i stayed in hokkaido for the first four nights. it is supposed to be spring now but the weather was still quite cold. especially up in the mountains where the wind is strong, our fingers would be numb beyond feeling. there were still some snow left from the previous week. first time i see snow, though most of it has become dirty ice.
our first two nights were spent in a hot spring resort. it was a new experience for me to go down to the onsen. had to have alot of courage cos we had to be fully naked. but you could see japanese from ages four to 60+ and it was pretty normal for them. they could let their young sons see their bodies without any problem. i even chatted with a kawaii boy in the pool. the outdoor pool was especially refreshing. its so relaxing to soak in the hot water in the cold air.
after two days of mountain scenery, we went to the town of Otaru. the buildings there are all very nice. their streets are lined with a mixture of traditional styled japanese buildings and european styled shophouses. i was surprised to learn that hokkaido is influenced greatly by european culture cos of their location. their houses are mostly european style instead of the tradtional ryokan even in the countryside.
next up was Sapporo city, capital of Hokkaido. at night, the buildings are all lit up with neon lights. it is very difficult to find rubbish bins on the streets but surprisingly, the streets are even cleaner than singapore's. there's no rubbish at all. singapore has much to learn.
Hakodate, port city of Hokkaido. i finally saw sakura blooms!!! it wasnt much, only a few isolated trees. if only i could see the mankai, the whole park would be covered in pink. we also went to the fish market. the seafood is all very fresh but i'm sick of eating seafood for one week. not much of a seafood fan. i tried the squid ink ice cream. not very special actually but i love their ice cream. i can eat it everyday even if its freezing cold. finally got to eat ramen from those roadside stalls too. oishii desu ne~ but actually the real japanese food is not as nice as those in singapore. we are too accustomed to the singaporean taste. and the food is so expensive! a normal meal usually costs at least $10. even though things are expensive, tehy dont have to worry cos the main tourists and consumers in japan are the japanese themselves. they buy things like they are free.
we went to Tokyo for the last day. shopping time!! Harajuku is like the bugis street of singapore. all the people are dressed up very fashionably. some of the clothes are quite affordable if they are on sales. regret not buying more. at night, we took the subway to Shinjuku. the metro system is so complicated that having a map wont help. you can also sense how fast paced and stressed city life is. the people are all walking so quickly that you also feel obliged to keep up to prevent from getting in people's way. anyway, the night life in Shinjuku is very 'happening'. its actually quite a sleezy place. the street is lined with sex toy shops or night clubs and karaoke joints. there's not only gals club but boys club. their pictures will be shown outside the building for customers to choose. there will also be guys in black suits and carrying transparent umbrellas (it was raining that day), trying to get female customers. they are supposed to be handsome but they look more like ah bengs. i saw a few men whom i think are members of the yakuza. all of them had gold chains and drive expensive cars.
on the whole, i find the japanese very friendly people. had the chance to talk to some of them with my mediocore japanese. communication is abit of a problem. but with some japanese and english plus alot of pointing, we could barely manage. the most important phrase during shopping is 'kore wa ikura desuka?', meaning 'how much?'
the japanese are also experts in pakaging and service. all the things are wrapped up so nicely you just cant resist buying. they are also very generous with their samples. they give out whole chocolates and large portions of cakes as samples. something that cant be done in singapore or they would probably incur a loss. as for service, they are very patient and helpful. we were in a shopping centre when we got lost in the underground system. it was closing time and we panicked. we asked the manager for directions and he immediately left his post to lead us all the way out. pei fu! in any case, dont ever try to take taxi in japan. you'll suffer from high blood pressure just looking at the meter. i travelled for 4km and paid S$30. a 60km trip will cost you what it takes for a nice trip to bangkok plus shopping! their apartments are equally expensive. my tour guide stays in the outskirts of tokyo in an apartment the size of 4 tatami mats (1 mat=90x180cm). her rent is 70,000 yen (100 yen = $1.40) per month!
ok, finally ended. thanks if ur're still reading. haha...hope to go japan again. next time with friends!
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