Sapporo, Hokkaido, a place that can satisfy all your travel expectations
When the Internet was not so developed, for a long time, I learned about the world through books and movies, and then used my imagination to fill the gaps that could not be reached. When I was able to travel, the places that appeared in the books or movies I had read became my first destinations.Several years ago, I read Junichi Watanabe's "Soul Lost at Lake Akan", which mainly takes place in Hokkaido, the northern country of Japan. Before that, I had heard that the scenery in Hokkaido in winter is famous for its beauty. However, with the background of Junichi Watanabe's somewhat bleak story, I felt that the beauty of Hokkaido seemed to lie in the inhuman cold. The imagination of this desperate place finally brought me here this year.
I stayed in Hokkaido for a total of one week, and I greedily went to about four or five cities. Despite this, I still couldn't go to all the places I wanted to go, but I also had a reason to come back next time. It is no exaggeration to say that Hokkaido is a place that can satisfy all your imaginations and all your expectations for travel. As I said in the title, Hokkaido is so delicious and fun!
Looking through the photos, I realized that the silhouette in the distance seemed to be Mount Fuji?
My friends and I set off from Tokyo Narita Airport and arrived at Sapporo, Hokkaido, as our first stop. Because of its convenient transportation, Sapporo is a transit point for many travelers. In addition, it is also very suitable for shopping here on the last day, or tasting various delicacies. As a foodie like me, after I stored my luggage from the airport to the city, I took my friends to the restaurant I wanted to check out.
The first stop is the dessert shop "Bocca". I have wanted to eat its signature balloon pudding for a long time. It is called balloon pudding because its surface is covered with a thin film, just like a balloon. Before eating, you need to prick it with a toothpick, then pour on various sauces for different flavors, and you can enjoy it. In fact, you can buy this pudding on Taobao a long time ago, but I think it would be more interesting if you can go to a physical store to eat it? So although I find it very tempting, I have never bought it and tried it.
You can see from the photo that it is smooth on the outside and dense on the inside, so attractive.
Store name: BISSE SWEETS Address: Hokuyo Odori Shop 7, Odori Nishi 3-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo
However, when I arrived, I discovered that it was not a separate dessert shop, but was gathered together in a place called "BISSE" In the mall, together with several other dessert shops, they form a dessert shop mall called "BISSE SWEETS". For a dessert lover like me, isn’t this just falling into a honeypot! I almost declared on the spot that this was my second paradise.
Pictures from the Internet
Resisting the temptation of a dazzling array of desserts, I only ordered two puddings and a bottle of yogurt from Bocca, so as not to waste everything and have to pay for the next one. Save some food in one store. My friend ordered a set meal from another restaurant called "Kinotoya" and we shared it.
The process of poking the pudding is quite interesting, which adds a lot of fun before tasting. I was so excited that I poked both of them. I remembered after poking it and forgot to ask my friend if he wanted to poke it. After telling her about it, she said she still didn't want it. After listening to her answer, I estimated that during the few minutes I spent poking pudding on myself, she should have watched the whole process like I was watching an idiot...
There are operation instructions in Chinese and English. Very considerate.
Before coming here, I heard that Hokkaido dairy products are top-notch, and sure enough, the dairy-based desserts are not that bad either. The pudding is the richest, sweetest flavor you can imagine, and every bite brings happiness. Objectively speaking, the better-made puddings almost all taste like this. But the Japanese are good at marketing. The concept of "balloon pudding" is really impressive. In comparison, other puddings are not so "fun" right away.
After finishing the meal, I sighed, it is really a pudding full of scheming, it has made me miss it for so many years. In addition to pudding, Bocca’s yogurt is also very delicious. You can buy it and try it when you see it. I bought a large bottle, and when I turned around, the clerk threw away the cap and inserted a straw into it. I held the 500ml bottle and drank it all day long before I fainted.
