CAFE if （イフ）| Niseko/ Kucchan

Hirahu （ヒラフ） in Niseko has a lot of attractive cafes. How about "CAFE if （イフ）"?

Located in Jyujigai （十字街）, the center of Hurahu, this cafe is very soothing, and you may feel as if you were in the forest!

Let's enter it!

The most popular cake here is apple cake with fresh mascarpone cheese （スペイン風りんごのフレッシュチーズケーキ）.
I really wanted to order it, but unfortunately home-made apple compote in this season was gone the other day.......(I was so shocked!!) Well, well, well, I have to wait until September!!!
Instead of my favorite cake, I ordered .................

"Fresh cheese cake with blueberries and raspberries （ブルーベリーとラズベリーのフレッシュチーズケーキ）"↓ As  mascarpone cheese is whipped after being ordered, this is very very creamy!!! I love it!

The whipped cheese is not too sweet, and we can enjoy the high-quality of ingredients from the bottom of our heart! This is one of the best cheese cakes in Hokkaido!

I love Niseko not only in winter, but also in summer!!!

■Where is "CAFE if （イフ）"?

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■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!

Ruhiel （ルヒエル）| Gelato Stand | Niseko/ Kucchan （ニセコ・倶知安）

If you want to eat delicious gelato in Niseko and Kucchan area (ニセコ／倶知安地区）, I recommend "Ruhiel （ルヒエル）".  You can easily find this huge gelato object on Route 343!!

Let's enter it!

They use local fresh milk and fruits only for their gelato. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?

I ordered "cream cheese" and "blueberry milk" among a lot of flavors!

See? Looks yummy x 2!

Please enjoy delicious gelato and Mt. Yotei at the same time in Niseko!

■Where is "Ruhiel （ルヒエル）"?


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■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!

Higashimokoto Moss Pink Park （ひがしもこと芝桜公園）| Oozora Town （大空町）

Hokkaido has two famous moss pink parks, one of them is Takinoue Park （滝上公園）(See the details→click here!), and the other is Higashimokoto Moss Pink Park （ひがしもこと芝桜公園）↓

When we went there, about 70% of moss pink are bloomed out like this↓

Let's go to an observatory on the top of the hill!

Climbing up the 287 steps, we will reach ...................

Yamazumi Shrine （山津見神社）, which was built around 900 years ago!

 This park is around 100, 000㎡, as large as three baseball parks!!!!

But when you learn the history of this park, you must be surprised!
Mr. Chubachi's sister brought just a strain of moss pink from Rubeshibe （留辺蘂） to Higashimokoto （東藻琴）.

That's the start of this park. After that, he made great efforts to create this huge moss pink park.

Actually he planted about 70% of moss pink here in this park alone!!!

This hill is light up at night, and very beautiful!

If you want to enjoy the park from the sky, why don't you take a helicopter!!

Don't miss "Ginreisui （銀嶺水）"in this park, one of the 100 most delicious spring water in Japan （日本名水100選）.

Look at the faucet! Striped owls are the God for Ainu people!
(If you want to learn about Ainu people, an indigenous people in Japan, please refer to my other post→click here!）

 How about unique ice cream in this park?

This is pink moss ice cream!!!

■Where is "Higashimokoto Moss Pink Park （ひがしもこと芝桜公園）"?

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■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!

Goryokaku Fort （五稜郭）| Fortress Park with 1,600 Cherry Trees | Hakodate

Goryokaku Fort （五稜郭） was the last battle field of a large-scale civil war between the Tokugawa shogunate and the new government forces, and worked as a cornerstone of the end of feudal era of Japan in the 19th century. Now it is opened to the public as a park, where about 1,600 cherry trees are planted!

Let't go to the Goryokaku Tower （五稜郭タワ） to see the whole picture of the fortress park!

From the 107m-high double-decked observatory, we can enjoy the panoramic views of Hakodate from every angle!!

Voila!
This is Goryokaku Fort （五稜郭）, which is a star-shaped fort!

When you come here in the spring time, the star is filled with pink cherry blossoms like this↓

Let's walk in the park↓

How beautiful the blossoms are! There are 1,600 cherry blossoms planted in the park.

Anyway, do you know how many countries have such a star-shaped fortress? We can learn the history of the fortress as well as the history of Japan in the 19th century at this observatory.

When you come here, please visit this cafe stand on the first floor of the observatory!

Have you ever eaten cherry blossom ice cream?

This is a seasonal specialty during the spring time only! Yummy x 2!!!

Let's go down to the first floor, which has one of the largest souvenir corners in the city, with a huge lineup of local products as well as the original goods that cannot purchased anywhere else.

■Where is "Goryokaku Fort （五稜郭）"?

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■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!

Kitakarou Otaru Main Shop （北菓楼 小樽本館）| Otaru

There are a lot of recommendable sweets shops in Otaru along the Sakaimachi Main Street （堺町本通り）, downtown street in Otaru.
Today I'll show you "Kitakarou Otaru Main Shop （北菓楼　小樽本館）", one of my favorites!
（* If you need general information on the street, please refer to my other post→click here!）

Let's enter it!
One of the characteristics of this confectionery shop is large amount of samples!! Hahaha!

"Youseinomori （妖精の森）", baumkuchen （バームクーヘン）, is so delicious that it is often featured by TV programs. Of course, it has samples!

Look at Hamanasunokoi （はまなすの恋）↓ This is yummy x 2 white chocolate biscuit, and of course it has samples!

Kaitakuokaki （開拓おかき） is one of my favorite rice crackers, which has several flavors; kelp flavor（えりも昆布味）, salmon flavor（秋鮭味）, scallop flavor（帆立味）, sweet shrimp flavor（甘エビ味）, and squid flavor（松前いか味）. Of course each of the flavor has samples!!!

How about apple pies??? These are baked just from the oven!! Hot! Hot! Hot!

Don't forget their cream puff!!!

Yumefusigi （夢不思議） has W cream; custard and fresh cream, and the balance is perfect!!

Look at these! 1/4 size of the products are samples!!! Here is a wonderful sample paradise!!

Personally I love Biscotte （ビスコット） very much!!

The puff is so soft that it can be torn easily with fingers.

The custard is supper supper mild and creamy!!

Last but not least, I'll introduce a seasonal limited ice cream to you. The vanilla soft ice cream is very recommendable, but when you come here in the spring, why don't you try cherry blossom and white chocolate flavor （桜のホワイトチョコソフト）?

We enjoyed their sweets from the bottom of our heart today!

The main shop of this confectionery company is in Sunagawa （砂川）. If you are interested in their main shop, please refer to my other post→click here!

■Where is "Kitakarou Otaru Main Shop （北菓楼　小樽本館）"?

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■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!