Charming Hokkaido

[tomcat]

Just got back from Hong Thai's 'Charming Hokkaido' tour...

#1

Otaru

#2

Otaru

#3

Inside one of the larger shops selling glasswares and musical boxes in Otaru

#4

Some of the many seafood shops in Otaru

#5

Otaru Canal

 

[tomcat]

#6

Ishiya Chocolate Museum

#7

Ishiya Chocolate Museum

#8

Inside the Chocolate Museum

#9

Chocolate production area inside the Chocolate Museum

#10

Propping up a tithering tower at the Chocolate Museum

 

[AlexK]

Beautiful photos and thanks for sharing. Been there during Dec last year and the mood was completely different especially Otaru Canal.

 

[tomcat]

Thanks. Hokkaido has a different look and appeal for every season. Would love to go back there again in Winter... and Summer... and Autumn.

 

[tomcat]

More photos...

#11

Lake Shikotsu - a crater lake that was formed over 30,000 years ago by volcanic activity, and it has a maximum depth of 360 meters, making it the second deepest lake in Japan

#12

Shops on the shore of Lake Shikotsu

#13

Shops on the shore of Lake Shikotsu

#14

Looking through the viewing windows in the bottom of one of the cruise boats on Lake Shikotsu... at what?

#15

... at the fishes that dwell in the waters of Lake Shikotsu... and the wavy patterns of the volcanic terrain of the crater which is now the bed of the lake

 

[tomcat]

#16

The famous 'Ken & Mary's Tree' in Biei.
In the 1970's, Nissan had a series of television commercials for the Skyline involving two characters Ken and Mary who used the car to see Japan and show the car in beautiful surroundings. In one of the the commercials the couple come across a beautiful tall, poplar tree in Biei, Hokkaido. The series of commercials was so popular in Japan that even today many couples venture to Biei and have their picture taken at the tree, a trip highlight and a romantic sight. Unfortunately for us, it was early spring when we were there and the tree has not sprouted any new leaves yet.

For those who might be interested in viewing the commercial, it can be found here on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTymeU6zPnk

#17

Biei

#18

Biei

#19

Biei

#20

Biei Panorama

 

[kentjr]

Nice Pictures! :thumbsup:

 

[tomcat]

Thanks.
More pics to come...

#21

Flowerland Nursery at Furano

#22

The public park at the Furano Cheese Factory

#23

Furano Cheese Factory... where the cheese cakes and Hokkaido-styled ice creams are simply to die for !

#24

Inside the Furano Cheese Factory

#25

Furano Cheese Factory - popular with youths... and tourists of course.

 

[Jaybaokong]

hi,

thanks for sharing the nice pics.. would love to visit hokkaido one day if i can...

nice shots..

 

[spartacus.ret]

Inside one of the larger shops selling glasswares and musical boxes in Otaru

i remember this place, its the musical box town.

wah, its been so long since i went there lor, 2003.

 

[tomcat]

i remember this place, its the musical box town.

wah, its been so long since i went there lor, 2003.

Yes, it's Otaru Orgel-do (Otaru Music Box Hall). It was very nerve wrecking walking around inside the place for me with a big bag-pack of gears amongst all these fragile and expensive glassware.

 

[grumpy]

Yes, it's Otaru Orgel-do (Otaru Music Box Hall). It was very nerve wrecking walking around inside the place for me with a big bag-pack of gears amongst all these fragile and expensive glassware.

I like this fisheye shot.

 

[emlee]

This is a beautiful place. The weather seems good. This is an Apr trip? how cold was it? any rain or overcast?
thanks for sharing

 

[two200]

Wah memories. Mine was during winter, the place was familiar but without the snow (when i was there) certainly looked different. If you want to compare the winter and summer scenes, feel free to visit my travelogue thread

When I passed by Biei and Furano the farms were covered with snow. I heard from my friends that the local fruits were very nice. Has the fruit season started yet?

 

[tomcat]

This is a beautiful place. The weather seems good. This is an Apr trip? how cold was it? any rain or overcast?
thanks for sharing

This trip was in early May... just last week. We were lucky in that it was mostly sunny during the entire time we were there. The day temperature was in the mid 10s deg C most of the days, becoming colder only in the evenings and nights. It was overcast only on one day and drizzled lightly on the last day when we were leaving for the airport to come back to Singapore.

 

[tomcat]

Wah memories. Mine was during winter, the place was familiar but without the snow (when i was there) certainly looked different. If you want to compare the winter and summer scenes, feel free to visit my travelogue thread

When I passed by Biei and Furano the farms were covered with snow. I heard from my friends that the local fruits were very nice. Has the fruit season started yet?

Being farms and nurseries, Biei and Furano are best appreciated in summer when the flowers are in full bloom and fruits have ripen and could be picked and eaten on the spot.

Our tour was mainly to see the blooming of the cherry blossoms and covered the central and southern parts of Hokkaido... down to Hakodate for the world's top three night scenes. Those who went on the flower tours in Spring would get to see the colourful tulip fields further up north.

No fruits yet at this time of the year, though they are readily available from the shops and markets... fruits like Japanese strawberries (really sweet !), Fuji apples, and... the incomparable Japanese Yubari cantaloupe melons, a product of Hokkaido. On trips to Japan must really wallop the fruits as they are so darn expensive back here in Singapore. ;p

 

[pat33]

Lovely photos .. looks like great weather and great trip. I am gonna send this link to my daughter, she's thinking of a japan trip soon.

 

[tomcat]

#26

Hakodate Bay Area

#27

Hakodate Bay Area

#28

Meiji-Kan (Sea Food Market), Hakodate

#29

Inside Meiji-Kan, Hakodate

#30

Outdoor Sea Food Market, Hakodate

 

[tomcat]

#31

Noboribetsu Jigokudani (Hell Valley) Panorama
The remains of a volcanic crater created by the volcanic eruption of Mt. Hiyori, Jigokudani is a representative landscape of the Noboribetsu Onsen area. Covering an area of 11 ha., there are many hot spring vents and blowholes spread across the valley and is the source of hot spring water supplied to the many onsen hotels and establishments there. Inspired by the frothing, boiling vents and blowholes, the name of the valley comes from the folk-saying that the valley was hell and the home of demons.

#32

Noboribetsu Jigokudani (Hell Valley)

#33

After walking for some distance around the crater on a wooden plankway, we came to the objective... a bubbling pool of hot spring water continuously emitting sulphurous steam.

#34

At regular intervals, the pool would boil and emit steam more vigorously like a geyser, giving everybody standing there a beautifying sulphurous steam facial.... at least according to our tour guide... which the ladies in our group obviously seemed to believe from this photo.

#35

Each steaming vent in Hell Valley seemed to have been given a name

 

[RonQuek]

upload more upload more!

haha