Tokyo + Hokkaido trip in Feb 2018

[Mergui219067]

It is the traveling from Asahikawa to Sounkyo.
I was the only one in the bus in the return trip
a few years ago .
It was -10 degrees up there

There's another one to add on - Sounkyo Onsen Ice Fall Festival, since you're staying at Asahikawa. This one is not free to enter so you'll need to pay 300 yen per entry.

 

[thwysg]

best wildlife winter experience i had in hokkdaido is Shiretoko

have a enjoyable feb winter experience while u can

Thanks.. Hopefully good weather throughout the trip with lots of things to see!

 

[AH CHIA]

Won’t be able to make it to see fireworks for Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival. It’s only on weekends. I’m going during weekdays.

Any idea if the fireworks happens on every weekend (Sun) of the ice festival or only on a specific weekend date?

I read that there will be fireworks to celebrate the start of the Asahikawa Ice Festival, but it is only on 7th Feb evening.

 

[thwysg]

Any idea if the fireworks happens on every weekend (Sun) of the ice festival or only on a specific weekend date?

I read that there will be fireworks to celebrate the start of the Asahikawa Ice Festival, but it is only on 7th Feb evening.

Every weekend but it'll be a short one since there's only 300 shots. Are you taking public transport or day tour bus?
http://www.sapporo.travel/event/winter/lake-shikotsu-ice-festival/?lang=en

The fireworks for Asahikawa Winter Festival would only be on the first day, 7 Feb and last day, 12 Feb.

 

[AH CHIA]

Every weekend but it'll be a short one since there's only 300 shots. Are you taking public transport or day tour bus?
http://www.sapporo.travel/event/winter/lake-shikotsu-ice-festival/?lang=en

The fireworks for Asahikawa Winter Festival would only be on the first day, 7 Feb and last day, 12 Feb.

Probably by public transport, I recall last night I chanced upon the bus schedule in one of the web page.

Any idea how does the itinerary for the day bus tour looks?

Was thinking if it’s via public, I can do something in the morning, and then noon go to the festival event.

 

[thwysg]

Probably by public transport, I recall last night I chanced upon the bus schedule in one of the web page.

Any idea how does the itinerary for the day bus tour looks?

Was thinking if it’s via public, I can do something in the morning, and then noon go to the festival event.

Yea. Both should be featuring the same bus. It’ll leave later on days with fireworks. Public bus would be slightly tighter but you can shop around in the airport if you’re taking that with the train.

https://www.japanican.com/en/tour/detail/BUS1H85702HHB/?typecd=TOU&kw=shikotsu&typegrpcd=TPA&list_url=%2Fen%2Ftour%2Flist%2F%3Ftypecd%3DTOU%26typegrpcd%3DTPA%26kw%3Dshikotsu&list_title=tours%20matching%20%22shikotsu%22
http://www.access-n.jp/winter2017/sp/en/kankou/detail/post_4.html

 

[thwysg]

Back from the trip.

We missed quite a few places due to two reasons - the mister was sick throughout the trip, and bad weather conditions. Snowed in Tokyo and in Hokkaido. Train delays and cancellations were common.

D01 - SG > Tokyo > Kawaguchiko via Fujikyu Bus
Kawaguchiko: Kawaguchiko Winter Fireworks
Lunch: Fudou

D02 - Kawaguchiko > Yokohama via Fujikyu Bus
Yokohama: Yokohama Bay, Red Brick Warehouse, Grand Plaza winter illumination
Lunch: Luke’s Lobster
Dinner: Shake Shack

D03 - Yokohama > Kamakura
Kamakura: Ofuna Kannon, Tokeiji, Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Winter Peonies Festival
Enoshima: Enoshima Hōseki winter illumination
Brunch: Matsubara-an
Dinner: Tokyo Tonkotsu Base by Ippudo

D04 - Yokohama > Shinjuku
Yokohama: Kirin Beer Factory tour, Chūkagai;
Tokyo: Roppongi Mori Tower - Space Invaders Exhibition + Super Moon Eclipse
Lunch: Center Grill
Dinner: Afuri

D05 - Tokyo: Yurakucho winter illumination, Ginza
Lunch: Mikawa Zezankyo
Dinner: Oniku Karyu

D06 - Tokyo: Shinjuku Love Object
Lunch: Steakhouse Shima
Dinner: can’t remember, no pics

D07 - Tokyo: Fujifilm Square, Shinjuku Terrace winter illumination, Caretta winter illumination, Hina Tsurushi Kazari Festival
Lunch: Narikura (ridiculous queue for 2.5hours in the cold)
Dinner: McDonald’s

D08 - Tokyo > Toyako Onsen
Toyako Onsen: Toyako Winter Festival
Lunch: Conbini (long train journey)

D09 - Toyako Onsen: Toyako Grutto Sculpture Park, Usuzan Ropeway
Lunch: Kazan Ramen

D10 - Toyako Onsen > Sapporo
Sapporo: Moiwa Ropeway, Sapporo Snow Festival (Odori Park)
Lunch: Aji no Sanpei
Dinner: Kouhiihausu

D11 - Sapporo: Sapporo TV Tower, Sapporo Snow Festival (Odori Park)
Lunch: Starbucks
Teatime: White Cosy by Yotsuba
Snacks: Street stalls at SSF
Dinner: Sandwiches and tidbits from conbini

