Hokkaido Revisit 2017 三回目の北海道の旅 - Kitanosumai Sekkeisha 北の住まい設計社

Visited 22.10.2017 (Sun)

Cycling expedition! During my one month study trip in Higashikawa-cho 東川町, I spent my weekends usually outside of the town exploring nearby areas such as Furano, Biei and Asahikawa. On this particular weekend, I followed the school on a field trip to revisit Sapporo and Otaru, two of the most popular cities in Hokkaido, on Saturday. On Sunday, I decided to stay put in Higashikawa-cho to explore this little humble town more using a bicycle rented from the dormitory. On the well illustrated map of Higashikawa-cho, I had marked out a couple of cafes/restaurants which I wanted very much to visit but were located further away from the town center. Coupled with a good weather, today was an excellent opportunity for me to fulfill this wish.

Woodcraft artisan. Woodcraft is a specialty of Higashikawa-cho with approximately 30 percent of well known Asahikawa furniture sold all across Japan originated from here. In fact, their skilful craftsmanship is showcased subtly in the town itself. During my stay, I was amazed by the one-of-its-kind intricate wooden signboards with attractive illustrations hung outside of shops, restaurants, post office and even police box! Found out later that there is even a road named Craft Street クラフト街道, where a handful of wooden craft and pottery workshops/studios are established around here, and this particular road also led me to the destination I was aiming for the day - Kitanosumai Sekkeisha 北の住まい設計社, a local manufacturing company which produces wooden furniture.

Origin. The managing director of Kitanosumai Sekkeisha moved to Higashikawa with his wife in 1985 and found an abolished school which they decided to set up their factory in. Have seen his interviews and I admired his long term vision of creating sustainable furniture using wood originating solely from Hokkaido and promoting craftsmanship, a human touch that is gradually lost with automation. Upon reaching Kitanosumai Sekkeisha, I was fully drawn into its serene landscape of country style wooden houses tucked away in a tranquil forest setting. Made my way first to the gallery/showroom and fell in love with the alluring scent and natural touch of wood on every piece of its furniture. Set my eyes on this sleek, cherry wood coaster (木のコースター), an original good of Kitanosumai Sekkeisha but was contemplating for a while as it was quite pricey (￥950). Eventually I was won over by its fine quality and simplistic design, and decided to bring it back home! In addition to furniture, the gallery is also stocked up with an extensive range of zakka and lifestyle goods, sourced both domestically and internationally, to meet the needs of different individuals.

Lunch. After a fruitful shopping experience, I followed the directional signs to a path lined with birch trees on its sides, leading to the building where both the cafe and bakery are house in - my main objective of this visit to Kitanosumai Sekkeisha. The aromatic and delectable scent of freshly baked bread from the bakery hits me immediately when I pulled open the door of the building. Had to resist this temptation for the time being and shuffle my feet quickly to the cafe. Here, Italian cuisine such as pasta, gnocchi and pizza were found on its menu and as I would have expect, seasonal and locally grown ingredients were utilised extensively to create their dishes. On the day of my visit, there were two other pasta dishes offered outside of their regular menu:
- Chicken and mushroom with ragout tomato sauce pasta 鶏肉ときのこのラグートマトソースバスタ (￥1,400)
- Scallop and green bean with green cream sauce pasta ホタテとインゲのグリーンクリームソースパスタ (￥1,500)
Both pasta came with salad, soup and bread. Chose the latter and completed the meal with an iced original blend coffee (￥350). While waiting for my lunch to be served, my eyes got to feast on the wooden furnitures, which were also produced by Kitanosumai Sekkeisha, in this modern country style cafe. Started off with perfect crisp salad, flavourful minestrone soup and homemade bread. The main pasta dish did not disappoint at all - al dente spaghetti which were nicely coated with delicious green cream sauce and flavoured by fresh scallop and sweet green beans. The original blend coffee ended the meal on a perfect note; aromatic with the right balance of bitterness and sourness to arouse the tastebuds. All in all, I enjoyed my lunch thoroughly and the overall experience made the laborious ride here extremely worthwhile!

Scallop and green bean with green cream sauce pasta.

Iced original blend coffee placed on the cherry wood coaster - same as the one which I brought back home!

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Kitanosumai Sekkeisha 北の住まい設計社

北海道上川郡東川町東7号北7線
Opening hours: 1000 - 1800 hrs
Closed on Wednesdays.

