Japan, Hokkaido Day 4 - Skiing

It was skiing day, super excited, cause I thought I will be a pro like on those on television. After that day, I have decided I am so not suitable for skiing.

Decided to go to Kokusai because of the distance. Initially we were worried that we won't be able to ski because the opening was delayed due to lack of snow, but luckily it opened before we flew there.

Bus Tickets of Kokusai

In the early stages of winter, they only have one bus there in the morning and one bus back in the evening. The frequency of the buses will increase as the amount of snow increases. We were damn kiasu, we arrived half an hour before to get the tickets. Haha as the queue grew with pros, my stress also grew.

All geared up

Spent 9400 yen renting the ski (5200 yen) set and clothing set (4200 yen). Actually if you have your own waterproof and light jacket, plus water proof pants, you don't need to rent their clothing set.

Selfie

Before we can reach the snow, we have to take the escalator up. Almost died, because the ski is very heavy, and I had no idea how to go up the escalator while holding the skis. Luckily, I didn't roll down the escalator.

Super pengx because I think I took half an hour to put on the ski.

After that I gave up. It takes me half an hour to put on the skis, 5 seconds to ski and fall, and I have to repeat the cycle again. So I have decided that if I ever go and ski again, I will hire a coach.
However, Eunice picked up skiing very quickly. Haha, that is a difference between a sporty person and a non-sporty person. She tried to teach me, but I totally couldn't pick up. I think she became very pek chek, cause she kept asking me to slant the stick and from my view I already slant it, haha but actually I did not. Plus, I couldn't get myself to stop, and once I fall, I was not able to stand up unless I took out my skis.

Took the cable car up because we bought the ticket that included lift, and we didn't want to waste it. So we took a round trip. Haha, if you are a newbie like me, don't need to buy the ticket with lift, because no chance to go up and ski down.

I'm more suited to have snowball fights than to ski!

And taking selfies too!

After this skiing trip, I feel like I can better understand the frustration that some of the students may be facing. For me, it's a one-off thing and I'm already so irritated, what more for them, when it is an everything issue.

After dinner, took the train down to Odori station and went to the sapporo white illumination light display at Odori Park.

Sapporo Tower

There was a fair going on at there but everything was just expensive.

After walking around, we decided to walk back to our hotel. Thankfully we have google map to guide us back.

Mandatory photo with clock tower

While we were walking back to our hotel, happened to pass by the sapporo branch of the crab place that we wanted to go, and it was fully booked on a weekday night too.

My present from skiing

Japan, Hokkaido Day 3 - Otaru

The holiday is coming to an end, and this is my first blog post of the holiday. What have I been doing! Haha, I'm already looking forward to the December holiday.

Supposed to go for skiing on our 3rd day, but I bought the tickets for Otaru on the wrong day, so since we haven't bought the bus tickets to skiing, 将错就错。The welcome pass comes with the otaru return tickets and a one-day subway ticket. The subway ticket can be used any time.

The snow that morning was damn heavy. Walked out of the hotel to the above image. I think it was the coldest day during the period we were in hokkaido.

Poor shoes can wet 

 My boots got wet, even though when I bought it they were supposed to be waterproof. Definitely not waterproof.

While finding out way to the place, we walked past this railway track and there was this uncle there shoveling. He was super nice, and he gave us a map and told us where to get nice sushi. He really went out of the way because he had to remove his gloves and all, get the map out for us and circle the place for us. He also suggested that we go to the bridge area later in the day when it is dark because it will be more beautiful with the lights. He even helped us to take a photo here.

 The Letao cake is worth trying. Soft and fluffy, and see my cup of hot drink. I hardly drink hot drinks in Singapore, but really couldn't take the cold weather.

I wonder was it because it was too cold so my eyes couldn't open, or is it because my eyes are really small. 

Musical Box Museum

The whole musical box museum is filled with...musical boxes! They have all kinds of musical box, from fairies to cats to build your own musical box - you can select your own box and music. However, the musical boxes there are really expensive. 

Sanrio Musical Box

So many cats

One big cat

 It is super difficult to choose one musical box and with the music you like since they have a lot of choices for you to choos fromm. I bought a piano musical box, which until now, I haven't opened yet.

We asked one of the staff there if he knew where the sushi place was, and he very kindly sent us out of the shop and pointed the way to us. Seriously, so kind!

Kani Don

 As I don't really eat raw food, so I ordered their Kani. Haha now after I came back from Japan, I'm eating much more sushi.

Eunice's sushi

Rainbow Ice-Cream

While make our way back to the bridge, although the weather was really so cold, how to not order their rainbow ice-cream. It's good except the last 2 layers of black sesame and matcha, haha but that is because I don't really like matcha and black sesame.

I think people will be thinking - wtf 1.4 degrees and you call it cold?!?! Haha, but it was really super cold, especially when the wind blew.

Before the sun sets

I jumped, I jumped, I jumped jumped jumped. Haha, luckily I didn't slip and fall, and break my crown.

After the sun sets

I think the view at night was super nice, especially since they had all these blue lighting. Haha, and I think I look damn nice in this photo.

Japan, Hokkaido - Day 2

Woke up super early so I can go to the onsen again before going for breakfast. 

Our sumptuous breakfast

Met the lady from dinner and she remembered us. I wonder how many hours do they work everyday. 

Ate so much fish there that my fish quota was met for the year. I love the egg rolls that they served, and I got 2 servings! because Eunice doesn't eat eggs.

After breakfast, went back to pack and it was time to board the bus at 10am to head to Sapporo. Thanks to the onsen, I had such a good sleep on the bus.

