Trip to Hokkaido for my 26th Birthday!!!
Mizuki took me to Hokkaido for my 26th birthday. It was really fun. We went to Sapporo and Otaru. Let me share the summary of this lovely trip.
(Arriving at Odori Park, Sapporo)
Places Visited
1. New Otani Sapporo Hotel
It is an old but nice hotel. Bath room is renovated and clean. Bathtub is big and clean. Love it. Take a bathing in bathtub is one of the best things to do in winter. At first, we were so worried about the hotel because Moon Rider 7 booked a cheap travel package. We thought the hotel might not be as comfortable as other regular ones. But it turned out great!! Nice staff service!! (We had terrible experiences at staying in a cheap hotel in Taichung, Taiwan. It was horrible. The room was extremely dirty. The door room lock was broken. Moon Rider 7 could not sleep that night. And I booked another hotel online next morning and checked out without refund…….terrible….)
2. Sapporo Clock Tower (Former Sapporo Agriculture College, 1st floor, and Military Training Hall, 2nd floor.)
Its rich historical stories behind it moved me. And I love the magnificent and delicate mechanism of a tower clock. I had enjoyed so much by just watching how the tower clock ticking. Also, we were lucky to get there in time to join a small tour group. (And it was free.) The instructor in tour group was really friendly and he was really proud of the tower clock. He knows everything about that place. He had explained the history and stories about William Smith Clark, who came to Hokkaido from USA to teach Japanese about farming and producing dairy product. His famous saying is “Boys be ambitious.” His influence continues to motivate Japanese people until today. You can find many statues of his in Sapporo.
Sapporo Clock Tower is very accessible for moon riders. Ramps are available connecting each exhibit room. Also, there is a renovated lift, sort of like a elevator, which can take moon riders up to 2nd floor. But it is locked. You will have to ask if you want to use the lift. And the staffs can speak other languages rather than just Japanese, so please ask for help if you need any.
(Me and Moon Rider 7)
3. Hokkaido Old Governor Dormitory.
It was already late when we got there. We could not get in. But it is already an enjoyment by just watching the building from outside. Standing in front of the building and imagining the people who had come here and things that had once happened here are simply amazing.
4. 4. Odori Park.
The Odori Park is a lot like the long rectangle park in front of Lincoln Memorial Hall, but a smaller version. There is a tourist center where you can get free maps and other gourmet pamphlets. There is also a ramp available in the tourist center. But the ramp is a bit steep. Moon riders might want to ask help from the staff in the tourist center. Don’t be shy, the staffs are very friendly and helpful.
5. 5. Otaru Canal
Upon arriving at Otaru Station by JR railroad, you can take a look at the tourist map by the exit of the station. There are 4 routes suggested and listed on the map. You can pick based on your preference. We chose to visit the Otaru General Museum on the west side first. The Otaru General Musem is pretty much a museum of trains. There are so many different types of trains exhibited in the museum. We are not very sure why it is called Otaru General Museum instead of Japan Train Museum………
The museum is fully accessible for moon riders. You really should visit the Otaru General Museum if you are a big fan of trains.
But there is one thing moon riders should pay attention to the Otaru Canal. The brick pedestrian side walk by the canal was really old and rugged. You might want to make sure your wheel chair tires are prepared for the ride before you visit the canal.
6. Hokkaido University
Hokkaido University is so beautiful. The students here are really so lucky to study here in Hokkaido University. The trees changed color in fall. The whole campus is decorated with yellow, red and brown trees. It is so beautiful. I can sit there the whole day just for relaxing. If you are not in a hurry, it is highly suggested to pick up a book of your likes and sitting down on the campus reading the book. I would love to do that next time when I visit Hokkaido.
