are some VIP seats we spot, from seats with swings, seats with table, and even sauna room in which you can enjoy sauna while watching the game!

Beer girls

Baseball game in Japan is a bit similar to American baseball game, minus the brawling. Some similar things include beer girls, in which young ladies walk around selling beers to spectators. The beer price is of course more expensive compared to normal price. A cup of beer costs around 800 yen, which is 3 times more expensive compared to convenience store price.

Escon Field Stadium: Pet-Friendly Section

There are seats in the stadium in which you can bring your pets along to watch the game. There are also pet diapers provided in this area. If you are planning to watch the game with your pet, this stadium is definitely able to accommodate. There are places to put your pet cart while you are seated with your pet. For some reason this is the only place I could find a water-refill machine.

Escon Field Stadium: Terrace section

The stadium also has terrace sections in which you can smoke and enjoy BBQ. There are a BBQ restaurant located in one of the terrace in which you can dine while enjoying the outside scenery. There is also a section in which you can lay down under the sunlight in the terrace.

Escon Field Stadium: Entertainment Section

We also found a section in the stadium in which you can dine while enjoying some interactive games. Some of the games include a baseball throwing simulation and even batting simulation.

Escon Field Stadium: Outdoor Section

On the way back to the bus station, we also explored the outdoor section of the stadium. There are some food stalls as well as playground for families to enjoy with their children. There is a small field in which you can play mini baseball game with your loved ones. Overall, this stadium is worth visiting for at least once even though you are not baseball fan, specially with your family.

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on September 11, 2024September 11, 2024 by admin

Bon Odori Festival in Sapporo 2024

Bon Odori Festival in Sapporo 2024

It was mid August and the weather was really hot. Summer in Japan means that there will be a lot of festival. One of the most famous festival is called “Bon Odori Festival” or “Obon”. This traditional festival has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and it is a festival to honor ones’ ancestor. This festival is famous because spectators do not only watch, but they can also participate by dancing with the performers! Sapporo Bon Odori Festival is also the same. The event was held in Odori Park near Sapporo TV Tower and it was held in the evening. There are many places in Sapporo that are waiting to be explored, do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Visit Date: 2024, August 11th (Summer)
Address: 1 Chome Odorinishi, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0042
Access: Odori Station

Inside the Festival

Even though we arrived a bit earlier, the festival area was crowded already. This is because there were some stalls that sell foods and liquors. There was also a Coca-Cola stall in which you can exchange your pet bottle for a bottle of Coca-Cola.

Afternoon Dance: Kids Dance

After strolling around a bit, finally the dance started. Before dark, the dance festival actually is more for kids. In the picture below, you can see that the afternoon session are mostly filled with kids and parents.

Evening Dance: Adults Dance

After enjoying the afternoon dance session, we left for a bit to eat some dinner, and then we came back in the night time to see the adult session. By “adult” here does not mean any innuendo, but it is when the session is targeted for adult audiences. My hypothesis for this is because maybe the organizer wants to separate adults and kids, because the Obon dance can be crowded and participants need to circle around a stage. Separating adults and kids may be due to safety reason to prevent kids from being trampled over by the adults by accident.

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on August 7, 2024August 8, 2024 by admin

Otaru 1 Day Tour Sakaimachi Street Wind Chime Festival

It was Sunday and the weather was good, not too hot not too cold, my wife wanted me to go with her to Otaru to see wind chime festival. I have never seen this festival before so I happily agreed to go with her for a one day trip to Otaru. There are many places in Hokkaido that are waiting to be explored, do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Otaru 1 Day Tour: Bus Stop

I thought that we would drive there, but she said that since I might drink a bit there, she said that it would be better to go by bus. We were lucky to have a bus stop really close to our house that will take us straight to Otaru Station. The station is just 5 minutes walk from our house so it was really convenient. It costs around 730 yen one way from that station to Otaru Station, there will be bus available every one hour during regular business day (Monday to Friday, 9am – 9pm). One benefit of travelling by bus is that you can also enjoy the scenery along the way! This is the station I was talking about (LINK).

