29 Nov - 01 Dec 2019
Open, grand, magnificent. Hokkaido made me tear up twice.
Backtracking to the day of our flight to Hokkaido, we weren’t having the most pleasant morning because we missed our 7AM flight from Narita. TIP: if you really want an early flight from Tokyo, fly from Haneda. However, after paying an additional JPY5,000 so that Jetstar would rebook our flight to the one leaving in the next hour, Hokkaido greeted us with roofs, hills and mountains covered in glistening snow!
Moving around, as he is based in Hokkaido, one of my best friends from high school drove us around. If you’re going as a group, car rental may be more economical versus commuting and more relaxed versus joining a tour group.
Otaru, our first stop, was only 2 hours away by car from New Chitose. Quiet and magical, Otaru is more than just its famous canal. Sakaimachihondori St. has hints and nuances that remind you that you are still in Japan, yet the beauty of the shops lining the street is almost other-wordly. On top of all this, Otaru being a port city, trying out their seafood is a must. Kantaro Sushi is sure to ruin every other sushi plate you will have in your entire life after trying their ama ebi, aburi salmon, and fluke fin sushi.
Biei is best-known for its flower farms and the Shirogane Blue Pond. Since we visited during winter, there were no colorful stretches of flower farms or cerulean blue pond. Instead, we got to see endless stretches of white hills and the most picturesque line of spruce trees covered in snow.
Unfortunately, we only got to spend a few hours in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido. A night stroll along Odori Park with some winter illumination is not be missed, plus a nightcap at Ebihide for some damn good bowl of lobster miso ramen.
Before heading back to Tokyo, we got the chance to roam a bit around Iwamizawa, a quiet and unpopulated town a little over an hour away from Sapporo. We got to see my friend’s farm (which was then covered in snow 😅) and the path where he usually takes Mappu, his dog for a walk. I couldn’t hold back my tears after seeing how blessed Japan is with such glorious landscapes. 😭
Looking back at the whole set, I realized there are less intimate photos here, which gives a better idea of just how vast and how much less crowded Hokkaido is. I do hope you enjoy this set, as much as some of you enjoyed the Kansai set! Overall, I am happy with how the photos turned out, the whites of Hokkaido’s winter has a different beauty compared to the fall colors in the previous set.
Tokyo photos are up next so I hope you watch out for those! For the mean time, Happy Holidays, folks!
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