(Hokkaido Campus)
But Hokkaido is an old university. Some of the buildings there might not be easy to access for moon riders. Moon Rider 7 and I went to the Hokkaido University Agriculture Department to use its rest room. We found that the ramp in front of the building is way too steep, pretty much impossible to access for moon riders. (Sometimes, I wonder. It is so nice for people to prepare a ramp for moon riders. But non-handicapped might not know exactly what kind of ramp is considered as a suitable ramp for moon riders. A unsuitable ramp just messed up everything.)
(In front of Hokkaido U. Agriculture Department. The ramp behind us is too steep for moon riders….you will have to be careful if you are taking that ramp.)
Gourmets Enjoyed
1. Ramen Noodles
One of the first gourmets come to mind when talking about Hokkaido’s food is Ramen Noodles. We went to a Ramen restaurant called Aji No Sanpei, which is a very small restaurant with only 13 seats. It is very famous and introduced in many travel guide books for its unique taste. Most of the customer that day came in with a guide book, of course, we are one of them. The Miso Soup is the most famous dish, so we ordered one. The taste is so light, surprisingly, which is so different from any other ramen noodles.
But there is one step, about 20 CM tall, by the entrance. Moon riders will need some one to help to cross that step. I believe you can ask staff to help you, if needed. The staffs there are extremely nice!
The other ramen restaurant is called Kura (久楽). (http://kura.up-g.jp/pc/pc_index.html) It is a Hokkaido local ramen restaurant. Its taste, exactly as same as how I pictured it in my head, is rich of miso, a Japanese spice. Its soup looks like a thick silk milk. Its scent wafts to my noise as it is presented to me. Love it! (You are so going to try it if you are in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
And what is worth of mentioning is that the interior of Kura is impressively huge and comfortable. Regular ramen restaurants are usually small and crowed. If you would like to enjoy ramen noodles in a more comfortable space and seat, Kura will be your perfect choice!!
2. Jingisukan (ジンギスカン) – Lamb BBQ in Sapporo Bier Garten (http://www.sapporo-bier-garten.jp/ )
Moon Rider 7 told me that lamb is harder for human to digest and to be turned to fat for human. (I am not really sure if that is true. It is my first time to hear this theory.) There both of us went all-you-can-eat course. There are two ways to enjoy the lamb. One is to grill the lamb on top of the vegetables. The other is to grill lamb and vegetables separately. The staff will show you how to grill in these two ways. Just enjoy them when you are there! Also they will provide plastic bags in which you can put your coats in, so the smell of BBQ won’t attach on your coats. So Sweet!
(Jingisukan griller. The shape is the geographical map of Hokkaido!!)
And there one more thing, when you are in Sapporo Bier Garten, you will have to try Sapporo Draft Beer! It tastes so sweet! It is a taste beyond any word on earth can describe! Love it! How sad that they made it exclusively provided in Hokkaido only…..
For your information, the food and drink all-you-can-eat cost you only 3,770 JPY per person, tax excluded!
3.Kaisendon (海鮮丼) Sea Food Combo on Rice
Sea food is also one of the must-tries in Hokkaido, especially the crab. But crab is too expensive for me and Moon Rider 7 this time. (We will definitely try it next time when we go back to Hokkaido!) This I tried the sea food combo on rice, which is called Kaisendon.
(It tastes to good! I wish I can have another one right now!!!)
One of my favorite sea foods is salmon roe, which is expensive in Taiwan. In order to open salmon roe market in Taiwan, Taiwanese sea food companies make artificial salmon roes, which cost lower than natural salmon roes. As born in Taiwan, I had never tried a real salmon roe. But I finally tried it in Hokkaido. I was also told how to tell if a salmon roe is real or artificial by a Taiwanese friend. He said if a salmon roe bounce back when it is dropped onto the ground, it is a real salmon roe. I tried that in Hokkaido, and it did bounce back!!!!
4. Curry Soup
Curry soup is also a highly recommended Hokkaido gourmet in guide books. But personally, I don’t like it much. I am a fan of thick and rich spiced curry……..I will leave you to judge on this one….haha.
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