Hokkaido Part 1 - Not yet Hokkaido

Since we bought the 10k yen train 5 days pass ticket that is really really budget to reach Hokkaido, which is 830km away from Tokyo. Our Hokkaido trip journey is Tokyo --> Nikko --> Sendai --> Matsushima --> Aomori --> Hokkaido!!

First stop is Nikko. Thanks to Kenny, he has a very very rich host mum staying there in Nikko. I had the most luxurious moment of my entire life.



Her name is Uchida San. She hoisted down a taxi just for a few hundred meters distance. Not only my first time in Taxi in Japan, but freaking T.W.I.C.E a day! Too much for me to accept. The taxi ride enough to make a poor student like me happy for one day.



Taxi rides is not it. First it was the taxi ride from station, then it's the super posh looking European style restaurant. From-far-you-know-it-cost-a-fortune-for-meal those type.



Of course it has standard, if not the Ex Taiwan President wont be here.



I didnt even dare to open the menu. Uchida san was kind enough to ask us Omelet or beef for lunch, both almost cost to my one week lunch money. This lunch, is my most expensive lunch my entire life! RM170 for appetizer, beef steak, dessert, coffee and grape juice.

Visited 東照宮, 二荒山神社, 神橋. All the places were so majestic , in addition to the foggy weather, it all felt like a dream.

Cant hear, cant speak, cant see.

Quite right after the expensive lunch, and the sightseeing, we were off for afternoon tea in Kanaya Hotel. Kanaya hotel existed since 1873, inside its all very old fashioned European style in the middle of Japan enviroment. Then we stop by a shop own by a friend of Uchida-san. Very interesting old lady. 73 years old lady, but drove car more fierce than me. She doesnt look 73, she was laughing, dancing, with Uchida-san, like two very lively old friends havent met for long time, endless jokes.

Then it's dinner. ゆば　(Yuba) is famous vegeterian food in Nikko. It's all made of toufu. I especially love the toufu skin. I always love extra toufu skin in my Bak kut teh back I was in Malaysia.

The problem with 3 of us each having a camera is that:

A tourist capturing a very excited tourist taking picture.

Then another tourist capture a tourist capturing another tourist's pic. :::sweat:::

The definition of Western is people sitting on wheelchair.

Ended the day at 9pm that day in a youth hostel near a river. That night before was the Hanabi night, barely slept enough. Not the most luxurious location but at least clean, and I was the only girl that night in the youth hostel, so I was able to get my own room. Well, Kenny and Ahmet shared room with 2 hot sexy French guys. Not that bad too.

Youth hostel

Woke up 630am next day heading down to Sendai.

Sendai is celebrating Tanabata festival. It's the festival where that legendary couples met once a year. They are all deco up for the festival.

Except Tanabata, there's also another matsuri going on in the street of Sendai.

Free observation deck in Sendai. Sendai has 3 towers! All lighted up.

Ended Sendai's day in Toyoko Inn. We walked in without reservation, so a bit expensive. I took the single room, fully made use of the hot bath, bath-robe. And watched Will Smith spoke Japanese in I Am Legend.

Next day was Matsushima. Because I was just here one week before, therefore I did not join them for the boat ride and lover bridge. But I am super jealous of Ahmet's picture below.

Below two pictures are for Zhan Wei, we missed this spot last visit. Inside of 瑞巌寺.

Chinese painting in gold.

After Matsushima, IT WAS ALL TRAIN RIDES! From 2pm up to midnight to reach Aomori.

We did EVERYTHING on the train to keep ourselves entertained.

We compete in Sudoku solving. I lost badly. and we tried to solve the crossword puzzle, impossible.

We each do what we could do best. Kenny taking pictures, Ahmet looking pissed off, and me did nuts. Btw, Kenny took a picture of me sleeping on the train, seriously sloppy, they saw all my un-glam face. shit.

We supposely reached Hakodate, Hokkaido that very night. But we met with an earthquake and all the train scheduled was delayed. We missed the night express to Hakodate.

So, we put up a night in capsule hotel Aomori.

It's always the confinement idea of a capsule hotel that makes people feeling uncomfy of staying in a capsule. Fact is, it's actually quite spacious and comfy. The only problem I had was, the it was all gender shared toilet. Well, again, I was one of the only two girls that night in the capsule.

Next is Hokodate. To be continue...