D12 - Sapporo: Asahi Beer Factory, Shiroi Koibito Park + winter illumination, Sapporo Snow Festival (Susukino)
Lunch: Nemuro Hanamaru
Teatime: Chocolate Lounge
Dinner: Daruma 4.4

D13 - Sapporo > Otaru
Otaru: Otaru Snow Light Path Festival, Otaru Canal, Otaru Orgel Museum, LeTAO Honten
Lunch: Ramen Shodai
Teatime: LeTAO Tea Salon
Dinner: Naruto Honten

D14 - Sapporo > Asahikawa
Asahikawa: Asahikawa Snow Festival
Lunch: Chirashi ekiben + Kinotoya cheese tarts + Beard Papa puffs
Dinner: Ramenya Tenkin

D15 - Asahikawa: Asahiyama Zoo, Sounkyo Onsen Ice Fall Festival
Lunch: Ramen from Kourakuen + Gindaco takoyaki
Dinner: Sushi from supermarket (marked down)

D16 - Asahikawa > Obihiro
Obihiro: Tokachi White Swan Festival Sairinka
Breakfast: Onigiri + sandwiches
Lunch: Butahage Honten
Teatime: Rokkatei Cafe

D17 - Obihiro: Toyokoro Jewelry Ice, Tokachigawa, Otofuke Jinja, Shikaribetsuko Kotan
Lunch: Men Yoshi Kinoten

D18 - Obihiro > Hakodate
Hakodate: Hakodate Bay
Breakfast: Onigiri + sandwiches
Lunch: Seiryuken
Dinner: Lucky Pierrot

D19 - Hakodate: Tsutaya Hakodate, Goryokaku Tower
Brunch: Donburi Yokocho
Dinner: Ajisai Honten

D20 - Hakodate > Tokyo
Tokyo: Atami Itogawa-zakura Festival, Cat Street, Takeshita Lane
Breakfast: Onigiri + sandwiches
Lunch: Muginae
Dinner: Lotteria

D21 - Tokyo > SG

 

[FireEmblem]

That is quite good I will say, covered all the nice winter festivals and plenty of the illumination. I missed out sounkyo and goryukaku in hakodate due to a sudden very bad snow storm that was blowing way too much snow around so I just went back to hotel room.

My plan for kawazu sakura think might not materialize as live update till today does not show much bloom, only the earliest blooming site is 40% bloom

 

[thwysg]

Top-down:
Houtou noodles from Fudou, 1,080 yen
Tatami room at Kozantei Ubuya
Lake + Mt. Fuji view from the room
Kawaguchiko Winter Fireworks (still can see Mt. Fuji)
Lake + Mt. Fuji at 5am (JST)
Shrimp + lobster roll, 1,380 yen
Lobster roll, 1,580 yen
Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse

 

[thwysg]

Top-down:
Cosmos World
Shake Shack Yokohama
Matsubara-an Kamakura
Appetizers from Matsubara set menu, 4,300 yen
Vegetable tempura + hot soba
Kanten jelly with black beans in sugar syrup + drink
Ofuna Kannon
Peony Garden at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, 500 yen

 

[thwysg]

Top-down:
Shima-nishiki peonies
Stones from China government
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu - main temple grounds
Enoshima Sea Candle winter illumination
Winter tulips at Samuel Cocking Garden
Suspended Shonan monorail
Sato Sable cookie from Kamakura

 

[deodorant]

Wah oniku karyu and Shima!! JSM!!

 

[thwysg]

Top-down:
Kirin Beer Factory Yokohama
Beer-tasting - details of the beers
Free pack of Kameda cheese-flavored tidbits to go with the beers
Center Grill - omurice and spaghetti Napolitan
CNY decoration in Chukagai
Super Moon Eclipse at Tokyo City View, Roppongi Hills
Space Invaders 40th Anniversary Exhibition
Final Fantasy 30th Anniversary Exhibition

 

[thwysg]

Top-down:
Space Invaders with 10 players, projected onto the glass panels
Space Invaders arcade table at Space Invaders Cafe
Afuri Shio Ramen, 980 yen
Mikawa Zezankyo
Preparation by Saotome-san's assistant
Signature dish - anago tempura
Vegetable tempura
Winter illumination around Yurakucho

 

[evilerniex]

Beautiful photos!
Where u stayed in kawaguchiko?

 

[thwysg]

Beautiful photos!
Where u stayed in kawaguchiko?

Thank you. Kozantei Ubuya.

 

[purpleberry]

Just a guess, was it Ubuya?

 

[thwysg]

Top-down:
Kusama Yayoi's polka-dotted pumpkins art installation at Ginza Six
Table setting at Oniku Karyu
Dishes served, omakase menu (not all dishes are shown)

 

[thwysg]

Top-down:
Table setting at Shima
View across Shima
Showing the meat before roasting it - 300g
Roasting
Served with mashed potatoes and boiled vegetables (we have to cut the meat ourselves)
Ice cream, served by Mrs. Oshima
Freshly made in-house candies, florentines and biscuits
Preparation of the wagyu sandwiches by Oshima-san, 7,500 yen each

 

[thwysg]

Top-down:
Love Object
Fujifilm Square, see exhibitions and test out GFX 50S
Owner of Narikura
Rosu katsu 190g (Jyo), 2,280 yen
Lights along the path towards Keio Department Store
Rainbow tree and reindeer at Shinjuku First West
Winter illumination at Shinjuku Terrace
McDonald's Gran burgers