Nebuta Festival 2012

Last weekend we took part in the Nebuta Festival as a family in Aomori City.  Here is a little edit from the night. Really amazing positive energy throughout the whole night in and out of the parade. The biggest and safest crowds in the world....only in Japan.

Hokkaido Camping Part 4

Our final 2 nights where spent at Lake Shikotsu and in the city of Hakodate. It was quite a drive from Furano to Lake Shikostu, but once we sent up camp, I took a little bike ride around the lake before we had dinner and our final Onsen/bath of our trip. We camped right on the beach next to the lake which sounded like a great idea until the middle of the night when the wind was blowing the cool air off the water into our tent. A surprisingly chilly night.  The following day we drove another long leg south to Hakodate. Forgot to take many Pictures of Hakodate, but a really cool city and wished we had spent a little more time there.  It really is a small version of San Francisco with the hill side roads slammed up against the bay and harbor.  Would love to try to make it back there someday. Highly recommend.  Good beer too! We spent our final night in a Business hotel near downtown and grabbed the early morning ferry for Oma. Once on the main island we pinned for home. No place like home after 11 days on the road.

 We drove 2100km total door to door and helped keep plenty of Lawsons and Circle K's in business along the way. A least 2 convenient store stops per day, and are pretty sure we had Ice cream cones everyday on the trip...always in search of the prefect cream in Hokkaido.  I think we may have found it at Lake Onuma just north of Hakodate. 

It was a great trip and I will never forgot it.  Thank you Hokkaido for all the great memories.

Hokkaido Camping Part 3

After a great visit in Jozankei we headed deeper into Hokkaido in search of Volcanic Mountains and flower fields.  It was a long day of driving so we stopped along the way to look at flowers, play at parks and skate. Our first night was at Asashidake. We camped right at the base of the ropeway and had an amazingly clear night for star gazing.  The next day we went to the Zoo in the morning before working our way down into the Furano Valley area which is famous for there flower fields in the summer months.  The next couple of days we spent checking out the area and even going as high as you can drive on a paved road in Hokkaido to Tokachidake spa.  Great place year round and can't wait to check it out in the winter, although it is the coldest place on the island. 

Finally in Part 4 (Lake Shikotsu and Hakodate) 

Tokachidate spa view

Furano Area

Our Campsite..Free site..great views.