Author: Ian Fan

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Bukit Bendera, Penang Hill, and Flagstaff Hill

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Penang Hill, Bukit Bendera, or Flagstaff Hill is the most developed peak in Penang.

They are one and the same. Penang Hill is also known by the Malay name Bukit Bendera, which actually refers to Flagstaff Hill.

At 833 m (2,733 ft) above sea level and Georgetown at itโ€™s peak, Penang Hill has an amazing panoramic view of the island and mainland. Penang Hill is also part of Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve, recognized by UNESCO as the third Biosphere Reserve in Malaysia listed in the World Network of Biosphere Reserve (WNBR).

How to Get to Penang Hill (See you at the top)

Penang Hills covers a number of hills. To get to the peak where the observation deck is, youโ€™ve to ride the funicular train via the Penang Hill Railway from the foot of the hill at Hill Railway Station Road. 

The Penang Hill Funicular Train is the most popular and convenient way get to the top of the hill. The funicular’s tunnel track is also the steepest in the world and the longest track in Asia, adding to its uniqueness.

Love Lock

If you’re visiting Penang Hill with a significant other, pop by the loverโ€™s promenade at the open-air observation deck. You can fasten a love lock 823 m (2,700 ft) above sea level on an 80-meter wide fence overlooking the city of Georgetown! Love locks are available for purchase on-site and you can decorate them individually and secure them along the fence. Though you can also bring your own if you’d like.

Feast 833 meters in the sky

Feeling hungry? Pop by the Cliff Cafe (also known as the Astaka Bukit Bendera), a three-storey food court where you can feast on a variety of local delights.

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Credits to:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penang_Hill
https://www.penanghill.gov.my/index.php/en/faq 
https://www.klook.com/en-MY/blog/penang-hill-malaysia-things-to-do/#n-38bc0ead 

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Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (Blue Mansion) in Penang

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From a green-hued mansion, letโ€™s visit another colourful mansion in Penang – the Blue Mansion. The Blue Mansion is given itโ€™s colourful, distinctive name because of itโ€™s external decorations and indigo-blue outer walls.

The Blue Mansion is Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion. 

Where is Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion

The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion is a government gazetted heritage building located on Leith Street in George Town, Penang, Malaysia.

Photos taken in 2010

History

Named after itโ€™s owner, it was built by the merchant Cheong Fatt Tze at the end of the 19th century. The mansion has 38 rooms, 5 granite-paved courtyards, 7 staircases and 220 vernacular timber louvre windows. It served as Cheong’s private residence as well as the seat of his business activities in Penang.

Like the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, Cheong Fatt Tzeโ€™s architectural style and interior was inspired by a combination of East meets West. Features of the house include Gothic louvred windows, Chinese cut and paste porcelain work, Stoke-on-Trent floor tiles made of encaustic clay in geometric pieces all shaped to fit to a perfect square, Glasgow cast iron works by MacFarlane’s & Co. and Art Nouveau stained glass windows.

โ€œThe Blue Mansion is the perfect epitome of the grandeur and achievements of Cheong Fatt Tze, which today stands as a landmark in the fabric of George Town Penangโ€™s vibrant heritage as a boutique hotel and historical attractionโ€

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion

Today, Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion is a landmark heritage building in the UNESCO World Heritage city of George Town in Penang. It has received multiple architectural awards, including UNESCOโ€™s Most Excellent Heritage Conservation Award in the Year 2000.

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Credis to:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheong_Fatt_Tze_Mansion
http://mtc.com.my/resources-Projects-CheongFattTzeMansion.php
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/indonesia/articles/9-things-you-should-know-about-penangs-blue-mansion/
https://www.cheongfatttzemansion.com/about-the-mansion/architecture/ 

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World of Cameras in the Camera Museum

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As the name – Camera Museum – goes, it is a world of cameras throughout history. 

Making you understand the history and advancement of Photography

Asia Camera Museum

The Camera Museum opened itโ€™s doors in Penang to the world on 15 January 2014. Itโ€™s the first camera museum in South East Asia. The museum displays up to 1,000 vintage cameras and accessories.