Otaru 1 Day Tour: Arrival

It took around 30 minutes by bus from the bus station near our home to Otaru Station. We decided to stop near Otaru JR Station because we also want to enjoy the beautiful city of Otaru. One charming thing about Otaru is that the city has its unique elegant style. Even the convenience store like Lawson blends well with the surrounding architecture. I have been to Otaru many times, but I never felt bored exploring the downtown area of Otaru. There is also rickshaw service, in which you just need to pay around 1500 yen!

Otaru 1 Day Tour: Live Music in Otaru Canal

We also pass through Otaru Canal on the way to the Wind Chime Festival in Sakaimachi street. Otaru Canal is definitely a must go spot in Otaru since it is really famous spot in Otaru. Because of its all-season beauty and elegance, this spot may have a lot of visitors busy taking pictures. There is also a paid boat tour in which you can explore Otaru Canal via boat ride, since we did not have much time, we decided to skip the boat tour. Since it was a festival time, we also encountered a live singing show near the canal area.

Visit Date: 2024 August 4th (Summer)
Address: Minatomachi, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0007

Otaru 1 Day Tour: Denuki Alley and Fire Watch Tower

Right across Otaru Canal, there is another great spot that you must also visit; Denuki Alley. This small alley has some restaurants and shops. The alley also has an old fire watch tower that you can also enter. There is a small circular stairs that anyone can enter to access the tower, it might be difficult to find the stairs in the beginning, but once you get inside the tower, you can enjoy a great scenery of Otaru Canal and its surrounding place.

Visit Date: 2024 August 4th (Summer)
Address: 1 Chome-1 Ironai, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0031

Otaru 1 Day Tour: Romankan Glass Shop

After taking some pictures in Denuki Alley (and not buying anything), we proceeded further. On the way right before Sakaimachi street, there was a glass shop called “Romankan”. It is basically a nice glass shop in which you can buy some local-made glass artworks. Otaru is also famous for its glass work, so if you want to buy some souvenirs, this is one of good place.

Visit Date: 2024 August 4th (Summer)
Address: 1-25 Sakaimachi, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0027

Otaru 1 Day Tour: Sakaimachi Street

The Festival is located in Sakaimachi Street, another famous tourist attraction in Otaru that has many different art shops, restaurants and sweet shops. The reason why this street is really famous among visitors is because of the atmosphere; most of the buildings here still shows the aspect of Japanese culture while at the same time shows the charm of Otaru. It is definitely looks different from other Japanese cities I have visited. The pictures shown below do not represent all the shops in Sakaimachi Street, there are more shops available for you to explore by yourself there.

Visit Date: 2024 August 4th (Summer)
Address: 〒047-0027 Hokkaido, Otaru, Sakaimachi, Sakaimachi Hondori

Otaru 1 Day Tour: Kitaichi Venezia Museum

When exploring the street, we ran into Kitaichi Venezia Museum. Since my wife has deep interest in artwork, she wanted us to also explore this place. As the name suggests, this place contains many Venetian-themed artworks, ranging from Gondola boats, costumes, and of course, glass works. The shop part of the building forbids us from taking pictures, so there are no pictures from the shop.

Visit Date: 2024 August 4th (Summer)
Address: 5-27 Sakaimachi, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0027

Otaru 1 Day Tour: Wind Chime Festival

The Wind Chime Festival is held along Sakaimachi Street. The roads were closed for vehicle access, so there were a lot of stalls installed along the street. There were some seats and tables prepared in the middle of the street so you can also enjoy some foods in the middle of the street. As the name suggests, “Wind Chime Festival”, there were a lot of cute wind chimes installed everywhere on the street. There were also many live music show performance along the street that made the festival better. There were even some beer ladies wearing Yukata walking around to offer visitors some beer! Here are some pictures from the festival.

Otaru 1 Day Tour: Kitaichi Glass Otaru

When we were exploring the festival, we came across another glass shop called “Kitaichi Glass Otaru”. This place not only sells many locally-made glass artworks, but also a fancy-looking restaurants. We were not hungry that time so we skipped the restaurant part and just explored the shop part of the building.

