AM20: The Japan Journals

Day 2

April 2nd

My first night in Japan was pretty uneventful. Not long after I finished dinner, I climbed up into my top bunk and crashed. Despite my best effort to adjust to the time change, jet lag always finds a way to win. I woke up around 5 (AM) and got my day kick started with a visit to a nearby vending machine.

I knew coming here that this place is infamous for having some of the best vending machines. Anything from random items to full course meals can be had, at any time. For my first jaunt, I decided to keep it simple and get myself some hot coffee. You'll have to explain some of your "energy drinks" to me when I see you. I don't know how "Pocari Sweat" became the name of a popular sports drink here but it's very odd.

Regardless, it's awesome to get up in the morning and get whatever I want from these machines. Considering how many of them are spread across the country, it's safe to say that I'll never die of thirst on this trip.  

Onto today's activities.. I've decided to start the day by heading over to Odori Park. Unfortunately, I couldn't be here in February, as this park is used as the epicenter for the world-renowned Snow Festival every year. With this springtime dusting of snow, I, unfortunately, get frigid temperatures, but no festival. At the end of the park is the TV tower, with an observation deck. I spent most of my day killing time in the park and taking a few obligatory tourist photos. For lunch, I wandered over to the nearby market (Nijo Market) to sample some of the best seafood in the city.

I found a nice little restaurant in the market that was able to provide me with a nice kaisendon (bowl of seafood with cooked rice). The King Crab in particular was incredible. I was pleased with the vast array of fresh fish given to me in one bowl. Perhaps part of that is due to me being from a landlocked state, but I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of fresh seafood in one serving.

With those stops out of the way, I fired up the DZed and headed to the edge of town to sightsee from Mt. Moiwa.

With less than 90 total minutes on the bike, I'm still finding my bearings and seeing how versatile this bike is. While it is comfortable for me to cruise on, the bike does tend to get "buzzy" above 75 mph. I can feel the bike able to do more, but it doesn't feel like it's in its sweet spot, at faster speeds.

Not many dual sports are comfortable at that speed, for long periods, but I was still hoping for more consistent power from the bike. Perhaps it could be the gearing and changing the sprockets could alleviate the issue. I do have a few maintenance days scheduled later in the trip, so that may be a good time to swap them out.

The initial climb up towards Mt. Moiwa was a unique riding experience. Between the flurry of snow covering the trees to the slick sheet of precipitation on the road, the last gathering of Hokkaido's frost-bitten winter is doing its best to put the DZed on skates. Fortunately, I was able to make it to the base of the mountain without any issues.

From the base of the mountain, it appears that taking a pair of cable cars to ascend to the top is the best way to go. I parked the DZed off to the side and made my way up to the observation deck. Aside from the observation area, the top of Mt. Moiwa has several hiking trails, a shrine, a restaurant, and a "Bell of Happiness" for visitors to ring.

I waited until after dusk to take in the sights as I've heard that the view at night is spectacular. The hiking trails gave me a nice way to explore the wilderness and take some photos before sundown. After a few hours of hiking, I came back to the observation deck to take in the panoramic sights of Sapporo.  

It amazes me how such a large city can be peacefully nested around this kind of wilderness. Any cityscape that I've witnessed before had such a swirl of vibrant activity and uncontrollable noise. Here, it's just so serene. The beauty of the surrounding wilderness isn't spoiled by the amplified activity of city life.

With this stop checked off the list, I rang the Bell of Happiness and headed back into town to get a taste of Sapporo's nightlife.

In contrast to what I just experienced, I drove into the heart of Sapporo and checked out the Susukino district. This district is what most foreigners think of when they think of Japan. Between the karaoke bars, pachinko parlors, and adult entertainment, this part of town is a quintessential trope of Japanese nightlife.

Since I was out and about all day, I wasn't really in the mood to enjoy the nightlife. Instead, I opted for a nice bowl of Ramen to fill me up and tie a bow on my day.

This part of town is particularly famous for Ramen, as there's an alleyway full of restaurants dedicated to it. The alleyway is commonly referred to as Ganso Ramen Yokohcho (Original ramen alley). I'm glad it's a common custom here to slurp while you enjoy your food, as the warmth of the broth and the slippery texture of the noodles made it hard to resist such a noise.

With dinner out of the way, I drove back to the hostel and called it a night. I'm very grateful for the number of different budget hotels here. Sure, communal living and accommodations may not be someone's idea of spending a vacation but considering the price and location, I can't beat such an arrangement. I'm still not a fan of the slippers, though.

Tomorrow, I'm off to Otaru. I hear the Beer there is the best in Hokkaido (which is saying something). Until then, I hope you have a good night and I'll see you soon!