Follow This Blog

Monday, May 07, 2012

Nakajima Park (中島公園)| Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom | Sapporo

Located in downtown Sapporo, Nakajima Park (中島公園) is a large area of greenery and water with a mumber of wonderful attractions and cultural facilities.

Cherry blossoms here are now in full bloom! Beautiful, aren't they??

Let's walk through the park and I'll show you the main attractions here!

Syobu Pond (菖蒲池) is at the northern part of the park.

Usually couples are rowing a boat like this!

There are several monuments created by famous artists in the park. This is "Growing Children (のびゆく子等)" made by Kenjyu Ono (小野 健寿).

Constructed in 1880, Hoheikan (豊平館) used to be a guest house, hotel and event venue for officials and celebrities including the Emperors and the Imperial family members, and now works as a wedding venue and restarant. This historical building was designated as the national Important Cultural Property in 1964.
(* It is been renovated now.)

In front of Hoheikan (豊平館), there is "Kitara", a concert hall.

This is "The Echoes (相響)", my favorite monument created by Kan Yasuda (安田 侃), a worldwide artist who is from Bibai, Hokkaido. Actually I'm a member of Arte Piazza Bibai, a sculpture park in his home town, showing about 40 his works as permanent exhibitions.

The Echoes consists of three works; one is outside of the concert hall, and the others are inside of the facility. Usually kids are playing around it like this↓

Let's continue to walk through the park!

This is the Hokkaido Museum of  Literature (北海道立文学館).

At the edge of the park,

there are two shinto shrines. This is Iyahiko Shirine (伊夜日子神社), constructed in 1920.

Let's return to Subway Nakajima Koen Station (中島公園駅)!
As it was a little bit windy, we could see cherry blossoms falling in the wind! How romantic the situation is!!

Cherry trees are planted along Kamokamo River(鴨々川). I'm sure now is one of the most recommendable seasons to visit this park!

The park has the Sapporo Astronomical Observatory(札幌市天文台), too!

Last but not least, this park also has a Japanese garden(中島公園日本庭園). I sometimes come here with something to eat and drink, and relax for a while!

Looks perfest, doesn't it?

Please walk along the pond so that you can enjoy every angle of it!!

If you find a tall lady looking at the pond, while drinking tea, she may be me!!! Hahaha!

This is Hasso-an (八窓庵), a tea house, one of the most historical Japanese-styled buildings in Sapporo. It was designated as a national Important Cultural Property in 1950.

This tea house was designed by Enshu Kobori (小堀 遠州), a very famous tea ceremony master in the 17th century.

If you want to know this tea house more, there are brochures by the tea house!

The small waterfall always makes me very unstrained!

Just for reference, cherry blossoms along a parking lot of Sapporo Park Hotel (札幌パークホテル) next to Nakajima Park are also beautiful!!!

These cherry blossoms bloom one week later than ones in the park!

I love this deep pink color!

Wonderful, aren't they?

Please visit this "secret" cherry blossom site, too!!

■Where is "Nakajima Park (中島公園)"?

View Larger Map

■Tour guide information■
Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?
I'll guide you! Plz click here!

Sunday, May 06, 2012

Maruyama Park (円山公園)| Cherry Blossoms in Full Bloom | Sapporo

Maruyama Park (円山公園) in Sapporo is a famous place for cherry blossom viewing. They usually start to bloom at the end of April and last for about one week.

We Hokkaido people usually enjoy lamb BBQ under cherry blossoms. Interesting custom, isn't it? Hahaha!

When we went there, the weather is not perfect, but the blossoms are in full bloom!!!

Let's go to Hokkaido Shrine ground!

During the cherry season, food stalls are lined along the shrine alleys in the premise.

First, we visited Kaitaku (Development) Shrine (開拓神社). 37 people who contributed to Hokkaido development are enshrined here.

I love the contrast of pink cherry blossoms and green cedar leaves! How beautiful it is!

