Hokkaido, anyone?

Well, it’s somewhat far off, right at the North of Japan.  The best way to get there is on a bullet train (Shinkansen) which takes you through the Seikan Tunnel – the world’s longest tunnel running under the sea, all of 54 km long, reaching 240 meters under the sea surface.  It is fascinating to watch the speed indicator nudge 200 kmph, so far below the stormy ocean.

Start the Hokkaido visit in Sapporo

Sapporo is where you start.  It is a commercial and crowded city, but well worth a one day stop-over. We walked to the Odori Park, a very large park in the heart of Sapporo’s downtown, that provides a lush green escape from busy urban life. Special events and festivals abound throughout the year, most notably the Sapporo Snow Festival. It’s a great place to hang out, as nightlife and shopping districts are close-by, and we had a lovely afternoon and evening strolling around, ending up with a Japanese dinner for a treat.

We were looking for a tall place from which we could view Sapporo, and there it was, the very tall Sapporo TV Tower.  Its observation deck looks down on Odori Park and the city, with mountains as background. Try to get there a little before sundown, and you will see a glorious sunset and the night lights.  Take in the Clock Tower, too, with a bell that tolls every hour. It has a balloon-type wooden architecture, and rather nice red roof and white walls.  There is a little museum as well.

Visit the largest Japanese Zoo

We love zoos, and simply had to visit the famous Asahiyama Zoo, just a bus ride away in Asahikawa.  You can see the animals from various angles because of the way the enclosures are set up.  We saw penguins swimming underwater from the glass tunnel in the penguin pool and watched polar bears and wolves from small glass domes right in the middle of their enclosures.  There were some local wildlife, rather special, though the pride of the zoo are the penguins.

Admire the Lavender Fields in Furano

Next stop – Furano, with its famous Lavender fields at Farm Tomita.  We were lucky to get there in July, when the flowers were blooming.  There are vast fields of lavender, as far as the eye could stretch, and lovely mountains far away. We wandered around for a long time, cameras clicking, enjoying the serene scenery.  You can walk right through the lavender fields and be surrounded by flowers everywhere.  For a break we tried lavender cake and lavender ice cream at the Poppy House café, surprisingly nice. 

Enjoy the countryside scenery at Biei

An interesting side trip was a 2-hour bus tour from Furano station to the beautiful country town of Biei, surrounded by a picturesque landscape of gently rolling hills and vast fields. A pleasant way to enjoy the charm of Biei would be to drive or cycle through the hills and visit some of the flower fields and famous trees along the way. 

The area northwest of the town center is named “Patchwork Road” and the area south of the town center “Panorama Road”. Named after the appearance of its fields seen from above, the Patchwork Road (Patchwork no Michi) is actually an entire, and very pretty area, not just a single road. Beautiful rural landscapes, the Japan you don’t usually get to see, are visible around the year, especially during the green and colorful summer and autumn months and during winter when everything is covered under a deep layer of snow. 

Marketing professionals have been attracted to this area’s natural beauty, and some trees were used in commercials or for package label designs. A row of larch trees featured on the Mild Seven Hill in a cigarette commercial, a poplar named Ken and Mary Tree appeared in a car commercial and the Sevenstar Tree showed up on cigarette packages. There is also a nice little group of oak trees called the Parents and Child Tree.

Hokkaido gives you a marvellous taste of Japan, away from the crowded towns, skyscrapers and trains, and zillions of people.  If you want to see a different Japan, don’t miss it.

Bullet train in Hokkaido, Japan
Hokkaido, Japan - Pin

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Leisurely Drives
Furano Lavender field
Bullet train in Hokkaido, Japan
Hokkaido, Japan - Pin
Kobe – The perfect base to explore Japan
Odaiba – Getaway from busy Tokyo
A Glimpse of Osaka – Japan
Mount Aso – Japan
Japanese Ryokan – Our Experience
A Day Trip to Shikoku – Japan
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