You can see that the pudding is very dense. I ordered one original flavor and one caramel flavor, but they actually felt almost the same.
My friend also ordered a set meal, which looked quite ordinary, but turned out to be surprisingly delicious. Maybe it's because of the good ingredients. I thought it would only be ordinary bread, soup, salad and coffee, but it tasted beyond ordinary.
After writing this, I searched these two stores and found that Bocca probably closed its store due to the epidemic...it seems that there are no other branches. But if you want to eat pudding, you can still buy it in specialty shops.
You may be thinking after seeing this, why do we have dessert first with our first meal? In fact, it was because we took a red-eye flight. When we arrived in Sapporo in the morning, many restaurants were not open, so we went to a dessert shop first, probably because it was in a shopping mall and opened at 9 o'clock.
Having said that, as long as I am still booking red-eye flights, I feel like I am still young, still 16 years old. After all, it takes physical strength to stay at the airport for half a night, then take a plane to reach the destination, and then race against time to have fun after arriving. I wonder if anyone has the same mentality as me?
The stone lion outside the shopping mall also wears down, which is very particular.
When the next restaurant opens, we set off towards a new goal. It didn't snow that day, and the temperature wasn't too cold either. Walking on the road felt a bit like the chill of autumn, which was very comfortable. My friend and I were wearing long skirts with bare legs (it wouldn’t be too cold if paired with a long down jacket). We thought we would look pretty brave, but when we arrived at the local area, we actually saw many wearing only thin base layers, or The very cold-resistant locals wearing a woolen lining were also a little shocked.
Passing by Sapporo TV Tower, if you like to look at the distant scenery, you can go up and have a look.
Store name: スープカレー GARAKU Address: 6-1 Minami 2jo Nishi 2-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo おくむらビルB1
We are going to eat Hokkaido's famous soup curry for this meal. How popular is soup curry in Hokkaido? The restaurant we went to usually has a long queue half an hour before it opens. The restaurant is located underground and is quite inconspicuous. We arrived early and waited for a while before being seated.
In fact, there are several restaurants selling soup curry around. I chose this "GARAKU" because it has fried chicken legs and you can add cheese on the rice, which is more attractive to me. After looking at the menu, I followed my original idea and ordered fried chicken leg soup with curry + rice with additional cheese. My friend seemed to have ordered pork.
Because there were so many customers, it took a long time to serve the food. Later, we got too bored waiting, so we took out hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray, and wet wipes, and carefully disinfected ourselves and the table, which stunned the Japanese people next to us.
You can choose the spiciness of the soup curry, I can’t quite remember
Finally the food is served, let’s take a look at the soup curry first. Since it’s soup curry, the soup should be the highlight, right? As a result, I was salty after taking one sip, and I felt it was not suitable for drinking alone. The fried chicken legs soaked in the soup are delicious. It is rare to eat this kind of fried chicken in Japan. It is usually the kind wrapped in thick batter. The vegetables are also very fresh, sweet and delicious, and they don’t feel like supporting roles at all.
Fried chicken legs were blocked by carrots
What I didn’t expect was that compared to soup curry, this rice was the real genius. The rice itself is already very fragrant with the addition of curry, plus a slice of grilled cheese... That's not the end yet, add a few drops of lemon juice, then pour the curry soup, and eat it with fried chicken legs and vegetables. Every step is a sublimation.
The rice is also a little burnt and very fragrant.
With a spoonful in your mouth, your mouth is first filled with the savage spiciness of curry, then neutralized by the gentle grilled cheese, and finally you can feel the fragrance of lemon. Ah, it’s so delicious that I want to dance! Such a plate of hot and spicy rice is the right way to open soup curry, right? I ate very seriously and didn't even look at how the Japanese around me ate. If you drink the soup alone, it is quite heavy.
