Mt. Usu Ropeway!

by Kazu

Normally, the rope way transportation service has to be closed before five o'clock in the evening but we could use the rope way on that day. Watching Mt. Showa Shinzan, we went up to the peak of Mt. Usu. 

Do you know that the peak of Mt. Showa Shinzan is still getting higher and bigger ?
It is growing little bit by little bit. The flat place near Lake Toya erupted and such mountain was made many years ago.

A part of Lake Toya coud be seen from the gondola of the rope way. For the security of the facility and the tourists, one or two staff have to stay on the top of the mountain every night.

Yutorelo Toya!

by Kazu

After the hard work all day long, hot spring bathing ease the pain and heal the wounds of ligaments, tendons, muscle and joints. Even the mental stress can be taken off during soaking the body in the bath.

The accommodation near Lake Toya, Yutoriro changed its name recently. The owner might have been changed but the quality of service seemed to be maintained.

Bathing in the hot spring spa promise you the quality sleep and the second wing. The temperature of the hot spring was adjusted to around 40 degrees in Celsius. I got up early in the morning the next day.
 

Hokkaido Kaitaku-no-mura!

by Kazu

This is the place where the historical buildings were moved from the place each of them had been originally built. This is the entrance of Kaitaku-no-mura which means
"Village of Pioneering" in direct translation of Japanese.

It seemed not to be barrier free but there is an approach route for disables. By the midst of October, the autumnal beautiful foliage can be seen on the premises of the facility.

Japanese Emperor had also vsited this facility and walked around the old buildings on this site.
The entrance building is not old but the taste of the appearance is like that of old era. The site was huge than I had expected.

Old fisherman's lodge!

by Kazu

At  the beginning of the season of Pacific herrings fishery, naughty fishermen got together in this lodge preparing for their lucrative job to land the herrings.

After their hard work on the ships, they washed up their bodies and propose toasts again and again during their binge drinking in this buinding.

Winsor Hotel Toya Suites 2!

by Kazu

When Hokkaido Prefectural Government receive VIPs, I checked up all the facilities including the rooms that may accommodate the VIPs. Security check-up is a "must" in our operation.

Sometimes, the layout of the furniture in the room is not the taste of the VIP to stay.  In such case, we have to request some changes to the hotel.

But some of our requests may be a tough call for the hotel. In such case, I have to place a stress on the effect of the VIP's visit to the hotel. Many people of the VIP's country may swamp to the hotel.

Old Sub-prefectural Office in Urakawa Town!

by Kazu

This is the old fisherman's dormitory that was located in Port City Otaru adjacent to Sapporo City. Funky fishermen drank and ate in this building after their work on the ocean to get herrings in the Sea of Japan. 

This building colored pale pink is the former office building of HidakaSub-prefectural area of in Urakawa Town of Hokkaido.
My wife was born in the town fifty two years ago.

Windsor Hotel Toya Suites!

by Kazu

This is one of the luxury rooms of Windsor Hotel Toya.
It seems that it costs three hundred thousand Japanese Yen to stay in this room for a night.

As it was cloudy and raining on that day, the view from the room was not clear but very nice landscape can be seen in fine weather.

The view from the bathroom seemed also nice but white fog welcomed us outside of the window on that day.

Party in Windsor Hotel Toya!

by Kazu

This is one of the ball room in Windsor Hotel Toya. Some very important conferences and party were held in this room before.  The ceiling is very high and the lightings are so nice.

Japan-China Governing Parties' Meeting was held in this room last year. Music and dance performance entertained the participants to the party so much.

I hope more people will be entertained so much in this room in the future. Wedding parties may be thrown but because of the economic recession in Japan, young couples tend not to hold such events when they get married nowadays.

Winsor Hotel Toya!

by Kazu

I checked up some of the rooms in Windsor Hotel Toya.
As you may know, the hotel was used as the venue of the meeting of the group of eight developed countries, called Summit.

One of the leaders of a big country may use the room for some purpose, I think. In spite of the bright experiences of the hotel staff, they may have to learn more to accommodate the top leaders on this globe.

The location, the scenery, cuisine, hot spring and other elements to allure the guests are so excellent. But the most important element of the hotel is hospitality, I think.

Fruit Superb!

by Kazu

The kind of this apple is "Tsugaru". Almost all the apples turned red and seemed so yum. Tsugaru apple produced in Hokkaido is redder than that in the main island of Japan, the owner of the orchard Mr. Hamada said.

This is a prune tree with so healthy fruits. As Mr. Hamada allowed us to pick up some fruits in his orchard, I tried some of the fruits fresh from the tree.

The pears were also so delicious, soft and pleasant on the tongue. He also kindly offered us red-diamond grapes. The taste was superb. He was so generous !

Into Hamada Orchard!

by Kazu

I did not know the orchard run by Mr. Hamada. It is near Lake Toya. As many hot spring springs are around the lake, this area may be warmer than other regions in Hokkaido.

Yes, it is the good place to run orchards, I think. This is the fruits & sweets shop run by Mr. Hamada. Precisely speaking, the patisserie is run by the wife of Mr. Hamada. She makes the most of the delicious fruits and makes the quality sweets.

Packing process is done in one of his greenhouses. Picking and packing fruits must be tough job but the delicious fruits seemed like jewels and they can make many smiles and happiness in Japan.

It took about twenty minutes to reach the orchard from the central hot spring spa hotels of lake Toya. The season of grapes almost finished but apples, pears and prunes can be savored a little bit more.