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Showing 1-25 of 29 results
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Snapshot Japan: Snowy Sapporo
Blog: Just Wandering - 3 April 2012
Snapshot Japan: Snowy Sapporo, a photo by nina_theevilone on Flickr. I left Tokyo early yesterday morning to embark on what became a 12-hour journey to Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. Just as I was getting used to the cool climes … Continue reading →
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Mt. Mashu (摩周岳)
Blog: Hiking in Japan - 6 February 2012
Perched on the shores of a stellar volcanic lake, Mt. Mashu offers a chance to experience a taste of the Hokkaido backcountry without a huge climb to get there. It may also offer your best opportunity to spot the elusive Japanese brown bear. The hike: The trail starts at the end of the massive parking [...]
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Mt. Oakan (雄阿寒岳)
Blog: Hiking in Japan - 8 September 2011
Mt. Oakan is a dormant, conical volcano situated on the shores of Lake Akan in Eastern Hokkaido. The panoramic views from the summit are incredible on the rare occasion when the cloud isn’t in. The hike: The trail starts at the end of a gravel road. Cross over the concrete dam and enter the forest. [...]
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Mt. Rebun (礼文岳)
Blog: Hiking in Japan - 27 August 2011
Mt. Rebun is the highest peak on Rebun Island, a long, remote isle located about 50km off the northern coast of Hokkaido. The hike is best known for the plethora of wildflowers, as well as the panoramic views of the entire island. The hike: The path starts at the far end of the small gravel [...]
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Thiessen Twosome Does Tokachi 十勝
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 8 July 2011
Our time is quickly winding down here in Japan, and there's no better way to bid farewell than with a good ol' roadtrip, especially now since Jacob has a really light work schedule for the month of July!
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よさこいソラン祭り...YOSAKOI!
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 15 June 2011
June is upon us here in Sapporo, and with it comes longer days, tons of BBQ parties, and about 50,000 dancers for my favorite festival, Yosakoi Soran. This yearly gathering brought hundreds of colorful teams from all over Hokkaido and Japan to compete and perform for the masses, and cries of "Soran! Soran! Soran!" accompanied some incredibly well-choreographed and energetic dancing for this year's 20th anniversary of the event:
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All-Girls Glorious Spring Hokkaido Roadtrip
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 31 May 2011
In the spirit of our grandabulous autumn Hokkaido roadtrip last fall, my partners-in-driving, Krista and Vanessa, and I headed out of Sapporo once again to the north-central part of our island just in-time for the arrival of Spring there. We were greeted with lush gardens, colorful dairy farms galore (made me a bit homesick for Kansas), and some amazing colors that you have to see to believe:
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Niseko Townhouse Mountain Livin'
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 16 February 2011
Our three-day weekend last week provided a great escape for some of us foreign city-slickers out to the snow resort town of Niseko. Getting there, however, proved to be half the adventure as our train was stuck on the tracks for over two hours due to massive amounts of snow up ahead:
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Sayonara, Snow Fest
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 11 February 2011
Well, Yuki Matsuri, it's the end of the road for us. You've given me three years of massive snow sculptural wonders, overpriced-yet-irresistible grilled seafood, seas of Chinese tourists, justifications of ¥500 ($5.50) cups of hot wine, ooohs and ahhhs, and plenty other festival goodness, and now it's time to say goodbye:
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All-Girls Awesome Autumn Hokkaido Roadtrip
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 15 October 2010
In the spirit of fall, a three-day weekend, and my newly-renewed international driver's license, a couple of girlfriends and I took an amazing roadtrip up through the middle of our island of Hokkaido to enjoy some autumn colors, camping, waterfalls, wine, onsen (hot springs), and a little freedom out on the open road!
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Roadtrip Out East (In the Far East)
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 7 September 2010
With a weather forecast calling for typhoon rains, I and a few other Sapporo English teachers headed out on a camping roadtrip to the eastern side of Hokkaido for the weekend to attend the HAJET (Hokkaido Association of Japan Exchange and Teaching) Eastern Welcome Party.
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Highway to Hell
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 6 September 2010
It's the end of summer here in Hokkaido, and that can only mean one thing: time to take a trip to Hell. I wrote about our little jont to the Noboribetsu Hell Festival last year, and it was so much fun that a few other gals and I decided to take a short road trip there for the festivities again this year.
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Flora Furano
Blog: Roving Light Travel Photo Blog - 5 September 2010
Furano in Hokkaido is well known for its lavender blooms, and as part of my summer Japan trip, I made my way to Nakafurano (one of the municipalities of Furano) in the hope of catching this purple phenomena.