The pork my friend ordered was also delicious. Originally, she thought of just tasting it (we were actually a little full from eating at the dessert shop), so she ordered a small portion of rice, and after finishing it she couldn't help but add another portion of rice. In the end, both of them finished their meals and left with full stomachs and contentment. But thinking about it afterwards, it’s actually just a very ordinary fried chicken drumstick, which is about average in China. Maybe it was just the right time, right place, right people, and a very happy meal.
I’m still a little greedy after looking at the photos
After looking at the official website, it has a sister store called "TREASURE". The menu seems to be similar to me. If you have to queue up at GARAKU, you can consider it. Go to TREASURE to eat, it's right opposite our store. There are also two branches in Tokyo, one in Nakano and one in Hachioji. Friends in Tokyo can try it if they are interested. The weather has been cold recently, which is perfect for eating. It will be more convenient to eat when traveling to Japan later.
Our trip this time was actually not as brave as I mentioned at the beginning. As soon as we got off the red-eye flight, we went out to play non-stop. Sapporo is also our transit point. We booked the hotel for the first night in Asahikawa, a few hours away from Sapporo. After eating the soup curry, we set off to Asahikawa. I also signed up for a one-day trip from Sapporo the next day, planning to visit Asahikawa and the surrounding areas of Biei and Furano. But we didn’t set off in Sapporo with everyone, but arrived at Asahikawa one night early. The reason will be mentioned in the next article. Let’s finish writing about Sapporo first.
Except for Daodong, this time we visited almost all tourist cities in Daobei, Daoyang and Daonan...
After participating in the one-day tour, we started from Asahikawa returned to Sapporo, and it was already evening when he arrived. After several hours of driving, there was no heating in the car, and we were already hungry and cold when we got off the bus. Perhaps it was because of being in such a state where the most basic human needs were not being met that my friend’s Chinese stomach was aroused and he said that he suddenly wanted to eat domestic spicy hot pot.
But when we came to Hokkaido, we were not willing to eat Haidilao (there is no Haidilao in Sapporo), so we thought about eating Japanese hot pot. After searching, I found out that there was a Japanese hot pot restaurant that actually had spicy pot base, so I decided to go there without saying a word.
When you see trees with lights hanging on the road, they change color and look very nice
Store name: しゃぶしゃぶれたすAddress: 1-1 Kita 3jo Nishi 4-chome, Chuo-ku, Sapporo City Nippon Life Sapporo House B1F
The store is in a shopping mall. We were lucky enough to go straight into the store without having to queue. We were very hungry as we were very moved.
The picture comes from the Internet. It’s a very comfortable environment, tall and bright
This should be a fairly new shabu-shabu restaurant. In addition to the spicy hotpot that my friend wanted to eat, there are also soymilk hotpots, Korean hotpots, and the most basic Japanese hotpots. No less.
The picture comes from the Internet. It’s still one pot for one person, and it feels very safe to eat during this period. Although my friends and I usually share it.
In the evening, it seems that I usually focus on answering questions. There are several different set meals ranging from 2,800 to 4,800 yen, mainly due to the different meats that can be refilled. If you like to eat Kuroge Wagyu beef, you can order it for 4800. You can eat unlimited Wagyu beef, which is quite cost-effective.
You can prepare your own seasonings. It’s rare to have the freedom of coriander, so I added a bunch
Because I actually don’t like eating this kind of shabu-shabu, I ordered the most ordinary set meal. I forgot what parts of pork + beef it was, but it was quite delicious.
Beef is more delicious than pork. Later I ordered another beef dish.
I ordered medicated collagen for the bottom of the pot, and the taste is closer to that of China. Add the meat and mushrooms and cook, and the final soup is quite delicious. My friend's spicy pot base is also good. Although it is not as spicy as in China, it still has a Japanese flavor, but it still meets our expectations.