Bakery: 1000 - 1800 hrs
Cafe: 1000 - 1730 hrs
- Last order for food: 1600 hrs
- Last order for dessert/drink: 1730 hrs

http://www.kitanosumaisekkeisha.com/

How to get there?

(1) By car.
Takes about 35 - 45 mins to drive from Asahikawa-shi 旭川市.
Takes about 15 mins to drive from Michi no eki Michikusakan 道の駅 道草館.

(2) By bus from Asahikawa Station Bus Terminal 旭川駅バスターミナル Platform 10, followed by rental bicycle from Michi no eki Michikusakan 道の駅 道草館. 

Unfortunately there are no public buses arriving at its door step. After arriving at Michi no eki Michikusan 道の駅 道草館 by bus, proceed to rent a bicycle at Michikusan (500 yen/hour). From here, head towards the direction of Kitoushi Forest Park キトウシ森林公園. Upon reaching Toyama Jinja 富山神社, turn right and cycle along Craft Street クラフト街道 before eventually arriving at Kitanosumai Sekkeisha. The entire cycling journey takes approx 40 mins.

* From Asahikawa Station Bus Terminal Platform 10, board Asahikawa Denkikidou 旭川電気軌道 Bus 60, 62 and 67 heading for Higashikawa-cho 東川町 and alight at Michikusakan-mae 道草館前.
Fare = 570 yen

Hokkaido Revisit 2017 三回目の北海道の旅 - Ginneko 焼鳥専門 ぎんねこ

Visited 03.11.2017 (Fri)

New discovery. In the past, the first thing that came to my mind whenever people mentioned about Asahikawa was Shoyu based ramen. However, during my one month long study trip in Higashikawa-cho, I discovered another soul food which holds important significance to the locals here in Asahikawa. This local favourite is grilled half young chicken named Shinkoyaki 新子焼き and its history traces all the way back to post World War II reign, when Japan was in the state of recovery. As meat was expensive and not consumed frequently in the olden days, Shinkoyaki was deemed a delicacy and at the same time, a vitality booster for the commoners during the recovery period. The word Shinko 新子 has two different meanings. Konoshiro gizzard shad (known as kohada コハダ in Japanese) is a type of fish that has four different names, each given at a particular stage of its lifespan. When the fish is at its smallest phase, it is called Shinko and is known to be a high class delicacy. On the other hand, the word means young in the culinary world. Therefore, while normal grilled (grown) chicken is called Sanzokuyaki (山賊焼き), Shinkoyaki is used to differentiate grilled young chicken from the former. Its popularity has also given rise to an association being set up to promote this soul food to a bigger audience and currently, there are about 10 registered restaurants offering this local flavour.

Shinkoyaki introduction (in Japanese): https://shinkoyaki.com/

5.7 Koji Furari-to, the alley where Ginneko is located in.

Presenting Shinkoyaki! The thigh portion was lightly seasoned with salt while the breast and wing portion was dressed with their secret sauce

Yummy. On my last night in Hokkaido, I made my way to Ginneko ぎんねこ, a small restaurant established in 1950 and a yakitori specialist, to try their version of Shinkoyaki for dinner. Ginneko is one of the many restaurants tucked in this alley named 5.7 Koji Furari-to (5.7小路ふらりーと), which has been around even before World War II and has been carefully refurbished/preserved to evoke a sense of nostalgia. When I thought I would be the earliest diner at 5 pm, I was surprised to see a restaurant packed with customers after opening the sliding door. Fortunately, I managed to squeeze into the last available counter seat. In Ginneko's version of Shinkoyaki, locally grown chicken which are about 6 weeks old are selected and are grilled over direct heat produced from high grade charcoal known as bincho-zumi 備長炭. Ordered the "half and half ハフとハフ" version in which the grilled half young chicken is further divided into two portions, each with a different seasoning. The thigh portion was lightly seasoned with salt while the breast and wing portion was dressed with their secret sauce which has been aged over a long period of time. In both versions, the skin was grilled to crispy golden brown on the outside while the meat was very tender with all the wholesome savory meat juices locked in. Kudos to the chef who has perfected the grilling technique while battling the intense heat and choking fumes to serve up this delicious dish that will make one yearn and return for more.

I think I have found another reason to return to Asahikawa again!

Requested to take a group photo before I bade farewell to them!

