This is the loongggg delayed second part of my Tohoku & Hokkaido trip on 24 December 2008. Part 1 is here. This post has something to do with YUI.

Christmas eve. I reached Sapporo (札幌) around 6 in the morning. It was still in complete darkness, and I had 3 hours to kill before meeting up with my friend from Otaru (小樽). Lawson saved me from wandering around Sapporo alone.


I love Lawson.

I camped inside Lawson, brushed teeth, washed face, and charged my phone until the sun rise. While waiting for my friend to come, I decided to go visit Hokkaido University on my own. It is just 10 mins away from Sapporo station.


It took me more than 10 mins to have the courage and asked someone to take this picture of me outside Hokkaido University. Unlike the university tour in Singapore, I don't have any connections in Hokkaido University, so I was just wandering around.

In Sapporo, you can 'clear' all the so called tourist spots in half day. I don't know much about Sapporo, I only wanted to go Hitsuji-ga-oka (Hill of sheep), and the place where YUI did street live.


Me and Sae in front of clock tower. I knew her through mixi and Shiina Ringo. She didn't really want to take photos because she was afraid that her friends might see her doing such tourist-y thing in her home town. Don't be fooled by the picture, this 'famous' clock tower is actually in between two high buildings.

On our way to my hotel, I 'passed by' the place where YUI did her street live while she was on I LOVED YESTERDAY tour thanks to my guide.



Google サンドラッグ 狸小路２丁目店 (SUNDRUG store in Susukino) or 名取川靴店 to find the exact location.

Tanukikouji (狸小路) is a famous shopping arcade near subway Susukino (すすきの) station. Actually you can walk from Sapporo station as well. Btw Susukino is a famous red light district in Sapporo too.





Sapporo is famous for its miso ramen. After checking in my hotel which is located near red light districts (sorry mom), we went to have miso ramen.


Not really my type because the taste was too strong (濃い). I don't really like ramen anyway. Not extra toppings even though it was char siu-less, still costed the same, they really don't know how to please the customer =/

And then we were off to see Hitsuji-ga-oka (羊ヶ丘) mentioned in YUI Diary. We went to Fukuzumi station (福住) and took a bus to there.


BOYS BE AMBITIOUS!! Dr. Koto anyone? I wore like 4 layers on top and 2 bottom, so pardon the fat aunty look.

Actually that was the first time in my life seeing so much snow, and seeing sheeps.


Not a bad place but besides seeing Dr. Clark and sheeps, there's nothing much left.


Those freaking sheeps ignored me completely by showing their @sses.

Next, Sae's home town, Otaru (小樽), which is 30 mins away from Sapporo by train. Love Letter anyone? (never watched it before though)


Go see this river/canal, and you can tell everyone that you've been to Otaru. Someone told me that he likes this place a lot though. It is quite different from Sapporo I must say.

The train to Otaru was included in the Hokkaido & Tohoku pass.

Nobody wants to spend Christmas Eve alone, especially in Japan. Luckily I found out that another bunch of Waseda students were coming here and decided to meet up with them in Otaru. And thanks to Sae, my first ever lone trip wasn't that lonely after all ;)


They only 'group' photo I have. I was checking the phone. From left: US/Canada, Australia/HK, Taiwan/SG, Malaysia. Camerawoman: UK/Japan/Korea. Another US girl was hiding.

It took us a while to meet up each other in Otaru because my guide was lost, in her home town lol. They wanted to have crab buffet (4000 yen) for dinner. Since I'm stingy, I chose to go back to hotel and had food from convenient store. On my way back, I saw this radio station in Sapporo station.


RAD's radio station. Maybe YUI has been here before?

After spending two nights in the train, seeing this bed was a huge relief.


My only 'real accommodation' for this 5 day trip (3675 yen). Come to think of it, in my whole life, I don't really get to stay in such fancy hotels that often.

Fell asleep after having a super long hot shower (I supported Earth Hour yesterday).

End of day 3.

Part 1: Tohoku & Hokkaido Trip Day 1 & 2 - Niigata, Yamagata, Akita, Aomori