Travel to north of Japan : Sapporo

Assalamualaikum, good evening & こんにちは、

Map of Hokkaido

10th of September 2012 - As my 2nd trip during summer vacation, me with 5 others of my friends (that made us a total of 6 persons) went to the north island of Japan which is Hokkaido island. For an image explanation, please look at the image above.There are a lot of places to visit in Hokkaido but we only managed to visit Sapporo, Hokkaido. As it would cost us more if we want to tour around hokkaido....we can't rent a car because most car-rental company won't allow us to rent a car by only using an international license, they want a japan license for it. Since none of us have a japan license, we can't rent it. To take a tour around hokkaido using public transportation? Better don't even think about it. It would cost you soo much...

2012年9月10日 ： 俺の2回目の夏休み旅行として、俺と5人友達は日本の北の島に行くと決めた。上の写真により、日本の北方の島は北海道と呼ばれて、俺たちの行ったところは札幌だった。札幌は北海道の市で、道庁所在地ならびに石狩振興局所在地。全部で10個の区を持つ政令指定都市。政令指定都市中では浜松市・静岡市に次ぐ広大な面積を持ち、全国の市の中で4番目の人口を有する。最初は俺たち北海道の全てへ旅行したいだけど、行けなかった。レンタカーを借りて、北海道の周りに運転するという俺たちの計画だったけど、車を借りるために、少なくとも運転免許は日本の免許に切り替えることが必要である。つまり、国際免許は使えない。

Journey from Narita International Airport, Tokyo to Shin-Chitose Airport, Sapporo took us about 1 and a half hour. We reached there at 9.30 in the morning (Japan local time) and were greeted by the sight of ANA Pokemon version flight. It's soo cute right? We had our breakfast at the airport and took a direct train to the main city of Sapporo.

成田国際空港から朝の7時に出発し、新千歳空港に9時半に着いた。朝飯は空港の food court で食べて、電車で札幌市に向かいに行った。最初は空港の近くにある湖へちょっと行ってみたいけど、あの時に大雨が降ったせいで、計画はキャンセルしかない。だから、すぐに札幌市に行った。

Sapporo train station main building 

Sapporo station....captured by DSLR & after a little touch added

Arrived at Sapporo city, since it's too early to check in (in Japan, the check-in time for a hotel start at 2/3 in the evening afterwards). We decided to take a walk around Sapporo City and visited major attraction there. The place that we visited were Odori Park (located at the center of Sapporo) and Tokeidai (the symbol of the city). Talked about Odori Park, it is quite the same as Central Park in New York City, America. As the name stated, It is a park located at the heart of Sapporo and spans about 1.5 km long. Indirectly, the park divides the city into south and north of Sapporo. 

札幌市の大通りパーク

札幌に着いて、ホテルをチェックインはまだできないし、時間を潰すために札幌の近くにある観光地をちょっと散歩した。札幌に着いたら、第一の行った観光地は大通りパークだった。大通りパークはアメリカにある Central Park と似いている。

The next picture was taken at Tokeidai. (Tokei which means clock in Japanese, while 'dai' can be mean as building). This clock tower was built around the year of 1870s by the assistance of American government. Though, the clock still working till today and it become the oldest still-functional clock in Japan.

大通りパークから、8分ぐらい歩いて時計台に着いた。時計台は1870年ぐらいアメリカの援助と一緒に作られた。もう100年以上のビルなのに、その時計は今までまだ動いてるので、日本で一番古い時計と認められた。

The building of clock tower, used as a hall for any occasion 

The clock replica shows the mechanism of how the clock works

Our exclusive dinner
晩飯時間!

As for dinner on the first day, we had 3 flush set of Queen crab. After finished, we ordered another set of King Crab (sorry, no photo of it). Hokkaido is famous for its seafood especially crab as the area of hokkaido contains a high grade of fresh seafood. Total of our dinner was 3oooo￥ or RM1200 if converted to Malaysian Ringgit. Real expensive for a dinner rite? ;) 

上の写真により、俺たちの食った晩飯だった。友達から聞かれて、北海道にはすごく美味しいカニがある。もし、誰かが北海道に行ったのにカニを食べる機会がなくて、すごく後悔だろう？だから俺たち、その夜にいっぱい見せを探し、カニの特級の店で食べたいと決めた。意外とすごく高いレストランに入っちゃった。間違いなく、店で作ったカニはすごく美味しけど、こんな一流なレストランなんて始めての経験だった。全部の会計は3万だよ！うわぁ、びっくりした！さっすが初日の晩飯！

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Day 2 

二日目

We visited the Ishiya Chocolate Factory or also called shiroi koibito. Ishiya chocolate factory is famous for its chocolate. Only produced in Hokkaido. 

その日に俺たち白い恋人へ行った。英語で「イシヤ・チョコレート・工場」と呼ばれて、日本の有名なチョコレートを作る。北海道製の一流なチョコレート。

The entrance gate 

白い恋人の正門 

They were working 

After a little trip inside the factory (eventhough it doesn't look like a factory, more like tourist attraction indoor park), we took a break at the cafe provided before snapped a picture at the park. Ishiya Chocolate Factory park.

A nice view from inside the cafe 

Mediterranian-style park....really awesome! 

白い恋人公園で！

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Day 3

三日目

It's time for Moerenuma Park. As the name goes, just a simple park with some of unique building/statue. 

モエレ沼公園の時間だ！名前通りに、ただ普通の公園だけど、ちょっとユニークなビルと彫像がここで作られた。

Tour around the park using bicycle

自転車ギャング

Musée du Louvre, france ;)

1, 2, 3, .....JUMP! 

Clear sky 

During night, we climbed Mount Moiwa using the cable car provided to get a full view of Sapporo. 

夜のとき、もいわ山に登った。あそこから全ての札幌市の夜景が見えた！

Isn't it great? Sapporo, about 1000km separated from Japan capital, Tokyo. 

Yet, the area still well-developed by the Japanese government. 

This is what we called as a modern country.

すごいだろう？札幌市の夜景 

Tram at the heart of Susukino (main town in Sapporo). 

Feels like in europe for a while 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Since it was the final night before we went back to tokyo on the next morning, here some untitled picture snapped around sapporo. 

四日目は朝の9時に飛行機が新千歳空港から出発した。だからこそ、その最後の夜に、いろんな所で遊んで、最後の札幌の思い出作りたい。札幌、またいつか俺が来るよ！

Eiffel tower on my fingertips ;)
In fact, it's Sapporo TV Tower

Extra : The song we heard when wandering around susukino, hokkaido

札幌にいるうちに、よく聞こえた歌。北海道の歌と思われる。

With that my 2nd vacation during 2012 Summer Holiday has come to an end.

Thanks for reading. 

Do read my next post ; my final summer vacation. To the south of Japan

ここから俺の第二回の夏旅行もう終わりだ！

読んでいただき、ありがとうございます~

また、俺の次のポストも読んでね~ 俺の最後の夏旅行の思い出！