Japan Part 1
Japan Part 2
Japan Part 3
After arriving at Sapporo New Chitose Airport we took the train out to Sapporo where we planned to meet Muhsin. The station was huge but thankfully Muhsin was there at the gates to meet us. It’s been three months almost, since we last saw him! Peluk tanak lepas >.< We dropped off our bags at Muhsin’s hostel, a 10 minute walk away, and after a quick onigiri lunch, we headed back to Sapporo station to go to Otaru. We bought the Sapporo-Otaru welcome pass, which was Y1500 and came with a one day subway pass and return tickets to Otaru, which is quite a deal.
 |
| nyums |
 |
| traditional way of showing train destinations in Sapporo station, by hanging plates on wires along the platforms. |
 |
| yayyyy! |
Otaru and Odori Park
Otaru is a seaside port town half an hour outside of Sapporo. It was the site of the first laid railway tracks to connect the canning and fishing town to Sapporo. The old canal and buildings around the town are quite different, we kind of felt like we were in Europe. It was actually quite interesting to see how a functioning industrial are/port could still be a tourist attraction. Spent the afternoon strolling along the canal, eating ice-cream, and catching up. I really missed Muhsin!
 |
| lompat separa-jadi |
 |
| tour bus that we didn’t get on. Walking is the way to go for us |
 |
| Yayyyy again 😀 |
 |
| one of the entrances to the canal |
 |
| old cannery along the canal |
 |
| students on a school trip. they were all drawing |
 |
| trying to recreate the statue back there |
 |
| yuppies off to board their yacht la konon |
 |
| Otaru masjid |
 |
| Someone’ magical backyard. Thats the old railway track, the first in Hokkaido |
 |
| yayers |
 |
| one of the port tycoon’s manors |
 |
| manor and canal park |
 |
| squished on to a swing 😀 |
 |
| Girl with the red shoes and her parents. literally thats the title of the statue |
 |
| swimming in the canal |
 |
| Muhsin belanja softu cream |
 |
| walking through a dog park |
 |
| pose and jump! |
 |
| love otaru |
 |
| by the docks |
 |
| snap! |
 |
| sights and activity around the docks |
 |
| old architecture |
 |
| some of the preserved buildings which were mostly canning warehouses, and the main crossing in Otaru, Victoria crossing |
 |
| felt like europe |
 |
| strolling along the preserved district |
 |
| these cost a million yen, not kidding 😐 |
 |
| Some shop details around Otaru. Gigantic Takoyaki but we didnt buy it because we didnt know if it was halal or not, probably not. Recycled metal sculptures, Random cat statues, and beautiful stained glass. |
 |
| resting our feet outside the stained glass shop. |
 |
| Beautiful sunset scenery on the train back |
We considered going to Sapporo Dome to indulge in Japan’s favorite sport, baseball, afterwards, but it was a bit late to get tickets so we decided to just go and have dinner and walk around Sapporo city’s Odori Park instead.
 |
| Muhsin brought us to a japanese place where we ate unadon and forgot to take pics beforehand because we were so hungry and it was mm mm goooooodd. Also managed to watch some of the baseball game we didn’t get to go to. |
 |
| best unagi sushi I’ve had ever ever. |
 |
| odori park and street performers. that ball of light is a fire dancer |
 |
| light painting in odori park |
In Sapporo we stayed at Muhsin’s friend’s apartment, the lovely Sue Yee. Such a lifesaver for graciously hosting both me and my sister The next day we didn’t really have anything planned. Actually for this whole leg of the trip I planned on taking it easy and going with the flow. So we followed Sue to the Hokkaido University that morning to meet up with Muhsin, who had some stuff to take care of. in the meantime, we walked around the beautiful campus.
