Charming Hokkaido

[tomcat]

Active volcanoes Mount Uzu (有珠&#23665 and Mount Showa (昭和新&#23665

#36

Access to viewing area on Mt Uzu is by cable-car

#37

Mt Showa - a newly formed lava dome that had suddenly rose from a flat wheat field to its current height of 290 meters between 1943 and 1945. Japan's youngest mountain

#38

Panoramic view of Lake Toya and Mt Showa area from the ropeway terminal observation platform on Mt Uzu

#39

Panoramic shot of the lava dome on Mt Uzu

#40

Panoramic shot of Mt Uzu's Ginnuma Crater. It was created during the 1977 eruption

 

[giantcanopy]

I remember most of the places u covered and took. Spring looks pretty different from Summer. Did u manage to walk the entire hiking stretch on Uzu ? Due to local transport constraints we could not finish the last leg of the hike :bheart:

Ryan

 

[tomcat]

I remember most of the places u covered and took. Spring looks pretty different from Summer. Did u manage to walk the entire hiking stretch on Uzu ? Due to local transport constraints we could not finish the last leg of the hike :bheart:

Ryan

What transport constraints? The tour bus couldn't wait is it?
We didn't continue with the second part of the hike anyway. The sign said that it's another 40 mins hike to the rim of the Ginnuma crater which we could already see from we were. And it was getting late in the afternoon too.

 

[two200]

#33

After walking for some distance around the crater on a wooden plankway, we came to the objective... a bubbling pool of hot spring water continuously emitting sulphurous steam.

Now I know what was at the end of the wooden plankway. When I was there, sadly there was no time to explore. Thanks for the shots.

What transport constraints? The tour bus couldn't wait is it?
We didn't continue with the second part of the hike anyway. The sign said that it's another 40 mins hike to the rim of the Ginnuma crater which we could already see from we were. And it was getting late in the afternoon too.

Wrong freq :bsmilie:
Giantcanopy went F&E trip, whereas you went with tour group
Let me unashamedly link his Memories of Hokkaido thread for you, as his photos were an inspiration to me.
(PS: I do not know him personally, so there is no conflict of interest)

 

[tomcat]

Now I know what was at the end of the wooden plankway. When I was there, sadly there was no time to explore. Thanks for the shots.

Another place that you missed...

#41

Kita-no Ice Cream at Otaru which sells ice creams with special flavours like sea urchin, squid ink, beer, potato and butter, skin supplements (Coenyzme Q10, Sea Collagen) besides the normal flavoured ones. I was not that adventurous to try a black ice cream like squid ink and just went for the melon one.

 

[giantcanopy]

What transport constraints? The tour bus couldn't wait is it?
We didn't continue with the second part of the hike anyway. The sign said that it's another 40 mins hike to the rim of the Ginnuma crater which we could already see from we were. And it was getting late in the afternoon too.

Wasn't a tour bus, but a local bus that transports people from Toyako Onsen area to mount Uzu. We could not risk the last stretch and be late for the last bus back.

Furano has lots of different flowers in various bloom timing, orchestrated nicely for tourism, so u dun see it too barren unless winter.

Thanks for sharing these travel memories.

Ryan

 

[tomcat]

#42

'Samurai Girls' at Fort Goryokaku

#43

Prerequisite shot of cherry blossoms taken at Fort Goryokaku since this was supposed to be a Cherry Blossom Viewing Tour

#44

Aerial view of Saporro at sunset taken from the 34th Flr Observation Deck of JR Tower which allow a 360 deg view of the Saporro skyline

#45

Another view of Saporro at sunset from JR Tower

#46

Another view of Saporro from JR Tower

 

[two200]

Another place that you missed...

#41

Kita-no Ice Cream at Otaru which sells ice creams with special flavours like sea urchin, squid ink, beer, potato and butter, skin supplements (Coenyzme Q10, Sea Collagen) besides the normal flavoured ones. I was not that adventurous to try a black ice cream like squid ink and just went for the melon one.

I tried the squid ink ice cream in Hakodate market. Actually nothing special cos it tasted no different from normal ice cream except that it is black in colour. If you had taken Malay black ink squid, you will know what I mean.

 

[tomcat]

I tried the squid ink ice cream in Hakodate market. Actually nothing special cos it tasted no different from normal ice cream except that it is black in colour. If you had taken Malay black ink squid, you will know what I mean.

I know it doesn't really have any taste but I just didn't feel like eating black-coloured ice-cream without any special flavour. I did try squid-ink coated cheese at the Furano Cheese Factory and it doesn't have any taste apart from that of cheese too.

