the 2 cities are just separated by 40 mins of local train. the trip is very scenic - it’s a small railway built on the seaside, it's a 4-car-long local train (have u seen the anime Spirited Away? sorta like those)... u kno wut im sayin it’s like u’re livin in Miyazaki Hayao’s anime u feel like u’re in japan and u feel like u’re NOT in japan but in mediterranean
inside the biggest glass shop in the north “Kita-ichi Gurasu”, Otaru is famous for glass making, and the city started trading with the western world even earlier than Honshu. that’s why the city is filled with western architecture and western stuffs like orgal shops and glassblowing workhouse...
... but mind u, the city is now becoming highly commercialized. it is recommended that if u wanna visit, don’t mind cold, love nature and scenic views, winter is the best time to do so, since nobody goes there in winter (no joking). advantages: snow (romantic), cheaper rates for everything, won’t be crowded as in summer. In winter, u gotta see the true face of Hokkaido, which is the most beautiful. hokkaido in winter: hot spring, japanese cranes dancing, snow (and its all sorts of sports), snow festival in sapporo... great stuffs for all y’all photo freaks
glass teddy bears with glass-blown balloons, the balloons are soo thin that i almost squished one with my fingers.
at the door of the glass shop, late afternoon, the glass wind bells... it was hot in the shop, when i walked outside breeze blew on me and heard the bells ringing ~ suddenly felt like taking this picture... a look on the watch: about time to walk down to the canal
all sorts of glass. this shop is the oldest in Otaru. in it i bought a very pretty handmade glass picture frame, which i now hang on my bookshelf.
the same vases
down to the canal, time: late afternoon before dusk. this canal is the landmark of Otaru.
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mannn can u believe this is japan? from this u can see how westernized Otaru used to be (and now also) when it was an important trading port to the outside world. on the pic are the abandoned warehouse. but i guess i didnt hit the right time when i took this picture, the scene is supposed to be prettier when the gas lights are lid up on the side of the canal, too bad i had to rush for the last express train back to sapporo. memory: i saw this old guy on the sidewalk selling his photography of Otaru of past and present, and having his lil photo exhibition, his works are truly great!
sapporo @ night, from the Odori Park, sapporo tower, no nightlife and the likes in sapporo, everything close after 10pm.
the old Hokkaido state hall, aka the “red-brick building”
Tokeidai - the clock tower, sapporo’s landmark
in a shop in Otaru we saw the legendary AN-PAN-MAN! those are stones btw.
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mom and her lil girl on the canal...
