Hokkaido EP2 – Day Trip to Otaru from Sapporo in March

In this episode, we spent a day trip at Otaru (from Sapporo). This was our second but our son’s first visit to Otaru. We had a great brunch meal at the Sankaku Market (三角市場), strolled along the Otaru Canal (小樽運河), the Sakaimachi Hondori Street (堺町本通り), had a nice coffee break at the Gin-no-Kane Ichigokan (銀の鐘1号館), last but not least, we visited the Otaru Music Box Museum (小樽オルゴール堂 本館) and Otaru Steam Clock (小樽蒸気時計).
18 March 2024

Sapporo to Otaru
09:10 AIRPORT 27 (9:45 着)

Minami-Otaru to Sapporo
17:03 AIRPORT 150 (17:33 着)

You may check the train schedules using the following links…

https://www.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/index.html
https://japantravel.navitime.com/en/

[Background]
These video footage were shot at places in Hokkaido, Tokyo and Fuji during the second half of March in 2024. It was our second visit to Hokkaido but was first time to Hokkaido with our boy. Hence, we revisit some of the places, which he hasn’t been to, and of course, we explored places we haven’t got opportunities to visit during our first visit to Hokkaido in 2005.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the passing on of my beloved father, I wasn’t able to work on this series of videos much earlier. Nonetheless, this series of videos, put together with the then recorded video footage, are aiming to provide, hopefully, some useful information as well as visual experiences for those who wish or plan to visit to some, if not all, of these places in Hokkaido, Japan, especially during the second half of the month in March.

[Accommodations]
For Sapporo, we stayed at the HOTEL MYSTAYS Sapporo Aspen (ホテルマイステイズ札幌アスペン) for the duration of our visits to places within Sapporo City, Otaru, Furano areas and Wakkanai.

Side note:
For the trip to Wakkainai, we left our luggages at the hotel in Sapporo and, we travelled to Wakkainai with only our backpacks, spent a night at the Surfeel Hotel Wakkanai (サフィールホテル稚内) and visit to Cape Sōya (宗谷岬), The Northernmost Point in Japan (日本最北端の地) the next morning. More details to be provided when I putting up the video.

For Hakodate, we stayed at the JR Inn Hakodate (JRイン 函館) for its convenience to access to the train services for going around.

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Sapporo 札幌
– Sapporo Clock Tower 札幌市時計台
– Odori Park 大通公園
– Sapporo TV Tower さっぽろテレビ塔
– Susukino すすきの
– JR Tower Observatory T38 JRタワー展望室タワー・スリーエイト

Otaru 小樽
– Sankaku Market 小樽三角市場
– Otaru Canal 小樽運河
– Rokkatei Otaru Canal Store 六花亭 小樽運河店
– Gin-no-Kane Ichigokan 銀の鐘1号館
– Otaru Music Box Museum 小樽オルゴール堂 本館
– Otaru Steam Clock 小樽オルゴール堂蒸気からくり時計

Teine 手稲
– Sapporo Teine (Olympia Ski Center) オリンピアスキーセンター

Wakkanai 稚内
– Wakkanai North Breakwater Dome 稚内港北防波堤ドーム

Cape Sōya 宗谷岬
– Landmark of The Northernmost Point in Japan日本最北端の地の碑
– Soya-misaki Song Monument「宗谷岬」音楽碑
– Statue of Rinzo Mamiya間宮林蔵の立像
– Kashiwaya – Japan’s Northernmost Store – 日本最北端の店 柏屋
– Cape Soya Drift Ice Museum 宗谷岬流氷館
– The Northernmost Public Toilets 日本最北端の公衆トイレ
– Saihokutan 食堂 最北端 (May not be in operation during the winter period)
– Soya Misaki Park 宗谷岬公園
~ Peace Memorial 平和の碑
~ Old Naval Watchtower 大岬旧海軍望楼
~ ラペルーズ顕彰記念碑
~ Tower of Prayer – KAL Flight 007 Monument 祈りの塔 – KALフライト007記念碑
~ Parenting Peace Bell 子育て平和の鐘

Asahiyama Zoo/Biei/Furano 市旭山動物園/美瑛/富良野 (Bus Tour)
– Asahiyama Zoo 旭川市旭山動物園 (Penguin Walk/Parade)
– Panoramic Flower Gardens Shikisai-no-oka 四季彩の丘 (Snowland Snowmobile Rides)
– Tree of Ken and Mary ケンとメリーの木
– ハーブガーデン富良野 (HERB GARDEN FURANO)
– Ningle Terrace ニングルテラス

Hakodate 函館
– Hakodateyama 函館山
– Mt. Hakodate Observatory 函館山展望台
– Hakodate Morning Market 函館朝市
– Hachiman-Zaka Slope八幡坂
– Hakodate Orthodox Church 函館ハリストス正教会
– Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse – Bay Hakodate BAYはこだて
– Hakodate Meijikan はこだて明治館
– Our Lady of the Angels Trappistine Abbey 天使の聖母トラピスチヌ修道院
– Onuma Quasi-National Park 大沼国定公園

Tokyo 東京
– Tokyo Skytree 東京スカイツリー
– Ueno Park 上野恩賜公園
– Ochanomizu 御茶ノ水 (Super Sports Xebio Main Shop スーパースポーツゼビオ 東京御茶ノ水本店)
– Sumida Park 台東区立/墨田区立 隅田公園
– Sumida River Walk すみだリバーウォーク
– LAND_A Cafe Dining & Smile

Fuji 富士
– Mt. Fuji World Heritage Centre 静岡県富士山世界遺産センター
– Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha Shrine 富士山本宮浅間大社

.
00:00 Day trip to Otaru
00:30 Heading to Sapporo Station
01:14 Otaru Station
02:02 Sankaku Market
06:07 Otaru Canal
11:15 Walk to Sakaimachi Street
13:23 Sakaimachi Street
13:59 Ishiyakiimo (baked Japanese sweet potatoes) Stall
16:09 Continue with Sakaimachi Street
17:11 Rokkatei Otaru Canal Store (Brief)
17:52 Gin-no-Kane Ichigokan (Cake & Coffee)
19:20 Otaru Music Box Museum and Steam Clock
22:55 Otaru Steam Clock (Melody)
23:22 Walk to Minami-Otaru Station (heading back to Sapporo)

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