Winter Hokkaido

[thedaniel]

#36 Shiretoko Shari JR Station

This is a very small and remote JR station in Hokkaido but looks very new

#37 Shiretoko Shari JR Station Tourist Information Center

There is a Tourist information center too is also very new and located just beside the JR station

#38 This is the inside view of the local train to Kushiru

#39 Looking out of the train

#40 There are also cranes in this area. Ther are people coming here to photograph cranes

 

[Madmax]

Beautiful. I am at a loss of words.

I visited NY and Niagara Falls in Nov/Dec 2008. Honestly, I am not sure if I would like to experience such extreme temperature again :sweatsm:

 

[puraime]

Thanks for the compliments. All the HDR looking shots are processed and produced using a single raw files in the adobe photoshop CS raw settings.

that's really convenient and they don't look burnt or fake. very nicely balanced.

 

[ArcticFox]

NICE. Especially the Otaru set.

 

[billycadiz]

:thumbsup: more pls...

 

[simpleliving]

nice pictures :thumbsup:
pity you are not able to have a bigger picture of the mild seven trees

 

[thedaniel]

Beautiful. I am at a loss of words.

I visited NY and Niagara Falls in Nov/Dec 2008. Honestly, I am not sure if I would like to experience such extreme temperature again

tks. Frankly speaking, I would love to return if I got the chance again. Imagine the locals have to live in such weather for about 3 months every year. They simply don't have a choice. We are living in a summer condition and I would love to enjoy the cool and cold of spring, autumn and winter for a short period to escape the heat here.

that's really convenient and they don't look burnt or fake. very nicely balanced.

Thanks again.

NICE. Especially the Otaru set.

Thanks. That was the first day when I arrived in the evening. Wasn't really prepared for the weather. As I saw from the internet that the lights will turn off at 9pm and by the time I reached the hotel, it was almost 8pm. I just put on my jacket(not designed for winter condition) with jeans and polo shirt and rush to the canal. I was almost froozen there and become one of the sculpture there. :bsmilie: If not I will be able to take more pictures.

:thumbsup: more pls...

more coming

nice pictures :thumbsup:
pity you are not able to have a bigger picture of the mild seven trees

Oh yes. That is one of my major disappointment. So near yet so far.

 

[thedaniel]

#41 Lake Akan

Arrived at the frozen lake Akan in the evening but found the place quite deserted.

#42 Lake Akan Fireworks

Returned to hotel for a short rest and at 7pm+, I found that they had started the festival celebration. But I still can catch the fireworks.

#43 The Natives Ainu

#44 Handcraft sold by the Natives

#45 Fire for warming up

​

 

[thedaniel]

#46 Kushiro JR Station

#47 Waiting for my Ltd Exp Super Ozora to Obihiro

The Limited Express only operates about very 2 hours. So plan your trip carefully and not to miss any.

#48 The Ltd Exp Super Ozora Arrived

This is not the bullet train in main land Japan but still quite fast and only stop on major stations.

#49 Waiting for the train to be cleaned.

The train is being cleaned at this terminal station. This train is bounded for the return trip to Sapporo. I will drop off at Obihiro to visit Lake Shikaribetsu Kotan

#50 It's rewarding to look out for beautiful scenery.

 

[thedaniel]

#51 Lake Shikaribetsu Kotan

This lake is frozen during the winter and the is an ice bar, open hot spring, ice cup making class etc.

#52 Entering an Ice Bar

#53 Inside the Ice Bar

#54 Since 1980

This Ice bar has been created every winter since 1980

#55 The Ice Bar from level 2

 

[giantcanopy]

Thanks for sharing ur winter shots in Hokkaido, thedaniel. I will be probably visiting in Feb nxt yr, and looking at ur pics already made me itch.

Is the trip a DIY trip ?

There are a couple of places that you visited that I planned to include as well such as Biei. Seemed I cannot even see the roads well, makes me think hard about driving. But I would seriously love to capture their famous trees in their patchwork / panoramic roads. Winter made the ones I took in summer look unexciting.

The Otaru festival that u took - is it their Snow Gleaming Festival ? I always had the impression they floated the candles down the canal instead of tying lighted bulbs across

Ryan

 

[thedaniel]

Thanks for sharing ur winter shots in Hokkaido, thedaniel. I will be probably visiting in Feb nxt yr, and looking at ur pics already made me itch.

