Asahiyama Zoo Train （旭山動物園号）

Decorated trains..... Japan does it SOOOOOOOOOOOO well!!
How about Asahiyama Zoo Train （旭山動物園号） from Sapporo （札幌） to Asahikawa （旭川）?

Isn't it fun to use such a cute train with your friends or family members?

Personally I also recommend Lupin the Third Wrapping Train （ルパン三世ラッピングトレイン）↓

(See the details→★)

This special train runs in the Hanasaki Line （花咲線） located in the eastern part of Hokkaido. 

■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!

North Rainbow EXP （ノースレインボーEXP）| Joyful Train （ジョイフルトレイン）| JR Hokkaido

I luckily took "North Rainbow EXP （ノースレインボーEXP）", one of the "Joyful Trains （ジョイフルトレイン）" of JR Hokkaido from Kushiro to Sapporo.

Look at the express train!

This is a double-deck train!!!

Let's enter it!

As this is double-deck, the train cabins are higher than normal ones. It has bigger and wider windows at the level of our eyes. Addition to that, it has also small windows above these ones! Wow! Wow! Wow!
We can enjoy monitors in front us, too!! This train is like airplanes!!

I walked around the train.

What?!
Is there a lounge on the 1st floor????

They were enjoying videos, eating a lunch box!!!

I was so excited about the train.................
The peaceful scenery from the train window made us very relaxed at the same time!!

The train stayed at JR Shintoku Station （新得駅） for about 15 minutes.

I rushed to the soba noodle shop at the station, because this town is famous for its soba noodles.

If I had time, I would go to an authentic soba noodle restaurant................ but................

This sansai (or wild mountain vegetable) soba is only 370 yen!!

I really enjoyed the trip on the "North Rainbow （ノースレインボーEXP）" from Kushiro （釧路） to Sapporo （札幌）.

■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!

Otaru Stroller's Bus （おたる散策バス）

If you want to go around Otaru by bus, I recommend "Otaru Stroller's Bus （おたる散策バス）" with a "One-Day Pass （一日乗車券）"

It  is 750 yen, and you can go almost all popular tourist destinations in Otaru including Otaru Kihinkan (Guest House)（小樽貴賓館）, Otaru Aquarium （おたる水族館）, and Otaru Tengyama Ropeway （小樽天狗山ロープーウェイ）↓

Showing this pass,

you can get some discount at tourist spots and restaurants below and others↓

Actually my tour guests and I enjoyed sushi and beer at Fujizusi （ふじ鮨） with the pass yesterday. 

As we can get 10% discount there, I'm sure we get our money's worth!　
(If you want the details of the sushi bar, please refer to my other post→☆)

■Otaru tourist information■

Please refer to my other posts!

・Kitaichi Glass→☆

・Otaru Milk Plant→☆

・Sakaemachi Main Street→☆

・Snow Light Path Festival→☆

・Otaru Mantis Prawn Festival→☆

・Otaru Canal→☆

・LeTAO→☆

・Sushi-Making Experience→☆

■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 | September, 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 Hakodate. This is JR Hakodate Station↓ Here we go♪

We took a Super Hokuto Limited Express Train as usual!

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

Kurosengoku black beans(黒千石）!!

It contains a lot of anthocyanin, and very healthy! 

This ice cream is 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 fragrant and dairy!!! I love it!

After enjoying the yummy x 2 ice cream, I drank corn tea↓

It is a caffeine-free drink, and also contains black beans! Actually Hokkaido is famous not only for its milk but also beans and corn!

We've arrived in Sapporo!! 

■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!

Lupin III Wrapping Train （ルパン三世ラッピングトレイン）| Hanasaki Line （花咲線）

Since the 1st of April, 2012, a special train has run in the Hanasaki Line （花咲線） located in the eastern part of Hokkaido. Are you a train fan, or anime fan? Actually I'm not either of them, but very excited to take the train the other day from Akkeshi （厚岸） to Kushiro （釧路）.

Here comes the train!!!

Yes! This is the Lupin III Wrapping Train （ルパン三世ラッピングトレイン）!!!

Main characters are painted on the train!
How cool Lupin Ⅲ is!!

How about Mr. Zenigata （銭形警部）? We were so excited!!!

Don't forget Fujiko!!! How sexy she is!!

Why has the special train run in the Hanasaki Line?
Mr. Monkey Punch (Kazuhiko Kato) is from Hamanaka Town in the line. I don't have to explain about it, but Lupin Ⅲ （ルパン三世） is his masterpiece animation!

Look at the inside! Local people use it as a normal train!!! I really envy them!!!

It takes about 50 minutes from Akkeshi to Kushiro.

If you want to take this train,

the Hanasaki Line is between Kushiro and Nemuro （根室）.

After arriving at Kushiro, I happened to find this poster, saying the Kushiro City Art Museum （釧路市立美術館） has held the Luin Ⅲ exhibition!
The animation celebrates the 40th anniversary this year!! Congratulations!!

■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!

Ujiie Machiaijyo （氏家待合所） | Akkeshi Dining （あっけし食堂） | Akkeshi

It takes about 50 minutes from Kushiro by local train.

We've arrived in Akkeshi, which is an.....................

oyster town! Oysters produced in this town are much much more delicious than normal ones!! Actually Akkeshi is one of the best oyster production sites in Japan!

Let's eat oyster rice! You can buy an oyster ekiben (which means a box lunch sold at stations) at the Kiosk in JR Akkeshi station.

It looks very delicious, but would you like to eat freshly-made oyster rice? Yes, of course!

I've already made a reservation for it! "Ujiie Machiaisyo （氏家待合所）" or "Akkeshi Dining （あっけし食堂）" in front of the station makes yummy oyster rice ekiben depending on your arrival time! Perfect!

"Hello!!", a friendly owner said to me.

This ekiben won the grand prix at the Hokkaido Ekiben Competition 2011 （北海道駅弁選手権2011).

Even several celebrities came here all the way from Tokyo to eat this ekiben!

Voila!
It smells very oysters before I open it!!!

If you love seafood, you must be crazy about the rice! It has .............

some plump oysters,

juicy whelks, and

asari clams! The rice absorbs delicious seafood juice and special sauce!! Yummy x 2!!

Now I understand why it has long been popular since the beginning of sales in 1963!

■Where is "Ujiie Machiaijyo （氏家待合所） and Akkeshi Dining （あっけし食堂）"?

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!