Where is the Camera Museum

The Camera Museum is located in the heart of the heritage area in Georgetown, Penang. The museum is housed in a 2-storey shop house on Lebuh Muntri.

There are 3 rooms to explore: Dark Room, Obscura Room, and the Pinhole Room. In the Dark Room, explore and learn how films are developed. Obscura Room showcases the idea of the first invented camera in the world. In the Pinhole Room, you will have the experience of being “inside” a camera. 

Follow Asia Camera Museum on social media below.

Credits to:

https://www.asiacameramuseum.com/
http://www.penang-discovery.com/attraction/the_camera_museum/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camera_Museum
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Fort Cornwallis Penang

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A stroll along the waterfront Esplanade in Penang features historical landmarks. Not to be missed is Fort Cornwallis.

Fort Cornwallis holds much historical significance. It is a bastion fort in Georgetown, Penang and the largest standing fort in Malaysia.

Where is Fort Cornwallis

Fort Cornwallis is bounded by Light Street to its south, Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah to the east and to the north, and The Esplanade to the west.

History

Captain Francis Light, took possession of Penang Island from the Sultan of Kedah in 1786. Where Light first landed on Penang Island in 1786 was the spot where Fort Cornwallis was originally built. 

The fort’s purpose back then, was to protect Penang from pirates and Kedah. 

If Captain Francis Light originally built the fort; how did it come to be known as Fort Cornwallis? The fort was named in honour of Charles Marquis Cornwallis, the then Governor-General of Bengal who had lost to George Washington in the 1781 Battle of Yorktown during the American Revolutionary War.

The fort was originally built using nibong (a Malay term meaning ‘palm trunk’) stockade with no permanent structures. In 1789, three years after the simple stockade was completed, Light began rebuilding the fort using bricks. The new design, which features a star-shaped fort, was similar with other British forts in India. Indian convict labourers were brought in for the construction of the brick fort. It was completed in 1793 at a cost of $67,000 (Spanish dollar).

Fort Cornwallis was repaired and rebuilt between 1804 and 1810. Fort Cornwallis was completed in 1810 at a cost of $80,000 (Penang dollar) – an enormous amount at the time.

Even though the fort was originally built for the British military, its function, historically, was more administrative than defensive. For example, the judge of the Supreme Court of Penang, Sir Edmond Stanley, an Anglo-Irish barrister, was first housed at Fort Cornwallis when the court opened on 31 May 1808. During the 1920s Sikh police of the Straits Settlements occupied the fort. During World War 2, the Japanese used the fort as a detention centre, as well as a site for military workshops and storehouses.

The fort was gazetted on 8 September 1977, under the Antiquities Act 168/1976, as an Ancient Monument and Historic site. In 1991, the management of Fort Cornwallis was privatised by the Penang state government in an effort to enhance its appeal as a prime tourist destination. Today, it has become one of Penang’s prime tourist attractions.

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Credits to


https://penang.fandom.com/wiki/Fort_Cornwallis 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Cornwallis 

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Penang’s Pinang Peranakan Museum

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A trip to Penang will not be complete without a tour of some of itโ€™s history. Especially historical sites which still play an active role in our lifetime. One such is the Pinang Peranakan Museum has stood the test time and also featured in TVs and movies, notably The Little Nyonya, The Amazing Race, and Crazy Rich Asians, recently.

Where is the Pinang Peranakan Museum

The Pinang Peranakan Mansion is in a distinctive green-hue colour at Church Street in George Town, Penang, Malaysia. As itโ€™s name says, it is a museum dedicated to Penangโ€™s Peranakan heritage. The museum showcases thousands of Peranakan artifacts, antiques, collectibles, interior design, and customs.

Pinang Peranakan Museum’s History

Before becoming a museum in modern times, in the past, it was a residential mansion. The mansion was built by Chung Kee Quee, the Kapitan China of Perak and one of the richest men in Penang in the late 19th century. He named the mansion: Hai Kee Chan (Sea Remembrance Hall in Penang Hokkien). 

Inspired by a combination of Chinese and English architecture and designs of the time; the mansion has English floor tiles, Scottish ironworks, and Chineese carved-wood panels. 

