Hokkaido Spring Trip Report

[kanashii23]

10th – 19th May 2012 F&E Hokkaido/Tokyo Trip

Got a local English tour guide (GO HOKKAIDO!) & transport for Hokkaido because no one seem interested to drive.

May 11 - Reach Tokyo Hanaeda Airport at 5.15am
rush to attempt to change ANA flight ticket to Asahikawa @ 6.50am as I book for the 11.15am flight. Luckily it was not full & the ANA staff help me change the flight at no cost. Call the tour guide to pick me up at 9.30am at Asahikawa Airport

Went to Asahiyama Zoo & check in Asahikawa Grand Hotel

Recommend to try in Asahikawa
Ramen Santoka
Asahikawa Ramen Baikoken


May 12 - Morning leave for Kamiyubetsu Tulip Park. Lunch at Kamiyubetsu Onsen Tulip no Yu stop by Monbetsu to buy king crabs. follow by Takinoue Pink Moss Park

Hotel Asahikawa Grand Hotel

It was a pity that it was snowing heavily on that day. I have also attached the photos of the view before & after the snow.

May 12

May 11

May 13 (Grab from twitter)

Monbetsu Seafood Restaurant

'

 

[kanashii23]

Pink Moss Park

May 13 - Drive to Farm Tomita (1hrs) The route will go thru Zerubu Hill , Panoramic Route, Trick Art Museum ,Shikisai-no-oka, Flower Land Kami-Furano before reaching Farm Tomita

Can skip Flower Land Kami-Furano since not much flowers there

Must try Farm Tomita vegetable Curry Rice

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/4954/74459174.jpg

3.5 hours drive from Tomita to Otaru & late sushi Dinner at 政寿司
check in Dormy Inn Otaru (Great Breakfast Spread)

May 14 & 15 - Day Trip around Otaru and leave for Sapporo.

places that I went to Shiroi Koibito Park , Sapporo Tv Tower, Odori Park, Don Quijote

May 16 - Leave Sapporo to Marukoma Onsen (湖畔の宿 支笏湖 丸駒温泉旅館) Lake Shikotsu with private hotspring bath(Rental) (Dinner & Breakfast provided) (2 hours drive) with a detour to the Factory Outlet Store

May 17 - Leave Marukoma Onsen and head toward New Chitose Airport for the flight back to Tokyo. visit Doraemon Museum at New Chitose Airport

 

[kanashii23]

 

[flaros]

You are still lucky to see tulips although it's snowing.
A quick check with the live cam today in kamiyubetsu tulip farm, no tulip yet.

 

[cheefarn]

You are still lucky to see tulips although it's snowing.
A quick check with the live cam today in kamiyubetsu tulip farm, no tulip yet.

Actually if u can read Japs (or use Google translate) from the flower report, they did say that the tulips are sprouting now.. its too small to be captured by the low res webcam.

You can see some visitors walking ard the park even as we speak...

 

[cheefarn]

Tulip park bloom status as at 7 May 2013

 

[flaros]

Hi Cheefarn, looking at the picture, yes, saw some green stalks, but question is would it be blooming by next weekend ?

and anyone know if the pink moss already blooming in takinoue?

if not there is no point to go there and needs to change itinerary fast.

 

[cheefarn]

Hi Cheefarn, looking at the picture, yes, saw some green stalks, but question is would it be blooming by next weekend ?

and anyone know if the pink moss already blooming in takinoue?

if not there is no point to go there and needs to change itinerary fast.

I'm praying hard it will bloom at least 50% of what it is now. Tulips can grow very quickly de...

no live pics of Pink Moss park on the net to the best of my knowledge

Hmm...winter seems usually long in Hokkaido this year. Not that I'm complaining since i love cold weather...but the flowers....

 

[kanashii23]

Here a link for Takinoue Pink Moss Park

‚½‚«‚Ì‚¤‚¦“I*E*{Š´‘ÌŒ±*i–kŠC“¹*E‘ê*ã’¬ŠÏŒõ‹¦‰ï*j

Forecast to have some flowers on 10th of May but definite will not be full bloom.

Normally I just tweeter for 滝上公園 to see what other people upload.

 

[cheefarn]

Hi Cheefarn, looking at the picture, yes, saw some green stalks, but question is would it be blooming by next weekend ?

and anyone know if the pink moss already blooming in takinoue?

if not there is no point to go there and needs to change itinerary fast.

ANyway bro I will be there on 18 May... hope to you there. I will prob leave the place after lunch ba...

haha... fancy meeting fellow singaporeans all the way in eastern Hokkaido

 

[flaros]

LOL, that's why you pray hard for at least 50% bloom.
this is hard decision, what if both tulip and pink moss not bloom by next weekend ?
will it be wasted trip ? anything else to do there ?

 

[cheefarn]

Tulips bloom status as at 8 May 2013

 

[cheefarn]

Tulips bloom status as at 9 May 2013.

According to the OMG Google translation:

Activity resume

It is open a little from the cold of every day, buds began to move.
Flowering percentage:ｰｰｰ
Temperature of now: 3 ℃
Cloudy weather: now

 

[cheefarn]

Tulips bloom status as at 10 May 2013.

According to the OMG Google translation:

I bloomed from field planting mixed species 13.
Restaurants are preparing for a full-scale open from tomorrow in the shop.

Flowering percentage:ｰｰｰ
Temperature of now: 5 ℃
Sunny weather: now

 

[vaxvms]

nice report

 

[cheefarn]

Things are looking good... come on tulips, come onnn....

Please use because it has started operation of park sightseeing bus from (May 11) today.

開花割合： ーーーー Flowering percentage:ｰｰｰｰ
本日の最高気温： １１℃ Day's high: 11 ℃
今の天気： くもり Cloudy weather: now

 

[mmhmsg]

Actually if u can read Japs (or use Google translate) from the flower report, they did say that the tulips are sprouting now.. its too small to be captured by the low res webcam.

You can see some visitors walking ard the park even as we speak...

got cam never sic.

 

[flaros]

Bro....
Pray hard ok.... and take nice nice tulip pic to show all of us