4th January 2013
Woke up early to take train to Asahikawa 旭川. I have always wanted to see the penguin parade in Asahikawa Zoo. However, my dream was dashed due to the snow storm, all the trains and buses bound for Asahikawa were stopped due to the bad weather. Initially, the notice in the train station stated that by 12 pm, the train may resume running. So, we had to think of a way to pass the time. Some decided to go shopping (there are many shopping places around the Sapporo Station). Some decided to just go back to the hotel and rest in the lobby area.
Me and two other friends decided to go to Sapporo TV Tower, well, the underground shopping arcade is quite useful. Since we had no interest to walk outside the main road with slippery surface, occasional snowing and strong wind, we decided to use the underground shopping arcade to go to TV Tower. The underground shopping arcade is very extensive and long. If one wants to save 200 yen, one can walk from the subway station in Sapporo Station to the nearest station to Susukino (a place where one can find restaurants, karaoke and red light establishments). My friend told me that she went to a 'information centre' in Susukino to ask directions to a restaurant, then only she knew that the 'information centre' is the 'information centre' for the ''red light establishments''. So, friends, please don't simply go to a 'information centre' to ask for directions, it might be not what you think it is. Hahaha.
Anyway, we went to TV Tower, went up there and snapped photos to kill time. From top of the TV Tower, I could see that Sapporo is a very beautiful city.
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| Sapporo TV Tower |
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| Sapporo TV Tower |
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| various towers around the world |
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| View from TV Tower |
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| View from TV Tower |
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| fat pigeons outside the TV Tower |
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| haha, a building near Sapporo Station with a clock (not Sapporo Clock Tower though) |
Then, we went to the infamous Sapporo Clock Tower. Well, Sapporo Clock Tower is one of the 'Japan top 3 disappointed tourist attractions'. We knew this place from a friend's friend who came from Sapporo. He told us how he was disappointed when he knew the building he passed by very often is the famous "Sapporo Clock Tower". However, since we prepared for the worst, when we actually saw the clock tower, we felt that the building is kinda grand also. There are exhibitions inside the clock tower. Since we were really free, we spent our time inside, reading all the information!
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| Sapporo Clock Tower |
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| exhibitions inside the Sapporo Clock Tower |
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| exhibition inside the Sapporo Clock Tower (clock of the Sapporo Clock Tower) |
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| the history of the manufacturing of the clock of the tower |
Then, 12 o'clock, we went back to the Sapporo Station, to our disappointment, all the trains bound for Asahikawa still stopped. So, we had to think of another plan. To most of my travel mates, they were more interested in the Tomamu. they were worried that even if we managed to go to Asahikawa the next day, we would be stuck in Asahikawa if there was another snow storm. So, change of plan, our next destination would be Obihiro 帯広. My friend called the Dormy Inn to cancel our booking, since the reason we couldn't go to Asahikawa was due to the weather and train stoppages, we didn't have to pay the cancellation fees.
#Japan top 3 disappointed tourist attractions 日本3大がっかり名所
1. Harimaya bridge 播磨矢橋 in Kochi
2. Sapporo Clock Tower 札幌時計台
3. Nagasaki Hollander Slope オランダ坂 / Okinawa Shuri Gate 守礼門
Mmmm, I think that I need to add one more in the list, I think the Megane Bridge 眼鏡橋 in Nagasaki is a disappointed place too.
Day 1 & 2:
Hakodate
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