Khaosan Sapporo Hostel （カオサン札幌ホステル）: May 2016

Monday, 30 May 2016

The gateway to Hokkaido - Hakodate

If you enter or leave Hokkaido by train, you will definitely pass through Hakodate, the gateway to Hokkaido. But this city is more than just a travel hub and it is well worth exploring the many sights and delicacies Hakodate has to offer!

The port city of Hakodate is the third biggest city of Hokkaido, after Sapporo and Ashikawa. A stroll along the bay area is highly recommended.

As it is port city, of course, the seafood is a must! Try out the morning market for some delicous breakfast!

Another famous place to eat in Hakodate is the well known burger shop "Lucky Pierrot". It is a small chain with a couple of stores in Hakodate - and Hakodate only! Yummy!!

There is also one store that is Christmas themed year round!

Apart from its food, Hakodate is most known for its beautiful night view - for a good reason! It's stunning!

You can reach the viewpoint by car (after 10pm) or rope-way (10am-10pm in summer, -9pm in winter) or simply hike up the 334m to the top (only recommended in daylight though ;) )

Another famous attraction is the star shaped ford of Goryokaku. You can actually see the shape from the Goryokaku tower. The area is very beautiful in spring, during Sakura season or when the flowers bloom.

Another mus see is the historical district Motomachi, at the food of Mt. Hakodate. Its beautiful streets make for a nice stroll, where you can enjoy the view of the port and beautiful houses with a mix of Japanese and European influences.

Motomachi also has a "church district" where you can find an Orthodox church next to a Catholic one, next to a Japanese temple...

When in Hakodate, I recommend visiting the nearby Quasi national Park of Onuma, 20km north of Hakosate city. You can read more about it here.

Written by Irene

To the official website of Khaosan Sapporo

Sunday, 29 May 2016

Onuma - Island dotted lake paradise in Hokkaido

Just 20km north of Hakodate city, you can find a beautiful treasure: the picturesque Onuma Park with its lakes and numerous little islands.

Although this Quasi National Park is such a stunning place, it is still not well known, which makes for a quiet and relaxing day trip from Hakodate or a stop over when traveling between Sapporo and Hakodate. The main part, which is between the big lake Onuma and the smaller lake Konuma, is easily accessible by train. Many of the tiny island on Onuma Lake are connected by bridges and can be explored on foot.

After exploring the islands, I recommend renting a bicycle and exploring the wider area. It is possible to ride completely around Onuma Lake (about 10km). There are many places to stop on the way, e.g. at the little shrine in the forest.

If you want to stay over night, the little B&B just next to the station is a nice place to spend a night. The owners speak English, too, and are really friendly folks. There is also a beautiful camping ground directly at the lake. It is a nice spot on the North-Eastern end of the lake. And the best - it's for free!

Written by Irene

To the official website of Khaosan Sapporo

May-Parties at Khaosan Sapporo

May is almost finished and it was a fun month full of cherry blossom, good weather and of course some parties at Khaosan Sapporo!

This month, it got Korean and Japanese - more exact Osaka style!

Our first party this month was the Osaka Party on the 14th of May. We enjoyed Takoyaki and Kushikatsyu - skewers with deep0fried meat of\r vegetables.

Our guests could even try making their own Takoyaki:

It was a great night!

Our second party this month was another international one: Korean! As one of our staff, Joonmo, is Korean and also happens to be a chef, this one was a must!