Hokkaidō Kaitaku no Mura is one of the best places to visit near Sapporo where you can get a feel of old Japan, Meiji and Taisho periods through a beautiful nature walk. I first visited here last summer with glorious flowers embellishing the path and a trolley train traversing the main road. I still feel…
Category: Travel
Winter Lavender, Hokkaido Japan
What to do in “Lavender Country” in winter? Smell the lavender! Tomita Farms is spectacular at the height of summer lavender season with seas of the purple flowers swaying with the wind. In the thick of winter with the barren treescape when snow covers the fields outside and the meandering mountain slopes beyond… …there remains…
Snowmobile Snowcapade, Furano Hokkaido
Snowmobile Tips: *Dress appropriately. They say there is no such thing as “too cold weather,” only “wrong clothing.” *Right handle = accelerate . *Left handle = brakes *Stay 100 meters away from other snowmobilers *Oops, did I say turn on the engine? Patrice and I on the snowmobile. I overcame my fear of driving it…
Snowshoeing at White Koala, Furano Hokkaido
Benefits of Snowshoeing: Nature Therapy Fitness Forest bathing Detox 2 things made Snowshoeing easier on my 2nd try: 1-Choose a snowshoe not too big 2-Use walking sticks (with snow basket) Biru-san, our snow forest guide, said: *use waterproof winter jacket & pants *waterproof winter boots only *mind the Left and Right snowshoe. *put boot far…
Furano Tour, Winter Edition
Do you know your CQ (Cheese Intelligence)? 🧀 At Furano Cheese Factory, you can take an electronic quiz to find out! 😂 Hokkaido’s yummy dairy comes in different forms here. Squid ink cheese among many flavours 🧀 , creamy milk🥛 , milk pumpkin cheese or corn ice cream 🍦 . My favourite this visit is…
Surprise at Ningle Terrace, Furano, Hokkaido, Japan
The original weather forecast didn’t include snow; snow started melting early February instead of mid-March. Still, since “setting sail” for Sapporo, how we wished the Lord would let it snow. As if on cue after setting foot at the Ningle Terrace parking lot, we were suddenly startled by a sweet snow surprise… …❄️which set the…
Doglsedding in Hokkaido
Our Plan B (Panakip Butas) activity turned out to be our best Hokkaido experience! I had the day’s itinerary planned out but was informed that our main destination, the ropeway to Hokkaido’s tallest mountain located in Daisetsuzan National Park, Mount Asahidake, might be closed. We would hire a car to take us on a six-hour…
Memoirs of a Geisha Tour: Kyoto
The very word “geisha” means artist, and to be a geisha is to be judged as a moving work of art. -Mameha, Memoirs of A Geisha Gion is a preserved district in Kyoto which was built in response to the food, drink, and accommodation needs of travelers who came to the Yasaka (Shinto) Shrine, designated…
Shirakawa-go and Gokayama: How To Day Trip from Osaka
A winter trip to Shirakawa-go is like traveling inside a snow-globe. Designated in 1995 as UNESCO World Heritage Site in Japan, the historic villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama are known for their traditional farmhouses in the architectural style of gasshō-zukuri (合掌造り), meaning “praying hands” referring to the likeness of the steep thatched roof shape to Buddhist monks…
Winter Gear Packing List for a Tropical Girl at Shirakawa-go
Since I’m sensitive to cold even in tropical Manila and want to avoid headaches from wobbly temperature changes, it was a puzzle to prepare for a winter trip. If you opened this post, you’re probably in the same pickle… so just for you, I’m sharing my list on what worked for me in Shirakawa-go winter wonderland….
BUTTERFLY IN THE SPRING 