The small iron rack next to the pot for placing vegetables is very convenient
Although I knew I would get back my money by eating meat, I still ordered a bowl of ten-grain rice, which was fragrant and delicious. I love ordering this in restaurants, it always tastes better than making it at home. There are many other shabu-shabu side dishes or side dishes that you can order, but the ones we ordered tasted ordinary and not impressive. We should eat more meat.
Desserts will be served at the end. It looked like it was made very carefully, but the result was a very unpleasant sorbet with a strong flavor. The taste that my friend and I could barely eat was completely different, and it was a complementary meal. All in all, this is a restaurant that we can't beat. If you like to eat wagyu, you can consider it. The price-performance ratio should be quite high.
Looking back now, this must be the most disgusting thing we have eaten in Hokkaido
After eating, we planned to go back to the B&B to rest. I passed by a supermarket and went in for a stroll, feeling the difference in supermarkets in Hokkaido. When you come to Hokkaido, you must drink milk. It's a pity that I have a constitution that causes acne after drinking milk, so I can't tolerate it. A friend bought a bottle and said it was delicious, so I just had to try a few more yogurts.
By the way, accommodation in Sapporo during peak season is really terrible. Not only is it difficult to book (it’s best to book half a year in advance), but in February, especially during the Ice and Snow Festival, the price may rise ten times more than usual. A very ordinary hotel costs over 1,000 yuan a night. At this price, you can stay in a hot spring hotel elsewhere.
Even finding accommodation in Otaru next door is difficult. Finally, we found a B&B in Sapporo with a convenient location on Airbnb, and managed to stay there for a few nights. When I arrived, I discovered that the other guests might just be foreigners who don’t live in Japan. Due to the epidemic, there was no way to come, so my friend and I were the only ones in the whole room. Even so, it was not a very comfortable stay. If you are like me and consider the hotel's cost-effectiveness, it would be better to increase your budget and stay in a hotel when you come to Sapporo. It will be much more comfortable.
I slept until I woke up naturally the next day. It was a day with no schedule. I originally planned to go to a French restaurant, but I couldn't make a reservation a month or two in advance. In the past few years, my whole person has become more Buddhist, and I feel that it doesn't matter whether I eat or not. Later, I didn't bother to call again to ask if there were any canceled seats. The store is called "Moliere", and the founder may be a fan of Moliere. It is a Michelin three-star restaurant, and it is worth trying. If you have the opportunity, you can experience it. Official website: https://sapporo-moliere.com
One of the dishes is so cute.
I have no chance to eat French food, so I ate at KFC nearby. But don’t worry, I don’t have any psychological gap haha. Friends who have read my previous travel notes may have noticed that I actually quite like eating junk food. But I usually eat less, and occasionally I feel satisfied if I have a meal every one or two months.
I found a seat by the window and chatted with my friends while watching the passers-by. After participating in a tight one-day trip, having a leisurely meal after a full sleep, the short relaxation time made people feel calm again.
I bought another 500ml bottle of yogurt and fed myself crazily with yogurt every day. Looking at the photos again, I found that the original chicken was too big. No wonder I was so full after eating this meal.
Actually, I mentioned KFC specifically because I found that a pie sold by KFC in Hokkaido is particularly delicious. It's funny to say that I ordered it casually, thinking it was an egg tart-sized pie. Thinking of eating plain chicken, a pie would be the meal.
When I got my meal, I was shocked to see that the pie was huge. It must have been as big as a person’s face. When I opened the pie crust, I discovered that it had a baked pie crust on the outside and a creamy soup inside. It tasted exactly like the soup we had at the dessert shop on the first day. This kind of white soup seems to be very popular in Hokkaido. It is really comfortable and delicious to drink in winter. This big bowl is also very satisfying to drink, and it is a filling meal.
I don’t know if it is limited, but you can try it if you see it.
After eating, I searched the area and found a small shrine called "Kotonomi Shrine". My friend likes to visit various shrines, so we went there to visit them together. It's not a famous shrine. It's quite empty and suitable for a walk after a meal.