Visit Date: 2024 August 4th (Summer)
Address: 7-26 Sakaimachi, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0027

Otaru 1 Day Tour: Wind Chime Festival (continued)

After looking around the Kitaichi Glass Shop, we continued down the Sakaimachi Street. In the end of the street, there was a stage in which various performance were being held. We came just in time before the Yukata contest show, in which some participants showcased their Yukata. In my opinion, all Yukata looks nice, but there was one participant that definitely stood up from the rest.

Otaru 1 Day Tour: Otaru Music Box Antique Museum

After enjoying some performance, we immediately headed to the Otaru Music Box Antique Museum located right across the stage. This museum has a huge collection of music boxes of various size, ranging from small to human-size music boxes. There were also many dolls that might look a little bit creepy at night but looks elegant at the same time. This museum also sells many different kinds of music boxes, so if you are looking to buy some souvenirs that are only available in Otaru, this is also one of a good place.

Visit Date: 2024 August 4th (Summer)
Address: 6-１３ Sakaimachi, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0027

Otaru 1 Day Tour: Late Lunch of 500 yen Seafood Bowl

It was past lunch time already and we have not eaten lunch, so we were really starving. On the way back to the station, we decided to try the 500 yen Seafood Bowl in Otaru Poseidon. Since we were planning to eat a big dinner that day, we decide to just eat light. We were actually planning to try their sashimi rice bowl, but it was sold out that time, so we just went for the other 500 yen menu available that time; Salmon Flake Rice Bowl and Boiled whitebait rice bowl.

Visit Date: 2024 August 4th (Summer)
Address: 4-9 Sakaimachi, Otaru, Hokkaido 047-0027

It took us the whole day to complete this Otaru 1 day tour. Otaru is definitely one place that can be reached easily from Sapporo via public transportation, and I highly suggest you to visit this charming little town if you happen to come to Hokkaido. Thank you for reading this short travel blog! Feel free to let us know if you need guides/clues if you are planning to come to Hokkaido! Specially if it is your first time! And do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on August 5, 2024August 5, 2024 by admin

Furano 1 Day Tour Biei Shikisai no Oka, Farm Tomita, Ningle Terrace

Furano Day Tour Shikisai no Oka Farm Tomita Ningle Terrace Cover 富良野一日遊四季彩之丘富田農場森林精靈露台 Tur Sehari Furano

Furano 1 Day Tour Biei Shikisai no Oka, Farm Tomita, Ningle Terrace

I got a special nice deal from my friend who is working in a tour company based in Sapporo. My wife and I was invited to join a 1 day tour trip to Furano by bus. Even though it sounds like a short trip, but it was a really fun trip with a lot of sightseeing and eating amazing foods! We visited in total three places in Furano, Shikisai no Oka, Farm Tomita and Ningle Terrace. There are many places in Hokkaido that are waiting to be explored, do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Furano 1 Day Tour: Meeting Point and Rest Stop

The meeting point was near Susukino Station and we needed to wake up really early in Saturday morning so we can catch the bus at 7 am. It takes around 2 hours from Sapporo to Furano by driving (includes toll road). After departing from Sapporo, it took us around 1 hour to finally reach the first rest area located in Sunagawa for a quick toilet break. The rest area looks really well-maintained with some shops, toilets, and even small park.

Furano 1 Day Tour: Enjoying the Scenery Along the Way

Bus trip may sound really boring; but actually I enjoyed the trip as much as the main attraction! I got to see some great Hokkaido summer scenery along the way. Hokkaido is really famous for its beautiful natural scenery; flowers, lush green grass field and etc. Here are some of the best picture I shot along the way.

