~为自己放个假~

Sunday, January 18, 2015

记得那年那个夏天:北海道Hokkaido (end)

21/7/10 Our final day in Hokkaido.

8:00am Breakfast. After having countless buffet meals, I came up with a food selecting strategy. Eat only the food made out of their most fresh ingredients which were milk, yogurt and diary products. Smooth delicate taste was incomparable with diary products of any other countries.

9:00am A visit to Hokkaido Old Governor Office

This was the former Hokkaido Government Office Building, The “Red Brick”. It was constructed in 1888 with American neo-baroque style but entirely utilized with local materials. It was one of the largest and tallest buildings of that time. Now this had reserved as an important cultural property since 1969.

<—One of the precious gift received and collected by the governor.

We walked out from the old government building to the main road and spotted this full row of bicycle, crowded yet very well in order. I am impressed with Japanese community spirit. -->

10:00am We visited Sapporo one of the old main shrine, and also in search for one of the hidden local delicacy. The Hokkaido Shrine was built in 1869 after the Meiji Emperor decreed that the “three pioneering gods” be enshrined to uplift the spirits of the pioneers. Judge Yoshitake Shima 島義勇, who had undertaken the design of downtown Sapporo at the time.

Address : Miyagaoka 474, Chuo-ku, Sapporo
Entrance and parking: Free
Subway from Sapporo: Tozai Line - Maruyama Kouen station alighting ---> on foot 15 minutes
Bus: Jingu-Mae bus station alighting ---> on foot 1 minutes
Bankei Bus (Maruyama Line)
Shiei Bus (Ring 20 West14 West15)

Following the Japanese etiquette, before entering any shrine we must wash our hands and clean our mouth at hand-washing stone basin. Then we stand in front of the offertory box at the main shrine hall and throw some coins into the box. After that bow two times politely then clap our hands twice before we pray or make any wish. Finally take a deep bow once more.

http://www.hokkaidojingu.or.jp/

There are 1200 cherry blossom trees in the precincts of the Shrine that have attracted many locals to visit during May every year.

Now time for the special delicacy that is very famous in the Shrine, handmade rice cake (mochi).

Kenro桑大方请客啦~ “这是我姨妈的姑姑的姐夫的妹妹，来排队一人可以拿一个，我请客~”
什么请客，其实是试吃才对。不过一人可以免费吃一整个真的过瘾。暖呼呼又Q弹的口感，好想买一些回去当伴手礼。察看一下，怎么全部有效日期就是当天，也就是说12小时内一定要进肚子!

就算明天要回家了都不能带走这美味的麻糍，妈觉得好可惜，向Kenro桑埋怨。Kenro桑就说：“你要存放多久的？三个月？一年？还是永远？”……

11:00am Okurayama Viewing Point http://okura.sapporo-dc.co.jp/
Address: 1274 Miyanomori, Chuo Ward, Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture 064-0958, Japan

Okurayama features views from the city of Sapporo all the way to the far horizon, and is renowned for its ski jump stadium that was used at the Winter Olympics held in Sapporo in 1972. The area currently includes modern facilities that make it possible to perform ski jumps during the summer and at night, and is also the location of many international competitions.

Kenro桑：“来我请大家吃soft-cream，我三姑阿姨的六婆开的。”
We took chair lifts up to the viewing lounge where we could experience the magnificent scenery from the viewpoint of a ski jumper. As we were enjoying our free soft-cream paid by our tour guide, there was a ski jumper ready to glide and jump. I never knew they could still do it without snow… amazing~!

12noon Lunch time at http://www.kitanogurume.co.jp/
Kenro-san claimed that the crabs were graduated from University of Okinawa which is why they don’t bite. Fell free to take photo~

Kitanogurume is the Sapporo central market which sells a huge variety of seafood. As we were going home the next day, they were able to ice pack any seafood purchased and deliver them free to the airport before our check-in time.

We had a long list of food: BBQ crab, crab porridge, crab soup, scallops, abalone, grill fish… and whale sashimi (optional, I will never ever eat this… following 3rd photo)

2:30pm We headed off to our last minute shopping destination, Mitsui Outlet Park, where a diverse selection of branded outlets gathered in an indoor mall. Hokkaido Loco Farm Village is a good place to get some gourmet souvenirs where all the products are made from homegrown agricultural produce.

6:00pm Dinner time, buffet BBQ style… Food again~ I had not digest the previous meal… help~!

The most special delicacy in this buffet was that we get to do our own cotton candy. There was a bowl of brown sugar at the side of the machine, we put a spoon of sugar into the middle of the machine, then turn on the button and we swirled a stick round and round the side where floss of sugar spread out through the middle. After a few trial we only manage to do odd shape candy… not easy neh….

8:30pm We reached a hotel within the Chitose Airport http://www.air-terminal-hotel.jp/