Friday, May 11, 2018

Hokkaido Revisit 2017 三回目の北海道の旅 - Furano Rising Sun 富良野ライジングサン

Stayed 14.10.2017 (Sat), 1 night
Booked thru' Jalan.net.
Single room = 8,000 yen inclusive of breakfast


Near pitch black. During my last trip to Furano, I stayed at Natulux Hotel which was just a stone throw away from the train station. Decided to expand my search to Kitanomine area which is more popular with skiers during the winter season. To my delight, I came across Furano Rising Sun, a newly opened B&B style accommodation which was able to meet my budget and not too inaccessible in my opinion. Arrived at Furano JR Station in the evening when the skies have already turned dark. Hopped on Lavender Bus and alighted at Hotel Naturwald about 8 minutes later. As there were minimal street lamps, I had to almost grope in the dark while finding my way to Furano Rising Sun. What make the situation a bit more challenging was Kitanomine area is located on a slope and I had to descend carefully to reach to my destination. The name of the accommodation never felt so apt at the moment when I saw the sign "Rising Sun" highlighted by spotlights from afar! Yes, I have finally reached!


Furano Rising Sun is a family run B&B which started operation in June 2017. There are a total of 5 rooms - 4 twin rooms and one single room, the latter being occupied by me on that night. I love the touch and smell of wood which was the main material of construction on both the inside and outside of the building. The sense of security, just like what a home will give, was what I felt upon stepping into this two storey building. Both the owner and his wife came to welcome me at the front desk upon arrival. The owner, who was able to converse in simple English, briefly explained to me the features of the building and brought me to my room after completing the check-in procedure. The single room I was assigned to was named "Snow" and had a more modern and simplistic outlook. Spacious with adequate walking space, the room was equipped with basic amenities, similar to that of a hotel. To my surprise, there was even a washing machine found in my room. As Rising Sun accepts long stay guests, this household appliance will bring along convenience and all washing can be done within the comfort of their living space.


Broke the silence. After a refreshing bath, I came out from my room and wanted to sit at the bar to have a drink while planning my itinerary for the following day. Owner was kind enough to open up the bar though I was the only patron, and stood patiently behind the counter while I was contemplating what to drink. Ordered their homemade ginger ale on the drink menu. While preparing my drink, the owner initiated a conversation with me. I took this opportunity to practice my Japanese; first with a self introduction followed by explaining the purpose of my visit in Hokkaido. The casual conversation warmed up the atmosphere and despite me switching between English and Japanese, the owner was very accommodating and waited for me to complete my sentences before responding. The wife joined us in our conversation when I was seeking their advice on places which they would recommend me to visit in Furano. They were extremely approachable and helpful; apart from recommending cafes/restaurants to try and sightseeing spots to visit, they went further to research the transportation I should utilise to get to these destination and even printed out the bus schedule for me! I was so grateful for their help rendered and could not thank them enough. In fact, I managed to visit both places which they recommended, Chevre, a Italian restaurant in Nakafurano and Ryonkaku 凌雲閣, a hot spring ryokan in Tokachidake Onsen 十勝岳温泉, and enjoyed myself thoroughly.



Surrounded by beauty. On the following day, I woke up earlier for a morning stroll in the neighbourhood. As I arrived at night the previous day, I had no idea how the surroundings of Rising Sun looked like. The timing was just right as I was able to catch a glimpse of sunrise, illuminating the beautiful shades of autumn colours that spread across the vegetation on highlands. As Kitanomine area is a well known ski resort in Furano, hotels and pensions here become popular accommodation options for skiers in winter. During non peak period, Furano is actually a relatively quiet and laid back town where people can relax to the calm and easy pace of life here.




Sumptuous breakfast. I could not contain my excitement when I saw the delicious looking breakfast platter served in front of me! The food was so beautifully prepared and I did not expect to indulge in such sumptuous and homely breakfast here. Fresh salad, my favourite croissant, homemade English muffin with bacon and egg, vegetable and tomato soup were served as the mains. The highlight of my meal was I even had the luxury to savour a slice of the sweetest tasting Furano melon for dessert! Many years ago, I have tasted this legendary fruit on my first visit to Hokkaido during the summer season and it has left such a delectable impression in my food memory since then. Being able to taste Furano melon again was a dream come true, especially when it was not at its peak harvesting season. Counting my blessings everyday!

Overall, my stay at Furano Rising Sun has formed, yet another excellent and unforgettable episode of my journey in Hokkaido.


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Furano Rising Sun 富良野ライジングサン
〒076-034 富良野市北の峰町13-28
http://g-brain.com/


How to get there?

(1) Furano Bus Lavender-go 富良野バス ラベンダー号
From the bus terminal in front of Furano JR Station, board Furano Bus Lavender Bus at Platform 4 (effect from 1 May 2018) heading for New Furano Prince Hotel. Alight at Hotel Naturwald and walk for another 3 minutes.
Fee = 160 yen
http://www.furanobus.jp/lavender/

(2) Furano Bus Goryo line 富良野バス 御料線
Similarly from the bus terminal in front of Furano JR Station, board Furano Bus Goryo line at Platform 3 heading for Goryo Ku Sen 御料9線. As compared to Lavender-go, there are significantly lower number of bus services (only three per day) operating along Goryo line.
Fee = 160 yen
http://www.furanobus.jp/rosen/index.html#goryou


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