Though not a Baba himself, the Chinese courtyard house was much like a typical large Peranakan home. The Peranakans, otherwise known as the Straits Chinese, are the Babas and Nyonyas. They were a prominent Chinese community in Penang and this part of the world. Babas refer to Peranakan males, and Nyonyas refer to Peranakan women and young girls.

Exploring the Peranakan Museum

The courtyard on the ground floor is open air to allow natural lighting and ventilation to flow freely through the mansion. The English floor tiles, Chinese artworks, and Scottish columns brings in the feels.

Here is a vast dining hall where guests would dine. It is an interesting combination of China plates and cups, and English deco. 

Richly decorated with European-styled teak furniture, Victorian ceramic figures and glass epergnes, affluent Baba households even have a separate western-styled dining room meant for entertaining peers and European guests. The dinner service includes porcelain, glass and silverware, all imported from Europe.

Pinang Peranakan Mansion

Upstairs are different rooms with various artifacts and antiques from East to West. 

Back downstairs at the kitchen.

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Japanese Tokyo Ramen @ Lot 10, Kuala Lumpur

We’re back with another Japanese restaurant in Lot 10 at Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. In a previous post, I shared about my tonkatsu cravings from Malaysia to Japan.

Tokyo Ramen

Tokyo Ramen is on the 4th floor in Lot 10. The 4th floor – J’s Gate Dining – is commonly and famously known as the Japanese food floor. As for Tokyo Ramen itself, it is in the private dining area – Isetan Kuala Lumpur.

Grounded by warmth and humility through service and hospitality, values inherently associated with the Japanese tradition of Omotenashi, The Tokyo Ramen inherits the ambience The Tokyo Restaurant has to offer.

An epicentre that connects family, friends, and acquaintances, underneath the blush of coral tapestry and amber incandescence. Elegant booth seats and leather-grain furniture further cosset you away from the strains of the world beyond.

โ€œA bowl of happiness from Japan, served fresh for Malaysia”

Sink your teeth into the umami-rich ramen option from THE TOKYO RAMEN!ย Made with authentic Malaysian free range chicken, The Tokyo Ramen incorporates The Tokyo Restaurantโ€™s rich flavours and is the perfect gathering spot for ramen lovers of all races and religion. Celebrate the deliciousness of true Japanese ramen, and fill your heart and bellies with joy and satisfaction! Strictly no pork used.

Isetan KL – The Tokyo Ramen

Menu

Let’s dive into their menu. Hungry for lunch, we ordered the Asakusa Sho-Yu Ramen (signature ramen), Bara – Chirashi, and Tori Chashu Don.

“Halal Authentic Ramen, Produced by Japanese Muslim Chef”.

The Asakusa Sho-Yu Ramen (RM30)

The โ€œYukiriโ€ process in the cooking of Japanese noodles like ramen, udon, and soba involves pulling the noodles out of hot water and shaking them free of liquid in a colander so that they retain their delicious springy and perfect texture.

This method ensures that the liquid in the noodles does not dilute the soup, leaving you with textural perfection as well as an intensity of flavours that soothe the soul. All expert noodle-makers are well-versed in this art; but you, too, can be your own expert by properly draining your ramen noodles at home!

Bara – Chirashi : Assorted Sashimi Sushi Rice Bowl
Tori Chashu Don : Chicken Chashu Rice Bowl

You can follow Tokyo Ramen on their instagram below or click “Menu” above to explore their menu online.

Credits to:

https://www.isetankl.com.my/the-tokyo-ramen/

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1 Day Trip North of Sapporo

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It’s time to leave Sapporo city for a bit and explore the countryside. We explored much in the city itself and south of Sapporo – Otaru. Now, it was time to explore north of Sapporo. That’s what we did as we went on a one day tour.

It was a bus tour which stopped at each location for about 15 to 20 minutes. You can links at the end for guides to help you plan your holiday and trips outside of Hokkaido.

