A summary of photos taken

29 Feb 2016

Sharing some photos before I follow my schedule and post more details and what I recommend.

Early heavy snow in November

 

It is another scenery in the night.

Ishiya White lovers' Chocolate Factory in the night

Crane watching

Crane watching

Rusutsu Resort at night. When night skiing season is open, this is really beautiful .

White Illumination at Odori

Ishiya White lover's Chocolate Factory in the day

Zoo package with bus timetable and zoo map

Koufuku station : Must go to be always blessed

Noboribetsu Marine Park NIXE Penguin March

Sapporo Museum : Elephant vs Mammoth

Takikawa Children science center

Noboribetsu Marine Park NIXE  Hourglass dolphin performance

 

 

Where to shop for baby or kids' items

27th Feb 2016

It is always a must to know where to buy daily needs like diaper, formula milk, baby weaning food, etc.

I like going to Japan as you can travel lighter as there are shops and super markets nearby that can be easily access. Just prepare first and second day's requirement, the rest just buy there.

For emergency case, you can visit the big department store, children department, they usually sell Anpanman design Genki brand in 1 or 2 pieces pack, price at 100-200 yen each pack.

Alternative you can visit super market near where you stay. Places like Aeon and Co-op can be found easily.

The most popular One Stop Children Store will be Akachan Honpo. Everything you need can be found. They even have their own diaper pack which has more pieces than super market and that also means cheaper.

Akachan Honpo belongs to 7Eleven group and therefore 7Eleven house branded items can be found too. They are usually easily access near train or subway stations.

What I like to buy from Akachan Honpo :
Children wear
Formula milk
Fruit juice
Hotcake flour
Jelly made from fruit
Instant noddle meant for kids
Diapers
Baby bread that are suitable for 6 month old and above ( no colouring, no preservative, no artificial flavours etc)
Baby health snack
Weaning food related items
Winter snow boots and wear
Summer wear
Toilet training pants ( these are good and really good, comparing those you get from Singapore or China)
and the list goes on.

So where to find Akachan Honpo?
In Sapporo,
if you visit Sapporo Beer Museum in Naebo, it is situated inside Ario next to it.
Address:：〒065-8518 北海道札幌市東区北7条東9-2-20「アリオ札幌」イトーヨーカドー2F

Or you can go to Shinsapporo Duo2, just next to JR Shin Sapporo station
Address : 〒004-0052 北海道札幌市厚別区厚別中央2条5-6-3「新さっぽろアークシティ デュオ-2」3F

 

For other parts of Japan, you can search here: 

http://www.akachan.jp/store/

The other One stop store is Nishimatsuya. Personally in my own opinion, without public transportation, the outlets are not easily accessible compared to Akachan Honpo. The shop space are allocated more on clothes than food but price is more affortable. 

There is an outlet near Nango juhachi chome which is 1 bus stop away. This is near the supermarket from the apartment. 

Address : 北海道札幌市清田区北野6条2丁目14番2

The other outlets : 

https://www.24028.jp/tenpo/

The last one is well known overseas Big brand: Baby"R"Us!

There is one next to Sapporo Beer Museum 

Scroll to the last store below : 

http://www2.toysrus.co.jp/store/en/hokkaido.html#hokkaido

The other outlets are : http://www2.toysrus.co.jp/store/en/

I hope you will have an easier trip with these information!

Must Bring !!

This is a must bring when going to anywhere in Japan. Not many foreigners know or are aware but this is the best gift you can get for your kids to remember the trip.

PLEASE Remember to bring a A4 size blank note book! If you forget, you can get in 100yen shops. Blank ones without lines will be better.

You can find stamps in JR station, subway station, museums, zoo, aquarium, malls, airport, tourism customer service ,etc,etc....... Some even have seasonal stamps !!

If you can't find, ask the staff for Kinen Sutampu ( 記念スタンプ), they will guide you the location.

