Hokkaido trip - 12 to 18 Mar 2006

I just recovered from the after effects & jet lag from my recent holiday to... HOKKAIDO !
I realised that i really miss the place. Really wish that i could stay longer.... haiz, really ex for the cost of living in Japan. Anw, we stayed in Hokkaido for 6 days then went to Tokyo for 1 day. It was my Mum's and my regret that we didn't extend for another day in Tokyo as it was really very rushed for us to do shopping or even try the sushi and ramen in Japan, haiz...

Hokkaido is really so cold that my mouth went numb at times esp when the strong wind blows. But yes, i managed to bask in the snow blowing in my face even though it's nearing the end of winter. The tour guide Chris (a Taiwanese who immigrated to Japan with a huge dose of humour and wit) said that winter ends in April for Hokkaido.

Well, my Mum & i went under a tour grp since we can't converse in Japanese. My flight was 11.30p.m and the journey to Tokyo-Narita airport is 6 hrs. That's not the end of it. Upon reaching Narita airport, i was freezing and we had to take an hour long coach to a domestic flight airport (can't rmb the name, shld be Hokodate airport bah...) to take another 1.5 hrs to Hakkaido.

Thankfully we took another coach from the airport from Hokkaido to have lunch which was a decent Japanese bento or set meal. The snow crab was big & esp sweet and juicy ! Later we stopped by a supermarketour 1st hotel - Tokachigawa Daiichi hotel, which is actually a pretty good hot spring resort.

The yukada (which resemble the kimono) had to be worn to the hot spring or public bath as stated in the hotel. You can choose to soak indoors or outdoor in the open. The outdoor bath is much comfy as the water is not too hot but the indoor ones is super hot which is about 40 degrees !

Our itinery within Hokkaido, Sapporo, Hakodate and Otaru. Hokkaido is famed for its raw products, seafood and melon Kit Kat and of course...

yummy white lovers' choc !

the exquisite packaging

the white lovers' choc (bai2 se4 lian4 ren2) which only found in Hokkaido only and not found in other parts of Japan...

There's also Otaru city which resembles a mini European town with a history of about 100 years or so.

When you enter the place, there's a mini cafe which is famed for serving 6 flavours of ice-cream in a plastic cup. Melon, cheese flavor and more ! My mum and i shared the 6-in-1 flavors there ! After that we travel to another place to take photos and proceeded to have dinner which was a nice steamboat dinner. After dinner, i ate ice-cream when it's freezing outside, cool !

What i really liked is the huge snow crab - its claw meat is naturally juicy and sweet rather than the hairy crab with its thorny claws and hairs tickling your mouth when you attempt to eat it.

snow crabs

hairy crabs

Ok, there's so much to say actually but i let my Hokkaido trip photos do the talking !