You can take a stroll if you pass by
The weather is not very good today, it is gloomy. After visiting here, we don’t want to go further to visit any scenic spots. We plan to go back to the B&B to rest for a while, go out to eat delicious food in the evening, and then work hard to visit the scenic spots tomorrow.
The snow on the road was swept extremely clean
It was said to be a rest, but in fact it was just back to the B&B to play with mobile phones. My friend stayed in the room, and I occupied the sofa in the living room, which gave us two long-lost privacy. In the afternoon, my friend suddenly told me that she had found a hot spring bathing place near our B&B. We could go there at night and eat delicious food after bathing. It was beautiful when I thought about it, so I immediately agreed. Then I had a good sleep again, and at the end of the night I went out to soak in the hot springs.
Snow-filled road
Sapporo is probably the city with the highest population density in Hokkaido. But just a little away from the city center, many streets become very empty at night, and there are basically no pedestrians.
We also passed by a huge Uniqlo, like a warehouse.
Store name: Yuchu Hana Yuki Address: Nishi-ku, Sapporo City, 24th floor, 3-jo, 1-chome, 19th floor
But after arriving at the hot spring hall, I felt that everyone should either stay in the hot spring hall or come to the hot spring hall. It’s on the road, it’s very popular. I don't really like this kind of public bathhouse. I haven't been to one in more than three years since I came to Japan. I feel that if it wasn’t a private natural hot spring (it had to be open-air), it wouldn’t be interesting. Moreover, this is the first time for this southerner to enter a public bathroom, so I am a little nervous.
It seems that my friend is here for the first time, but she is obviously calmer than me. We were all confused about the process. We spent a long time in front of the ticket machine and didn’t know where to go after buying the tickets. Finally, I watched what the Japanese people around me were doing before entering the venue smoothly.
I still felt uneasy until I entered the bathhouse to clean my body. And on the way to the bathhouse after cleaning, we stupidly covered our bodies with bath towels. We were stopped by a kind Japanese sister, who thoughtfully told us in English that we could not cover our bodies with bath towels in the bathhouse...
Picture from the official website
But what we didn’t expect was that this new itinerary, which was not in the plan, was a surprise for our trip. First of all, there are several types of bathhouses indoors alone, including those with subtle currents, those with high concentrations of carbonic acid, and those with strong currents.
I like the bathtub with strong water flow the most. You can lie half down and feel the impact of the water on your back. It is very comfortable and relieves the fatigue of our journey over the past few days. After slowly integrating into the general environment, I relaxed a lot and began to experience different baths freely.
Picture from the official website
In addition to the indoor pool, there are also several outdoor baths here. They are semi-open air, and the environment looks quite "natural". After experiencing an open-air hot spring once, you will never be able to quit it. It is much more comfortable than a completely indoor one, and you will not feel like you are about to faint at any time due to the heat. If you feel really hot, you can stand up at any time and let your body come into contact with the outdoor air, which will cool you down immediately.
Picture from the official website
This store also has several small bathtubs like the one pictured below set up outside, which can be enjoyed by one person. This part is completely uncovered, and it snowed quite heavily at night. I hung my feet on the edge of the tub, leaned against the tub and soaked in the hot spring water, facing the sky, looking at the snow, and feeling the snowflakes fall on my face and turn into cold water, while my body felt extremely warm... ....My God, this is more comfortable than the outdoor natural hot spring, because you can half lie down in the bucket and watch the snow! The falling snowflakes at night are so beautiful. If I feel cold, I just pull my legs back to soak, then hang back to the bucket. I can repeat this process dozens of times. I declare that this is my third paradise in Hokkaido.
Picture from the official website
Later, when it was time, my friend was going to attend an event, so I reluctantly went to the dressing room, planning to blow dry my hair slowly and drink something. Have a cold drink and sit and wait for your friends to come back. When she came back, she told me to go to the room next door and feel it. It was so comfortable. I thought I couldn't have a better experience, right? As it turns out, I underestimated how much the Japanese would enjoy it.
