Explore Hokkaido -Last Minute Shopping & Preparation - Day 12 & 13

We have one for day left before we return to Kuala Lumpur, we decided to keep some of our stuffs in the train station and pack our bicycles at the train station on the following morning. 

The bag on the rear rack was our IKEA Dimpa bags for the bike packing.

Passing by Sapporo TV Tower as we were going to the train station.

It requires a little bit of comprehension on the usage of the locker, we then kept our packing stuffs into the locker. The rental is 500¥ (big size) for 24 hours.

Off we went to a sport store located outside the city centre at Shiroishi which was about 10km away. 

Shugakuso Shiroishi is a sport store selling a vast variety of equipment such as sport wears, outdoor equipments, sports wear and etc etc. I was trying to get a set of sprocket for my Brompton.  

Not stock for a double sprocket hence I have to look for it elsewhere.

The pricing of a premium Brompton in Sapporo.

Jo had enough cycling and was looking for a train station to go back to the city centre. This bicycle ramp was not going to bring us to any station.

It turned out to be a bicycle parking station. Gosh that was a lot of bicycles in the basement.

The Clock Tower (時計台, Tokeidai) is another iconic landmark in Sapporo. The building was built in 1878.

The Clock Tower serves as a museum with displays about the building's history and also about the city of Sapporo.

 We did a bit of shopping for chocolates and cookies to bring back home. This had to be also kept in the locker for the time being.

The folded bicycles tucking at a corner while the owner went on for a shopping spree.

The final day of cycling around Sapporo and it was time to get back to the hotel for the evening.

Beer and sake was a good idea to chill-out in a restaurant with some nice pairing food.

Grilled fish and pork were delicious.

And another round of ramen.

DAY 13- Back to KL 

We woke at 4am, check out of Relief Sapporosusukino Hotel and cycled to Sapporo Main Train Station to catch to first train to New Chitose International Airport.

Bye bye to this friendly signage seen on the road pavement of Sapporo and we hope to come back again maybe for a different season.

We were shocked to find out that the Sapporo Train Station was closed and will only be opened at 5.15am. 

We were worried whether we have sufficient time to pack our bicycles into the Dimpa bags, then to go the train platform to catch the train to the airport.

It was really "kan-cheong" as I had to pack both the bikes, fortunately we were able to made it in time and what a relief.

A poster seen at the train for those travelling with bicycle or with your pet.

Car No.4 for reserved seats.

We paid extra for reserved seats where I was worried about seat and space congestion that might jeopardise or inconvenient our travel to the airport. A bit of kiasu here hehehe. 

A poster seen on the train for those travelling with bicycle or with your pet.

Safely arriving at the airport for our AirAsia flight back home. 

Good bye Hokkaido it has been a wonderful trip and thank you Hokkaido Cycling Tourism for the guide and information provided for our planning. 

We could see Port Dickson from the plane & home sweet home was approaching. Til then we will meet again.

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.