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Shiretoko Peninsula
Blog: Roving Light Travel Photo Blog - 29 August 2010
Protruding out of the northeastern end of Hokkaido, Shiretoko Peninsula is truly one of the most remote and untouched parts of Japan. In fact, in the Ainu language, Shiretoko means "the end of the earth"! It is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (as recent as 2005) and cutting into the Sea of Okhotsk, it is the most southerly point where sea ice will form. (I've covered an ice-breaking cruise in the Sea of Okhotsk in my post on Abashiri).
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Mt. Niseko Annupuri (ニセコアンヌプリ)
Blog: Hiking in Japan - 27 August 2010
Mt. Niseko Annupuri is the highest peak in the Niseko mountain range and popular with hikers throughout the year. The views across the valley towards Mt. Yotei are nothing short of magical. The hike: Walk on the concrete road between Yama no Ie hut and the campground, where you’ll find the trailhead a short distance [...]
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Rebun Island, Hokkaido
Blog: Roving Light Travel Photo Blog - 22 August 2010
Rebunto or Rebun Island, lies just off Hokkaido's northern tip and forms part of the Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park. As it is quite literally the most northern part of Japan, it requires some getting to, and so not that many visitors come to the island. But for those that do, it is mainly for two reasons, it's flora and the many hiking options.
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Gettin' All International Over Here!
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 20 June 2010
This past weekend, I traveled to the town of Iwamizawa to help volunteer for one of the coolest events on the island of Hokkaido: the Iwamizawa Mini International Festival. Run completely by JETs, English teachers, and Japanese volunteers, and sponsored by the city and various countries' tourism boards, it was a magical place of food, fun, and a whole lotta internationalization!
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Soran! Soran! Soran! Yosakoi!
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 15 June 2010
Okay, so the Sapporo Snow Festival gets all of the fame and notoriety, but it's the Yosakoi Soran Festival that is the most awesome, colorful, and energetic high-light of the festival calendar year here in Sapporo! As I mentioned last year, this festival is a five-day frenzy of some of the most amazing dancing you'll ever see. Seriously, it's like all of the shackles of the longest winter ever simply melt away with every shout of "Soran!"
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札幌の桜 Sapporo's Sakura (Cherry Blossoms)
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 21 May 2010
Sapporo's magnificent cherry blossoms were finally in full bloom last weekend, prompting lots of hanami BBQ parties, strolls in the parks, and photos!
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Golden Week Part III: Hakodate
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 17 May 2010
To read Part I (Tokyo) and Part II (Nikko) of our Golden Week travels in Japan, head here and here!
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Bathing in Hell
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 7 March 2010
Sapporo's a nice place and all, but sometimes you just gotta get out of town for a bit on a day-trip, and my buddy, Junko, and I decided that we needed some onsen (natural hot spring) therapy in a bad way. Enter the town of Noboribetsu, Hokkaido's most famous, steaming hot springs town. Some of you may remember my post about the last time I was in Noboribetsu for their fantabulous Hell Festival back in September. It's a cute place.
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Winter Weekend Getaway in Furano
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 28 February 2010
I hadn't been to the central-Hokkaido town of Furano since my great flower-trek of 2008, so it was awesome to get away with the hubby last weekend to enjoy the town for its other famous feature: snow. Lots and lots of snow. I'm talking "make you forget all about those famous Furano lavender fields" snow:
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Snow Light Gleaming Festival in Otaru
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 18 February 2010
The folks over in the little town of Otaru always know how to come together for a great little festival! When compared with the Sapporo Snow Festival, the Otaru Snow Light Gleaming Festival is definitely the favorite of mine. Little community-made ice lanterns, snow sculptures, illuminated lanes, and the like fill the downtown area and making it a romantic, winter wonderland!
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Sapporo's Brilliant Beer Museum
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 18 February 2010
We currently have some friends up visiting us from Osaka and it's been wonderful! Having people come and visit always makes me get out and do the fun touristy stuff that I rarely get around to doing otherwise! One of these was visiting the Sapporo Beer Museum, located in the old, beautiful, red-brick building that was once a sugar factory (and later part of the Kitaku-shi Brewery). This is also the only, and I repeat, the only beer museum in all of Japan! How lucky are we:
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札幌雪祭り The Sapporo Snow Festival
Blog: Thiessen Twosome Does Japan - 11 February 2010
The whirlwind month that is February is in full speed and that means time for the annual Sapporo Snow Festival, our largest and most recognized international event. While not as majestic as last year's 60th Anniversary celebration, it was still a nice time of amazing sculptures, a showcase of delicious Hokkaido foods, and a huge downfall of the ironically annoying white stuff itself (snow at a snow festival...meh!):
