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Toya Kanko Hotel Review

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Toya Kanko Hotel is in Toyako Onsen in Hokkaido, Japan. At the foot of Mount Usu is where you will find most of the area’s hotels and shops, a visitor center, the sightseeing boat pier and the bus terminal.

Toya Kanko Hotel offers elegant rooms. The hotel comprises 131 rooms. WiFi throughout the accommodation is available. Some rooms offer a heating system, a safe box and a wardrobe with views of the mountain. A tub, a hairdryer and free toiletries are featured.

At レストラン「湖畔」 restaurant all guests are invited to enjoy Japanese cuisine. The outdoor bar is a nice spot for relaxation. Boyotei and Sobakura are situated about 200 meters from the venue. A private pool is featured onsite. Toya Kanko Hotel offers sport activities, such as tennis and table tennis.

You’re welcome to use the link below to search and book a room in Toya Kanko Hotel. Do note that I’ll earn a referral from any completed booking made.

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How to get to Toya Kanko Hotel

From Tokyo, you can reach Lake Toya by flying to Chitose City’s New Chitose Airport, and then jumping on a local train from there. You can also ride the shinkansen all the way from Tokyo, a journey completely covered by the JR Rail Pass.

If you’re coming by car, it is:

  • about 2 hours from Sapporo
  • about 1 hour and a half from New Chitose Airport
  • about 2 hours and 15 minutes from Hakodate

Coming from Sapporo, we took the train from JR Sapporo station down to Toya station. It was a 1 hour and 52 minutes, or 163km train ride.

Toya Station

From Toya station to Lake Toya, it was another 15 minutes bus ride. The bus stopped at Toyako Onsen bus terminal, where we continued on foot (4 minutes or 300 meters) to the hotel.

Japanese Style Room
Japanese Style Room
Yukata (Japanese Pajamas)
Direct view of Lake Toya from hotel room

To search for an available room in Toya Kanko Hotel, you can use the link below.

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Private Dinner at Toya Kanko Hotel

At our stay here, we had a private dinner of pork, cooked seafood, fresh raw seafood, desserts, and passion fruit at the hotel.

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Top 16 Attractions to Visit in Hokkaido, Japan

Planning a (solo) holiday trip in Hokkaido, Japan? Here are a list of 16 attractions from Lake Toya to Otaru to Sapporo to north of Sapporo in Hokkaido, Japan.

To know more about each individual attraction, click the image or “Continue Reading” to go to the post.

1. Odori Park

Odori Park spans about 1.5 km and covers 78,901 square meters in the center of Sapporo. It stretches from east to west across 13 blocks of fountains, monuments, and gardens. (Continue Reading)

2. Sapporo TV Tower

Sapporo TV Tower stands exactly in the heart of Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. The Sapporo TV Tower was built in 1957 and is a 147.2-metre-high (483 ft) TV tower with an observation deck at a height of 90.38 metres. (Continue Reading)

3. Sankaku Market

You can’t give Sankaku Market a miss when you visit Otaru in Hokkaido. It is a down-to-earth marketplace with vendors selling fruits, veggies, seafood, and prepared seafood dishes in this wet market. Where is Sankaku Market It is the closest tourist attraction (200 meters or about 2 minutes walk) to Otaru JR station. (Continue Reading)

4. Otaru Canal

Beautiful Canal Lined with Old Warehouses ‘Otaru’ is one of the leading tourist spots in Hokkaido with high popularity, and its symbol is the Otaru Canal. But what’s so special about the Otaru Canal? And how much tourism time should you set aside for it? (Continue Reading)

5. Sakaimachi Street

Sakaimachi Street is an attractive, preserved merchant street in central Otaru, a short walk from Otaru Canal. Sakaimachi Street is about 900 meters in length. It is here you can find souvenir shops, museums, restaurants, historical buildings, and landmarks. (Continue Reading)

6. Lake Toya

Lake Toya is located southwest of Sapporo and New Chitose Airport, between Niseko (one of Hokkaido’s finest powder snow ski resort areas) and the Pacific Ocean. Lake Tōya is a volcanic caldera lake in Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Abuta District, Hokkaidō, Japan. (Continue Reading)

7. Showa Shinzan Volcano

Shōwa-shinzan is one of Japan’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)

8. 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)

9. 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)

10. Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery

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

11. Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway @ Mount Tengu

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)

12. 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. It’s the ideal place for viewing the Daisetsuzan Volcanic Group while savoring sweets available exclusively in Furano. (Continue Reading)

13. 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)

14. Farm Tomita

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

15. 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)

16. 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 Hokkaido’s most popular sightseeing destinations! (Continue Reading)

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1 Day Trip in Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan

‘Otaru’ is one of the leading tourist spots in Hokkaido with high popularity. It is a port city northwest of Sapporo city.

