お茶の間留学

Sadly, this will be my last year in Japan. I've seen so much of this country, but also haven't seen so much more. That's why I want to try to see and do as much as I can in this last year. To that end, I went to Hokkaido for this year's Sapporo Snow Festival. It was an amazing trip that reminded me a lot of Canadian winters (so cold!). I think the most memorable bits were the festival, a beautiful countryside hot spring, and the view from the top of Mt. Moiwa.

This was the first time I'd ever seen ice sculptures, even in Canada I never bothered to do anything like that. And some of the snow sculptures were massive, bigger than a building! There was a dinosaur mural, many anime characters, and even a NOVA Usagi sculpture! I went to Hokkaido on vacation from work, but it seems like work followed me anyway…

My friend and I also went to Hoheikyo hot spring. It was fairly out of the way, and definitely felt “in the middle of nowhere”. The snow-covered mountains and gently falling snow created a sense of pure calm and quiet, and it was so, so peaceful. The onsen itself was perfect, with thick layers of snow bordering the bath, and hot water soothing the body. It was truly the ideal Japan hot spring experience, what I picture in my mind when I think of the word onsen. I hate the heat, but the contrast of freezing cold air and hot water is very bracing and refreshing. To top it off, the Indian-style curry afterward was the perfect conclusion. And going outside to wait for the bus back to Sapporo, I was treated to another quiet dusting of snow in the dark of the countryside.

Another impressive bit of the trip was the view up Mt. Moiwa. We took a cable car to the top, which in itself was picturesque, but the view from the top was really something. Excellent panoramic views of the city of Sapporo, seeing mountains in the far distance with ski slopes, and the snowy city were all sights I'm unable to see in such a warm place as Osaka, where I live.

All in all, Hokkaido was an unforgettable experience. I didn't even mention the other impressive things, like Genghis Khan-style yakiniku, Hokkaido ramen, or Asahiyama Zoo. Despite being in Japan for almost seven years, I still have nearly unlimited new experiences to try, and I hope I can touch as many of them as I can before I leave in October!