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Thursday, August 02, 2012

Farm Okudaira (ファーム奥平)| All You Can Eat Furano Melons (富良野メロン食べ放題)| Furano

We came to "Farm Okudaira (ファーム奥平)" to eat Furano melons as many as possible today! Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?

Let's go to his garage! Why garage?

This is the venue of all-you-can-eat-Furano melons! Are you ready? Hahaha!

"Please enjoy my melons as much as possible!", said Mr. Okudaira (奥平さん), the owner of this farm. He is so friendly that we became his big fan instantly!!!

Voila!!!
He cultivates melons with a lot of loving care!

Once we finished the melon, he took another melon from a refrigerator, and cut it for us! Yummy x 2!! It's very sweet!!! He harvested these melons adjusting the day we came here!

After enjoying his melon from our heart, we visited his melon farm. I immediately felt he made every effort to raise these delicious melons!

This is his farm of sugar beets.

We really enjoyed his tasty melons and conversation with Mr. Okudaira!

P.S.
He is a chairman of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters Fan Club, Furano Branch (北海道日本ハムファイターズふらの後援会). Cool!

■Where is "Farm Okudaira (ファーム奥平)"?

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!

Wednesday, August 01, 2012

Otaru Milk Plant (小樽ミルクプラント)| Soft Ice Cream Parlor | Otaru

Today we visited  "Otaru Milk Plant (小樽ミルクプラント)", a popular soft ice cream parlor in Otaru.

It is always packed with local ice cream lovers especially during the summer time.

Why is this parlor popular?
Look at the menu. They have several kinds of flavors in four sizes; regular, long, jumbo, and N.Y. jumbo.

How big is the New York Jumbo?

This is Hokkaido milk flavored soft ice cream in the jumbo size. Surprisingly, it is not the biggest size!!

Voila!!!
This is Yubari Melon flavored soft ice cream in the N.Y. jumbo!

I tried Melon and Hokkaido milk flavored one! Yummy x 2!!!

It is very delicious, but difficult to eat it up before it starts to melt........... Hahaha!
They serve 11 flavors; vanilla, chocolate, chocolate marble, strawberry, strawberry marble, Hokkaido milk, Yubari melon, Hokkaido milk & Yubari melon, yogurt, Kyoho grape, and Kyoho grape & yogurt. 
If you are ice cream lovers, please conquer ice cream Everest!

■Where is "Otaru Milk Plant (小樽ミルクプラント)"?

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!

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Lake Kussharo (屈斜路湖)| Sand Bath (砂湯)| Akan National Park

Would you like to enjoy a big caldera lake and natural sand bath at the same time? If so, how about Lake Kussharo (屈斜路湖) located in the eastern part of Hokkaido?

This is Japan's largest and the world's second largest crater lake.

Kussyaro (屈斜路) means an outlet of the lake in Ainu language. It is connected with Kushiro River.

When you come here, please enjoy the natural sand bath!

Hot water is oozed out from the ground, and wherever you dig around here, you can enjoy hot spring for your feet!

The water is so hot that I recommend you to dig near the lake! It's very comfortable!!!

This lake has a legend, too. Like Nessie in Loch Ness, Kusshie (クッシー), a monster, is believed to inhabit Lake Kussharo. Hahaha!

They sell Kusshie goods, such as cookies, key rings, and T-shirts and so on.

After enjoying foot bath, how about drinking hot spring?

You can be healthier from both inside and outside!

■Where is "Lake Kussharo (屈斜路湖)"?

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!

Sakaimachi Main Street (堺町本通り) in Summer | Otaru

"Sakaimachi Main Street (堺町本通り)", a main street of Otaru city, is now decorated with a lot of summer features of Japan! Are you ready? Let's go!

Yes! Every shop along the street is decorated with wind-bells! Sounds very summer!!

The well in front of "Rishiriya (利尻屋)", a kelp shop, also has wind-bells!

"Sakaiya (さかい家)", a cafe, has wind-bells, too! The building was constructed in 1907, and designated as a Historic Landmark of Otaru City (小樽市指定歴史的建造物).

Of course, "Kitakaro (北菓楼)", a confectionery shop, also has ones!

Look at the newly-wed couple in front of "Rokkatei (六花亭)"!

Otaru is a glass city. That's why its main street is decorated with glass wind-bells like this↓

"Kitaichi Glass (北一硝子)" is one of the biggest glassware shop and studio in Otaru.

This is "LeTAO (ルタオ)", my favorite chocolate shop.

In front of this confectionery shop, a wind-bell tree is installed only during the summer time! How beautiful it is!

Look at the cute wind-bell!! Is this the owner's choice? Hahaha!

When you'd like to go around Otaru, how about the "Otaru Stroller's Bus (おたる散策バス)"?

You can go almost everywhere in Otaru! The ticket per day is 750 yen.

But personally, I recommend ricksha or rickshaw (人力車)!

You can customize your own tour in Otaru! Enjoy!

■Where is "Sakaimachi Main Street (堺町本通り)"?

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!

Monday, July 30, 2012

IRODORI Field (彩りの畑)in Full Bloom | Farm Tomita (ファーム富田)| Naka-Furano

FARM TOMITA (ファーム富田) is one of Hokkaido’s premier flower farms. Originally a simple lavender farm, today the farm has expanded to include a number of large fields of various flower types, including Poppies, French Marigolds, and many more. 
Now "IRODORI Field (彩りの畑)" in the farm is in full bloom!

How beautiful the baby's breath is!

No admission fee, nor no parking lot fee in the farm! Perfect! Would you like to come here? (Of course!!)

Let's go to the "SAKIWAI Field (倖の畑)" in the same flower farm. The lavenders here are going to be in full bloom!

Lavender fragrance in this field is very comfortable!

How about the "HANABITO Field (花人の畑)", near the entrance? It was packed with visitors on that day!

Even in July, we can enjoy snow-capped mountains and flowers at the same time in Furano! You must love this wonderful town!

The field is like a rainbow, isn't it?

Last but not least, we enjoyed the "Autumn Field (秋の彩りの畑)".  I'm sure I'll be back next year, too!

When you come here, please enjoy Hokkaido melon and lavender soft ice cream! Yummy x 2!!

If you are interested in this flower field in other seasons, please refer to my other posts!
■Late May----→ (including lavender souvenir information)
■Early June---→ (including a snow-capped mountain pic)
■Mid July----→ (the best season)

■Where is Farm Tomita (ファーム富田)?

■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!

Monthly Ice Cream (Made by MISSU HOUSE) on the Limited Express Trains of JR Hokkaido | July, 2012

When I use a limited express train here in Hokkaido, I always eat monthly ice cream sold on the train.

This time, I went to Sapporo from Kushiro. This is JR Kushiro Station↓ Here we go♪

We took the Limited Express Super Ozora!

It takes about four hours from Kushiro to Sapporo. How big Hokkaido is!

Voila!
This is my favorite ice cream!!! The monthly ice cream in July is.....................

Orange!!
When I use a limited train in Hokkaido, I always buy a monthly ice cream made by MISSU HOUSE, which is one of my favorite ice cram makers in Sapporo!
Hokkaido is famous for dairy products, and we can eat delicious ice cream here!

Do you wanna try it? Hahaha!
It is very creamy and dairy!!! I love it!

We've arrived in Sapporo!! 


I'm looking forward to eating the next monthly ice cream now! Hahaha!

■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!