Common pass or package to grab

19th Feb 2016

There are many passes and package known to the locals but not the foreigners. Please ask the staff or tourist spot for where you can purchase them.

Unlimited day pass

In all subway, you can purchase unlimited day ticket for 840yen for a day or Donichika ticket 530yen for weekend or public holiday.

If you need to transfer to a bus or tram after subway, please purchase at the ticketing machine. Look  for transfer, it is about 100-150 yen cheaper per ticket.

JR Hokkaido Pass

It is available in 4 types : 3 days, 5days, 7 days and 4 flexible days .
Information can be found here : http://www2.jrhokkaido.co.jp/global/english/railpass/rail01.html

Bus package

Please check out at the bus terminal if there is any package to destination. In Obihiro, I got a zoo package for Obihiro Zoo with 2 ways bus at only 500 yen.  2 ways fare to zoo is already 420yen.

Free Resort Bus

If you have intention of going to Ski resort, Resort like Rusutsu Resort , Tomamu Resort have free shuttle bus.

Rusutsu Resort pick up is at 8:30am, just in front of the Sapporo station, after Hokkaido Bank. Exact location : Kamori Building 3, Kita 4 Nishi4, Chuo-ku, Sapporo

Tomamu Resort pick up is at JR Tomamu station.

100 yen shops

Singaporeans love 100yen shops like Daiso and it is fun to visit these shops intentionally or bypassing. 

For Daiso Sapporo Central , it is a wonderful shopping time just in 1 huge daiso as this is the biggest outlet in whole Japan. 5 storeys filled with millions of items to be discovered and explored!

Daiso Sapporo Central : 北海道札幌市中央区南二条西２丁目富樫ビル１Ｆ
Take subway to Odori, walk towards Tanuki covered shopping street 2. You will pass by a pet shop on the right, an owl pancake shop with real living owls just next to the Pachinko and ABC mart that sells shoes. At the traffic light towards Tanuki street 1, before crossing the road, turn left, you will see Daiso logo at the next junction. 

Daiso Sapporo Lucy : 北海道札幌市白石区栄通１８丁目５５５－２
This near the apartment.  Take subway to NANGO 18Chome Exit 3, turn left. 
This is toward the CO-OP Mall known as Lucy.
You will find KFC on your left before you cross the road to the mall. 

Many more here: http://www.daiso-sangyo.co.jp


 Can Do :

• JR Tower  Esta B2F

This outlet is easy to access from JR Sapporo station. The escalator from underpass leads directly to the store.  You can access from the food court on B1F, next to KFC.

• Susukino Lafiler 4F

Next to Subway Susukino station and Tokyu Inn  ( The busy district with brigh neon lights, CAN -DO logo will not be missed)

• JR Soen station

Situated just outside of JR Soen station 

• Miyanosawa Terminal Building 2F

If you are going to White lover's chocolate factory, this is a shorter and easier route. 

• In front of JR Kotoni 

It is situated just in front of the JR station 

Many more here : http://www.cando-web.co.jp/shopinfo/hokkaido.html



Seria : This store can usually find in AEON malls. 
Outlets at

•  Sapporo Factory 2F
• 北海道札幌市中央区南一条西２７丁目１−１
  マルヤマクラス　Ｂ１Ｆ  If you are walking to Maruyama Zoo, you will pass this and the Shrine before reaching the zoo
• 北海道札幌市厚別区厚別中央二条５−６−３
  デュオ２　Ｂ１Ｆ
  Just next to JR Shin Sapporo station, DUO2 is the building name 

Many more here : http://www.seria-group.com/shop/list.html?pref_code=01#lat=43.06461470000001,lng=141.3468074,zoom=12

When the weather is bad or you are too tired for a day trip, have a trip down to any outlet and have fun!!

Second hand store : 2nd Street where you find gem!

We came across this shop by chance and wondered if they have some of the items we need, so we visit the big store at Oyachi ( 大谷地）, just next to the subway station exit.

