We just returned from a short trip to Hokkaido yesterday!
I’ve been to Hokkaido 3 times previously, but it’s my first time visiting Hokkaido in summer! Previously it was always winter, winter, winter. Admittedly, Hokkaido is beautiful in winter, but I’ve always wanted to see it during other seasons, especially summer!
Why?
Because Hokkaido in summer means…
Such gorgeous colors!!! :3
I’m glad we finally got to go Hokkaido (in summer) this year!
But what’s even better is that… this was an all-expenses paid trip for the both of us! :D
So this is what being sponsored feels like. I have to say…
I LIKE IT.
Very muchly so. Haha!
I was asked where I wanna go in Hokkaido, and my head immediately rattled off replies like a machine gun. However due to time constraints, this was our eventual itinerary:
Day 1
♥ Arrival at New Chitose Airport – Drive to Furano (~2 hrs)
♥ Furano – Lavender farms
♥ Check-in at New Furano Prince Hotel
♥ Explore Ningle Terrace
♥ Night-walking tour
♥ Dinner – Local cuisine (we ate bear meat! :O )
Day 2
♥ Whitewater rafting
♥ Drive to Hakodate (~6 hours)
♥ Check-in at La Vista Hakodate Bay (supposedly has the best breakfast)
♥ Dinner – SEAFOOD! (best sea urchin I’ve ever eaten)
♥ Drive up Mount Hakodate (one of the famed Top 3 night scenery spots in Japan)
Day 3
♥ Asaichi Seafood Market
♥ Goryoukaku Tower
♥ Playing in the sea ♪
♥ Lunch – Famous Hakodate ramen!
♥ Trappistine Convent
♥ Departure from Hakodate Airport
On hindsight, it was a mistake to drive from Furano to Hakodate. It’s so bloody far! We only had about 52 hours in Hokkaido, and 6 hours was spent on a single trip alone. That’s more than 10%!
But this was what the travel agent put together from the requests I listed, so we just went along with it.
All in all, I’m still mega happy I got to see lavender in Hokkaido! That’s one more item off the bucket list! :D
I’ll be posting about parts of the trip in the coming days!
Sea urchin???!?!?!!! AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
SO. GOOD.
Literally the best I’ve ever had!!!
As mentioned before, I enjoy reading all your posts. I have also decided to start blogging/journal writing too thanks to your inspiration! Can’t wait to read about Hokkaido, I’m intending to go Japan before the end of this year (november) and shall be following your reccomendations!!:))) Keep the updates rolling!
Hello again, Dale!
It’s quite humbling that I inspired someone to start writing! I look forward to your posts! (btw, are you cinnamon or milk?)
Hokkaido is a beautiful to visit! But if possible, I think it’ll probably be better to go in December since November is kinda in between seasons. It’ll be too early for snow in places like Sapporo so you have to endure the cold with no visible “rewards” lol.
For the record, you’ll be able to experience powder snow (perfect for skiing!) as early as mid-late December!
My posts will be based on my summer trip this time round (rather than my previous winter trips), but I hope you’ll look forward to them all the same :D
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So beautiful, all those colorful flowers! Hmm . . . I wonder what bear meat taste like, does it taste like chicken? I wouldn’t mind tasting it if they come in jerky form. I’m a big jerky person! YUM!!
Bear meat is pretty tough. Not like chicken at all. I won’t eat it again though!