| RL and I visited Hokkaido (_D), Japan and we spent 13 days in the region. November was not a peak season for travellers and the weather was nice for sightseeing. I tried the most delicious beer, milk, coffee, chocolate, noodle, raw fishes and sushi that I never had before. The trip was enjoyable but energy draining; finally I lost some weight when returned home. It was a pity that we did not visit Furano (I}) and it is considered to be the most romantic city in Japan with breathtaking scene of lavenders in the fields. |
Routings are outlined as follows:
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TransportationIt is strongly recommended to purchase the Japan Railway Pass (JR Pass) for self-service trip to Japan. There are three types of train pass for foreign travellers: 7 days, 14 days and 21 days. Travellers will need to buy an "Exchange Order" in their home country prior to arrival and then have to submit the order to a designated JR office to obtain a JR pass (there is one in the basement floor in each Terminal of Narita airport).
AccommodationWe accommodated in ryokans, minshukas (J) and youth hostels throughout the trip except in Shinjuku. Room rate ranged from Yen 2,300-3,500 per person per night. Except saving money we also had valuable experience living in traditional Japanese inns where economising did not mean grimy. By experience all these lodgings are clean, tidy and comfortable -- of course if you are expecting a royal suites, 24-hour room service, a fancy cocktail lounge or gourmet restaurants; 5-star hotels should be your target.Reservation should be made in advance especially in peak season and travellers can enquire lodging information from Tourist Information Centres which located in all train stations and airports. The followings are lists of inns where we stayed:
Hotspring (Onsen)Hotsprings can be found throughout the country and it is also one of the famous attractions in Hokkaido (the most famous hotsprings located in Noboribetsu). We visited hotspring resort whenever we had chances to get rid of tiredness during the trip. Service charge varies from Yen 400-Yen 2,000, depending on facilities provided. Towels, bath robes, shampoo, bathing salt are provided by those operated by hotels; for those operated by government, which are the cheapest -- you can try but do not expect too much.Most hotsprings have separate entrance for males and females. Some traditional outdoor are mixed so it is suggested to check before entering :)
The PeopleIt was my first visit to the country and she impressed me by her tidiness, cleanliness and disciplinary order. It is too bad that English is not popular at all in Hokkaido and very often extra efforts spent on communications. I am rather surprised by the Japanese's willingness to westernise their life-styles but they are not enthusiastic in learning English which is an international language.People we met were very kind and hospitable to travellers. I cannot forget the assistance offered by the bus drivers in Otaru; the woman who walked with us for 20 minutes to the right destination; and Mr & Mrs Yanata, the owners of a family inn, who offered as a tour guide by driving us to various tourist spots Akita....it was such a memorable trip. We also visited the morning market whenever we had the chance. It is the best place to observe people from all walks of life; from the prices of groceries I can tell the cost and standard of living of a city. I was amazed by the cleanliness of the market place and it didn't smell at all. |