It is a perfect gateway to the seaside from the hustle and bustle of the city. For holiday-goers, the charming Hokkaido port city is renowned for it’s redbrick warehouses, sake distilleries, glassworks, and music boxes.

In summer, green ivy covers the warehouses—a stark contrast to the icicles that adorn the eaves in winter. Autumn paints the distant hillsides in a flurry of colors and spring brings delicate pink cherry blossoms.

JapanTravel

If you’re wondering how to make the most in one day in Otaru, look no further than this perfect one day trip guide in Otaru.

Sankaku Market

You can’t give Sankaku Market a miss when you visit Otaru in Hokkaido. It is a down-to-earth marketplace with vendors selling fruits, veggies, seafood, and prepared seafood dishes in this wet market. Where is Sankaku Market It is the closest tourist attraction (200 meters or about 2 minutes walk) to Otaru JR station. (Continue Reading)

Otaru Canal

Beautiful Canal Lined with Old Warehouses ‘Otaru’ is one of the leading tourist spots in Hokkaido with high popularity, and its symbol is the Otaru Canal. But what’s so special about the Otaru Canal? And how much tourism time should you set aside for it? (Continue Reading)

Sakaimachi Street

Sakaimachi Street is an attractive, preserved merchant street in central Otaru, a short walk from Otaru Canal. Sakaimachi Street is about 900 meters in length. It is here you can find souvenir shops, museums, restaurants, historical buildings, and landmarks. (Continue Reading)

Otaru Tenguyama

From Otaru Tenguyama Ropeway, you can reach the peak of Mount Tengu (Otaru Tenguzan) to enjoy the panoramic view of Otaru Port and Ishikari Bay. 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)

Otaru Walking Tour Map

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Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery

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In Yoichi, a town in the Yoichi District, Shiribeshi Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan is one of Japan’s top whisky maker and main distillery: Nikka Whisky Yoichi Distillery.

Founded by Masataka Taketsuru in 1934, the history of Nikka Whisky began here in Yoichi and the rest is history.

How to get to Yoichi Distillery

The Nikka Whisky Distillery is located just a few steps west of Yoichi Station on the JR Hakodate Line. Yoichi Station can be reached in about 25 minutes by local trains from Otaru or in about one hour from Sapporo.

Yoichi Distillery Tour

You can visit the vast grounds of the distillery, where the original stone buildings of the factory and Taketsuru’s former home still stand. Some of the equipment on display, like the large copper pot still, are still used to this day.

Admission is free. Opening hours are from 9:00am – 5:00pm.

There are guided distillery tours (only in Japanese). Tour hours are from 9:00am – noon and from 1:00pm – 3:30pm. Tour lengths are approximately 70 minutes (tour of the whisky production process and tasting).

In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, some restrictions on the distillery tours have been implemented.

Yoichi Distillery

Yoichi Distillery sits on over 132,000 acres of land.

At Latitude 43.2°N. The harsh and rich nature in the north satisfying everything needed for whisky making.

Masataka Taketsuru, the first Japanese who mastered whisky making in Scotland, valued the climate and natural features of the north. Yoichi, the place chosen by Masataka was close to the sea, surrounded by mountains on three sides and in many ways similar to Highland in Scotland. A cold climate with an appropriate humidity, crisp clean air and fresh water – everything necessary for his ideal whisky was available. The proximity to the sea is one of the distinctive features of Yoichi. The sea breeze gives a briny hint to the whisky during the maturation.

Pot stills

Direct coal-fired distillation. The tradition inherited from the foundation.

Masataka set a pot still using direct coal-fire when he built the Yoichi Distillery. This still was similar to pot stills at Longmorn Distillery where Masataka had the first practical training in Scotland. This traditional coal-fired distillation is hardly seen today as it is difficult to control temperature and requires highly skilled craftsmen. However, the distillation process at Yoichi has remained very traditional to this day. The characteristics of Yoichi Single Malt such as boldness and toasty burnt flavors are unique features of this distillation.

Story

In addition to learning about whisky making; during the tour, you can also explore and learn more about the founder and the history of the distillery.

Read about the history of Masataka Taketsuru and Nikka Whisky.

