I’ve been to Tokyo many times, but I had always admired Tokyo Tower from a distance. This time, I specifically planned an evening visit to see it up close. After enjoying a delicious Thick-Cut Pork Loin Cutlet Set at Iwai Tonkatsu (とんかつ屋 いわい 大門), we took a leisurely walk through Shiba Park toward Tokyo Tower. … Read more
In the morning, we spent several hours exploring Asahiyama Zoo and finally got to see the enormous polar bears up close. With that, our six-day journey through Hokkaido came to an end. After returning our rental car at the ORIX Rent a Car Asahikawa Ekimae Branch near Asahikawa Airport, we boarded a Japan Airlines flight … Read more
On the morning of Day 6 of our Hokkaido self-drive trip, our family planned to visit Asahiyama Zoo before taking a Japan Airlines flight back to Tokyo in the afternoon. After enjoying breakfast in our room at the Toyoko Inn Hokkaido Asahikawa Station Higashi-guchi, we drove about 30 minutes to Asahiyama Zoo. The free parking … Read more
After enjoying a delicious grilled lamb dinner at the Gochome branch of Genghis Khan Daikokuya in Asahikawa, we walked back toward Toyoko Inn Hokkaido Asahikawa Station Higashi-guchi , where we would be staying for the night. Since our family would be taking a Japan Airlines (JAL) flight back to Tokyo the following afternoon, we decided … Read more
Eating lamb in Hokkaido is truly one of the happiest things. For dinner, we went to the Gochome branch (main store) of Genghis Khan Daikokuya in Asahikawa. After finishing our trip to Kamui Kotan — one of Asahikawa’s Eight Scenic Spots — we drove back to the city center. We stayed at the Toyoko Inn … Read more
After enjoying ice cream at Lake Hill Farm, we began our drive back toward Asahikawa to visit Kamui Kotan, one of the Eight Scenic Views of Asahikawa. Known for its steep gorge and unusual rock formations, Kamui Kotan was once an important transportation route for the Ainu people, who traveled through the area by dugout … Read more
After enjoying the panoramic view of Lake Toya and watching helicopters at Tsutsugura Observatory, we headed to Lake Hill Farm to experience Hokkaido’s vast open landscapes and admire the magnificent view of Mount Yotei in the distance. After parking, we first went to see the sheep and little white rabbits on the farm. The weather … Read more
On Day 5 of our Hokkaido self-drive trip, after having breakfast at Toyako Manseikaku Hotel Lakeside Terrace, we took a walk along Lake Toya and enjoyed soaking our feet in the footbath pool in front of the hotel before heading to the nearby Silo Observatory to enjoy the panoramic view of Lake Toya. It only … Read more
After enjoying the famous Hokkaido sights of Showa-Shinzan and Lake Toya, our family took the Usuzan Ropeway down the mountain. In the evening, we stayed at Toyako Manseikaku Hotel Lakeside Terrace . Day 4 of our Hokkaido self-driving trip was nearly over. We decided to enjoy the hotel facilities, so we returned early to rest. … Read more
After visiting the famous Noboribetsu Jigokudani in Hokkaido, we drove to Mount Usu, which is located next to Showa Shinzan. We planned to take the Usuzan Ropeway up the mountain to enjoy the scenery. After about a 40-minute drive, we arrived at the paid parking lot at Mount Usu. The parking lot is quite large … Read more