Never too old for fantasies

It is easier to roam around Japan if you read Chinese. There's always one or two Chinese characters scattered in the bunch of strokes and curves of the Japanese words, so one can more or less guess the meaning. By our statistics, two Chinese words appeared very often... and they got us scratching our heads... 

有料无料，究竟么料？

无料 in Cantonese means nothing, empty, useless, worthless etc but this term is most welcome in Japan! It means "free", we love everything useless and worthless in Japan.   

Otaru

The edge: The hilly land of Otaru ends in the ocean. It looks placid here but there's actually a retaining wall far off there near the horizon; strong waves could be seen whipping up white splashes into the sky.

I like Otaru for its simplicity. It is a small town and port about 45 minutes by train from Sapporo, an ideal location for a half-day trip due to its proximity. JR the train that offers a half-day pass was a good choice to get there. Honestly, there's no breathtaking scenery and massive heritage here but this little place makes one feel at ease, probably because of the ocean especially when it is dotted by boats that somehow command admiration and fascination.

No-frill: A walk down the main road from the railway station, this simple place is famous for soft ice-cream, music boxes and glass ornaments, set in an old port filled with well-preserved structures. Sweet, soothing and crystalline, they are just the right ingredients for fantasies.

Walk of serenity: Two shots on the different side of the canal that has a medieval touch to it. These old storehouses by the river have all been converted to nice bars and restaurants. The night scene must be happening but we did not stay here till sundown. Oh the Otaru beer is kind of famous, too.

We rule: 11.1c, the champion's temperature!

A dreamy walk: This is Otaru's shopping street of sort, souvenir shops line the car-free street and the best part of it is that cheese cake samples are generously given away to passers-by. It is a long, long road but the walk is inevitable, as the famous music box factory stands at the end of it. With the milky aroma lingering in my mouth, the sun slowly setting and my legs felt like jelly, this walk in search of music boxes was somewhat dreamy.

Strange tools: I have no idea what these swings doing here. My guess is they are to hold up the snow during winter so there won't be a mini avalanche?

Magical boxes: Finally, the music box factory, a three-storey wooden building that looks like something from Studio Ghibli anime. Even that guy in the photo looked a bit like Harry Porter. Anyway, there are hundreds of music boxes to choose from, the prices increase as you go up the floors. The top floor features really exclusive stuff, and with astronomical prices, too.  

Mount Moiwa

Whenever a city is visited it is a norm to go to somewhere high enough for a bird's eye view of it. For Sapporo, Mount Moiwa that is 531m above sea level, equipped with cable car and free shuttle bus, is that kind of a place. It is simply an observatory deck, of course there's interesting flora and fauna in the jungle and it is a great ski destination during winter but those are not our stuff, still, we spent a good half a day loitering around there.   

Harmoniously side-by-side: The dead and the living sharing a peaceful city.

Legoland: Little structures crawling around little hills.

Sun down, lights up: Sapporo, the big city that can somehow exude small town charm.

Preserved in time capsule: The old school tram and its station. 

Tokyo

After five calm days in Sapporo, we were left with slightly more than 48 hours in Tokyo. It was a blessing that the two days fell on the weekend, Tokyo loosened up a little in contrast to the last sight I caught of it. What I had in memory from my last visit a few years back was dominated by super fast trains with piercing precision as well as hordes of working executives in black suits walking brisk and straight. Like robots. This time around I get to enjoy the weekend easiness, and what's the best activity in a big city like this? Shopping, of course.    

The first 24 hours in Tokyo we took a day pass and tried to cover some important areas. We set off from Ueno - spent the morning at the Ueno park and local market - then Ginza the shopping pinnacle, Akihabara the gadget haven and ended at the Skytree Tower the latest icon. This is Ginza, I wonder if the town planners had oriented the roads and structures this way to capture the sunlight so gracefully.   

So free?: Did I guess it right? These people are queuing there to wait for the video arcade to open?  

Nestled: I should say something about the lodging in Tokyo. Of course rooms in Tokyo are not for claustrophobic, but I just love them to be so compact. We checked into Weekly Mansion Ueno. I slept next to a microwave and ate late dinner on the bed, but you can find everything you need in this little room, and I could still put my luggage on the floor and enjoy a long hot bath. I had sweet dreams there. 

67-year-old flame:  The Ueno Park is where families and couples throng for cherry blossoms. A walk around the park filled with flowers and buskers during the wrong seasons was still pleasant. Do look out for this monument promoting peace. The flame inside the dove was from the fire left behind by the atomic explosions in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Still burning after all these decades.

 Seen at a small shop selling everything that promotes sleep. I bought some nice stuffs here. Just a note, Phiten products are generally 40% cheaper than in Malaysia. 

 Raining all day.... Though it is more troublesome but the rain has beautified the journey. I think the world always has its size doubled whenever it rains thanks to the dewy reflections. 

Some nice building designs spotted in Tokyo.