Hokkaido - Day 7 ( Takino Suzuran Hillside Park)

Sad that we only left 2 more days in HKD, today we planned to go to a park covered with snow. Before going Daren went to electronic shop to get his PS4 and I shopped at Dimaru and bought myself a Agnes B leather bag.  Is so soft and I love it!

After getting what we wanted, we took a train to the park, we reached there around 12 noon but the next bus coming around 1 pm and park closing at 4.30pm.

In order not to disappoint the kids we decided to take a cab.  The journey is scenic and we spent around S$50 for a 30 mins trip.  Totally worth it for what I thought.

Kids having lot of fun in the park sliding down and playing with snow. They enjoyed so much!

We took the last bus back to the train station.  Is really cold after we reached the station and I left my phone while getting the tickets.

Japanese are so honest as I manage to get my phone back after 15 mins at the station control.

Going back to Sapporo and did last min shopping.

We will be leaving Sapporo and go back to Chitose Airport.

Hokkaido - Day 6 ( Otaru)

We wake up with a pleasant surprise seeing snow for the 1st time for the kids.

We took a train to Otaru along the journey it started to snow along the sea side.  Is was a beautiful scene.

Kids are so happy when we reached Otaru as is started snowing really heavily and they started getting excited.

We walked to a small wet market to have Breakfast and bought my most expensive gift, dry scallops.

While I was spending sometime in the market, the 2 little one start playing with snow.

We are really lucky to have a White Christmas in Hokkaido.

We walked to the Otaru Canal, very beautiful with snow covering the whole town.

I stopped by each shop to tried their product and rest.

So many nice food to try.

Love cheese cake, wine candy, simple biscuits.  Why everything taste so yummy in HKD?  We spend the whole day in Otaru.  Visited music box museum.  Before we leave the place we pass by a shop selling drink with free HK cup.  So we quickly stop by and get 2 cups for little princess.

We walked back to JR and stop by a restaurant for authentic sushi dinner.   Justen as usual ordered Kappa Maki and Rayen ordered something yummy too.  Daren tried their raw fish sushi and love them too.  We enjoyed our dinner very much.

After dinner we walked to JR and 2 kids sleep immediately.  Is a long day for them.

Hokkaido - Day 5 ( Asahikawa to Sapporo, Chocolate Factory and Ordori Park)

Last day at Asahikawa, I actually like this place a lot, not as crowded as Sapporo and enough of shopping experience which keep me bz.

We had our breakfast at Aeon Mall, every meal experience are good.  I love their chocolate bread so much and they had white chocolate which are Justen favourite.

2hrs back to Sapporo and we decided to visit Chocolate Factory by subway.

Kids did a snowman along the way to chocolate factory and they enjoy making chocolate biscuit and we enjoy having a good spread of dessert.

Travel back to Sapporo visited a electronic shop and had not so nice ramen near there...

After which we visited a night market in Ordori Park.

Having a buffet dinner with lot of crab and prawns... 

Today Temperature is around 6 degree C not very cold.

Hokkaido - Day 4 ( Asahikawa Zoo)

We woke up early today, walk to Aeon and had Mos burger for breakfast... I ordered Pork Burger, which is not available in SG.  Very very yummy!

We took a bus to Asahikawa zoo, which is about 1hr from the JR station.  Please remember to press the button for ticket.  We didn't do so in Noboribetsu so we paid for full ticket fare.

Asahikawa is much more colder than Sapporo as is further north.  Is lesser than -8 degree today but no snow...

Kids enjoy very much in the zoo... Looking at animal and playing with snow.  We came here for the Penguin Parade is so fun!

I felt that Polar Bear is much more active compare to SG's Polar.  We took a shuttle bus to the gate near to a skii place but too bad not enough snow for skiing.

Kids still had a lot of fun with snow.

We had our lunch at the snow city. We ordered our food thru a vending machine.  We let kids do their ordering.  They ordered Ramen and both said is so yummy.

After lunch they had to return all the plates and trays and put the rubbish at the correct bins.

We left the zoo at 3pm and went back to JR station.

I shopped for my bag and Daren shopped for his.  Is a wonderful place.  After shopping we brought the kids to Arcade and Justen helped Rayen won a big bunny.  Both are too excited with the gift.

Daren said that he must eat some beef so we walk to another BBQ restaurant and we had another round of good BBQ food.

Although we are very full but I do not want to miss Ramen which is origin from Asahikawa.  We had only a bowl and Justen is asking for 2 serving.  Very very nice ramen we had.

Hokkaido - Day 3 (Noboribetsu to Asakikawa)

I met my sister for another round of Onsen in the morning before breakfast and the morning scenery was great.  Air is fresh too.  After we finished the meal is ready for us. The lady boss actually drive us to Hell Valley and we had a walk to the heart of the valley.  Is very smelly but good experience for the kids as they learn about geography and science.  lol...

We booked the train at 11.45am and we had to be ensure we are early for the train.  We took a bus after collecting the luggage.  Reason taxi is not available and has to wait for 1hr.

We managed to reach the railway station at 11.30am.  Is a smooth ride to Sapporo.  We had our lunch in 1 of the restaurant in the station and proceed to take another train to Asahikawa.

The scenery changed after I wake up from my nap,  kids were very excited to play with the white snow.  They are so willing to take picture with the snow.  They are more ready to wear their gloves, scarf and hat before going to our Hotel.  So nice that there is actually onsen in our hotel.  I had a very good massage on that night too.

We checked with Hotel Receptionist for good BBQ Beef, the only 1 who can speak good English introducing us to a restaurant but they only serve mutton.  We tried and we liked.  But their tomato is really delicious like fruits very very sweet and juicy.

