Explore Hokkaido - Maruyama Park, Hokkaido Shrine & Ashahi Beer Factory - Day 11

It was the 11th day with a breakfast prepared by the hotel before we start off our day. By the way that was a 1,000¥ meal.

The weather was prefect, the street was quiet as we started to roll off from Relief Sapporosusukino Hotel.

Odori Park has been a common place for us to pass through everyday in Sapporo.

One more shot at the former Government office building near Odori Park.

One wefie as we slowly enjoy the cycling toward the next destination.

It was Sunday and moreover it was also Japan's unprecedented 10-day holiday to celebrate Crown Prince Naruhito's enthronement. Everyone was on holiday mood and every reason to celebrate.

Along our way to Maruyama Park we were greeted with a huge rusty Tori gate, wonder what is the significant of leaving the metal tori with a rusty finish.

It was a short 7km ride from our hotel to Maruyama Park. This park is common to all the residents of Sapporo as a place for relaxation and rest.

The park is beautiful, it is most popular during the cherry blossom season with 1,500 sakura trees, thousands of locals flock to the park and enjoy the hanami (cherry blossom festival). 

The local seen cleansing themselves with the holy water before they enter the shrine, a common practice seen in Japan. There is a poster next to it to show the procedure as to how one cleanses him or herself. 

Taking the stone stairways up and under the huge torii (Japanese gate) will bring you to most of the shrines and the cherry blossom trees during spring.

Hokkaido shrine is a small shrine on a big piece of land with beautiful greenery especially during cherry blossom.

Our bicycles were park near the entrance next to the tori gate.

Written prayers on wooden block displayed at kiosks on the compound.

We followed the flow of people and it took us to a place where cherry blossom viewing was the highlight.

During this time of spring both local and foreign visitors would flock in to view the sakura.

Leaving the place and exiting the tori gate to pick our bicycles as the crowd was slowly increasing.

We also spent some time enjoying the beauty of Maruyama Park such as capturing the tulip flowers.

Indeed it is a park with natural surrounding, vast and truly a great place to relax. 

A pit stop for drink and cookies where we got it from the food truck nearby.

Later we proceeded further to Maruyam Zoo but did not enter and headed for other places.

Having fun and enjoying a trail with the big forest trees near the zoo.

A lovely and heavily canopied trail that is nice to ride on.

Some local visitors seem to performing some prayer at this small shrine.

A quiet road with beautiful row of flowering trees that warranted a detour to stop by and appreciate its beauty.

We found a ramen shop for lunch 永坊 with only one person manning the shop. It is located at GPS : 43.054851, 141.320884.

We were happy with the ramen whuch was slightly different from the typical ramen but yummy. Another domo arigatogozaimasu for the food.

Thanks to John Pah for letting me know about a must visit to Asahi Breweries Hokkaido Brewery. From Maruyama Keon Station where we folded our bicycles and took a train to Nangonanachome Station for the next adventure. We arrived to the factory after a short roll from the station and park our bicycles outside the factory.

We were nearly denied entry into the factory as we told them we came with our bicycles. The law prohibit a person from cycling if ones have consumed beer. We change our mode of transportation in the registration form to "train" instead of bicycle and our issue was resolved. There upon we went for a 45 minutes tour.

Then came the highlight of the factory visit, free beer tasting. I had the 3 different types of beer and all has it peculiar taste and fineness.

The free drinks came with titbit and it's highly recommended for those visiting Sapporo to visit this factory and remember don't go there with bicycle if you want to consume the beer. 

That was it, a worthy visit to Ashahi Breweries Hokkaido Brewery with another visit accomplished.

A short roll back to a train station that linked us to Sapporo Station.

Dinner at Sushi Zanmai for a typical Japanese meal. Apparently Sushi Zanmai has several branches and this is at Susukino with a GPS location at 43.055931, 141.353764. Oishī ne (delicious)  and a walk (700m) back to Relief Sapporosusukino Hotel for the night.