I went to open the door, and it was dark inside, as shown in the picture below. As soon as I walked in, I felt warm under my feet. The floor in the room is hot. You need to put a towel on the floor and lie down. You will immediately feel the heat from underneath you spreading into your body, and you will start to sweat soon, but it is very comfortable. Sweating has the feeling of forcibly expelling toxins from your body. I stretched out my body and looked at the fake starry sky on the wall of the room. I felt so comfortable that I almost fainted... If I hadn't been so hungry, I don't know how long I could have stayed here.
After going out, there is a small room next door where you can go in to blow on the fan and drink cold water. It was so considerate that I almost cried. After staying for a while, I went to find my friend and asked her what activities she had participated in just now. She said that she would just lie on the floor of that room, but someone would be there to help you fan yourself...
Picture from the official website
I checked later After checking it out, I realized that the room was called "rock bath" and that it required an additional charge. We happened to buy a ticket for the bathhouse + rock bath, so my friend happened to be able to enter when he went to participate in the event. When he came back, he asked me to go and experience it. For the first time, I feel that the meaning of stepping out of the comfort zone is really broad. You have to actively try to find fun, otherwise you will miss many ways to make yourself happy. Thinking about it this way, I want to go skiing in Hokkaido next year.
In addition to this store, there are actually some other bathhouses in Sapporo, but they should all be similar. If, like us, you happen to live in a place without a hot spring, it would be a good choice to find a large bathhouse nearby to relieve fatigue.
Taking a bath in the hot springs relieved us of fatigue and burned a lot of calories. We had more appetite than ever at this time, and it also made us look forward to the restaurant we would go to next.
It is another long stretch of empty road, and the snow on the roadside is higher than when we first arrived two days ago
For this meal, I chose a skewers restaurant called " "Chun Niao" is a very famous chain, so I won't give the address. Although there is also a branch in Tokyo, maybe because the main store is in Sapporo, people seem to prefer to eat here.
We went to a nearby restaurant and ordered a signature pot rice (I translated it randomly, I don’t know what it’s called), and some skewers that we wanted to try. To be honest, our original expectations were only limited to filling our stomachs. We felt that the light-flavored Japanese skewers were definitely not as spicy and delicious as domestic barbecue. The result was a crazy slap in the face, it was really delicious! But I think it is due to the ingredients in Hokkaido. Although it is light, the ingredients are good enough and it is very delicious with simple seasonings.
You can also add some chili powder to make it less spicy
Highly recommended: roasted potatoes, bacon rice cakes, pork rolls with asparagus, grilled chicken skin, and several types of beef. You can order it, I forgot the name, but there are only a few types of beef, you can order it just by looking at the menu.
The potatoes in Hokkaido are really amazing. No wonder the snack Three Brothers of French Fries is so popular because it uses Hokkaido potatoes. The baked potatoes seemed to have only salt and a piece of butter as seasonings, but they were so simple and delicious.
The bacon rice cake is a very magical combination. I don’t like salty rice cakes, so I ordered it after seeing everyone recommending it. It was only after I took a bite that I understood the beauty of this combination. The slightly charred bacon was wrapped in soft, warm rice cakes. It was so delicious that I swallowed my tongue and fell in love with it after one bite. It overturned my opinion of not eating salty rice cakes and immediately Asked a friend to order one too.
This was my first time eating grilled chicken skin. My friend said it was delicious and asked me to try it too. The result was really good, it was completely dry and not fat at all, and it tasted full of flavor. But after all, it was chicken skin, and I was still a little tired of eating it, so one skewer was enough.
The tender asparagus wrapped in meat can be said in two words: delicious
After eating two rounds, we were also very high, and our emotions were extremely high. After finishing the meal, the rice that was set aside has just been cooked. If you eat it at this time, it feels much inferior to the skewers, so you can order it or not. After finishing the meal, we left the store with full stomachs. It seems that there is no restaurant in Hokkaido that is not delicious, we sighed.
