Saturday, December 27, 2014

Nameko's Adventures in Hokkaido, Part 3: Otaru & Sapporo

On the final day of Nameko's adventure in Hokkaido, Nameko enjoyed a delicious breakfast (choice of Japanese style or Western style, but Nameko had both!) at the restaurant in the hotel.
Japanese Style Breakfast Hotel Neuschloss OtaruWestern Style Breakfast Hotel Neuschloss Otaru
There was also a small selection of fruits, salad, and breads available, so Nameko helped himself to a croissant and some fruits, too.
Fruit & Bread Hotel Neuschloss Otaru
After brushing his teeth and packing up his bags, it was time for Nameko to say farewell to Hotel Neuschloss Otaru.
View from Hotel Neuschloss Otaru
Hotel Neuschloss Otaru
The complimentary shuttle service took him straight back to Otaru Station. Despite having eaten a sizeable breakfast, Nameko decided to return to the Sankaku Fish Market to try hakkaku sashimi and crab miso soup. (The fish looks octagonal, hence the name "hakkaku" 八角 (a.k.a. sailfin poacher), which means "8-sided".)

Hakkaku Sailfin Poacher Sankaku Fish Market Otaru

Hakkaku Sailfin Poacher Sankaku Fish Market Otaru
kani misoshiru crab miso soup Sankaku Fish Market Otaru
 After a quick train ride back from Otaru Station to Sapporo Station, Nameko headed to a Kinokuniya bookstore to buy...a Nameko book! (Nameko Bungaku Zenshuu The World (なめこ文學全集ザ・ワルード, Nameko Literature Collection) retells 6 world literature classic stories in comic form with various Nameko as the characters. A fun way to study Japanese and literature at the same time!)
Otaru Station
Kinokuniya Sapporo Station
 Nameko Literature Collection The World Bungaku Zenshuu
Then it was back to Sapporo Station for a quick lunch of octopus curry and assorted seasonal seafood on rice at Maruumiya Paseo.
Maruumiya Paseo Sapporo Station
 Maruumiya Paseo Sapporo Station
 Tako Octopus Curry Maruumiya Paseo Sapporo Station
 Seafood on Rice Maruumiya Paseo Sapporo Station 

With a fair bit of time left before catching the train, Nameko decided to go to Mister Donut to get the new Christmas cupcakes.
Mister Donut Sapporo Station
 Mister Donut Christmas Cupcake Sapporo Station
Finally it was time to board the train to go home. It was a long train ride, so Nameko had buta-don (pork on rice) and a type of pressed sushi for dinner, washed down with Soft Katsugen, a Hokkaido-only yogurt-flavoured drink.
Sapporo Bento Soft Katsugen
 Hokkaido Buta-Don Pork Rice Sapporo Station
 Sushi Bento Sapporo Station
 
 
 

 


Links:
Hotel Neuschloss Otaru: http://www.neuschloss.com/english/index.html
Sankaku Fish Market: http://kimi-tourguide.blogspot.jp/2011/06/sankaku-fish-market-in-otaru.html 
Kinokuniya: http://www.kinokuniya.com/
Nameko Bungaku Zenshuu Series (Japanese only): http://namepara.com/info/nnfvideo/3509.html
Maruumiya Paseo: http://seesapporo.com/place/maruumiya-paseo/
Mister Donut (Japanese only): http://www.misterdonut.jp/