Furano 1 Day Tour: Shikisai no Oka Biei

After another 1 hour of enjoying the natural scenery along the way, finally we reached our first destination, Shikisai no Oka. This place is actually located in Biei Town, which is close to Furano, and it is really famous for its amazing flower fields with colorful flowers. Not only beautiful flower fields, you can also enjoy some nice soft cream, Melon, Alpaca farm, ATV ride, and even Helicopter ride! Since we did not have much time here (only around 1.5 hour), we decided not to take the helicopter ride and instead just taking pictures of the amazing flower field. If you are too lazy to walk within the huge flower field, you can also pay for a golf cart ride that will take you inside the field.

Visit Date: 2024 July 27th (Summer)
Museum Entrance Fee: 500yen (adults)
Address: 〒071-0473 Hokkaido, Kamikawa District, Biei, Shinsei, ３

Furano 1 Day Tour: Farm Tomita

After walking enjoying colorful scenery of flower field in Shikisai no Oka, we proceeded to eat lunch and shop a bit in a small shopping center/ restaurant area. After eating and shopping, we proceeded directly to Farm Tomita, which is located in Furano. This place also has beautiful flower fields, but it is not as big as Shikisai no Oka in Biei. However, Farm Tomita is focused more on the dining experience and atmosphere, since you can enjoy various local delicacy like Lavender Soft Cream while watching the beautiful scenery of the surrounding Lavender Field. Flower field in Farm Tomita mainly focus on Lavender, so that is why all workers wear purple, and even their machines are painted purple!

Visit Date: 2024 July 27th (Summer)
Entrance Fee: FREE
Address: 15 Kisenkita, Nakafurano, Sorachi District, Hokkaido 071-0704

Furano 1 Day Tour: Ningle Terrace

After enjoying amazing Lavender Soft Cream in Farm Tomita, we proceeded to Ningle Terrace, a place famous for its cute picturesque forest cottages that sells some original artworks. Ningle Terrace is not as big compared to the previous two places, so it took us only 30 minutes to explore each of the small cute shops inside the Ningle Terrace. Even though we did not shop for any artwork, we ended up purchasing some bottles of fresh milk produced by some local farms in Furano (sold in a shop in Prince Hotel located next to Ningle Terrace).

Visit Date: 2024 July 27th (Summer)
Entrance Fee: FREE
Address: 1 Nakagoryo, Furano, Hokkaido 076-8511

It took us the whole day to complete this Biei and Furano 1 day tour. Special thanks to Mr. Oscar, who has been an amazing tour guide and friend, as well as the bus driver who kept us safe during the trip. Thank you for reading this short travel blog! Feel free to let us know if you need guides/clues if you are planning to come to Hokkaido! Specially if it is your first time! And do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on August 1, 2024August 1, 2024 by admin

Sapporo Firework Festival UHB Doshin in Toyohira River

sapporo firework festival 札幌花火大會 festival kembang api sapporo

Sapporo Firework Festival UHB Doshin in Toyohira River

It was Friday night after finishing work and everyone was in a great mood. I was planning to just stay at home and rest, but my wife asked me to accompany her to see firework show in Toyohira River. I reluctantly agreed to go with her because I also went there last year, and it was so packed with people! But in the end, I really enjoyed the show really much! There are many places in Sapporo that are waiting to be explored, do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Visit Date: 2024 July 26th (Summer)
Address: Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0057
Access: Hosui Susukino (Toho Line)

Sapporo Firework Festival: Heading into the Venue

We went there at around 18:30 in the evening, everyone was just finishing work, as well as people who just want to get into the venue to watch the firework shows. I was actually thinking about getting there by car, but since I was planning to drink a bit, we decided to go by subway instead. It was really crowded even though we went there a bit early! Upon arrival to the nearest subway station, we walked all the way to the venue, it took only around 10 minutes. Roads were blocked and there were some police presence everywhere in the area.

Sapporo Firework Festival: Finding a Spot

Since it was an open area, we needed to find our own place to sit and watch the firework. We also brought a picnic mat for our convenience. There were many ladies wearing Yukata, I think it is because a cultural norm for Japanese women to watch fireworks while dressing up in Yukata. My wife did not wear Yukata that time because we did not have time to change. After getting a good spot to watch, I immediately opened a can of beer to enjoy my Friday night.