It was actually quite delicious, the chicken was tender
I went back to the B&B and slept contentedly. I got up early the next day and prepared to go to a relatively distant scenic spot, probably in the suburbs of Sapporo. It is said to be a scenic spot, but in fact it is also a cemetery.
I want to visit it mainly because there is a design by architect Tadao Ando. There was originally a Buddha statue in the park that was 13.5 meters high and weighed 1,500 tons, called the "Big Buddha". Although it is huge, there are actually quite a few such Buddha statues in Japan, so there is nothing special about it.
The original appearance.
So on the 30th anniversary of the opening of the cemetery, the owner of the cemetery approached Tadao Ando, hoping that he could redesign the place and turn it into a landmark attraction in Hokkaido. After Tadao Ando himself looked at the giant Buddha, he honestly said, "It's so boring." Then he came up with the bold idea of "burying the giant Buddha."
The picture comes from the official website. Part of Tadao Ando's design.
Although it is in the suburbs, it was quite convenient in the past. You can get there directly by taking a fixed shuttle bus. After getting off the bus, before entering the park, I saw a large row of Moai statues here. After checking, there are quite a few, 33 of them. If it weren't for the thick snow on the ground, it might even feel like I'm on Easter Island.
Left row
Right row
The highest stone statue is 9.5 meters tall and weighs 120 tons. The remaining 6.5 meters weigh 60 tons. The owner of the cemetery really likes this giant thing.
Feel the height difference
After walking a few steps, I spotted Stonehenge not far away. So I was not in a hurry to enter the park, so I went to Stonehenge to have a look.
Compared with the previous days, the scenery along the way seems to be the real snow scene
Who would have thought that besides the UK, Hokkaido, Japan There is also Stonehenge. Although it is just a copy of the Moai statue in front, I can experience a different scenery by the way.
If you look closely, you will find that, like the Moai statues, the stones at Stonehenge are also very new and clean. Even if it is a replica, it is still a big project. No doubt the owner of the cemetery is a lover of giant objects, right? !
Then we walked back to the gate of the scenic spot along the way we came. It's a bit cold in the suburbs and the wind is strong. It will be very comfortable to put a warm baby in your pocket to keep warm.
In fact, the mountains in the distance are beautiful and a very vast scenery. Can't take pictures with mobile phones
After entering the park, you can follow the circular walkway outside the Buddhist temple to the main entrance of the Buddhist temple. The place covered with snow that can be seen in the photo is actually a dome filled with lavender. I checked the information and found that 150,000 lavender seedlings were used. When lavender is in full bloom, this is Provence in Hokkaido. Isn't this tempting me to come back again?
Seeing the Buddha's head from a distance
When you walk to the front and take a straight road leading to the Buddhist hall, you can see the full picture of the Buddha statue. That road was also part of Tadao Ando’s design, but there were too many tourists so I didn’t take pictures. Yes, there are many tourists here. Large tourist buses kept arriving in an exaggerated manner, and they were all Thai tourists. But it’s normal to think about it. Thailand is a Buddhist country.
It is said that not long after the Buddha statue was built, the owner of the cemetery realized that the proportion of the Buddha statue would cause discomfort to tourists. Imagine that if there were no surrounding domed rotunda, the view of the sky would become 360 degrees, which would indeed give people a feeling of depression and uneasiness. It seems that Tadao Ando's design is also wonderful.
Now that only a part of the sky is visible, it has become part of the scenery. You can see that the clouds are moving very fast, and the scenery is changing every minute. I remembered that there is also a Kamakura Daibutsu in Kamakura. The two Buddha statues seem to be about the same height and size, but under the design of Tadao Ando, the Big Buddha does seem more sacred and mysterious.
