Saturday, 17 March 2018

Hokkaido Travelogue: Day 7 - Sapporo


Initially, I have planned to have cakes at Odori Bisse for breakfast on Day 7 in Sapporo, but somehow, along the way, Kinotoya Cafe at Bisse Sweets got me distracted, mainly because their bakes look way more "breakfast worthy" as compared to those fancy looking cakes, which might be a little too surfeiting. 


Omelette Parfait Set - 756 Yen

Actually, I was really expecting an omelette, but it was actually a layer of very soft and fluffy (a tad dry, though) sponge cake, topped with a generous layer of light whipped cream and cut fruits like strawberry, kiwi, peach, grapefruit and etc. First look at the amount of whipped cream and I was a little put off, thinking that it would be too jerlak (surfeiting), but it turned out pretty all right, partially because the sponge cake was on the drier side, so having more of the whipped cream really helped. 



Morning Set B - 756 Yen

The BF's set B consist of this pretzel croissant, along with clam chowder, a side salad and a cup of hot coffee/tea. 
First time trying a pretzel croissant, but I can't decide if I really like it. Perhaps either a croissant, or a pretzel would have been better? 

Kinotoya Cafe Odori Koen is open from 8am to 9pm daily. 
For more information, visit their website HERE.

So after a satisfying #cheatdayworthy breakfast, we hopped onto the Tozai Line and headed over to the Sunpiazza Aquarium located at Shin Sapporo Station. 

The Sunpiazza Aquarium is a compact city-type aquarium located next to a large-scale shopping center and is an easy access from both the JR and subway stations. Visitors can enjoy going to the aquarium as well as shopping and having a meal. There are saltwater fishes and crustaceans brought from a wide area which includes the neighboring seas and southern oceans, a habitat for coral reefs, and rare freshwater fishes. Other attractions include the harbor seals and rockhopper penguins who are loved for their adorable movements , the Asian small-clawed otter, and the clione, which is characterized as “ floating ice angels”. 
“The Fish Circus Show” takes place everyday and on Sundays and holiday, the staffs puts on a feeding show in the water tank that accommodates approximately 1,500 fishes. Visitors can touch crabs and starfish in the “Touching Pool”. 
-www.sapporo.travel-

The aquarium is located at the Sunpiazza Shopping Mall and is barely a 3 minutes walk from the subway station. Entrance fee is priced at 900 yen for adult, and even thought aquarium isn't that big, you can still spend at least 1.5 to 2 hours here. 
And here are some spoilers for you. :)

There's this "doctor fish" tank, which the BF had a great time entertaining himself over. Personally not a fan, too itchy!

There's this cute looking seal/sea lion (?) with a very attention-seeking pair of nostrils. 
Watch my instagram video HERE

I LOLed at this candid shot the BF took for us (Mr. Stingry and I). Love how it seems like we're staring at each other. 

And this, is the biggest attraction point of the squarium for me! You get to "shake hands" with an otter! Believe it or not, I've waited almost 1 hour, right at the otters' exhibition tank for this. 
Watch my instagram video of the otter's handshake HERE

And we're also lucky enough to bump into the timing of their penguin-walk the very minute we reached the aquarium at 11 plus am. 
Watch the cute little penguin's walk to the elevator HERE

The Sunpiazza Aquarium is open from 10am to 6pm daily. 
For more information, visit their website HERE

So after bidding all the sea creatures goodbye, we hopped back onto the Tozai Line and headed to Maruyama Koen Station, where the Hokkaido Shrine is located at, 15 minutes walk away. 


The Hokkaido Shrine was built in 1869 after the Meiji Emperor decreed that the “three pioneering gods” be enshrined to uplift the spirit of the pioneers. Judge Yoshitake Shima, who had undertaken the design of downtown Sapporo at the time, selected Maruyama, which was surrounded by mountains on three sides and open to a plain on one side, as the site of the new shrine. The existence of a shine dedicated to the Shinto deities not only offered spiritual support to the pioneers, who faced difficulties in clearing through the virgin forest, but also served as a gathering place for the people to meet and talk. In 1964, the Showa Emperor approved the additional enshrinement of the Meiji Emperor, thus Hokkaido Shrine now enshrines four gods. The protective deities, who have overseen the development of Hokkaido and the happiness of its people, continue to play an important part in Hokkaido citizens’ lives — particularly on New Year’s Day, the day before the start of spring, and during exorcisms and weddings. The nature-rich shrine, where visitors are likely to see wild squirrels, draws many visitors in the spring when cherry and plum blossoms bloom simultaneously.
-www.sapporo.travel-



The shrine is basically located within Maruyama Koen, and house up to 1400 Sakura trees and 250 Ume trees. I can only imagine how stunning the place will look like during Spring/Sakura seasons. But as we chose to visit during end of May/early June, which is the super off-peak and absolutely-nothing-is-blooming season, it did look like of miserable. 
We specially dropped by the convenience store to pick up a pack of nuts, hoping to feed the squirrels (supposed to have a lot of resident squirrels at the park), but I guess the rain forced them all into hiding. :(

And so, feeling damn disappointed, we hopped back onto the Tozai Line and headed back to Odori/Susukino area for more random (daiso) shopping, dinner, and pachinko. 

Did I mention that the BF was OBSESSED with pachinko? =.="

Anyway, the plan was to look for the popular Garuku Soup Curry, but we just chanced upon Curry's Tribe located near the Tanukikoji Shopping Street and decided to give this a try.


Love, love love these so much! 
Even though not as insanely popular as Garuku, this is still so much better than the Hokkaido Soup Curry that has landed in Singapore a while ago. I guess that's how it is, everything in Japan just taste way better. 

For more information on Curry's Tribe, visit the website HERE

And this basically concludes our time in Sapporo! Read about our day 8 in Asahikawa right HERE!

Till then,
Mia Foo

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