Hokkaido

November, 2012

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Farming posters in Obihiro Airport celebrate one of Hokkaido's main industries

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The Hokkaido or Dosanko Horse is short, strong and a native of Japan. Dosanko is a term used for those born in Hokkaido and is therefore a term of endearment for

the horse.

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As soon as you leave the airport you see the Hidaka Mountain Range that stretches 150 Km and rises to a height of 2000 m.

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A view of the mountains--from the Sahoro Ski Resort--down the road from the Club Med Ski Resort

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Chateau Furano is the home of Furano Wines, as well as lavender

A winery tour ends up, of course, with wine tasting. The grape juice is also delicious

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Early morning view from our room at the Furano Prince Hotel.

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Sapporo's outdoor seafood market

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Fresh crabs. 9000 Yen was about $110.00 CAD (Nov. 17, 2012)

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Plump Octopus (tako) tentacle at a cost of $47.00. Eaten as sashimi, with sushi or as an ingredient in a batter of wheat flour, as takoyaki (fried or grilled octopus)

And of course, the ultimate reward is a meal of chirashi sushi--a bowl of rice topped with a variety of seafood. In this case it was that melt-in-your-mouth kind.

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The statue of Dr. William Smith Clark and his famous advice, "Boys be Ambitious" has become a symbol of the people of Hokkaido. It is situated at Hitsujigaoka Observation Hill in Sapporo.

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In the Sapporo Winter Festival Museum, also located at the observatory, you can find posters, beautiful detailed models used for the ice sculptures, as well as a few plush polar bears to pose with.

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The famous clock tower in downtown Sapporo. Built in 1878 as the drill hall of the Agricultural College, it is one of the few Western-style buildings remaining.

Sapporo's 1972 Winter

Olympic Museum

The Okurayama Jumping Hill where in 1972 Japan's Yukio Kasaya won the competition.

The interactive museum encourages visitors to experience the Olympics for themselves

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The view from our room at the Sheraton Sapporo Hotel

In the town of Otaru, the canal is lined by old brick and stone warehouses now used as museums and restaurants

Otaru's fish market is a popular tourist spot for seafood and

vegetables. Left: Salmon Right: Abalone (2000 yen = $24.00 CAD).

Below: Wasabi--which is the green 'horseradish' you have with

your sushi.

Members of the Niseko Promotion Board introduced us to Japan's Ski Country and may have had something to do with Niseko's first major

snowfall of the year--just for our enjoyment!

Hokke is a mackeral and , prepared like this at the Niseko Village Clyb Izakaya, it's no wonder that it is included in the "Flavours of Hokkaido". Served with daikon (horseradish) and complemented by

Tagatsuru Sake...it was unbelievably tasty.

Head Chef at the Niseko Club Izakaya...Hakita Tasuteru's food was truly amazing--every single bite!

The Hilton Niseko Village is not only a wonderful friendly hotel with its own 24 hour onsen (hot spring for bathing) but ideally situated in the mountains for that perfect ski experience.

Niseko had it's first major snowfall on November 18th, just in time for the official opening of the ski season on November 23rd.

A look at the Windsor Hotel Toya Resort and Spa. Left Top: Elegance Right Top: George Bush's suite during the 2008 G8 Summit . Bottom: Views of Lake Toya from the hotel.

And then the cruise on Lake Toya...

Nakajima Island, Lake Toya

Mount Usu is an active stratovolvano on the Southern rim of the caldera Lake Toya

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