#bluepond | Japan Travel Insights by season

Our 3rd visit in Daisetsuzan for first koyo (fall foliage) in Japan. As the main goals of my plan was to cover Asahidake, Ginsendai and Kogen onsen, I have advanced this visit for a few days than in my first visit in Sept 2004.

After Daisetsuzan, we stayed in Furano overnight before returning to Sapporo. Upon landing in Sapporo/CTS, took Dohoku express bus to Asahikawa direct in 2 hours+.

Went to our favourite izakaya for dinner (5th time).

Picked up rental car on next morning. However, as rain was forecasted (due to a temperature cyclone moving in from Siberia), I diverted to Biei/Furano. It was already raining quite heavily on the way and by the time we arrived at Farm Tomita at around 11am, rain unexpectedly stopped and the sun showed up briefly.

The colourful flower fields looked gorgeous as usual.

After casual lunch, dropped by its dried flower shop again and headed to the Blue pond before rain clouds rolled in.

Had a coffee break and cakes in Cafe Ken & Mary in Biei before heading uphill to Asahidake onsen for overnight.

====> Sounkyo ====>

Blue Pond and Shirahige falls

After late lunch we dropped by the blue pond again. As it was a calm and sunny day, reflections were almost perfect. While it was as crowded as in a large open market, we returned to our onsen resort in Naka-Furano soon afterwards.

Hokuryu Himawari (sunflower) festival

On the next morning, after checking out from the Nakafurano onsen resort, we drove to Hokuryu for its sunflower festival. On the way, we dropped by a small mount near Fukagawa where there was a Tottoro bus.

As the sunflowers were less than impressive (compared to our trip in Oct 2009 in Biei), we did not stay long and head back to Sapporo for lunch.

Back in Sapporo

While this kaiten-sushi shop in JR Tower Sapporo is often crowded with long line, its shop in southern Sapporo has free parking. When we arrived it had plenty of vacant seats.

In the evening, we went for dinner in Mikuni – the French restaurant of JR Tower Hotel Nikko Sapporo.