Sapporo Firework Festival: the Show

The firework show lasted for around 40 minutes, there were some various fireworks that produces certain shapes like heart, star, and even butterfly shape. Here are some of the best shots from the show.

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on July 23, 2024July 23, 2024 by admin

Sapporo Beer Garden 2024 Odori Park

Sapporo Beer Garden 2024 Odori Park

It was Sunday during a hot summer heat, and I was craving for a pint of cold beer, so I took my wife to Odori Park to check the annual Sapporo Beer Garden. If you are craving for a high-quality beer, then this event is for you; in this event you can enjoy many world famous beer brands, mainly Japan’s famous brands. There are also some world famous beer brands from all over the world you can try here! This event spans 6 blocks along Odori Park, and this event is held from Friday, July 19 to Wednesday, August 14, 2024. There are many places in Sapporo that are waiting to be explored, do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Visit Date: 2024, July 21st (Summer)
Event time: 2024 July 19th ~ August 14th (Summer)
Address: 5 Chome Odorinishi – 11 Chome Odorinishi
Access: Nishi 11 Chome (Tozai Line); Odori Station

Nishi 5 Chome: Suntory

We started from the east part of the event, nishi 5-chome, since it is the closest from Odori Station. This block mainly serves Suntory brand, one of the most famous Japanese brand. This block has good access to the public toilet. Not only beer, they also serve some foods here, ranging from pizza and grilled foods.

Nishi 6 Chome: Asahi

This block mainly serves Asahi brand, and one good thing I like about this block is the amount of tree, and the number of portable toilets available. So if you prefer to drink under tree shades, this block is recommended! At first this place seemed like a good place to drink, but my wife and I decided to explore further before make a final decision.

Nishi 7 Chome: Kirin

This block belongs to the Kirin brand, this place has quite good atmosphere, with good access to public toilet as well as smoking room. However, there was limited tented seats, and I did not really want to drink under sun heat, so we decided to walk further more.

Nishi 8 Chome: Sapporo

This block belongs to Hokkaido’s beloved beer brand, Sapporo brand. This place is one the most crowded venue, and the tented seats were mostly taken. I noticed that there was 90 minutes limit for drinking and dining. There was also a ticket vending machine. Next to the Sapporo brand venue, there was also a small water park in the next block in which parents could bring their children to play together escaping the summer heat. Well, as a citizen of Sapporo, I felt obligated to choose this venue, but unfortunately, my desire to escape the heat outweigh my loyalty to Sapporo City (Sorry). So we kept on exploring.

Nishi 10 Chome: World Beer Square

This block sells not only beer brands from many different countries (USA, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Germany, Philippines, France, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Belgium, Jamaica, Ireland, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Denmark, Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, China, UK, Tahiti, Korea), but also some local brewers. There were some tented seats as well as pet-friendly seats. Also this place were not that crowded, and the beer price were reasonable, so we decided to drink here. I ended up buying a cup of Denmark beer as well as a locally crafted black beer.

Nishi 11 Chome: German Village

This is the last block on the west side of the event. This block sells mainly German beer as well as some German traditional foods like Pretzels. I remember I went to this block to drink some German beer last year. This place also has some nice seats and not that crowded, but this year I decided to skip this part and tried the beers on the World Beer Square section instead.

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on July 16, 2024July 16, 2024 by admin

Shakotan and Cape Kamui Day Tour Hokkaido

Shakotan and Cape Kamui Day Tour Hokkaido

The weather was getting warmer and the sky is turning bright blue, my wife and I decided to join a day tour to Shakotan and Cape Kamui, located in the western coast of Hokkaido Island. We left our house from 7:30 in the morning and we spent the whole day for the day tour. It was an amazing experience despite the amount of walking and sunburn we got! There are many places in Sapporo that are waiting to be explored, do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Shakotan and Cape Kamui Day Tour: Rendevzous

The meeting point is on the north part of Sapporo Station. Apparently we were some of the first tour participants who arrived first. We departed Sapporo at exactly 9 am in the morning. We first headed to Shakotan, and the journey from Sapporo to Shakotan took around one and half hour by Bus (with toll road). I managed to take some good pictures on the way!

