日本。。初めまして！

HOKKAIDO + TOKYO

Nov 2-10

weather : 2-16'C

autumn/winter

currency : 100 yen = myr 3.85

Hokkaido Shrine

ただいま!! i'm home... still feeling unawake from my fairyland journey... yeah! it's not only a tour, IT'S A JOURNEY!! it's always a dream to explore a place that don't speak the language i know... i have been treated as a real foreigner, a real tourist, a real stranger. ooh yeah...... the feeling was fantastic!! and JAPAN, this is the place that i've been longing for, i brought back a bundle of unforgettable memories.......... !!!

blessings from hokkaido shrine

JOURNEY begins with HOKKAIDO.. northernmost island of Japan, rich in its nature, near Russia, has a coastline on the Sea of Japan, the Sea of Okhtosk & the Pacific Ocean. The largest city in hokkaido is it's capital : sapporo. besides sapporo, my journey also covers hakodate, noboribetsu, otaru & definitely to TOKYO as well.

10mins passes 12.00pm, we touch down at hakodate airport. i can see that it's raining from my last row aisle seat.. i was thinking... it's rather annoying to start a holiday in this way. but as i get closer to the emergency exit window... ooh mine! it's not raining. it's SNOWING!!!!!!! HEAVILY!!!! hakodate snows on our first day of arrival ~ hokkaido welcomes us ~

and as i travelled around these few cities, i'm lucky to meet different people from different backgrounds. they are willing to allow me to understand more about their culture.
*Lai-san(middle) my bi-lingual tour guide... thanks for everything during the journey. i was inspired by your rich experiences all over the world *

... 0230am in the morning, still reluctanted to go for a rest. Just don't feel like ending my night on the bed. life was so relax in hokkaido... all you need to think is NOTHING. it was really a good break for me from everything.
Japan has really friendly citizens & clean environment! is rather shameful for me to reflect on my own country. Altho' the travel expenses is awful & things are rather expensive in Japan, but there are too many things to comfort me..... the snowy sceneries at 2 degrees celcius are really breathtaking....

snow at hakodate, hokkaido

I've learn so many different japanese cultures here. they don't cut queues, no matter is in a traffic queue, restaurants etc... japanese are so well manner, so helpful...
7 nov : this is the day that i won't forget. we hop into the airport limousine bus at narita airport to tokyo downtown. the last stop for the bus was at shinjuku area. we were the last passengers to get off the bus.. the driver got all our luggages out from the bus, and on situation whereby i was not very sure bout' the hotel location, i ask the driver for help > (where is this shinjuku new city hotel, is it nearby?). The driver was so helpful, quickly get his walkie-talkie to call back to the station, just after 2 mins........ he carried all our luggages into the bus again!! He said, the hotel is near, he can send us there....... free of charge!!! ooh mine....... how lucky am i to meet such a kind person during the journey!
the rest of the days : "irrashai masae" (welcome) flews all over my ears for more than 5 times from the moment i step into any shop ~ "arigatou gozaimashita" (thank u) flews all over my ears for more than 5 times from the moment i bought something from any shop. they bow... and bow... and bow to me to show how much they appreciated the business. how could japanese have such passionate attitude on their jobs?? i have been treated as a "king" rather than more than just a customer!

punctuality : if the time-table stated that the train leaves at 10.00am, make sure u be there by 9.50am. if u reach there at 10.01am... the train is gone!! japanese really show me what is punctuality!!

tokyo meiji shrine ~ 明治神宫

most of the time, i have huge appetites for what i desire... and going to japan is always a big dream of mine! where dreams are wishes... and WISHES came true!!....... and JAPAN is definitely a fabulous country that will alwiz bring happiness & excitement to people who visited there and i vow to return... 【to everyone who made this tour happened.. "お疲れ樣" (o tsukaresama) THANK YOU VERY MUCH !!】. to some of my friends that i'm not able to meet them this time... i'm gonna return soon ~ 日本... 待ってください...


big spider crab ...

北のグルメ (Kitanogurume, sapporo)
北之美城海鲜吃堂　

Mt. Uzusan ~ active volcano rising from the valley (hokkaido)



jigokudani hell valley (noboribetsu, hokkaido), where columns of steam incessantly rise from the numerous fissures in the rocks

noboribetsu is also known as the most famous onsen (温泉) town in hokkaido. onsen is a term for hot spring in japanese language & comes in many different types & shapes, including indoor & outdoor, water temp. being 25'c or warmer.. soakers are normally not allowed to wear clothes in the bath.