Remember. As a foreigner, I always find it a bit daunting to visit local restaurants/Izakaya due to the inherent language barrier and uncertainties. Having said that, the amicable and warm hospitality displayed by the locals usually comes aptly to overcome this fear on most occasions. In this particular instance, I sat in between two groups of diners, a group of three friends who are in their fifties and a solo traveller from Osaka. The initial awkwardness was inevitable since we were all seated so close to one another (almost rubbing shoulders), but after realising that I was a foreigner (when I requested for an English menu), they started chatting with me and the casual conversation extended throughout the entire dinner. I could not thank them enough for their friendliness which helped to break down the barrier and also a beer treat from them when least expected! Such acquaintances made during overseas travels always form part of the memorable moments and experiences that I can reminisce every now and then.

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Ginneko 焼鳥専門 ぎんねこ
070-0035 旭川市５条通７丁目5.7小路ふらりーと
Located in 5.7 Furari-to food alley.
Opening hours: 1300 - 2200 hrs, closed on Mondays.
Ginneko: http://www.ginneko.co.jp/
5.7 Koji Furari-to (5.7小路ふらりーと): http://furari-to.net/f_index.html

How to get there?

(1) By foot. It takes about 10 minutes to walk from Asahikawa JR Station 旭川駅.

Hokkaido Revisit 2017 三回目の北海道の旅 - Shikisai no oka 四季彩の丘

Revisited on 15.10.2017 (Sun)
Previous post: https://hsuchia.blogspot.com/2013/03/hokkaido-summer-2012-shikisai-no-oka.html

Accomplished! When I visited Shikisai no oka with my family in 2012 during summer, weather was not at its best as it was drizzling/showering for most part of the day and we could not explore this huge flower park extensively. A returning visit to Shikisai no oka was added to my to-do list since then and I could finally tick this item off during my study trip in Higashikawa-cho in Oct 2017. This time round I was blessed with favourable weather and I enjoyed myself thoroughly, surrounded by colourful seasonal flowers in a countryside landscape.

Equally stunning. Like most people, I would think that summer is the best time to visit Furano and Biei as it is the peak blooming season for its signature lavender fields and other flower parks. I actually beg to differ after this visit during the relatively cooling and less crowded autumn season. Visited Shikisai no oka on the second weekend of October and I was totally blown away by the equally stunning flower-carpeted fields here. Upon arriving here by my rental bicycle, I could immediately relate to the familiar pale yellow colored country style building which housed the restaurant (on the second floor), souvenir shop and snack stalls, and the two iconic mascots, made up of bales of straw, still standing faithfully at the same spot to welcome their visitors.

Do you remember me? Look at the field of yellow mustard flowers behind me!

Finally revisited this place after a five years hiatus.

Symbol of optimism. Rows of equal width, each occupied by a different colored plant, transformed the hilly landscape into a vibrant and magical looking rainbow carpet. Was hoping very much to revive the breathtaking moment of witnessing a brightly lit sunflower field - a memorable scene which I could still vividly remember till now. To my surprise, the sunflower field was still beaming cheerfully in the month of October. Based on the flower calendar published on its website, sunflower (known otherwise as himawari ひまわり in Japanese) can be sighted from late Jun to mid Jul, Aug and from mid Sep to mid Oct. Apart from that, visitors can also admire yellow flowers of mustard plants, which blossom exclusively during the autumn season between mid Sep to late Oct in Shikisai no oka.

Yet again, a memorable episode concluded at Shikisai no oka!

Not forgetting to grab a lavender flavoured soft serve cone before wrapping up today's visit!

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Shikisai no oka 四季彩の丘
〒071-0473 北海道上川郡美瑛町新星第三
Operating hours:
- Apr to May, Oct: 0900 - 1700 hrs
- Jun to Sep: 0830 - 1800 hrs
- Nov: 0900 - 1630 hrs
- Dec to Feb: 0900 - 1600 hrs
- Mar: 0900 - 1630 hrs
https://www.shikisainooka.jp/

How to get there?

(1) By foot. It takes about 25 minutes to walk from Bibaushi JR Station 美馬牛駅 to Shikisai no oka.

