Rokkatei is famous for its sweets and cakes in Hokkaido. The Otaru shop is always packed with tourists. Locating in a walking distance from Obihiro JR station, Rokkatei main shop is a famous destination for dessert and coffee. It is a 3 stories tall building with a sweets shop, a cafe and an art gallery.
Opened in December 2016, Garden Spa Tokachigawa Onsen is the latest independent hot spring in Tokachigawa that offers a variety of food choices, hot spring (onsen), cooking classes, and some activities for both tourists and local community. There is a famous bakery, a grocery shop, four choices of restaurants for simple food and coffee, a spa, and workshops for cooking classes. There are also events and activities.
Snow and Ice festivals are popular in Hokkaido, Japan. In Hakodate, the annual Snow and Ice Festival is held at Onuma Quasi National Park, around 20 minutes away from Hakodate Station by JR. Onuma Quasi National Park is a nice sub-urban park that offers beautiful scenery year round. There’s a weekend winter festival held every year for families. There are snow sliders, go-karts, snow mobile, as well as mobile food stalls by the park entrance. The event was held on 4th and 5th of February, 2017. If you are interested in checking in out, plan a trip early next time. It’s fun for families with small children. Address of Onuma Quasi-National Park: 85-15 Onuma-cho, Nanae-cho, Kameda-gun, Hokkaido, Japan Transportation: Take JR to Onuma Koen Station, then walk 5 minutes.
Originally created as the “Draft Horse Festival” to test the value and strength of the draft horses used for logging and farming operations in Hokkaido around 1900, the event is now turned into a regular and unique race throughout the year. Since April 2007, Obihiro in Hokkaido Japan became the only place in the world that holds this type of races. Ban’ei Horse Racing is not only an entertainment for the adults, the premises aim at creating “Fun for all”. Hence there is a Horse Museum, a Farm Fresh Market, some restaurants and a zoo where children can see and touch the horses. Races are held on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. If you visit Obihiro over the weekend, this is a fun place to check out.
Just around half an hour to 40 minutes by local train from Sapporo, Otaru Snow Light Path has been a popular winter festivals not only because of the proximity, but the total package of lovely historic buildings, the canal, fresh seafood, fish market, interesting shops and cafes. Every year, the local community and some foreign students put together a Snow Light Path event, bringing warmth and fun to the visitors as well as the community during the cold winter. The main event is held at the canal and the Former Temiya Railway Line. Hundreds of Snow Lights are lite up at 5pm till 9pm between February 3 and 12, 2017, three days earlier than the Sapporo Winter Festival. In fact, there are candles and snowmen on sidewalks and shop front around town, creating a consistent theme throughout Otaru.
Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Jozankei Onsen, the 2017 snow light path is held at Jozankei Shrine from February 1 to 5. Many candle are lite up from the main gate all the way up to the shrine, creating a warm and romantic feeling in a cold winter. The event begins at 6pm till 9pm. All candles are lite up manually so if you get there early, you may even help out in lighting up the candles. Transportation to Jozankei Shrine: There is a bus no. 7 and 8 that goes from Sapporo Station to Jozankei. Simply get off at Jozankei Shrine. It takes about 1 hour depending on the traffic and road condition.
Travelling is full of pleasant surprises if you take a closer look and explore. On my way to Hokkaido University, I saw this historic building with an open courtyard and a roll-up banner featuring food menu. Then I stopped to take a look at the building and menu, thinking it may be a good option for lunch or dinner. After visiting Hokkaido University, I went back for a lunch. It was a good decision.
Wanna see king penguins without having to travel all the way to Antarctica? The Asahiyama Zoo is a great alternative. From end of December to middle of March each year, the zoo will arrange a penguin parade twice a day. You may watch them walk in front of you, up close. It’s very cute! Besides, there is a good variety of animals in the zoo, particularly those living in cold weather, including Amur tigers, the Hokkaido bears, snow leopards, cranes, seals, polar bears and penguins. The penguin parade is held at 11am and 2:30pm every day during the snowy period. The walk lasts 20 to 30 minutes. During the Winter Festival, the zoo will extend the opening hours from 10:30am to 8:30pm (last entrance at 8:00pm). A light up will be arranged in the evening.