We had sometime before check-in time so we went to explore sapporo station and to get our train tickets from the JR office. The sapporo station is quite big so it can take some time to orientate yourself. 

After checking in, we went off to Shiroi Kobito Factory. 

No real reindeer, fake one will do

It's christmas, so they had christmas lightings set up inside.

When at shiroi koibito factory, even if the weather is freezing and you feel like your nose, ears and fingers are going to drop off, you still have to eat their ice-cream.

After that bought lots at their shop. Bai se lian ren is like a must buy when in Japan, even in Tokyo, so what's more at their homeland - hokkaido. Buy everything, bombed 9727 Yen there. I quite like their chocolate drink, is very rich and chocolatey. Actually if you are just looking for the normal biscuits, there are many places in Hokkaido that sell them, so don't necessarily have to buy there. But I guess sometimes, it's just the feel.

After shopping, went up their toy exhibition to take a look.

Pikachussss

Their sky turns dark very early, about 4 plus 5 and it will be dark already.
Took the train down to susukino station because we wanted to have a sumptuous dinner of crab at Sapporo Kani Honke. But when we reached there, it was fully booked. So if you want to go there, remember to make it booking before hand. They are not only full on Sundays because when we passed by the Sapporo branch on Tuesday, it was also fully booked.

Initially we were thinking of eating it another day after we booked, but we past by a random crab place and decided to just eat there.

King Crab Shabu Shabu - 5400 Yen per pax

So precious

648 Yen

I ordered their rice where they will cook the rice in the broth after you are done. It taste abit like our lobster porridge.

School is starting on Monday, journey to the west starts all over again (and this time no hostel!). I guess blogging will have to take a backseat again, but I hope I continue blogging because when I read back on my post, it brings back not only memories, but sometimes gives me insight on my emotions too.

Japan, Hokkaido Day 1

Took the flight to hokkaido on 5th December, transiting at Incheon Airport. I think we are one of the rarer ones who take Korean Air to Japan, but I love Korean Air, and it is cheaper than JAL! There was a slight delay on our way. I think their service has actually went down since the last time I took it but still good.

Korean Air Flight Meal

Breakfast on plane, we chose seafood fried noodles. The other choices were omelette and porridge. Their noodles was good. Why don't they give supper though, I prefer the flight back to Singapore because they give dinner and supper and there's ice-cream!

Flight meal to Hokkaido

Didn't quite like the meal from Incheon to Chitose, cause is pork with potatoes or beef.

landing in hokkaido

I can see the snow!!! Quite exciting because this will be my first experience with real snow.

At the Chitose airport immigration, I am very impressed with their service. Their immigration officer is really nice and it made me feel very happy to be there. The person before me was Korean so I guess he thought I was Korean, so when I went over he said "annyeonghaseyo" then I smiled. Haha, but when he saw my passport he said "sorry, ni hao". So nice! They are also very efficient because despite the long queue, the queue moved very quickly.

After touching down in Hokkaido, activated our sim cards for data. I was damn stupid because I kept thinking why am I not connected, it was actually because I forgot to off my flight mode. Then bought our bus tickets for our Ryokan.

Things we do while waiting: Testing how cold is the weather.

The bus to the interchange was okay because they have space for luggage storage, but the bus from the interchange to the ryokan didn't have space for luggage so it was quite troublesome and made my big and heavy luggage a burden.

After settling down, we went to walk around the area to see what they have.

Hokkaido Mascot - Bear

Hell Boy Mascot?

It was snowing quite heavily outside.First we get hype over it and take photos, and then we froze.
After walking for about an hour, went back to the hotel to hide. Then we had some time, about one hour before dinner, so I went to the onsen. Previously when I was in Tokyo, I didn't go because too shy, I only went to the one in taiwan because swimsuits are allowed. Japan, you have to go birthday suit. Decided to go this time because I have paid alot of money to stay here, so I have to make my money worth. Eunice couldn't go, so only me, myself and I. I guess that made me less shy because nobody knows me and I know nobody.

They have I think 7 different onsens which are supposed to serve different purposes. Haha, but I think they all serve one purpose for me, to make me sleep better. I felt damn sleepy after I went for onsen, especially when I went again next day in the morning. They have an outdoor onsen too, quite interesting to soak in hot spring while it is snowing. However, the thought of walking out to the hot spring and walking back was quite scary, but I did it!

Was almost late for dinner at 6.30pm, so rushed back to the room to meet Eunice before going down to 5th floor for dinner.

Our dinner was Japanese fine dining, very atas and the service was so good that it stressed me.

Menu

It has been (I think) 10 years since I last ate sashimi. I don't really like raw food, but since I'm in the land of sashimi, I decided to try. It was okay, very soft and not fishy, but I dipped in loads of the soy sauce.

Melon Soda

Order any drink but melon soda. It actually tastes like medicine.

All ready to eat!

Steak

Very lazy to rotate the picture and reupload, why doesn't blogger let us rotate our pictures. It is supposed to be with applesauce? but I didn't taste any applesauce. It is not bad though because usually I don't really like to eat steak.

Fine dining means very small portions of everything. I thought I wouldn't be full because of the small portions, but in the end I was satisfied. Haha, I guess because there was rice also.

The food was a good experience but the service was even a better experience. One of them accidentally just dropped lightly one of my plates and apologised profusely and after the meal, when we were leaving she apologised again. I already forgot about it. Despite their limited English, they will try their best to provide the best service. Haha, but the service comes with a price tag.

After dinner, we went to explore the ryokan, there was a drum performance, and the girl was good. The performance and the strength, daebak!

Eunice trying out Onsen drink

They have an area where you can try out onsen drink too!

Our Yukatas

All prepared to sleep now!