 

[theshooter]

nice one bro. you must have brought at least 3 different glasses?

the temperature of hokkaido and the main cities are so different. i was in osaka and tokyo last week as well, and the temperature was like 28 degrees most of the time

 

[tomcat]

nice one bro. you must have brought at least 3 different glasses?

the temperature of hokkaido and the main cities are so different. i was in osaka and tokyo last week as well, and the temperature was like 28 degrees most of the time

Thanks. I brought along 5 lenses but used 2 of them the most. It was very cool and refreshing at Hokkaido and mostly sunny too. Lucky for us.

 

[tomcat]

The Hokkaido Shrine (Hokkaido­ Jingu) is a Shinto shrine located in Maruyama Park, Sapporo. The Hokkaido Shrine enshrines four kami (Shinto deities) including the soul of the Emperor Meiji(3 November 1852 — 30 July 1912) or Meiji the Great, the 122nd Emperor of Japan.

#47

Entrance to the temple building shaped like a Shogun's hat

#48

#49

Bronze statue of the head commissioner, Mr. Shima, who chose the site of the present Shrine in 1869 and brought the gods on his shoulders there and also planned the city of Sapporo.

#50

Majestic trees at the Hokkaido Shrine

 

[tomcat]

#51

The Clock Tower (Tokeidai) is the symbol of Sapporo. The building was constructed in 1878 as a drill hall of the Sapporo Agricultural College. The US-made clock was added in 1881.

#52

NHK Tower at Odori Park, Sapporo

#53

Hakodate Night View - reputedly one of the top 3 night views in the world... the other 2 being Naples and Hong Kong. Taken from the top of Mt Hakodate assessible by road and cable car.

#54

Hakodate Night View - fisheye view
The waters to the left and right are the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean respectively.

 

[gnohz]

Thanks for all the wonderful pics Especially the Hakodate night view. What lens did you use for your trip?

 

[tomcat]

Thanks for all the wonderful pics Especially the Hakodate night view. What lens did you use for your trip?

Glad you like them. The Hakodate night view was spectacular and die-die-must-see when in Hakodate. There were a couple of high-rise apartments on the hillside with this view. Just can't imagine what it would be like to live in one of them and have a view like that every night.

I brought along the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8, Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8, Nikon 70-300mm VR f/4.5-5.6, Nikon 105mm VR f/2.8 Micro, and Sigma EX 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye. Most of the shots were made with the 24-70mm though followed by the Sigma 15mm Fisheye.

 

[Estherfu]

#50

Majestic trees at the Hokkaido Shrine

Thanks for sharing your wonderful pics.

Was this taken with the Fisheye or just 24mm?

The Hokadate night shots were spectacular...:thumbsup:

esther

 

[two200]

I brought along the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8, Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8, Nikon 70-300mm VR f/4.5-5.6, Nikon 105mm VR f/2.8 Micro, and Sigma EX 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye. Most of the shots were made with the 24-70mm though followed by the Sigma 15mm Fisheye.

wah you super on leh. every focal length covered. Probably most useful will be the fisheye and the 24-70mm for cropped sensor or 70-300mm for FF.
No need for workup after this trip! :bsmilie:

Your "Majestic tree" is very well taken with good composition :thumbsup:

 

[tomcat]

Thanks for sharing your wonderful pics.

Was this taken with the Fisheye or just 24mm?

The Hokadate night shots were spectacular...:thumbsup:

esther

Thanks for viewing. Happy you like them.
The 'Majestic Trees' shot was taken with the Sigma 15mm Fisheye.

I was a little disappointed with the image quality of the Hakodate night view shots though. I knew that the view would be spectacular and had brought along a $1,200+ tripod/head setup and had hoped to capture really sharp images of it. I did not however foresee that I would be jostling for space with a huge crowd of people or the freezing wind strong enough to shake the building on which roof the observation deck was situated. We could actually feel the floor of the roof top vibrating.... so much for the rock solid carbon fibre Gitzo tripod and KangRinpoche head.

 

[tomcat]

wah you super on leh. every focal length covered. Probably most useful will be the fisheye and the 24-70mm for cropped sensor or 70-300mm for FF.
No need for workup after this trip! :bsmilie:

Your "Majestic tree" is very well taken with good composition :thumbsup:

Thanks. Credits must go to the fisheye lens. That's why I like to find opportunities to shoot with this lens... very drama.

The photographic gears were very heavy but luckily there wasn't that much climbing to do and when there was, like at Mt Uzu, the slope was very gentle. I would died if I had to climb the Great Wall in China... I nearly did when I went there with a backpack full of camera equipment the last time I was there. :embrass:

 

[tomcat]

More photos to document the trip to Hokkaido...

Shiraoi Ainu Museum, also called Porotokotan, is where Ainu culture and lifestyle is shown in an outdoor reproduction of a small Ainu village and inside a conventional museum building. Several performances, such as traditional Ainu dances, are held throughout the day.

#55

#56

#57

Ainu ceremonial dance to send back the spirits of the animals that they are going to kill for food