1. Campana Rokkatei

It boasts a view of grapevines sprawling across almost 80,000 square meters of rolling hillsides, as well as Mt. Tokachi from the glass-fronted shop right in front of you. Itโ€™s the ideal place for viewing the Daisetsuzan Volcanic Group while savoring sweets available exclusively in Furano. (Continue Reading)

2. Furano Winehouse

Located on a hill overlooking the Furano City in Hokkaido is the Furano Winehouse. You can enjoy splendid views of the city, lavender fields, and mountains of Tokachi. (Continue Reading)

3. Farm Tomita

Farm Tomita, located in the heart of Hokkaido in Nakafurano, Hokkaido, Japan, is home to Hokkaidoโ€™s lavender fields. Farm Tomita is one of Hokkaidoโ€™s largest tourist attraction site that brings in over 1 million people annually from all over Japan and the world. (Continue Reading)

4. Shikisai-no-Oka

Located in the rural town of Biei in Hokkaido, Shikisai-no-Oka attracts many people with its beautiful scenery of panoramic flower gardens. It is a paradise of seasonal blossoms from spring through to fall, in which several dozen different species of flowers and grasses flourish. (Continue Reading)

5. Shirogane Blue Pond

The Blue Pond outside the hot spring town of Shirogane Onsen is named after its deep blue colour which it owes to natural minerals dissolved in the water. It is one of Hokkaidoโ€™s most popular sightseeing destinations! (Continue Reading)

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Watch on YouTube

We booked a one day tour through Klook, which you can check them out here.

However, if you would like to self-plan your own tour with a guide; below is a downloadable guide.

Hokkaido-Farm-Tomita-Tour_FoodyFansDownload

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1 Day Trip from Lake Toya to Sapporo

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After a night of fireworks at Lake Toya, it was time to continue our holiday in Sapporo city and northwards. To make the most of our trip, we booked a one day bus tour from Lake Toya to Sapporo through JAPANiCAN.com.

Below is a guide of our bus tour trip and the places we stopped. Each stop was about 20 minutes.

1. Showa Shinzan Volcano

Shลwa-shinzan is one of Japanโ€™s youngest mountains and is also a volcanic lava dome in the Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Hokkaido, Japan, next to Mount Usu. The peak is 398 m (1,306 ft) tall, and still actively smoking. (Continue Reading)

2. Silo Observatory

It is a great place to have a superb, large panoramic view of Lake Toya as well as Nakajima Island, Mt. Usu, Mt. Showa Shinzan, Toyako town, and Nishiyama Crater. (Continue Reading)

3. Fukidashi Park

Perfect for a relaxing stroll in the early morning, visit Fukidashi Park and listen to the water gushing from the grounds. (Continue Reading)

4. Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery

In Yoichi, a town in the Yoichi District, Shiribeshi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan is one of Japanโ€™s top whisky maker and main distillery. (Continue Reading)

5. Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway

On a clear day you can see as far as Mt. Shokanbetsu and the Shakotan Peninsula. The views offered of downtown Otaru and the Sea of Japan are said to be one of the three best night views in Hokkaido. (Continue Reading)

Trip Summary

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Shirogane Blue Pond: Can a Pond be This Blue in Hokkaido Japan?

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A blue pond in Biei, Hokkaido, Japan. The Blue Pond outside the hot spring town of Shirogane Onsen is named after its deep blue colour which it owes to natural minerals dissolved in the water. It is one of Hokkaido’s most popular sightseeing destinations!

Blue Pond (้’ใ„ๆฑ , Aoi-ike)

How to Get to the Blue Pond

If you’re driving from Sapporo to the Blue Pond:

  • Get on the Hokkaido Expressway at the Sapporo interchange (IC) and get off at Mikasa IC, then go pass Katsurazawa Dam and through Furano (about 150km).
  • From Sapporo IC, get off at Asahikawa Takasu IC, and drive south towards Biei (about 180km).

If you’re driving from New Chitose Airport, use the Dลtล Expressway and get off at Shimukappu, then head north through Furano. The journey is roughly 160km or about 3 hours drive.

There is a parking lot next to the road, and the pond is about a 5 to 10 minutes walk away.

Buses between Biei Station and Shirogane Onsen stop at Shirogane Aoiike Iriguchi bus stop along the way. The one way ride from Biei Station to the pond takes about 20 minutes. 

