On 11 May 2000, our Japanese Language teacher together with a group of 16 students and staff embarked on an exciting journey to Hokkaido - the northernmost of the four main island of Japan.Hokkaido has a different flora and fauna from other parts of Japan. Itscharacter is shaped byan ancient race, the Ainu and by the romantic appeal of life on the frontier.Hokkaido has the freshness and freedom of land, and the scenery includes vistas of mountains, forests, lakes, wetlands and meadows.

Shortly after we touched down in Chitose Airport (Hokkaido), we proceeded to one of Hokkaido’s most famous lake - ShikutsekoThe splendid lake is said to be one of the biggest calderas "karuderu" lakes, formed after an active volcano eruption. The . serene environment and refreshing air complements the beauty and clarity of the lake, which has provided an ideal backdrop for photo taking.

As part of the cultural learning programme, we visited the Shinto Shrine - Hokkaido Jinguu. Along the path leading to the holy Jinguu stood Sakura trees with Pink and White Sakura flowers in their full bloom. The delicate flowers were seen falling gracefully with the rhythm of the gentle breeze. We were told that this is called "Sakura Yubuki" in Japanese. We strolled leisurely along the pathway and reveled in a moment of tranquility.

The day was spent in Otaru City, once a fishing and trading centre, and where many of the buildings are an eclectic blend of Western and 19th century Japanese influences.

Like Kurashiki, Otaru is well known for its Unga - canal. The Otaru canal is said to be the symbol of the prosperity of this city as a trade harbour. Along side of the canal stood old warehouses made of stone. They were built for the barges to carry freight from the ships in the harbour to the warehouses on the seashore. Today, the warehouses have become an important cultural heritage and emerged as one of the most popular tourist destinations in Hokkaido.

We had also taken the opportunity to visit the "Nippon Yosen Kaisha" - regarded as one of the valuable cultural asset. A tour around the 2-storey Europe Renaissance style brick building offered us a better insight of the architectural design, internal layout and operations of the then Yosen Kaisha. An enriching cultural experience!

Apart from the canal and warehouses, Otaru is also well known for its glassworks and music box. Delicate glassworks and furnishings were displayed in the shops along the streets in Otaru. The fantastic and romantic scenes created by the beauty of the glassworks and the cozy atmosphere overwhelmed us. Hence, Otaru is also known as "Maruhen na machi".

Another "must-see" spot is the Otaru Orugoru-Do (Otaru Music Box House). In front of this music box store, stood a tall steam clock. Inside the Music Box House, one would see that the creaking wooden floor and classical interior were fit for the various types of music box display and their sounds. The visit to Otaru Orugoru-Do was indeed an eye-opener for all of us.

Mt. Kurodake, Daisetsuzan

Oobako, Kobako,

Lake Kussharoko, Lake Mashu ko, Bihoro toge, Iou-zan

Rise and shine as we made our way to one of Japan’s most magnificent mountain - Mt. Kurodake. We took a cable car ride up to enjoy a superb view of the majestic Daisetsuzan. Along the way, we could see carpets of alpine wildflowers and patches of year-round snow covering the peak and slopes of the Daisetsuzan. The view was marvelous, even to the native Japanese as we could hear voices chanting "sugoi" every now and then. The scenery of Mt. Kurodake and Daizatsuzan was sublime and beautiful enough for us to take photos repeatedly.

Next, we proceeded to another scenic attraction - Sounkyo (Gorges reaching to the clouds). Sounkyo is flanked on both sides by high perpendicular cliffs and marked by chiseled walls of volcanic rocks punctuated by feathery waterfalls.

From Sounkyo, we moved on to the nearby Oobako and Kobako canyons. These canyons are fantastic gorges that come with huge columnar cliff and rocky precipice. The area was laced with spectacular waterfalls that cascaded over the sides of the gorge. Ryusei no taki and Ginga no taki are the 2 famous twin waterfalls, separated by a protruding cliff. Their fanciful names captured the poetic fantasy inspired by these falls as they bathe the rocks in liquid crystal

Lake Kussharoko is said to be the largest inland calderas lake in Hokkaido. The lake is surrounded by a lush forest and congenial hot springs (onsen) such as the famous Kawayu and Sunayu, where hot sands provide a welcome novelty.

Lake Mashu another calderas lake, is known for its remarkable water clarity and heavy mist that often shrouds it mysteriously. Most often than not, the lake is covered by dense fog which obscures the lake surface like an immaculate deep-blue velvet. What adds to the lake mysterious aura is that there is no water running into or out of the quiet lake. Surrounded by sheer cliffs, Lake Mashu features a small isle in its centre, known as "Kamuishu". It is said that Kamuishu is the peak of a lava hill that rises rom the bottom of the lake. We were extremely lucky to be able to enjoy a completely clear view of the blue lake. Anfopportunity not to be missed - all of us took pictures using the beautiful Lake Mashu as backdrop.

Next we proceeded to Bihoro toge. At the peak of Bihoro toge, the panoramic view of Lake Kussharoko at our feet was extremely astonishing and stunning. The experience was magnificent as the Bihoro toge offered breathtaking vistas.

Iou-zan was our next destination. It is an active volcano that smokes, steams and reeks impressively. Amazingly, eggs wereseen cooking on steam vents on Iou-zan. The cooked eggs were then offered for sale to tourists - an interesting way of doing business. Except for the strong odor of sulphur, we found that Iou-zan was worth a visit.