Road Station Space Apple Yoichi Rest Area

After staying in the bus for around 1 hour, our group stopped in a rest area called Road Station Space Apple Yoichi. This rest stop is not your normal rest area with shops and restrooms. This rest area also has a space museum (with paid section). Because we did not have much time in the rest stop, I did not enter the paid museum area, but at least I took some pictures here. There was even a free sun-viewing activity outside the museum (yes, sun-viewing!).

Visit Date: 2024 July 14th (Summer)
Museum Opening time: 9am – 5 pm
Museum Entrance Fee: 500yen (adults), 300 yen(middle/high school), free (children)
Address: 6 Chome-4-1 Kurokawacho, Yoichi, Yoichi District, Hokkaido 046-0003

Shakotan Observation Deck: Arrival and Tunnel to Deck Area

After departing from the rest stop, we spent another 30 minutes in the bus until we finally arrived in Shakotan Observation Deck. We were actually lucky to be able to arrive by bus, since we saw a huge number of private car lining up to get into the designated parking area. After we arrived, we did some quick photo session, and then proceeded directly to the observation area through a tunnel. The observation area was quite crowded since from this area, you can get a great view of the Shakotan beach.

Visit Date: 2024 July 14th (Summer)
Address: 209 Irikacho, Shakotan, Shakotan District, Hokkaido 046-0327

Shakotan Observation Deck: Demisaki Lighthouse

After taking a lot of pictures in the Observation Deck Area, we exited through the tunnel and proceeded to Demisaki Lighthouse area to enjoy more scenery from higher place. We spent around 10 minutes hiking to the lighthouse area. It was around 300 meter hike from the tunnel area, so it was quite tiring, but when we reached the lighthouse, we were awarded with more great view from higher vantage point! On the top, there were longer path leading somewhere, but since we only had around 1 hour viewing time, we stopped in the lighthouse area and return to the parking lot for the next destination.

Leaving to Cape Kamui

Returning to the parking lot area, we enjoyed quick lunch inside the bus and immediately left to Cape Kamui. The journey from Shakotan Observation Deck area to Cape Kamui took around 30 minutes and I was able to take some pictures from the bus. You can also enjoyed some great seaside scenery during this 30 minutes trip.

Cape Kamui: Arrival

Arriving in Cape Kamui area, you will be greeted with a small reception building containing shops and restrooms. The walking trip from the parking area to the lighthouse area will take around 1 hour, and including the viewing and walking back to the parking area, it may take another 1 hour, so it is highly advised to go to the restroom in the parking area before proceeding to the lighthouse area. You can also buy some ice cream near the parking area to get extra boost of sugar so you can get extra energy to complete the hike.

Visit Date: 2024 July 14th (Summer)
Address: Hokkaido, Shakotan, 神威岬付近

Cape Kamui: Walking to the Lighthouse Area

After enjoying some quick snacks and using the toilet in the parking area, we proceeded to hike to the lighthouse area to get great view of the infamous Cape Kamui. Even though the trails are well maintained for walking purpose, it is better to wear sport shoes so you will be more comfortable during hiking. Some parts of the trails look a bit dangerous, so please keep your belongings and your children under your direct supervision all the time.

We encountered a relic of what appears to be a ship radar, this is one of the nearest observation deck from the parking area. And if you check the red circle in one of the picture below, that is the lighthouse area we were trying to reach, and you can see how much distance we needed to cover by walking on that day!

Some parts of the track can be quite dangerous and intimidating, specially ones with the steel bridge. But just make sure you stay on track and never cross the line, you will be just fine. Do not drop your phone, otherwise there will be no way to retrieve it if it falls down the cliff.

Even though the journey to the lighthouse area was quite tiresome, but when we reached the lighthouse area, you will be awarded with amazing view of Cape Kamui, especially from the observation deck, just a bit in front of the lighthouse. Since the sun was quite strong on that day, everyone was using the lighthouse as temporary rest area.