Is the trip a DIY trip ?

There are a couple of places that you visited that I planned to include as well such as Biei. Seemed I cannot even see the roads well, makes me think hard about driving. But I would seriously love to capture their famous trees in their patchwork / panoramic roads. Winter made the ones I took in summer look unexciting.

The Otaru festival that u took - is it their Snow Gleaming Festival ? I always had the impression they floated the candles down the canal instead of tying lighted bulbs across

Ryan

Great. We will wait for your pictures next year.

Yes, my trip was a DIY (F&E). There are many winter festivals across Hokkaido and most tour packages only covers a certain areas at a time while I make used of the JR rail to do a loop around Hokkaido. But using the rail doing a round loop also means a lot of time on the train too.

Yes. Biei is a beautiful town and I wish I can spend a little more time there but finding food there can be a little difficult. Driving will be great as long as you are confident on the snow covered road. Heavy snow do makes the differentiation of road and side walk rather difficult if you not farmilar with that area. Most of the drivers actually slowed down when they saw me walking along the road side which is very thoughtful of them.

Each seasons have their own beautiful side and I wish I can see all of them. Summer and Autumn will be fills with many flowers and will have a different feel. Hope I can return someday.

Yes, it's also call the Snow Gleaming Festival or some just call it Otaru lights up. I did saw the candles on the river on many websites but I never saw it when I was there. Maybe I never venture far enough or the weather condition prevents them from doing so. The ambience at Otaru was much better then Sapporo one as the Sapporo Snow Festival is more commerical and to attract more Tourists. The visit of Otaru for me is an extra visit since the hotel in Sapporo was fully booked or at very high price. And I was luck to catch an earlier flight from Henada Airport at 4pm rather then the 6:15pm flight booked earlier since I only arrived at Narita Airport at 1:45pm. This allows me some time to have a quick visit of the canal.

 

[emlee]

#28 This should be the trees at Mild Seven hill but I was unable to approach further as there are no road to coutinue towards it and if I cut accross, I found out that the snow reaches my thigh level. So the next better thing is to get my zoom lens.

​

ironically, this composition is very good. simple and clear. the non-symmetry of the snowscape adds to the picture. sometimes, less is more.:thumbsup:

 

[thedaniel]

ironically, this composition is very good. simple and clear. the non-symmetry of the snowscape adds to the picture. sometimes, less is more.:thumbsup:

Thanks. We won't know how it will look if I was able to get closer. So close yet so far. But better then nothing. Hope if any of you going will get a better shot and show it to us.

 

[Fallenphoenix]

nice...
How long did u spend at one spot for shooting? Or u just shoot and move on? Just trying to plan my time for upcoming trip~ =D I'm usually the latter but trying to to push the bar higher~

 

[thedaniel]

#56 An igloo.

#57 A look inside the igloo.

Who wanted to stay here?

#58 An outdoor open hot spring in heavy snow

#59 Staff making Ice Cups

#60 You have to clear the excess snow build up on top of the Ice bar.

 

[giantcanopy]

Hi thedaniel.

Was this shot taken thru the thick glass of the top observatory ?
Did you encounter issues with reflection on the glass or the stalls behind you turned off their lights.

Ryan

 

[thedaniel]

Hi thedaniel.

Was this shot taken thru the thick glass of the top observatory ?
Did you encounter issues with reflection on the glass or the stalls behind you turned off their lights.

Ryan

Yes. The shot was taken through the thick glass on the top observatory.
For this shot, I don't think there is a stall right behind and it was quite crowded at that time and may have block the light if exist. But the main problem were the people that were using flash which can also cause reflection by the glass. Most of the time, I will remove the lens hood and stick the lens on the glass which also act as a support as I need to shot at 0.5 to 1 sec.

Some observatories have double layer glass which I can't do much to prevent a reflection from the back.

 

[thedaniel]

#61 Ltd Exp Super Oroza arriving at Obihiro train station platform.

I will take this train to Minamichitose and change another train heading for Hakodate

#62 On the train. A small river.

#63 Many trees are grown to be logged when they are thicker

#64 I wish I can jump off the train and took a better shot.

#65 Snow, Trees, Mountain and Rivers

 

[kross]

awesome shots at an awesome place! my next destination in 2010!