The location of the store:
http://www.2ndstreet.jp/shop/details?shopsId=30988
They have many shops spread around Hokkaido.
Near Coke Cola Factory in Sapporo, there is a small store there too.

You will be surprised by the quality and range of products. Brand New 4 wheel luggage at 8,990 yen. Okosh B'gosh brand new one piece at 450 yen with tag. Used but very new clothes for kids at 300 -700 yen.
Adult's clothes, shoes, accessories, winter items, snow board, ski boots.
Electric appliances that you can buy for the stay and sell back before you return home.
Toys that are brand new or in very good condition.
Hobby collection and collectibles too.

Check it out especially when they have promotion! I got a skirt tagged 4,500yen selling at 300 yen, a pullover 300 yen with 50% off and the list goes on.

It is also an eye opening how Japanese handle their items so well and good condition!

Surrounding of the Apartment

The below are photos of the surrounding of the apartment

Ramen store just next to Aeon supermarket, right at the cross junction

$700 Sapporo Apartment

29th January 2016

Yes $700 per month in Sapporo, Hokkaido, it is unbelievable but it happened!

I was exploring Airbnb when I came across this apartment and saw that there was no extra charges for additional person, kids are free, no cleaning fee, free wifi ( within apartment) and SGD$700 only for ONE MONTH!! Yes, in Singapore dollars!!

Located 7 mins walk from subway, we could also walk the other direction which has another subway station, a shopping mall with supermarket, Daiso, small shops, restaurants and even more shops down the lane. There is a direct bus just 2 stops away from this shopping mall  , the bus stop is just outside across the Y junction.
 
There is another bus stop which is opposite 7 eleven, small supermarket, ramen store just 3mins walk from the apartment if we are lazy to travel for that day.

The bus stop opposite Y junction which is further down , is situated next to a playground!! The kids could play and when time to board the bus, we all just ran to the bus stop. This bus stop could also go to Coke Cola factory directly! 

The airport bus stop is also near the ramen store , we actually got lost as it was dark when we arrived. The staff in the ramen actually helped us and then we realised that it was actually very easy !! 
Away from the tourist area, it was a good experience to stay like locals.  

 From the subway, we could travel down to JR Shin Sapporo station to transfer to many express trains without going to Sapporo station, making trips less rush, more time for a meal,etc. Sapporo station by rapid train is only 1 stop too.

At Shin Sapporo, there are restaurants, bus terminals, food stores, supermarket ( Aeon), Kid speciality store " Akachan Honpo", Seira " 100yen " shop, Science centre ( just next to aquarium), Aquarium ( Sunpizza Aquarium), 2 storey indoor playground ( Fantasy Kids Resort) with free wifi !!

A few stops by subway at OYACHI, there is a huge second store that you can explore too. I found a brand new cut tag Okosh B'kosh pull over at 450 yen with 20% off! Luggage at 8,990 yen if u need an extra one , ski equipment, etc. You can even buy rice cooker, kitchen appliances just for your stay before selling it back to the store.

For families who need more than 1 apartment, can discuss with the host as he has a few apartments in the same building. He speaks and write English. Please note that this is a whole apartment, host does not stay in Sapporo.

This is the link:  https://www.airbnb.com.sg/rooms/4261221?guests=1&s=CLMudS15

We will definitely stay over again!!

Preparation

3rd Feb 2016

Preparation do not just means buying, packing clothes into luggages, get body ready for trip is important. For winter trip, there is always high chance of flu and cough due to sudden change in temperature, humidity and cold gust wind.

1 month before trip, I would prepare Huaishan ( 淮山/ 山药）with lily bud (百合）, wolfberry, lotus roots soup to strengthen and nourish lung. Once every week or fortnight till the beginning of trip.

When I reach there, I bought fruits as I read before the best way to get body to use to that place's temperature and humidity, is to eat their local fruits and vegetables.

At the same time, I brought honey and 罗汉果 in situation when kids are coughing or having dry throat.

The whole month everyone was healthy! The best health to be able to explore and learn more during the trip.