I had such a fun trip to Hakone and Hokkaido in Japan last week. More pictures in my flicker here.
先週、箱根と北海道に旅行に行ってきた。
Mt. Fuji from Hakone. 箱根から見た富士山
Lavender Farm in Furano. 富良野のラベンダーファーム
新緑
Night scenery in Otaru. 小樽
Furano is in the prefecture of Hokkaido. Well-known throughout Japan as a tourism destination, it is famous for its lavender fields and the TV drama “Kita no Kuni Kara”. The city name is taken from the Ainu word “Fura-nui” that means “Foul-Smelling Place”, in the language of the native people in Hokkaido. Photos were taken at the Farm Tomita, one of Hokkaido’s premier flower farms. I visited in off-season, so lavenders and other flowers were not in full bloom.Along with the fields, the farm has cafes, ice cream venders selling delicious lavender ice cream, gift shops, a dried flower shop and a potpourri shop. Best to visit on July and August to see an incredible scenery.
Otaru, located northwest of Sapporo, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Hokkaido. This city played important roles as the center of trade and commerce in old days. The most famous landmark here is “Otaru Canal” where they used to carry the fish from the ocean to the land by sailing the tugboats. Good quality of seafood fresh from the Sea of Japan attracts all tourists. You find many glass-ware factories, the old remnant of the major industry. Walking on the main streets, you see the city different from other places with many historic architectures, charming and nostalgic. Otaru is worth visiting for its beauty, good food and lots of attractive pleases in every season.