Apart from sightseeing, we also had some thrilling outdoor funs. Excitement and anxiety filled the air as we approached "Watanabe taiken bokujo" (Watanebe’s pasture). We were about to try out something, which we would never experience back in Singapore.

Yes, it’s cow milking (known as chichi shibori in Japanese)

After an exchange of greetings and a brief introduction, we were taught by the person-in-charge how to go about milking the cow. At the first sight, the "act" appeared scary and disgusting. Nevertheless, as we go "chi chi yo deru" and squeeze, milk was seen "flowing" out from the cow. The process was after all fun, interesting and "shiok". Thereafter, we were guided to the farm where we were given the opportunity to feed the herds before we made our way to "900 Sogen"

900 Sogen- a place, which is famous for its vast and lush greenery. The green pasture, the refreshing air, coupled with the serene atmosphere had provided a perfect setting for a wonderful and relaxing rural experience!

Next we stopped over at "Kawayu Paku Bokujo". Here was where we had the chance to experience the thrill and exhilaration of horse riding. The feeling was marvelous as we sat on the horse and wandered on the huge grassland.

Besides the great outdoors, we had also visited the Ainu Museum and Ice Pavilion. The Ainu museum showcases the Kotan Ainu’s culture that has been cultivated for a long time within the confines of the virgin forest. Through the exhibits and artifacts, we were able to experience the close-to-nature feeling that forms the base of the Ainu culture. The visit had also helped us to understand the history and people of Kotan in pre-historic times.

On the contrary, Ice Pavilion is a wonderful and fun-seeking place. Apart from the chilled coldness, the place is filled with lovely and delicate ice sculptures, which are mesmerizing. We thought we have ended up in some kind of wonderland that would come by only in our sweet dreams. Another worth mentioning spot was the "-41 degree room". Can you imagine yourself in this bitterly cold corner? You bet, we did. The experience was indescribable but worth a try though. 

For those who love flowers, Kamiyubetsu Tulip Garden and Takinoue Park  are the 2 scenic spots, which should not be missed. As the name suggests, Kamiyubetsu is marked by its beautiful Tulip flowers and boasts of a large well-kept park. However, due to the weather condition, it was a pity that we did not get to see the full bloom of the Tulip flowers in the park. Nevertheless, it was a great pleasure to walk around the park and captured the beautiful scenes on film.

Likewise, Takinoue Park is famous for its exquisite Shibazakura blossoms. The place is boasted by far one of the best flower viewing sights. Purple, Pink and White Sakura flowers were seen growing from the ground. Carpets of the brilliant Shibazakura had offered a splendid view and provided a perfect backdrop for photo shooting. One could not help but to admire the beauty created by nature.

Sightseeing at Biei and Kamifurano offered another avenue for us to fully enjoy the grand scenery of Hokkaido. Biei has spacious plains and gradual slopping green hillocks. A tour around Biei allowed us to appreciate the great natural richness of the magnificent Tokachi mountain range, as well as the beautiful, calm and simple rural scenery. We also stopped by to take picture of a popular tree by the name of "kentomeri ki". It is said that this tree was used as filming materials for some automobile and cigarette advertisements.

At Kamifurano, spectacular views abound. Beautiful Lavender flowers greeted us warmly with their sweet fragrance as we stepped into the famous Farm Tomita. Lavender flowers in their full bloom had turned the ground into a lovely purplish carpet - very romantic indeed! Before we left, we paid a visit to the "Potpourri House" and the "Perfume House" where we bought home some souvenirs and gifts.

As another step to deepen our understanding of the Japanese culture and help promote culture exchange, we had a 3-day home stay in Hokkaido. The 3-day home stay was an eye-opener for us. We learnt about the Japanese culture, belief, customs and traditional practices through experiencing the daily lifestyle of the native Japanese. All of us had a wonderful time with our hospitable and generous host families. Be it a brief exchange at the breakfast table, discussions on serious topics or light-hearted talk after the dinner, all were meaning and enriching. The home stay had offered us a better insight into the Japan: - its culture, people and lifestyle, which any textbooks ever teach. We would like to say a big "Thank You" to our host families for having welcomed us into their homes.

After spending 8 fun-filled days in Hokkaido, we bid farewell to this special island and departed for Tenri City in Nara Prefecture. We arrived at our dormitory in the evening, and were warmly received by the native Japanese. To satisfy our hunger after long hours of traveling, a good spread of savory Japanese cuisine was served at the Welcome Party. Despite the tiredness, we all had a whole-hearted laugh, chatting cum karaoke session late into the night, whilst we unwind and enjoyed ourselves to the fullest.

The day started off with a visit to Kyoto, Arashiyama. After a short briefing by our teacher, we were divided into 2 groups where we embarked on our task-learning programme. Challenges abound. We slowly made our way to the various destinations, in search of the correct answers to the questions stated on our task sheets. Apart from the task learning, we also visited places such as Kinkaku-ji, Heian-jinguu, Kiyomizu Tera and shopped frantically at Sagano before we met at Gion-in, Kyoto’s famous pleasure quarter or maiko’s district.

Sayonara Japan

All of us departed for home with truly delighted and sweet memories.On 5th Nov 99, the Japanese Language teacher together with a group of 21 delighted students and staff from Ikoma Language School assembled at Changi International Airport,ready to set off to the land of Rising Sun - Japan. Excitement filled the air as the long-waited trip to Japan has finally come.