(2) By rental bicycle. Just a minute walk from Bibaushi JR Station, there is a local tour agency named Yamanoya 山の屋 offering rental bicycle services between May to Oct. For my trip, I utilised the rental bicycle and followed a cycling map to explore Panorama Road. In the recommended route, I passed by Bibaushi Elementary School 美馬牛小学校, Shikisai no oka, Takushinkan, Fureai Farm ふらあい牧場, Sanai no oka Observatory 三愛の丘展望台, Shinei no oka Observatory 新栄の丘展望台 and Christmas Tree クリスマスツリーの木 and the entire route took me about 4 hours.
To get to Yamanoya, do not exit the train station through the waiting area/main building. Exit from the platform which is opposite to the waiting area/main building. Upon reaching the road, turn right and Yamanoya will be within sight in 20 meters. 
Yamanoya: http://www.yamagoya.jp/index-bike%20season.htm



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Commemorative stamp:

Yamanashi 2018 山梨県の旅 - Fujikyuko Fujisan Station 富士急行富士山駅, Thomas Land-go Train トーマスランド号

Fujisan Station 富士山駅 (FJ16) is a train station located along Fujikyuko line 富士急行線. Operated by a private railway company, Fujikyuko, this railway line ascends from Otsuki 大月駅 to Kawaguchi-ko 河口湖駅 and is frequently utilised by both locals and tourists to visit Fuji five lakes (such as Kawaguchi-ko and Yamanaka-ko), Fuji Q Highland themepark and numerous scenic spots which offer spectacular views of Fujisan.

Limited express and special themed trains serving this train station include:

(1) Thomas Land-go トーマスランド号, a local train which makes two round trip per day along Fujikyuko line. Happened to hop onto one when we were travelling from Fujisan Station to Shimoyoshida Station 下吉田駅. The two-carriage train is decorated by the characters originating from Thomas and Friends, inside out. I was fully absorbed in exploring the train during the short 5 minutes journey, walking from one end to the other, gasping with excitement as my eyes scrolled through the colourful pictures on the walls/ceiling.

Hit cartoon series. I only realised that the British cartoon series, Thomas and Friends series, was so well received in Japan after seeing a exact replication of Thomas on one of the train heads of Oigawa Tetsudo (in Shizuoka Prefecture). There is even a Thomas Land established in Fuji Q Highland theme park where kids can enjoy rides or take photos with huge figurines featuring the main characters. And that's not all. For each of the eighteen train stations along Fujikyuko line, the platform name boards feature a different character from the cartoon series. Look out for Thomas at Fuji Q Highland Station while Fujisan Station is represented by James, the red engine.
http://www.fujikyu-railway.jp/train/thomas.php

Fuji Tozan Densha

(2) Fuji Tozan Densha 富士登山電車, a limited express train commuting between Otsuki and Kawaguchi-ko, stopping by Mittsutoge 三つ峠駅, Shimoyoshida 下吉田駅, Fujisan 富士山駅 and Fuji Q Highland 富士急ハイランド駅. The train makes a 1.5 round trip on weekdays and two round trips on weekends/public holidays. Both Fuji Tozan Densha and Fujisan View Limited Express are attractively donned in stunning vermilion with exquisite interior design to impress its onboard passengers. Fuji Tozan Densha is made up of two train carriages named Aka-Fuji (Red Fuji) and Ao-Fuji (Blue Fuji) respectively, with matching colours utilised. Putting on a retro modern style, natural materials such as wood and cloth were employed as much as possible to decorate the train interior. It is a pity I was not able to suit my schedule to ride on either themed train this time round and hopefully I can eventually get to do so one day! Take note that an additional 200 yen fare is required to board this train.
http://www.fujikyu-railway.jp/train/fujitozandensha.php

Fujisan View Limited Express.

(3) Fujisan View Limited Express 富士山ビュー特急, a limited express train commuting between Otsuki and Kawaguchi-ko, stopping by Tsurubunka Daigaku-mae 都留文科大学前, Fujisan 富士山駅 and Fuji Q Highland 富士急ハイランド駅. The three-carriage train makes two round trips on weekdays and three round trips on weekends/public holidays. One exclusive service offered by this particular train is the sweets plan (スイーツプラン) and this is only available on weekends/public holidays. The dessert menu is specially created by Highland Resort & Spa (which is also owned by Fujikyu) and cost 4,000 yen per person. For the reserved seats in Car 1, a top up of 900 yen is required. Whereas for the non-reserved seats in Car 2 and 3, an additional 400 yen is collected for commuting between Otsuki to Fujisan/Fuji Q Highland/Kawaguchi-ko.
http://www.fujikyu-railway.jp/train/fujisan_view_express.php

Isn't he adorable?

