Hokkaido 2013 13-20 Dec (Day 5)

Our guide and driver came to pick us up about 9am to head towards Otaru. The journey from Rusutsu to Otaru takes approximately 2.5 hours. The journey went through winding roads and was very picturesque. Saw a snow capped mountain that is known endearingly as the Mt Fuji of Hokkaido.

Mt Fuji of Hokkaido

As it was a long journey, we stopped at a convenience store for a toilet break and also for the driver to take a short rest. One thing to note was that although the distance wasn't long, the driver was driving slowly and carefully on the snow/ice covered road. So for safety reasons, the guide requested for a rest break for the driver. 

View from the convenience store

Being typical Singaporeans, we took the opportunity to do some "shopping" in the convenience store. Rested for about 15 minutes and continued on our trip to Otaru.

It was nearly lunch time when we reached Otaru, but we decided to take a quick tour of the beautiful town first. First stop, we visited a confectionery. They had really good biscuits and cakes. Highly recommended for visitors to come for a taste test before buying.

The confectionery

Streets of Otaru

Walking towards the music box factory across the road

Inside the music box factory

After walking round Otaru, we went for a late lunch of seafood. Something that we've been waiting for, especially crabs. We went to a restaurant frequented by the locals facing the sea about 15 minutes away from the town. Below are pictures of all the dishes that we ordered for 4 adults and 2 children.

Crab

Prawns

Sashimi of (clockwise from top left corner) octopus, sweet prawn, unknown fish, salmon, clam and scallop

BBQ fish

BBQ squid

Another BBQ fish

BBQ shellfish

Cuttlefish sashimi

Clean up everything on the table

The seafood restaurant

Lunch was soooo good. So fresh. My favourites were the raw scallops and crab, which were so sweet. After lunch, we continued on our journey to the world famous chocolate biscuit factory of Hokkaido, Shiroi Koibito (白い恋人)

The facade of the factory

Outside the factory

 I felt like a child visiting Willy Wonker's chocolate factory. The grounds were decorated with beautiful lights, sculptures, plants and sculptures and they even had a clock show. 

After some time taking pictures at the grounds, we proceeded into the building for the factory tour.

Ticketing counter for the factory tour

Exhibition rooms

Factory floor producing the famous chocolate biscuits

Factory floor

Cafe/Restaurant with a beautiful view

After finishing the tour, we continued walking around the grounds of the factory and continued taking more pictures. 

The grounds of the factory

By then, the sky was starting to turn dark and we decided to continue on to our hotel, JR Tower Nikko Hotel Sapporo.

Hotel Lobby

The bedroom was a decent size and had a beautiful view of the city. Everything was up to expectation and this hotel had a different feel from the other 2 hotels. While the other 2 had a more homely, family feel, this one has a business feel.

The bedroom

The night view from the bedroom

The hotel is located above the central train station and is super convenient. It has 3 shopping blocks that we were unable to cover fully in the 2 days that we were staying there. 

After checking-in and settling down, the guide brought us through the malls and we settled to have dinner at a sushi conveyor belt restaurant.

After dinner, we walked around the malls for awhile and went back to the room for an early night.