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Japan 2018: Sweet Otaru
posted : Saturday, February 16, 2019
Day 6! Woke up in a sneezing fit but at least nose is not blocked and taste buds are not affected which is weirdly all I cared about hahahah.
As usual, packed up and checked out early. We did spend some time communicating to the owner the night before that we intend to leave our luggage behind and there was a bit of doubt as to whether he understood us, even as we checked out because he looked a bit puzzled. But eventually got the point and asked us what time we will be back, which we told him at about 3pm. 
Morning pick me up.
Leaving a note in guestbook
Noodle factory underneath
Started the day at Sankaku Market! Much like the Hakodate portion which started with a market. Walked along the Chuo-dori towards Otaru station and Sankaku Market is just next to it, although the entrance is a bit obscure. 
Chuo-dori
Up a flight of stairs next to Otaru station
Entrance on the right.
Sankaku Market
Turns out to be a really short market street (either that or we didnt explore fully). So backtracked and picked a place for brunch. 
Pretty similar offerings as Hakodate Morning Market
Didnt feel like another bowl of kaisendon so picked random seafood items.
Brunch done, next up on the itinerary is Sakaimachi-dori which is Otaru's shopping street. Considering it's a bit of walk from Otaru station we decided to take train instead, to Minami-Otaru station which is pretty close to one end of Sakaimachi-dori, and walk back from there. 
Otaru platform
Minami-Otaru POB
Minami-Otaru station. Can see a blizzard coming alr =.= Braved the storm and walk towards Sakaimachi St
Arriving at one end of Sakaimachi-dori
Dropped by the Music Box museum first
So many varieties
Literally anything can become a musical box.
There are so many things to see along the street! Top of the list for me is the various confectioneries and developed a plan to not buy anything yet, but leave it to New Chitose Airport so that we can combine and qualify for tax free #protip. So basically pop by the shops to try samples so that we know what to buy when the time comes. There are also a lot of gift shops, specialty shops (e.g. glass products) etc.
Starting point
Went up LeTAO's observatory while waiting for a seat
Double fromage cheesecake yum!
Cheese and milk ice cream yum!
See how hard it was snowing.
Cream puff from Kitakaro
Ryokkatei, another popular confectionery
Down the street
Dropping by glass shop
Pretty but couldnt find a use for it so nvm.
More sights along the street
We had a bit of curfew to be back at Lifehouse by 3pm although I don't know why we (or rather, I) bothered. Should have spent a lot more time here! But we also wanted to go back to Otaru Canal so had to factor in a bit of time there, and didnt want to reach Sapporo too late. So headed towards the canal by 2.30pm ish. Still no sign of blue skies. 
Trishaw in this weather?
Day view of the canal! On a clear day you would be able to see mountains in the backdrop but oh well.
Still cant smile properly
The sister like this pose.
Still pretty charming despite no blue skies.
Collected our luggage and bid Otaru farewell. Shaping up to be my favourite stop of the trip, and would love to be back one day. 
Back to Otaru station
Otaru platform
First stop inside Sapporo station. Coz the sister was like 心肝脾肺肾 all feeling cold lol.
Sapporo station
Short walk to our hotel, APA Hotel TKP Sapporo Ekimae. APA Hotel is another one of those hotel chains that showed up frequently when researching accommodation and I think this one was a collaboration with TKP as a title sponsor or sth (I think TKP is some business group). Looks quite new and room size was really comfortable, except for the toilet of course. I was actually pretty excited for a two night stay at a same place because, one day break from packing and dragging luggage around, and sufficient time for laundry! Ran out of clean heattech so had to do laundry. 
Scramble walk everywhere
Hotel room! Pretty decent.
Toilet is still small.
Rested a bit and headed out for dinner. Plan was to go to Susukino area and hunted for a yakiniku place, but the place we wanted to go is full for the night and had to turn us away. So brought forward plans to go to Sapporo Ramen Alley which is in the area anyway. 
Susukino intersection
Big bright advertising boards
Ramen Alley. Pretty narrow
Everything looked good so we chose one after going through everybody's menu, and the fact that queues arent that crazy for this one. Good timing again coz by the time we were done eating, the queue outside had stretched much more. 
Not a big place, seating capacity of maybe 10 people. Duno what it is called in Japanese but it's 倍煎舍 in Chinese/Kanji
Miso Ramen
Verdict - much better than shio ramen! Very flavourful and the miso flavour came through strongly, along with ginger. We didnt thought of it at that time but maybe should have just ordered one bowl to share, and try another shop after that. Oh well. Dropped by Tanukikoji Shopping Street after that and realising it is made up of a series of seven streets. Reminded me of that time in Osaka's Tenjinbashi Shopping Street - sheltered, perhaps pedestrianised streets. Started in the 3rd and gave up by the time we reached finished the 6th street. Did go back with some food souvenirs from drug stores - and so it begins. 
Tanukikoji Shopping Street
One of the later nights for us - Sapporo is a lot livelier given that it is the biggest city in Hokkaido after all, lots of people on streets even as we left for hotel at about 930pm. Stayed up late to hand wash clothes and had to wait for dryers to free up - there are only two washers and two dryers for the entire hotel =.= Literally sat inside the laundry room to chope dryer which is half an hour away from completing the cycle. Then waited another hour in room for mine to complete - and it came out lukewarm and still somewhat moist :(( So no choice but to decorate hotel room with my laundry - lucky that this room is relatively big and clean so lots of place to hang clothes. Slept at close to 2am sigh. |