After dinner we let the kids play along the way back to hotel.  They really had a good time making snow angel and just doing silly stuff.

We walk to a departmental store but they closed really early at 8pm.  I didn't manage to get anything there.

We are back to hotel, make the kids sleep and we went to their spa, after onsen we had a really good massage.

I prefer Asahikawa as is not as crowded as Sapporo.

Hokkaido - Day 2 (Sapporo to Noboribetsu)

Weather is cooling as we are well equipped.  I lost my favourite red jacket on the way to JR station.
-.-'

We took 8.45am train, and reached Noboribetsu around 10.30am.  We took a cab to our Ryokan - Hanaya (S$400 per night). The people are so well behave so quiet... Kids seem to be a bit out of place there.

We took a walk to the onsen street.  While walking I spotted another must try Soba again.  This is much more better than the 1st day... I ordered rice with soba, their prawn tempura was yummy!  Miss it right now when writing.

We tried the ice cream, but after the trip I realise that we can get the same ice cream from other popular tourist attraction too.

While waiting for my sister who will be staying with us in the same Ryokan we go to Bear Park which was located at mountain.  We took a cable car to our destination. It was raining but not snowing 8(  Weather was very cold and kids enjoy feeding the bear and interacting with them.

We return to Hanaya but sis was not there yet.  Just realise that we are going to eat and sleep in the same location.  They serve us green tea and some small titbits.

Sister reached around 5pm, they ride the wrong JR and end up in a place full of snow -.-"

We had onsen together but my little girl didn't join us.  Is a really good experience for both of us.  After taking the hot bath, the dinner are ready.  We are surprised with beautiful display and yummy food.  After meal they set the bed for us and we let kids stay in the room and 4 of us walk to Onsen Street again.  Bought some titbits and wines for a chat later.

BTW just a note you can spend your HPV in 7-11 but there is a time limit.

There are a few shops allow HPV too which I spend around 15000 Yen in total.

Hokkaido - Day 1 (Singapore - Haneda Airport - New Chitose - Sapporo)

Booked JAL (S$825 x 4) many months ago, waited patiently to visit our favourite destination Japan!!!

We will be taking off at 2am.  Reached T1 at 9pm without dinner so we had Chinese food @ Paradise Inn,  because we will miss it for the next 9 days.  Will we?

Sis will be flying off an hour earlier transit at TWN.  They will only spend 4 days in Hokkaido and the rest in Taiwan.

We met in airport and both kids are too excited to sleep.  They are happy to have flight in house entertainment and enjoy before going to bed...

Not long later, we are served with mushroom soup with bread for breakfast but is not very tasty.  We reached Haneda Airport at 9.30am and need to rush for our flight at 11.30am.  Time goes very fast as we need to check in and out again.  I managed to grab some sandwiches and drink and we had our real breakfast on the way to New Chitose Airport.  Is a 1.5hr flight.

We reached New Chitose Airport at 1pm (1hr ahead of us).  1st thing we walk to international airport and collect our Hokkaido Premium Tickets.  After that we proceed to take a JR.  The journey is smoothed.  We reached Sapporo Station around 3pm.  We took around 5 mins to reach Hotel Aspen (S$250 to 300 per night).  I need a Hotel with Laundry services, a family room and Daren wanted it to be within Sapporo Station for easy assess from Station to station.  He made a good choice as the distance from JR transiting to Subway in Sapporo is not near.  Aspen is not a very new hotel but good enough for us, the people can speak good English and very professional.  In room network is a bit slow but we can adapt to it.  Overall we are happy with our choice. Kids are ok with the distance as they start to play with snow along the path...

Everyone had to carry a backpack so did Rayen...  We went to JR information counter and booked our reserved JR tickets to Noboribetsi, Asahikawa JR and Zoo pass and Otaru 1 day welcome pass for adult.  Their staff are English educated and friendly, kids talking to a few of the ladies and they even able to write out their name in Japanese.

After confirming on logistic we took our dinner at Diamaru.  There are around 4 shopping centres around JR station.  I do not have enough time to venture around.

We choose to eat Soba on our 1st meal in Sapporo, not bad at all. Kids prefer cold soba than hot.

We walked to Esta as there is a huge Uniqlo and Daren like to look at their IT products.

We also bought some fruits and food from Paeso Basement.

We received some voucher to exchange for lucky draw coupon and kids get a #9 prize...  a S$2 voucher for them to get more candy and sweet.

All shop closed around 8.30 to 9pm, we return back to our room and make the 2 kids sleep before going for supper.  We had bbq stick and sake, it was so yummy!

After supper I walked to their 7-11 to purchase some titbits for tomorrow while hb return back to our room.  Is a wonderful 1st day in Hokkaido.

Preparation for Hokkaido

Both Daren and me love Japan.  We travelled to Tokyo and Osaka before and love both places.  This year we plan to go somewhere further... To Hokkaido, during winter.  I do not like winter but kids would like to experience something that they haven't experience before.

1st we checked on air tickets, flying to Hokkaido need to transit in Tokyo.  There are 2 airports in Tokyo.  We will be taking JAL so will transit at Narita to Chitose .  Coming back we will transit at Haneda and transfer to Narita.  The total air tickets for 2a2b will be S$3175.  

Daren is very excited about the trip, he is reading on blog and study on the route.  Yes as usual we will travel by ourself, F&E...

Looking forward to our adventure.

We will be taking a midnight flight, reaching Hokkaido at around 1pm.  We target to reach Sapporo at 3pm.  Settle down our luggage in the hotel and shop around.

After that we will travel to other places for 3 days and return to Sapporo on Christmas Eve.

We will travel back to SG on 28th Dec 2015.

My sister will be travelled to Hokkaido about the same time but she will transit in Taiwan.