Hokkaido University
Hokkaido University started out as an agricultural college before growing into what it is today, so they have large expanses of farming land for research, and even preserved a portion of the university’s original buildings into an outdoor museum which we checked out in the morning.
 |
| Some of the old barns and original buildings in Hokkaido University |
 |
| farmgirls |
There was a University Museum which was free so we checked that out. It was really quite interesting. there was a special exhibition going on, Giant Crocodiles vs Dinosaurs. Very cool. The museum building itself was really nice too, kinda felt like we were in Hogwarts.
 |
| The gorgeous University Museum building. We arrived the same time as a group of deaf Japanese schoolchildren coming on a school trip. |
 |
| ‘Boys, be Ambitious’ is the University’s motto. Some of the exhibits: Sustainable models, The university’s nobel prize in chemistry, and some bugs. |
 |
| Some awesome skeletons |
 |
| More chemistry stuff. People used to have such nice penmanship! |
 |
| Kuma, giant croc, more bugs, and a sweet deer |
 |
| origami dinosaurs, looking at geology through a micriscope, and a cool exhibition about compressing numbers |
 |
| University blueprints. All hand drawn and so precise and detailed hamek kau sectional detail |
 |
| hogwarts hogwarts hoggy warty hogwarts (with dinosaurs) |
Muhsin had shown us pictures of a sunflower field in the university so we set off looking for it, passing through a beautiful garden and into the Poplar avenue, but we couldn’t find it anywhere so we headed back to Mushin’s faculty for lunch and prayers at the International Students office, where we met some of Mushin’s friends who decided to show us where the field was. As it turns out though, they had uprooted the entire field just a few days before. :/ but looking at the cows was fun too 🙂
 |
| flowering shrubs garden |
 |
| beautiful polar avenue |
 |
| me and mun shared a bowl of yummy soba |
 |
| didnt find the sunflowers but i got excited about the cows in the background |
Shiroi Koibito and goodbyes
We decided to go to Shiroi Koibito Park outside the chocolate factory afterwards, and even though it wasn’t in peak bloom, it was still really beautiful and fun. And the chocolates we bought were deeeelicious! There was a free old toy museum so we checked that out too.
 |
| short side trip to ‘ol blighty |
 |
| quaint english rose garden |
 |
| the roses smelt wonderful, and thats a real apple! |
 |
| mmmmmmm |
 |
| come in, come in! |
 |
| lotsa cute little playhouses around the park |
 |
| hope dysentery keeps away |
 |
| flowerbed, literally kinda |
 |
| yay! |
 |
| bubbles! bubbles! bubbles! |
 |
| giant |
 |
| snaps |
 |
| making candy |
 |
| apparently every tourist place in japan has these commemorative stamp thingies. baru tauuu |
 |
| yummylicious chocolate drink. so smoooth |
 |
| hangin out with Mozart, Mona Lisa, and ‘ol Pinocchio himself |
 |
| astro boy blueprints |
 |
| astro boys |
 |
| cool old toys |
Stopped by a second hand bookshop on the way back from Shiroi Koibito, they have tons of them everywhere in Japan. Munira got a few books for her boss, and we went on our way to Maruyama Park (the Sapporo version, they re-use names a lot here) Our plan was to catch the sunset from the top of the hill, but it was raining, and by the time we got to the park it was already past dusk, so we just walked around. Went to the Sapporo Masjid for prayers afterwards, and then we joined some of the Malaysian International Students Association for a farewell dinner for the interns, including my brother. Dinner was delicious (the cheese naan was to dieeee for!!! the cheese was soooooo gooooood!!) but the company was just as enjoyable 🙂
 |
| Some members of MISA. Arigatou Gozaimashita guys for taking good care of my little brother 🙂 pic from Alfarina |
Spent our last night in Sapporo at Sue’s place and got up super early to catch the bus to the airport for our flight to Tokyo. There was a bit of a panic phase where we woke up late and had to really rush for the bus, and then reaching the airport and forgetting one of my bags on the bus after it had left the airport, but it was all good, Alhamdulillah 🙂
Goodbye Sapporo, Tokyo, here we come!
Expenses in Sapporo: ~¥6000
CTS to Sapporo:¥1040
Lunch day 1:¥250
Sapporo-Otaru Welcome Pass:¥1500
Dinner day 1:¥700
Lunch Day 2:¥300
Dinner day 2:¥500
Chocolate stuff at Shiroi Koibito:¥650
Bus to CTS: ¥1000
Related
Add a Comment