Dintaifung in Sapporo!

 

by Kazu

The most famous and popular Taiwanese dumpling
restaurant "Din Tai Fung" opened its branch in  Daimaru Department Store, Sapporo. But we had to wait for an hour to be escourted to the table and raise glasses like the headquarters in Taipei. We ate up a variety of Taiwanese dumpling including its signature manu "Xiaolongbao". But we prefer the plain Xiaolongbao to truffle, liver of club, scallop.

This is the lava dome of Mt. Showashinzan next to Mt. Usu. The height got lower a little bit but the activities under the ground is still to be observed carefully.

The hot spring spa resort Lake Toya is also loved by campers because a public spa is also available as well as the hotel spas around the lake. We had enjoyed camping around the lake twice or three times actually.

Railway Mania "Tetchan"!

by Kazu

There are a variety of railway mania in Japan. They are called "Tetchan" because railway is called "tetsudo"in Japanese."Tetsu" means "iron" and "do"means "way". Some of "tetchan" love to take the train on the line where only a few trains run per day.  

Some love to take photos of the trains and stations. My wife loves to visit these railway station where very few trains drop by or not in use. The train mania of her alma mater sometimes arrange the train tours and she sometimes takes part in the tours.

To be honest, I can not understand what moves her but I love to see her filled up with satisfaction and happiness. Please do not ask me what interests them so much.

 

The eruption occurred!

by Kazu

This lookout on the rim of the crater of Mt. Usu is higher than that on the Lake Toya side. "Funkawan"which means "Eruption Gulf", can be seen from there. The surface of the gulf was shining with the reflection of sunshine.

The costline of Oshima Peninsula could be seen over the shining ocean on the south. The eruption of Mt. Usu occerred in July of 1910, August of 1977 and March of 2000.  I was not in Japan when the latest eruption occurred.   

I was remembering the eruption in 1977. The larger part of Mt. Usu was blow away with the eruption and the current crater was made there. I was 11 years old then.

 

The lookout on the crater side of Mt. Usu!

by Kazu

Mt. Usu crater observatory is the start point of the trail on the rim of the mountain. The eruption point could be seen from the lookout clearly but the activity of the volcano ear.

I do not think the treckers are allowed to go up to the peak of the spearhead of the mountain because nobody is sure that the rocks are stable and solid or not.

It was getting dark and colder. Dark clouds were geting closer to us. It was the sign of snowfall. We had to leave the lookout and take the ropeway as soon as possible. My wife was getting weary by the strong winds blowing around the hillside of the mountain  

 

The Crater of Mt. Usu!

by Kazu

This is the lookout on the crater side of Mt. Usu. Mt. Usu lost its larger part by the eruption from the center of the crater. The rocky ragged skyline could be seen on our righthand side and the eruption point could be seen on the lower side of the lookout.

The spearhead of Mt. Usu seemed to be made by sticky lava like Mt. Showashinzanon the east side of Mt. Usu. It may be tough to walk around the crater in summer because of the reflection and the heat from the ground under the sunshine. 

The trecking trail led to Date City that was developed by the descendants of  Lord Date Family in the northern part of the main island of Japan in the early time. The lava dome, the crater and the rim can be seen from nearer place. 

 

The spearhead of Mt. Usu!

by Kazu

The Eruption Gulf "Funkawan" also could be seen from the lookout on the hillside of Mt. Usu. The surface of the ocean was shining as if Pacific herrings swamped the coast like decades ago.

Tourists can savor hamburgers, French fries, coffee and other drinks and foods on the deck of the lookout, watching those landscape. It may be the best place to get the overview of the area.

We went up to another lookout on the crater side. It took fiv e to ten minuts by walk from the tram station to the lookout. There seemed to be a trail around the crater. My wife seemed to decide to visit and walk there in summer of 2022. 

 

The Scenery from the lookout of Mt. Usu!

by Kazu

I had visited the lookout of Mt. Usu when we received the Vice President of China Mr. Wang Qi Shan in Hokkaido in 2019 but in two years, the lookout was remodeled and got the wooden deck like stairs so that as many as tourists can enjoy the landscape without embarrassed by the people stand in front of them.  

On top of that remodeling, some chairs were there so that the visitors can enjoy the view as long time as they can.  They were facing the lower area including Lake Toya and Mt. Showashinzan, but even the sharp spear of Mt. Usu on the higher side was also worthwhile.

Mt. Usu lost its larger part with the eruption but its geographical value increased so much, I think. It is very interesting area to visit. But I am not sure the inside of the ground is stable or not.

 

The lookout of Mt. Usu refurbished!

by Kazu

From the looklout near the peak of Mt. Usu, Mt. Showashinzan could be seen so clearly on that day. Mt. Showashinzan was made of sticky lava in Showa era. The flat ground rise up in 1944. The flat ground was owned by Mr.Masao MIMATSU, the postmaster of Soubetsu Post Office at that time, and is now owned by the grand son in law Mr.  Saburo MIMATSU.

The lava dome was 400 meters high just after the mountain appeared but is 398 meters high now. As it is owned privately by Mr. Mimatsu, hikers can not enter the area freely.  

The area including Mt. Usu, Mt. Showashinzan and lake Toya has very unique and intriguing condition and history. So it was designated as "Toya Caldera and Usu Volcano Global Geopark" in 2009.

 

Heading to the peak of Mt. Usu !

by  Kazu

My wife was so moved with our visit to this small unmanned railway station "Kitafunaoka"near the coast of Eruption Gulf "Funkawan" in Japanese. She took her sweet time on the platform of this station.

But we had to leave there before snowfall on Inaho Pass on our way to Yoichi Town from Niseko Area. Dark clouds and snowfall were getting closer to the route. 

We dropped by the washroom at the foot of Mt. Usu and Mt. Showazan. As my wife had never visited there after the facilities around there were refurbished and renewed, we decided to go up to the lookout of Mt. Usu by the ropeway It was still so fine when we arrived thereWe took the cablecar to get the overthe area.

 

Stairs to the sky!

by Kazu

My wife is crazy for visiting small unmanned railway stations in Hokkaido. I can not understand her enthusiasm but when she is satisfied with her scenery around the station,  so filled up with happienss.  

After the drive on that day, she said she was moved with her visit to this "Kitafunaoka" station. I could not understand what struck the chord of her heart but I suppose the location and the stairs that connected the platform must be the unique ones.

I remembered my study tour to Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara and Osaka in my high school age. I used train to reach Hakodate from Kitami City, my hometown through Sapporo. I saw the gray ocean near the railway at that time.