Rita House
Inside the Warehouse

In addition to the Rita House and the former residence of the Taketsurus, the whisky museum exhibits many materials about the history of Masataka & Rita and Nikka Whisky.

Inside Whisky Museum
Inside Whisky Museum

At the end of the tour, stop by the Nikka Kaisan to sample some delicious whisky and more. Visitors are given three samples of various alcoholic beverages. For those who are not of age, apple juice and other non-alcoholic drinks are also available. Finish off your tour with a quick visit to the gift shop where Nikka Whisky chocolates, bottles and memorabilia are for sale.

Distillery Shop and Nikka Kaikan
Sample of Super Nikka, Singlemalt Yoichi, and Apple Wine
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Credits to:

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6707.html
https://travel.gaijinpot.com/yoichi-nikka-whisky-distillery/
https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1928/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoichi_distillery
https://www.nikka.com/eng/distilleries/yoichi/#access
https://www.nikka.com/eng/story/founder/

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One Night at Lake Toya with Fireworks Festival

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Lake Toya is located southwest of Sapporo and New Chitose Airport, between Niseko (one of Hokkaido’s finest powder snow ski resort areas) and the Pacific Ocean.

Lake Tōya is a volcanic caldera lake in Shikotsu-Toya National Park, Abuta District, Hokkaidō, Japan.  The lake is nearly circular, being 10 kilometers in diameter from east–west and 9 kilometers from north–south. It has an area of 70.7 km2 and shore length of 46 km.

Lake Tōya (洞爺湖, Tōya-ko)

How to get to Lake Toya

From Tokyo, you can reach Lake Toya by flying to Chitose City’s New Chitose Airport, and then jumping on a local train from there. You can also ride the shinkansen all the way from Tokyo, a journey completely covered by the JR Rail Pass.

If you’re coming by car, it is:

  • about 2 hours from Sapporo
  • about 1 hour and a half from New Chitose Airport
  • about 2 hours and 15 minutes from Hakodate

Coming from Sapporo, we took the train from JR Sapporo station down to Toya station. It was a 1 hour and 52 minutes, or 163km train ride.

Toya Station

From Toya station to Lake Toya, it was another 15 minutes bus ride. The bus stopped at Toyako Onsen bus terminal, where we continued on foot (4 minutes or 300 meters) to our hotel – Toya Kanko Hotel.

Toya Kanko Hotel is in Toyako Onsen, which is at the foot of Mount Usu is where you will find most of the area’s hotels and shops, a visitor center, the sightseeing boat pier and the bus terminal.

Lake Toya

We took a walk along the lake side.

Toyakoguruttochokoru Park

Tea Break at Wakasaimo

Japanese Confectionary Shop

Toya Kanko Hotel

Toya Kanko Hotel offers elegant rooms. The hotel comprises 131 rooms. WiFi throughout the accommodation is available. Some rooms offer a heating system, a safe box and a wardrobe with views of the mountain. A tub, a hairdryer and free toiletries are featured.

At レストラン「湖畔」 restaurant all guests are invited to enjoy Japanese cuisine. The outdoor bar is a nice spot for relaxation. Boyotei and Sobakura are situated about 200 meters from the venue. A private pool is featured onsite. Toya Kanko Hotel offers sport activities, such as tennis and table tennis.

Japanese Style Room
Japanese Style Room
Yukata (Japanese Pajamas)
Direct view of Lake Toya from hotel room

Private Dinner at Toya Kanko Hotel

Private dinner of pork, cooked seafood, fresh raw seafood, desserts, and passion fruit at the hotel.

Lake Toya Fireworks

After dinner, we went back down to the lake to enjoy the fireworks.

The Lake Toya Long Run Fireworks Festival is a 187-day-long display that runs from April 28 to October 31. The skies above Lake Toya are lit up fireworks every night from about 20:45PM – 21:45PM.

Guests staying at the many lakeside hotels can enjoy the 20 minutes fireworks display from the comfort of their rooms or the open-air onsen baths. A special fireworks-viewing boat service is available for those romantics among you who want to make the evening even more special.

Of course it’s free of charge along the lake. But to view it from the boat; the fare for the fireworks viewing boat is ¥1,600 for adults and ¥800 for children.

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Credits to:

https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/2157/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_T%C5%8Dya
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e6730.html
https://en.visit-hokkaido.jp/what-to-…

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Japanese Soup Curry Garaku

It was a cold and wet autumn night. We were craving for something hot and spicy. We had soup curry as planned at Soup Curry Garaku in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.