I walked around twice to get a good feel for it. Although I study art, I feel like I have never understood art. To feel it with your heart is the most wonderful place for me.
I hope the whole world will get better soon and get over the difficulties soon.
Before entering the rotunda, there is a water garden on the right side of the walkway. But in winter it is almost full of snow, and in summer you can feel its beauty even more. There seemed to be a cafe on the other side of the park. We were in a hurry to get on the bus and didn't take a closer look.
Water garden in winter. At the end is a small exhibition hall. The dome of the exhibition hall looks like a mushroom after being covered with snow, so cute.
It is recommended that if you go to the Great Buddha Hall, you can arrange a longer visit. The entire scenic spot is quite large, and it will take some time to walk through the Moai statues and Stonehenge. If you have enough time, you can go to the cafe for a meal and a drink. Attached is the official website address, where you can check park opening and closing times and train schedules in different seasons. https://www.takinoreien.com/publics/index/107/
When planning your trip to Hokkaido, you have to decide whether to go to the Daibutsu Shrine or to another Tadao Ando design - the Water Cathedral at Hoshino Resorts. I struggled for a while. In the end, I chose the Toutai Buddha Hall because I was more interested in Buddhist statues. If you are also interested in Tadao Ando’s works, you may consider adding these two places to your Hokkaido itinerary. By the way, there is an art museum called the Art Forest near the Toutai Buddha Hall. You can also stop by and take a look.
The combination of black and white is as rigorous as a hot water bottle.
Then we went to Otaru City next door, which we will save for the next article. After we returned to Sapporo in the evening, we tacitly went to eat skewers again, otherwise it would seem a bit regretful to leave like this.
It is a delicious food that I miss very much now.
I can smell the aroma of butter melting into potatoes again
The next day we will leave Sapporo and go to our next destination. We went to the last stop before leaving, Hokkaido Shrine, which is also a very large scenic spot. The snow in Sapporo seems to fall secretly at night, and the entire Hokkaido Shrine is a forest of white snow, which is particularly beautiful.
However, it was extremely cold today. It was so cold that I didn’t even bother to take pictures. I put my hands in my pockets and looked at the snowy scenery. After shopping for Yushou with my friends and drawing lots, we were almost gone.
The dog Gou I met on the road always felt that it was cold without any clothes on and looked pitiful.
I saw that there are several shops in the park where you can sit down and have snacks and tea. If it gets cold, you can go in and warm yourself up. It is also very comfortable to eat and watch the snowy scenery. When it's not so cold, it's a more suitable place for walking, but the snow scenery isn't as beautiful.
A pure black bird fell on the pure white snow
After visiting the Hokkaido Shrine, we came to eat at the nearby "Rikkatei". It is also a very famous specialty brand and has several physical stores in Hokkaido. In addition to buying souvenirs, you can also eat or have afternoon tea here.
The inconspicuous brand, I didn’t even notice it when I walked by
I chose Rokkatei because I wanted to try some desserts and then have a meal. Unexpectedly, after looking through the menu for a long time, I felt that I had no appetite for dessert. But we still have to eat. In the end, my friend ordered a hot beef hotpot, and I ordered a vegetarian-looking set meal.
Needless to say, it is delicious. There are very few unpalatable things in Hokkaido, haha. I like this rice very much. In addition to various beans, there are also scallops in it. I sprinkle sesame seeds before eating. It is very fragrant and you will not feel monotonous just eating it. Served with the side dishes on the side, it was finished in a few bites. A relaxing and stress-free meal, my body feels warm and satisfied.
The simple eggplant and beans are delicious
After eating, we went to the station to wait for a ride to the next destination. That’s it for Sapporo. It feels like I only have a few days of travel, but I have written a lot more without realizing it. Thank you for reading my ramblings. See you in the next article! 👋
The Three French Fries Brothers pendant I saw in the station store is so cute, I bought one for a friend.
Pages:
[1]