Something crispy: Tonkatsu Tamafuji
Tamafuji is not your average katsu joint.
Sapporo
Doko Ga Hokkaido: Sapporo eats, part 2
We wrapped up the group travel part of the trip with Doko Ga TV by exploring a few historic spots in Sapporo … and, of course, getting some last bites in. Sapporo Clock Tower. Before I show you the spots near…
Doko Ga Hokkaido: Sapporo eats, part 1
In the interest of time, I’m splitting my Sapporo restaurants into two posts and I believe these are more miscellaneous spots, whereas the ones I’m profiling tomorrow are close to JR Sapporo Station. When you travel with Pali Kaaihue —…
Doko Ga Hokkaido: discoveries outside the city
The big city of Sapporo is great, but I highly recommend you take day trips to outlying areas to get a better sense of what Hokkaido is all about. There are nice, interesting spots just 30 to 60 minutes outside…
Doko ga Hokkaido: Tanaka sake
Just as various foods are symbolic of Japan, sake — their national beverage — is almost exclusively Japanese. To produce high-quality sake, you need the perfect rice and the perfect water, mixed with centuries of tradition and science. There are several…
Aloha Hokkaido! Doko Ga?
People always ask me what my favorite destination is, and I have to admit, Hokkaido is at the top of the list. The northernmost island of Japan seems to have it all, and in abundance. If you want the big…
Aloha Sapporo! A last look, and some travel tips
You’ve already come with me on my last trip to Sapporo, so I don’t have to rattle off my favorite things. You already know Hokkaido is my favorite island, and from what I’ve seen so far, you can’t go wrong…
Aloha Sapporo! Last day in Furano
Aoi Ike, or the Blue Pond. We spent almost a full day sightseeing from Furano to Sapporo on the bus route back, taking us to scenic points to see fall foliage and the now-famous Blue Pond. Since Hokkaido is Japan’s…
Aloha Sapporo! Visiting Furano, part 2
The field outside our cabin in the mornings.Our visit to Furano — the middle of Hokkaido, and one of the most agricultural areas — continued with a very interactive tour to various farms. Although it’s a famously popular area for…
Aloha Sapporo! Visiting Furano, part 1
I headed to Sapporo with four friends because we won a tour from Hokkaido Treasure Island Travel — we just had to provide our own air fare. What fun! After a full day in the city, the Treasure Island bus…
Aloha Sapporo! Nijo Market, TV Tower and Autumn Festival
So I’m here in Japan with four friends since we won a tour (not including air fare) in Hokkaido. We were lucky to get to Sapporo in time to catch the tail end of their annual Autumn Festival, a two-week…
Aloha Sapporo! Return to the city
I can’t believe it’s been two years since I last went to Sapporo. When Hawaiian Airlines launched their inaugural flight route there, I got to go and blogged about the experience. It ended up being my (and my friend Laurie…
Sapporo faves
I had no idea that Sapporo — or Hokkaido, really — was such a destination. When you think of Japan, you usually think of Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto, but Sapporo should be added to that list.We did a lot in…
Aloha Sapporo! Last day in the city
Hawaiian Airlines’ flights from Sapporo to Honolulu are on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 9:30 p.m. (arrives in Honolulu at about 10 a.m.). We spent one last night in the city, but due to the late flight, were given the…
Aloha Sapporo! Visiting Asahikawa
First rule of visiting Sapporo (or anyplace in Hokkaido): Don’t believe the reverse hype. We were told that there’s nothing in Sapporo and we should get out of town, but the city actually offers a lot. We went to Asahikawa…
Aloha Sapporo! Visiting Noboribetsu
Here's all you get to cover up at an onsen. Cel phone shows scale.Many Japanese people visit the spa town of Noboribetsu, Hokkaido’s most famous hot spring resort, so we thought we should do the same. Noboribetsu is a haven…
Aloha Sapporo! Sightseeing
Okay, so Sapporo is not all about eating and drinking, although we’d like to think it is. There’s culture and sightseeing, as well. We had a whirlwind tour of Sapporo’s highlights with some Japanese bloggers, who took us to a…
Aloha Sapporo! Day 3, with ikura
As mentioned in yesterday’s blog, we were kind of on an eating rampage and ended up eating several meals in one day. To spare you from the photos of everything we ate (and saw), I broke it up into two…
Aloha Sapporo! Visiting Otaru
I’ll confess, we ate about eight times today. If you follow me on Instagram and Twitter, you have already seen a good chunk of what we ate, but for those who haven’t, I don’t want to alarm you by showing…
Aloha Sapporo! Day 1
It’s been quite a long day, with 10 hours of flying, a long bus ride in, then a two-hour party followed by ramen. But we made it to Sapporo, located on Japan’s northernmost island, to see what Hawaiian Airlines’ newest…
Aloha Sapporo!
As you read this, I’ll be on my way to Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, as Hawaiian Airlines (@HawaiianAir) launches its direct flights to Sapporo. As with previous inaugural flights, they’re taking travel industry executives, employees, musicians, and media, and I’ll…
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The home base for the 2022 Hale ‘Aina Restaurateurs of the Year is a hidden paradise that serves up the best Lao and Thai food in Honolulu.