I have to admit, Hokkaido has really grown on me. In particular, I really enjoy the temperate forests and the peaceful nature. I grew up in snow and it’s incredibly nice to be able to go walk through a park and enjoy the crisp sound of my footsteps. I would love to go skiing or snowboarding here – but honestly, that’s not what this trip is about – and frankly, I’m a bit tired of doing things by myself.
This trip has a purpose but there is also a tourism component to it and while it surprises me to say it, I don’t think I ever want to do a solo tourist trip again. I can keep myself company, that’s not the problem, the problem is that when I keep myself company I can just as well be anywhere as somewhere else. I’ve done a lot of solo travel over the past several decades, but when I look back on it – most of it wasn’t solo at all.
I was making friends in hostels (before everyone was nose deep in their phones or internet connected devices), I was making friends through Couchsurfing, or I was visiting friends in places where I went. Solo travel – actual solo travel where you just do things by yourself – is – to me – at this stage of my life – boring as fuck.
Still, I’m not going to not do it while I’m here in Sapporo. So yesterday, I made a list and ticked things off of it.
I went to the Hokkaido Jingu Shrine and paid my respects. I hiked through snow covered Maruyama Park and visited the Maruyama Zoo to see the Japanese Snow Monkeys and Polar Bears. I had a delicious bowl of a Hokkaido specialty Soup Curry with Vegetables. I took a trip to the other side of the city and visited the Ishiya Chocolate Factory and tasted delicious chocolate. I ventured out to the Sapporo Brewery and toured the Sapporo Beer Museum. I returned to Susukino (where my hotel is) and then splurged for the Jingisukan (Genghis Khan) Lamb experience.
It was a very full day. Here are more photos
