1st day in Japan, Hokkaido

Date: 18 - 19 Jun 08
Occasion: Holiday trip to Hokkaido
Participants: Mummy, Shimei, ME, 3rd Auntie, 4th Auntie, 6th Auntie, Ah Siew Auntie, Ah Kuan Auntie

Note: 3rd, 4th and 6th Auntie are related. They are my grandmother's sisters. I call them lao yi (Teo chew). Ah Siew Auntie and Ah Kuan Auntie are initially 4th Auntie's friends, whom later all became friends with 3rd and 6th Auntie, and Mummy. For convenience sake, I will call them 3 Auntie, 4 Auntie, 6 Auntie, Auntie Siew and Auntie Kuan.

Disclaimer: All information stated in this blog subjected to information disseminated by tour guide and, of course my memory.

Took 6 hours flight to Narita International Airport, to take a 45min bus ride to a domestic airport to take 1hr 45min flight to Hokkaido. (super ) It was 19 Jun 08 by the time we reached Hokkaido.

Me and Sister at Changi airport, with Indian stranger looking at us

We, meaning Mummy, Shimei and I, were wear tees of the same design. A bit corny, but it makes my mother happy. So... Despite the ultimate corniness, esp when I am like 25, I went with the flow.

4 Auntie with us

In plane; Fluffy white clouds. We are close to reaching Narita International Airport.

Our in-flight meal. It is chicken porridge, though it looks plain, it is actually quite good.

Sis enjoying food

Saw this cute bag in the plane. Deliberately took pic to show Daniel. MSS (mai siao siao) this bag costs SGD200+ loh. Some more not very big.

包子s! Sis is 豆沙包 coz she can be very "rounded" while I am 叉燒包 coz 叉燒包 is crumpled at the top. HAHAH~

Me on travelator at Narita

Our first group photo

Our lunch. Inside the cover pot are some sliced pork and vegetables, lightly seasoned with some salt.

Mummy and Sis

At the roadside also got flowers

Mummy with roadside flower (not Lavender, we thought it was initially too)

Sis

Me with Vanilla soft cone. Yummy! (I like this pic )

3 Auntie

4 Auntie

6 Auntie

Next stop: Shikotse-Toya National Park
This is actually a sleeping volcano. The place is called 地獄谷 is because there was a big statue of the Japanese King of Hell (similar to Chinese 閻羅王) there and there were crows flying around. Together with the steamy atmosphere, it resembles Hell; hence the name.

Crows were big (as in literally; they were like 1.5 times the size that we see in Singapore) in Japan as they were worshiped upon. This is because in the past Genghis Khan did not attack Japan, all thanks to the many flying crows then. With technology not being advanced, the binoculars Genghis Khan used was not as clear, hence giving the illusion that Japan has huge army. As a result, Japan was one of the minority areas in Southern Asia not conquered by Genghis Khan. This explains why the Japanese worships crows.

Our first formal group photo

Family pic

Cute toilet sign. I think they should put a ribbon on the red sign.

The toilets were clean.

Notice the steam

Even the water is steamy

Danger Keep Out

Flowers were blooming everywhere and anywhere

First appearance: Auntie Kuan and Auntie Siew (L to R)

Next stop: Ninja Village

Beautiful landscape

Mummy with bonsai tree. The trees were very green.

Balls of flowers so fluffy and cute, that we all had to take pic with it. Hahah..

6 Auntie, 3 Auntie, 4 Auntie, Auntie Kuan (L to R)

Sis, Mummy, Auntie Siew, me

Friendly Japanese warrior

Studying tables in the olden days

Olden Japanese streets

Herm.. Am I lost? (slightly drizzling hence the hoodie)

Guess what we found here

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dandelion flowers!!

Very light and fluffy!

She blew

I blew

We blew

Me and Japanese lady in traditional robe

Watched Ninja show.
The show generally highlights the fighting techniques and skills of ninjas. Interesting but hard to describe. Their fight was quite exciting though it was planned.

The benches were really cute!

With the ninjas

Watched the Geisha show
The story plot is that the pimp invited a customer into the brothel without knowing that he is a powerful warrior. (In the olden days warriors are very powerful and respected, holding the class below the Emperor.) The pimp only realised that when the Geisha told him so. Since the warrior was very happy, he treated the Geisha and her followers/ servants/ helpers to sashimi and expensive kimonos. When it was time to pay, the warrior realises that he does not have money. The pimp was then blamed for inviting a poor customer into the brothel.

Simon, one of our travel mates, participating in the Geisha show.

The pretty and VERY FAIR geisha. She is really very fair, even without the thick makeup.

Our pictures with the Geisha. Notice her elaborate clothing.

Guess what's outside the toilet.

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A little boy pooping. Haha~

It was raining that day.

Finally, we went back to our hotel, which is a resort.

Very nice and cosy. :)

All the hotels provided slippers for their guests.

Pardon my messy bed. I shared room with 4 Auntie.

I like the sloping ceiling. Gives me the feeling that I am in an attic.

View from our window.

There is even a TV area.

The remote control comes with a guide. Heng ar!

Japanese teletext

A tired me. Was really tired because I can't sleep in the plane at all. Meaning, I survived at least 20 hours without sleep.

Later in the evening, after dinner, I went for hot spring with Mummy and sister. Don't have pictures of the hot spring because we were not supposed to be clothed. Meaning we went in naked. Was a bit shy initially but once in the hot spring felt normal because everyone else is naked too. Felt relaxed after the hot spring.

Stay tuned for Day 2.

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blogging is tiring. My room is in a total M E S S. Gotta vacuum and mop floor tomorrow.

When I was in Japan, I totally miss my baby. Thank God for 5 Auntie and 4 Uncle for helping me feed my baby.