(4) Fujisan Limited Express フジサン特急, a limited express train commuting between Otsuki and Kawaguchi-ko, stopping by Tsurubunka Daigaku-mae 都留文科大学前, Fujisan 富士山駅 and Fuji Q Highland 富士急ハイランド駅 (similar to Fujisan View Limited Express). The train makes three round trips on weekdays and two round trips on weekends/public holidays (opposite to Fujisan View Limited Express). Caught a glimpse of this adorable looking Fujisan Limited Express when we alighted at Fujisan Station and was totally amused by the wacky Fujisan inspired cartoon characters which occupied the exterior wall of the train.
http://www.fujikyu-railway.jp/train/fujisan_express.php

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What's nearby?

(1) Fujiyoshida-shi Tourist Information Center 富士吉田市観光案内所, opposite to the train station. A place to head down to retrieve brochures and sightseeing maps of Fujiyoshida City. Feel free to approach the knowledgeable staff here for more information or direction advice on any places of interest in the area.

Bus terminal, located just outside the train station.

Bus Stop 3 for buses heading for Oshino Hakkai, Yamanaka-ko, Heino and Gotenba.

(2) Bus Terminal バスタミナール, just outside the train station.

Bus Stop 3:
- for Fujikko-go Bus ふじっこ号バス heading for Oshino Hakkai 忍野八海, Hananomiyako Koen 花の都公園 and Hirano 平野.
Bus schedule: http://bus.fujikyu.co.jp/rosen/shuyufujikkogo
- for Fujikyuko Bus (heading for Oshino Hakkai 忍野八海 and Gotenba JR Station 御殿場駅.
- for Fujikyuko Bus heading for Hananomiyako Koen 花の都公園, Gotenba JR Station 御殿場駅 and Gotenba Premium Outlet 御殿場プレミアムアウトレット.

Bus schedule: http://bus.fujikyu.co.jp/pdf/rosen/gotemba/20181001/timetable_2.pdf

(3) Q-STA, a shopping mall connected to the train station.
The anchor tenants are MUJI (3F) and Daiso (4F) and there are a handful of eateries such as MOS Burger and Uotami housed within the same building. There is a souvenir shop (Gateway Fujiyama) located on the ground floor where a wide variety of Fujisan related merchandise can be purchased. 

http://www.q-sta.jp/

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Commemorative stamps: 

Fujisan Station

Fujiyoshida-shi Tourist Information Center

Yamanashi 2018 山梨県の旅 - Fujisan Station Hotel 富士山ステーションホテル

Stayed 16.10.2018 (Tue)
Booked thru' Jalan.net
Triple room: 18,000 yen/night (inclusive of breakfast)

Accessibility. Owned by Fujikyu group, Fujisan Station Hotel, as the name suggests, is located in the vicinity of Fujisan Station. Its close proximity to the train station makes it convenient for guests to utilize both the train and bus network to explore areas around Fuji five lakes such as Kawaguchi-ko and Yamanaka-ko, and also Fuji-Q Highland, a large scale amusement park well known for its thrilling high speed roller coaster rides. Stayed here for a night and visited nearby attractions such as Arakurayama Sengen Koen (where a breathtaking view of Fuji-san, together with a pagoda and Fuji Yoshida city can be captured), Oshino Hakkai and Yamanaka-ko over two days.

Perks. The services provided by Fujisan Station Hotel do not differ much from other typical business budget hotels. We had the triple room which came with three super single beds. The 21 m2 room was surprisingly spacious with adequate walking space even after opening up the luggages. One incentive that guests get to enjoy here is a spectacular view of Fuji-san could even be sighted clearly from its rooms on a good weather day. Was extremely fortunate to be blessed by good weather, as we woke up to a stunning view of Fuji-san, seen right from our room! The other perk exclusive to guests residing in Fujikyu group of hotels is the complimentary sightseeting tour bus service that commutes from the hotels to Fuji-Q Highland and Fujikyuko Fujisan and Kawaguchi-ko Station. Breakfast was buffet style and the spread was decent, with both western (scrambled eggs, sausages, etc) and Japanese style made available. For dinner, we had MOS Burger at Q-STA, a small shopping mall connected to Fujisan Station. There are a handful of eateries, such as Uotami and small food courts serving Yoshida Udon, housed within the shopping mall to choose from.

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Fujisan Station Hotel 富士山ステーションホテル
山梨県富士吉田市松山2-7-12
http://www.fujisanstation-hotel.com/

How to get there?
(1) By foot. 2 minutes walk from Fujikyuko Fujisan Station 富士急行富士山駅.