Sabishii no Tabi part 2.3
- 町 -
- Machi -
(Town)
To recap, I've posted about my travel around the cities of Tokyo --> Osaka --> Tohoku. So now we'll move on to Hokkaido!
While I'm writing this, I'm listening to this song. Lagu ini bole kata my theme song semasa berjalan di Jepun.
Yurikago no Aru Oka kara (From the Hill Where the Cradle Is)
- Mr Children -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYxENTS0078
For some reason when I arrived in Japan, my youtube account recommended this song. Then, I bought Mr Children's CD - this song was in it as well. It's not really about travel or anything haha... but I really like the lyrics and the final chorus - so sad... :(
English lyrics can be obtained here:
http://ijahlovesmrchildren.wordpress.com/2008/08/21/mr-children-yurikago-no-aru-oka-kara-from-the-hill-where-the-cradle-is/
Ok, lets move on to the next city! in Hokkaido!
From Aomori I took the overnight train - Hamanasu- to Sapporo!
Hamanasu
*overnight train is a good choice for budget travellers to save on hotel.
Unfortunately my schedule in Hokkaido is really tight - I only have time to visit one spot. Although Sapporo is the main town in Hokkaido, I decided to visit Wakkanai instead
WAKKANAI
- Northernmost town in Japan -
Wakkanai = bandar paling utara = dekat dengan Russia = menerima Siberian Wind daripada Russia = SEJUK GILER!!!
Journey begin at sunrise from Sapporo (taken from train)
Everything is white outside ~
Wakkanai city
Siberian Wind is really2 cold - even with what I'm wearing - its still really cold!!
Despite the cold weather - the beach is beautiful!
GaGaK spotted!
Everything is eaten by snow~
Cape Noshappu - 2nd northernmost point in Japan - I wanted to go to Cape Soya - the northernmost point in Japan - but I missed the bus :(
Unfortunately that's all I've visited in my limited time in Hokkaido - the time I arrived in Hokkaido (early January) is not the best time to travel. The best time (in Winter) would be in February where they have Snow festivals. But I've seen pictures that showed Hokkaido is beautiful in summer as well.
Seterusnya kita ke Kyushu!! Daripada bandar salju kita ke bandar yg kurang sejuk!
Kyushu atau dalam bahasa melayu nye Negeri Sembilan (serius, tak tipu!). Terletak di selatan main Japanese island - iklim kat sini panas la berbanding Tohoku dan Hokkaido.
Dengan menaiki train dari Sapporo --> Aomori.
Kemudian Shinkansen dari Aomori --> Tokyo --> Osaka --> Kagoshima
Satsuma Peninsula
KAGOSHIMA
If I have to name my favourite destination in Japan - it has to be Kagoshima!
Dari segi bangunan2nye takde la special sangat Kagoshima ni... tapi kenapa saya minat sangat Kagoshima ni... haha itu nanti la saya cerita! Akan ada satu post khas untuk Kagoshima! Untuk sekarang, saya just bagi sneak preview ape yg ade kat Kagoshima.
Sneak preview of Kagoshima
Yang best dekat Kagoshima region ne bukan sahaja the main city - Kagoshima. Tapi ade attraction lain macam; Chiiran & Ibusuki
CHIIRAN
- famous for samurai district and museums -
Samurai district in Chiiran
It was raining that day and it provides quite a unique scenery
Japanese-style gardens - very beautiful
Satsuma crest and samurai equipments
IBUSUKI
- famous for Nanohana, sand onsen and beautiful mountains -
Malangnya disebabkan terlepas bus daripada Chiiran ke Ibusuki - tak sempat nak melawat the beautiful mountains in Ibusuki ... sedih~ sempat jalan2 sikit je.
Ibusuki eki
Nanohana that blooms in winter
Saraku Sand Bath
Special type of "onsen" where they bury you in magma-heated sand
KUMAMOTO
Before leaving Kyushuu I spend one night in Kumamoto because I need to catch early morning Shinkansen from there to Osaka. I did not take any picture because it was already nightime when I arrived
Kumamoto shopping district - where I spent the night in Kumamoto
So from Kumamoto --> Osaka --> Kanazawa
KANAZAWA
The main reason I wanted to go to Kanazawa is to visit Shirakawa-go. But unfortunately I have very limited time so I decided just to visit Kanazawa city instead.
Kenrokuen
- One of Japan top 3 Japanese style Garden -
Unfortunately winter is not the best time to visit gardens - nevertheless its beauty can still be appreciated.
Japanese love old tree - I love them too
View of the snowy mountains from Kenrokuen
Turtle shaped island in the middle of the pond
Geisha district
Ninja-dera (ninja temple) - used as a secret military based disguise as temple in the past.
Temple district
Samurai district
Then, my final destination in Japan - Nakano - more precisely to Jigokudani Koen - Snow Monkey park!
JIGOKUDANI KOEN
- Snow Monkey park -
One of the must visit place during winter as you can see snow monkey taking a bath in the hot spring!
On the way to Nakano - taken from train - beautiful view of houses surrounded by tall montains
Scenery at the stops for Jigokudani Koen - beautiful mountains and snow landscape.
You need to walk to reach Jigokudani Koen - make you sure to bring light luggage and snow boots during winter
Walking path
Quite steep and slippery
Beautiful walking path - enjoy the forest view
Just before reaching the park - be amazed by the spectacular view + the hot water gushing down from the mountains
The stars of the day!
Ada yang cari kutu
Ada yang layan
Ada yang peluk anak
Ada yang kesunyian - sorang2 sejuk
Jigoku means "hell" in English - names given in Japan also for places with hot-spring geysers such as this
From Jigokudani --> Yudanaka Onsen to take the train there to Nakano
Dan itulah antara bandar2 or tourist2 attraction utama yang dilawat di Jepun ne... tapi banyak lagi nak cerita pasal Jepun ne. Next post kita akan conclude pasal Machi and move on to Koen
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