Waiting for the season of Azalea !

by Kazu

Soon the flowers of azalea will come to the southern part of Hokkaido including The Port City Hakodate. When we visited before the Motomachi Park in the city was decorated the pink  color of azalea so nicely.   

The historical building the former Public Hall in Motomachi was refurbished, reinforced and re-painted as if it went back to the past. 

So may events including parties were arranged and thrown just after the facility was newly built. The cherry blossoms and azalea flowers were blooming and give a twist to the scenery, I think. 

 

Waiting for the trekkers !

by Kazu

It seemed to be tough to set the tent  for leisure before summer on the highland. this place was developed as the camping site by the central government of Japan. Precisely speaking, by the Ministry of Environment. 

This area should be maintained and controlled by the authority that designated the region as the Daisetsuzan National Park. Almost no plan for resort hotel development has not been allowed after La Vista Daisetsuzan was built. 

Basically it is prohibited to built new building on the highland. It is the sacred area for the indigenous people of Hokkaido Ainu even though they had not been visited the area for worship before. 

 

Our Favorite La Vista !

by Kazu

I've taken my host dad and mom living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the USA to this hotel La Vista Daisetsuzan on the hillside of Mt. Asahidake before.

It was a pity that the accommodations did not have the slipper that fitted to my host dad's feet. His feet needed so wide slippers. Next time, I will take the bigger ones for him.  

Needless to say, the camping site on the hillside of Mt. Asahidake was closed and nobody was there. It would take a little bit more to fill up the place with the trekkers.

 

Hotel & Spa Resort La Vista Daisetsuzan !

by Kazu

Hotel Deer Valley Daisetsuzan had a good appearance and has a nice and comfy fireplace inside. The wooden wall of its facade is so fascinating for the tourists.

The white flowers popping from the marsh on the hillside gave a nice impact to the green and brown ground in the woods.

It was still cold on the hillside but the flowers were blooming in such tough weather. The spruce seemed to be getting the vigor again before the hot season.

 

White river flowing !

by Kazu

The water flow on the hillside of Mt. Asahidake made Ishikari River with other water flows from the peaks of other mountains. 

It doesn't stop flowing and provide the lands, creatures including human beings and the ocean with water and minerals they need.   

The hotel with beige walls seemed to be so comfortable to stay but I've never seen the inside. I would like to have a glance in the not-so-distant future.

 

The water flow from the melting snow !

by Kazu

To get over the tough coldness on the hillside of Mt. Asahidake in white winter, such amount of logs are required to burn in the fireplaces of the accommodations. 

I've never stayed in such log cabin on the hillside of Mt. Asahidake before but done in the lower places such as camping site near the hot spring spas.  

For the trekkers, such log cabins must be convenient because they have to leave the accommodations so early in the morning. Their time to stay in the cabin tends to be short. 

 

The Log Cabins on the hillside !

by Kazu

Many aged and seasoned log cabins could be seen here and there on the hillside of Mt. Asahidake. Many accommodations that I've never stayed before also have so nice atmosphere to allure the trekkers and tourists.

The maintenance of those accommodations must be so tough with heavy snow and cold weather. The log cabins and other old wooden ones looked so nice to stay.   

Many companies and entities have their own log cabins for welfare and pleasure of the staff members. They were built when the economy of Japan flourished.

 

Butterburs of Mt. Asahidake !

by Kazu

The hillside of Mt. Asahidake was still covered with snow with black dots of sand and soil. The shade kept the snow in the lower area on the hillside.

The water flow under the snow melt down the snow from the lower side. Butterbur shoots appeared beside the water flow under the snow.  

I've never heard of the brown bears strolling around the hotel area of Mt. Asahidake but the buterbur shoots must be the favorites of the brown bears in Hokkaido. 

 

The Snowmobile Cool !

by Kazu

The snowmobile should have such wide caterpillar to go even on the new powder snow on the steep hillside of the mountain in Hokkaido. It looked so cool and reliable.   

The hot spring area on the hillside of Mt. Asahidake has been called "Yukomanbetsu" derived from the language of the indigenous people in Hokkaido Ainu. It means the river flowing toward hot spring fountain.

The highland including the peaks of the mountains including Mt. Asahidake has been called "Kamuimintara"which means the garden where the deities are romping around. 

 

The Center of the National Park !

by Kazu

Lake Chimikeppu has so mysterious atmosphere on the eastern part of Hokkaido. It takes approximately one hour fom my hometown Kitami City. The design of the hotel is simple but the center part made of stones seemed to have been built first.

The hotel is at the lake side and at the beginning of spring, the fog hid the hotel from the normal living area of the citizens living outside of the forest. 

Compared to the hillside and the trails in the main island of Japan, the ones of the mountains in Hokkaido are mild. But the climate on the hillsides and the peaks of the mountains in Hokkaido  is as tough as the ones at the lower altitude of the mountains in the main island of Japan. That is why we can see the highland flowers at the lower altitude than in the main island.