Another thing that I found interesting was there were some money scattered around the observation deck, ranging from Japanese yen to even some foreign currencies. Some people said that it is some kind offering to the sea God. I was not a superstitious person and I care about environment, so I decided not to put any money there and just simply enjoying the amazing scenery. There was also some kind of metal map engraving in the observation area that was a bit weathered.

It took us the whole day to complete this Shakotan and Cape Kamui day tour. Due to traffic jam, we ended up arriving in Sapporo at around 7:30 pm. Special thanks to the organizer of this tour as well as other participants and the bus driver who kept us safe during the trip. Thank you for reading this short travel blog! Feel free to let us know if you need guides/clues if you are planning to come to Hokkaido! Specially if it is your first time! And do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

moving and living in Sapporo

Posted on July 8, 2024July 9, 2024 by admin

Royce Chocolate Factory and Rose Garden in Sapporo

Royce Chocolate Factory Sapporo Rose Garden

Royce Chocolate Factory and Rose Garden in Sapporo

It was a rainy Sunday in the afternoon, my wife was craving for some chocolate and she asked me if we can go visit Royce Chocolate Factory as well as seeing some rose garden nearby the factory. Apparently strong rain was not enough to stop my wife from getting the chocolate she craved! We went to two separate places that day, but since it was located close to each other, it was not much hassle to visit both in the same day. It was raining quite hard so instead of taking JR train, we decided to drive there. There are many places in Sapporo that are waiting to be explored, do not forget, If you need help arranging private tour in Hokkaido, you can use our trip planner!

Royce Rose Garden

Nestled in Sapporo, the Royce Rose Garden is a serene haven featuring over 200 varieties of roses, making it a must-visit for nature lovers and flower enthusiasts. The garden’s meticulously landscaped paths and vibrant blooms offer a perfect setting for a peaceful stroll or a picturesque photo session. Open from late spring to autumn, visitors can enjoy the ever-changing colors and fragrances that make each visit unique. The Royce Rose Garden not only showcases the beauty of roses but also emphasizes environmental sustainability, making it an ideal destination for those seeking tranquility and natural splendor. We were actually lucky to visit during rainy day since there were not many visitors, so finding parking spot was really easy! The rain also stopped a bit when we arrived.

Visit Date: 2024 July 7th (Summer)
Opening time: mid May – end of October (9 am – 17:30)
Address: 9 Chome-21-50 Ainosato 3 Jo, Kita Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido 002-8074
Access: Ainosato Koen (JR)

Royce Chocolate Factory: Garden

After walking around the rose garden under light rain, we decided to buy some souvenirs for family. My wife told me that there is another Royce factory built nearby the rose garden and it has more choices of souvenirs, it is called Royce Cacao & Chocolate Town. It was located not far away from the rose garden, only around 5 minutes drive. Upon arriving in the place, it was not that crowded so finding parking space was relatively easy. The garden is smaller compared to one in the previous rose garden, but they are really beautiful nonetheless! There is also a free shuttle service from nearby JR station, so if you are planning to come by public transportation, it will be convenient as well!

Visit Date: 2024 July 7th (Summer)
Opening time
Shop: 9 – 18 o’ clock; Factory Tour: 10 – 17 o’ clock
Address: 640-15 Bitoe, Tobetsu, Ishikari District, Hokkaido 061-3775
Access: Royce Town (JR)

Royce Chocolate Factory: Royce Cacao & Chocolate Town

The Royce Chocolate Factory in Sapporo is a paradise for chocolate lovers, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the art of premium chocolate making. Visitors can witness the meticulous process of crafting Royce’s famous chocolates, from the selection of high-quality ingredients to the final packaging. The factory also features a shop where you can purchase an array of delicious chocolate products, perfect for gifts or personal indulgence. With interactive tours and tastings, the Royce Chocolate Factory provides a delightful experience that blends culinary education with sweet enjoyment, making it a top attraction in Sapporo.

moving and living in Sapporo