There are bus tours from Sapporo Station and can be easily arranged through tour companies.

Blue Pond

The Shirogane Blue Pond is an artificially created pond, and it is rather new. It is one of the ponds that were a by-product of creating a dam at the Biei River. This was to stop the volcanic mud of the erupting Mount Tokachi from reaching the town of Biei in 1988. However, it is the only one of these ponds that displays the beautiful blue colour.

The amazing blue colour of the pond comes from minerals in the water, colloidal aluminium hydroxide.

Shirogane Blue Pond in October Autumn 2019
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Credits to:

https://matcha-jp.com/en/7983
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6832.html
https://livejapan.com/en/in-hokkaido/in-pref-hokkaido/in-furano_biei_sounkyo/article-a1000326/
https://hokkaido-labo.com/en/biei-blue-pond-4197
https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1889/
https://hokkaidoguide.com/blue-pond/

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Shikisai-no-Oka: Hokkaido Panoramic Flower Garden

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Roll-chan, a figure made of hay bales, Welcomes us into Shikisai-no-Oka

Located in the rural town of Biei in Hokkaido, Shikisai-no-Oka attracts many people with its beautiful scenery of panoramic flower gardens. It is a paradise of seasonal blossoms from spring through to fall, in which several dozen different species of flowers and grasses flourish.

Why not enjoy the beautiful fragrance of the blossoms amid spectacular panoramic scenery?

How to Get to Shikisai-no-Oka

If you’re coming from Sapporo and using public transportation, take the JR Hakodate Main Line Limited Express to Asahikawa Station which is about one and a half hours ride. Then transfer onto the JR Furano Line which is about 45 minutes ride to Mibaushi Station. From Mibaushi Station, it is about a 25 minutes walk to Shikisai-no-Oka. If you want to take a taxi, it is recommended to get off at Biei Station and take a taxi (around 12 minutes ride).

If you’re driving by car from Sapporo, take the Doo Expressway (toll) and get off at Takigawa IC. It takes about 2 hours and 40 minutes to reach Shikisai-no-Oka.

The entrance fee is ยฅ500 for visitors over 15 and ยฅ300 for those under 15.

Shikisai-no-Oka

Shikisai no Oka simply means the Hills of Seasonal Colors

Kyuhoshi

Shikisai-no-Oka is a big flower garden or park in the Furano area with about 15 hectares of a wide range of seasonal flowers. The Green Season (from late April to late October or from spring to autumn), you can enjoy colourful stripes of flowers that are drawn over the hills.

Be sure to walk in the flower-filled fields. Given that the field is 15 hectares large, expect to do a fair amount of walking.

The Shikisai-no-oka Norokko (tractor bus) is a very popular ride that takes a slow run every 15 minutes or so through the most impressive course in the vast Shikisai-no-Oka Park, which is filled with the rich fragrance of flowers and offers spectacular views of the hills, Mt. Daisetsu, and the flower garden. It stops once during the ride for taking photographs against a background of breathtaking flowers.

  • It costs 500 yen for high school students and older,
  • it costs 300 yen for elementary and junior high school students, and
  • it is free for elementary school students and younger.
Shikisai-no-Oka in 2019

If you want to get around at your own pace on your own or in a small group; you can rent a buggy or a cart. The buggy costs ยฅ500 for a single-seater on 1km circuit of the Shirakaba-batake (white birch garden). The 4-seater cart costs ยฅ2000 for a 15 minutes session to reach some of the best photo spots and explore around the park.

Shikisai-no-Oka in October

In the Winter Season (from early December to early April the following year), the flower garden turns to a world of silvery snow and there are many activities to be enjoyed. Thatโ€™s the time when many winter sports enthusiasts enjoy their time doing various winter activities especially riding on the snowmobile and snow rafting.

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Credits to:

https://www.shikisainooka.jp/en/
https://livejapan.com/en/in-hokkaido/in-pref-hokkaido/in-furano_biei_sounkyo/article-a1000325/
https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1876/
https://www.kyuhoshi.com/shikisai-no-oka-in-biei/

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