Where is Soup Curry Garaku?

The restaurant is located below ground, so we walked downstairs.

Address: 〒060-0063 Hokkaido, Sapporo, Chuo Ward, Minami 2 Jonishi, 2 Chome−６−1 おくむらビルB１.

How to Get to Soup Curry Garaku

It is approximately:

  • 170 meters from Odori Station
  • 200 meters from Pole Town
  • 400-450 meters from Susukino Station
  • 450 meters from Hosuisusukino Station
  • 260 meters from Tanuki Koji tram line

Soup Curry Garaku

Let’s check out the menu. They’ve different types of soup curry dishes with chicken, shabushabu, pork, vegetable, sausage, mushroom, or lamb.

Then, select the amount of rice and the level of hotness. Rice comes in small (100g), middle (200g), or large (350g) amounts. The hotness level range from mild to standard to hot to very hot to ex hot to fire!!! You can also add on “toppings” with the curry, at additional charges.

To savour the curry in the comfort of your own home, you can also buy their soup curry powder mix.

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Tonkatsu Cravings from Malaysia to Japan

When Ma Maison Ebisu at Lot 10, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur opened, I was first introduced to tonkatsu. What is tonkatsu? A Japanese dish of meat coated in breadcrumbs and fried.

All set meals come with rice, tonjiru (miso soup with pork), cabbage, and pickles:

  • Rosu Katsu (Deep Fried Pork Loin)
  • Hire Katsu (Deep Fried Pork Fillet)
  • Okonomi Katsu (Variety Katsu)
  • Iroiro Katsu (Assorted Katsu)
Rosu Katsu (Deep Fried Pork Loin with Cheese)
Sakana Set (Deep Fried White Fish)

If you’re coming from Lot 10 parking lot, take the escalator or lift from the 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th floor down to the 4th floor. But if you’re coming from the Bukit Bintang MRT or monorial, take the escalator or lift from the ground floor up to the 4th floor. The 4th floor is also known as Js Gate Dining, where there are only Japanese food on this level in Lot 10.

Then in 2019, when I was holidaying in Japan, I ate the tonkatsu at Tonkatsu Wako Pole Town, Sapporo, Hokkaido.

Pole Town is an underground mall in Sapporo. As for Tonkatsu Wako Pole Town, it is very near to the Susukino Station.

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Sapporo TV Tower at Night in Hokkaido

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Sapporo TV Tower stands exactly in the heart of Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. The Sapporo TV Tower was built in 1957 and is a 147.2-metre-high (483 ft) TV tower with an observation deck at a height of 90.38 metres. It is located on the eastern end of Odori Park.

Sapporo TV Tower (さっぽろテレビ塔, Sapporo Terebi-tō)

¥720 admission fee

We visited Sapporo in the autumn of 2019. Due to time constrain, we could only tour the observation deck at night. Inasmuch the day time view was beautiful, the overarching and overlooking night time view was spectacular. See how Odori Park and Sapporo city light up at night!

View of Sapporo city at night
Night view of Odori Park
What you can view to the east of the Sapporo TV Tower

How to Get to Sapporo TV Tower

Traveling by subway or train?

  • Exit number 27 is a 5 minute walk from the Sapporo Municipal Subway Odori Station (Tozai line and Nanboku line)
  • Exit number 27 is a 1 minute walk from the Sapporo Municipal Subway Odori Station (Toho line)
  • A 15 minute walk from the JR Sapporo Station, South Exit.

Traveling by car?

  • 15 minutes (4.572 km) from the Sapporo North Interchange expressway exit

Traveling by taxi?

  • 5 minutes from the JR Sapporo Station (approximately 800 yen)
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Odori Park in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan

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Autumn in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Escape from the hustle and bustle of city life, and enjoy some greenery at Odori Park.

Odori Park spans about 1.5 km and covers 78,901 square meters in the center of Sapporo. It stretches from east to west across 13 blocks of fountains, monuments, and gardens. The address is from Nishi 1 chōme, Ōdōri to Nishi 12 chōme, Ōdōri.

“Nishi” means west, and “chōme” is a block in Japanese

On the eastern end of the park is the Sapporo TV Tower. On the western end is the Sapporo Archives Museum (Former Sapporo Court of Appeal).

Odori Park divides the city into north and south sections.

Odori Park at 1:00pm in autumn
Sapporo TV Tower
View of Odori Park at night from the Sapporo TV Tower
Odori Park at 10:00am
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