After a great breakfast at hotel, I travelled to Niseko area as planned.
I ate well for lunch, after walking in cold weather bracing the steep incline and Nisekoobashi bridge to visit a recommended seafood Kagra (yes this is the right spelling). It served beautiful seafood from the town of Suttsu, about 1 hour south Niseko, on an inlet.
It also had a small gallery that display the work of local photographer. I bought a small postcard as souvenir.
After this, I decided a walk was over. This is especially my thin shoes are not equipped for travel in snow. My socks were starting to get wet. I spent around 3680yen from the restaurant to Yukichichibu, a remote onsen that’s accessible only by car and famous for its mud bath. I spent 6800yen return to Kutchan station. Meanwhile I devoured an onsen egg, shell so lovely marbled by the sulphurous water. While waiting for the 18:32 train, I walked to a family-run restaurant Ramen Nakama that I realized was Michelin starred in 2012! It was famous for its plum salt chasyu ramen which I ordered and slurped hehe. Tummy full and warm, I wondered on the quiet main street talking pictures of some quaint coffee shop and snack shop Sweet Fujii as well as Coop supermarket next to the train.
This is the best day so far. I am grateful for:
1. Enjoying warm and hot onsen at Yukichichibu.
2. That I can afford expensive taxis now. Easily. Although my thrifty nature will only allow it once in a while.
3. Wonderful breakfast with sweet milk, delicious raw octopus.
4. Friendly waitress at restaurant who helped me with taxi.
5. Watching young children play.
6. Almost forgot and recovered my key.
7. Beautiful Niseko area with snow, onsen, corn, potato. Seems like Hokkaido has all my favorite food items, oh yeah, and sweets, and chocolate.