Let's go to the area, where about 1,600 cherry trees are planted!

Although it was windy yesterday, we could enjoy the beautiful blossoms today!!

Not only local people but also tourists enjoyed cherry blossom viewing here!

In this park, mainly two kinds of cherry blossoms can be enjoyed like this↓

We were so impressed with this beauty!

The blossoms last for only one week! If you want to see them, please be in a hurry!!!

Actually this is my favorite spot! From torii (Shinto) gate, a long approach leads to the main hall.

Look at this!
Cherry trees are planted along the alley!

Shinto shrine and cherry blossoms look very Japanese, don't they???

Let's go to the main hall!
Well, well, well,  a wedding ceremony was held today!! We have to look for the bride and groom!!

They look very happy, don't they???

*If you want to know more information on Hokkaido Shrine, please refer to my other post→!

We were so impressed with cherry blossoms today!

■Where is "Maruyama Park (円山公園)" & "Hokkaido Shrine (北海道神宮)"?

View Larger Map


■Tour guide information■
Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?
I'll guide you! Plz click here!

Montorgueil (モントルグイユ)| French Bistro | Sapporo

"Montorgueil (モントルグイユ)" is my favorite French Bistro located near Nishi 11 Chome subway station.

They serve three kinds of prix fixe lunch sets during Friday to Sunday. We can choose our favorite appetizer, main, and desserts among several choices! Perfect, isn't it??

Look at this board!!! I love black pigs (Berkshire pigs) produced in Niikappu, Hokkaido. In addition to that, they serve it with mountain horseradish sauce, a very seasonable sauce!! Yummy x 2!!!

Cheers!

This cabbage soup is my favorite. It's very creamy!!! We fully enjoyed the spring vegetable soup!!!

This patty includes foie gras and truffle! How wonderful it is! It really suits with wine!!

This patty includes pork tongue and gristle! The combination of several kinds of texture is perfect!!!

At this moment, we noticed that we need a bottle of wine! Their delicious dishes made us very thirsty!! Hahaha!
Here comes their home-made bread! Yummy x 2!!!

Voila!
We ordered "DRAPPIER"! You may think we were eating dinner sets, but actually lunch sets! We enjoyed a bottle of champagne during the daytime! Hahaha!

Look at the scallop and Sakhalin surf clam, both of which were caught off Hokkaido! I love very fresh seafood like this! Very sweet and tasty!!!
Don't forget the green asparagus!! Hokkaido vegetables taste very thick and rich!!!

This bouillabaisse was very appetizing. Of course we enjoyed all of the soup with their home-made bread! It includes read sea bream, scallop, squid, and octopus........ I really enjoyed very seasonable seafood!!!

In my opinion, this is the most recommendable dish today!! Grilled fresh foie gras is on truffle risotto rolled with conger eel!

Grilled rissoto tastes very rich, and foie gras taste richer. Conger eel works as a coordinator between them.......... I'll be back to eat this dish soon again!!!

Hokkaido is famous for its lamb! This is produced in Shiranuka. Spring reminds me of milk lamb! Yummy x 2!!!

You may not know the thickness of the meat! Actually the pork steak is 5 or 6 cm thick! Black pork (Berkshire pigs) produced in Niikappu tastes very delicious! If you have a chance, please try it! White asparagus season has come to Hokkaido! We fully enjoyed seasonable ingredients today!

I love mille-feuille! We should eat it with strawberries, very seasonable fruit!!! The milk ice cream is also yummy s 2!!!

We also ate chocolate tart with coconut ice cream! Hahaha!

Last but nut least, we enjoyed yuzu citrus tea!

This resraurant serves lunch sets only during Friday to Sunday. It is so popular that I recommend you to make a reservation in advance!

■Where is "Montorgueil (モントルグイユ)"?


View Larger Map


■Tour guide information■
Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?
I'll guide you! Plz click here!