Gutless Travel

Solo travel to Otaru, Japan

A “late” post would be an understatement. It has been six months since my solo travel to Otaru and I have been in denial that I’m back to my reality. I’m half kidding.

The first time I heard of Otaru was in a famous Filipino romantic comedy movie called Kita Kita that came out in 2017. I was mesmerized by not only the plot of the movie, but also the places they explored – Otaru was one of them.

How to get to Otaru:

Regardless of where you begin, I’m sure you are bound to start your journey to Otaru from Sapporo Station. I stayed in an apartment near Asabu station, which is at the end of the Namboku line of the Sapporo Municipal Subway. This means I had a 15-minute subway/train ride to Sapporo Station.

ASABU STATION TO SAPPORO STATION
Length: approx. 15 minutes
Cost: ¥250 ($2-$3)

I purchased my own Sapica card from a ticket machine at the subway station on my first day and have been using this card everywhere. The Sapica card is valid only in Sapporo (subway, bus, and streetcars). My month-long stay in Hokkaido was meant to be spent mainly in Sapporo so I had purchased a Sapica card. If you are exploring places outside of Sapporo often (like to Otaru) I would not recommend getting a Sapica card. The card initially cost ¥2000 (¥500 deposit + ¥1500 initial balance you can use) or $18-$20.

Sapporo Station is enormous – it is not only a train station, but also a place to shop, explore, and dine. It is surrounded by massive shopping centers. You will get lost if you’re new to the area (like I was!), but just follow signs that say “JR Station” as there are multiple ways to get there.

Getting to Otaru from Sapporo Station is easy!

Because you can’t use your Sapica card for the JR line trains, you will need to get to a ticket machine. I purchased a ticket for ¥640 per the price on the board above. Another way is to use the IC cards (rechargeable cards) that are valid for JR lines. I found it easier to just purchase tickets from the machine so I chose not to get any other additional IC card. If you’re not sure, you can press a help button on the machine and someone will come by to help you.

Get on a train to Otaru and enjoy the hour-long view of the city and the ocean.

SAPPORO STATION —-> OTARU STATION
Length: approx. 1 hour and 4 minutes
Cost: ¥640 one way ($5-$7) with no seat reservation

I can’t remember exactly how much the fare was – but I know reserved seats will cost more. I was lucky enough to get seats without any reservation. Get in line at least 10 minutes prior to the departure of a train to increase your chances of having a seat. ** Other blogs will say that the fare is ¥750 ($6-8) & I assume this is with seat reservation.

Where to go and sites to see:

OTARU CANAL

Getting to Otaru Canal from Otaru Station is a 10-minute walk down the main road. Places you’ll see on the way are:

old railroad track (lots of people were taking pictures here)
souvenir shops
food shops/restaurants

Along the canal are warehouses turned into a spacious souvenir shop and somewhat of the high-end restaurants. These restaurants have seats right out by the canal so you can enjoy the view. There is also a boat-ride that goes along the canal while you learn about the history of Otaru (I didn’t do this because the line was always long so plan accordingly). Along the canal are vendors that sell different artworks – I bought a handmade postcard.

TIP! The right side of the canal are filled with people. If you go to the left of the canal, it’s pretty much empty. There are seats along the wall that you can sit and relax after a day of walking so much. OR you can also take photos (like I did)

SAKAIMACHI STREET

Sakaimachi street is a 10-minute walk from Otaru Station or a 15-minute walk from the Canal. The street is filled with shops where you will find souvenir, restaurants, cafes, and museums. Otaru is known for their glass products. You can spend half a day exploring (and eating in) this place.

My MUST GO TO are:

Music Box Museum (I bought an angel music box)
Japanese Maccha Sweets – literally everything they sell is matcha green tea.
Seafood restaurants – I can’t remember which restaurant I went in, but I had ordered sushi and an eel bowl.

TOMIOKA CATHOLIC CHURCH

This church did not have any English mass while I was there. I had come to pray inside. It’s a small church, but beautiful nevertheless. It was a 20-minute walk from Otaru Station and also away from Sakaimachi Street. I caught a glimpse of the residential homes there and many had flower gardens so the walk was worth it.

THERE’S MORE!

There are so many more sites to see, but because I only had a day and half in Otaru coming from Sapporo, I decided to take my time and explore Sakaimachi street and around Otaru Canal. I also had some time to write in my journal and absorb the experience around me.

Other places you can explore are Otaru Aquarium and the Tenguyama Ropeway. They are another bus ride away.

SURPRISE TWIST…

On a day I did not know where to go, I decided to go back to Otaru. So in total, I spent an entire day + half a day. I woke up after 10 AM and spent the rest of the morning doing my laundry and tidying up the apartment I was staying in. I ate lunch at Sapporo station before embarking on my hour-long train ride for Otaru.

When I arrived at Otaru, it was much more crowded than the first time I visited. As I got closer to the canal I realized that they were having a festival!

OTARU TIDE FESTIVAL

The tide festival is held at the end of July 2019. It was very festive… (pun intended). The streets were filled with food stands, there were group dance performances, and taiko-drums performance all throughout the day. I did not stay until the evening because the commute back to my apartment would take a little under 2-hours and I did not want to be in the sea of people heading back to Sapporo when the night was over.

Otaru is a great day trip from Sapporo. It is filled with beauty, culture, history, and definitely lots of food.

Thank you for reading about my adventure! 🙂

Waimanalo Country Farms: Pumpkin Patch & Sunflower Fields

This weekend I went to the Pumpkin Patch and Sunflower Fields with my sister-in-law and my adorable (and silly) nephew and niece.

Every October, Waimanalo Country Farms open its doors for its Pumpkin Patch. There is also another one in Kapolei. I’ve only been to the Kapolei patch a few years back so I wanted to check out Waimanalo’s.

It takes about 30-45 minutes from Honolulu to get to Waimanalo Country Farms depending on traffic. Their hours are 9 am – 5 pm. We got there around 10 am, and parking was already almost full so make sure you get there early on time.

Entrance Fee to the Pumpkin Patch: free
Parking: free

You can pick your own pumpkin and purchase it at the end of your visit. They have other activities (for purchase at a very reasonable price) so you’re able to stay there the whole day if you wanted to. Most of the activities were $3 and they do have a wristband for purchase if you wanted to do everything.

For the kids, we rode the cow ride (golf carts painted like a cow, and there are kiddie cow cars at the end). It goes around and you’ll pass through the pumpkin patch.

In addition, they also have the sunflower field open. It costs $3 to enter. If you have the wristband, I believe it’s included.

The Pumpkin Patch is open throughout October. I know that October is ending in 2 days, but who knows maybe they’ll extend their business until November. The Sunflower Field is also open in the summer in July so make sure you check them out at that time!

TIPS:

Wear light clothes and sunscreen – Hawaii sun is no joke, you will sweat (unless you don’t sweat then you’re lucky)
Wear sunglasses!
Bring water – avoid being dehydrated. If not, they also have lemonade (and water) for purchase.
Bring cash/credit card to purchase activities, sunflower(s) *cash only*, and pumpkins.
Get there around 9 AM if you want to avoid burning sunlight at noon.
Bring a wagon! Very useful if you have kids and/or buying pumpkins.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it!

Yearly Post-Gastrectomy/Life Update

2019:

Today is October 28, 2019. A year post-gastrectomy. If I’m not mistaken, I left the hospital exactly a year ago. It has been a tough journey. I needed to accept the new person I have become. It would be a lie to say the least that it was easy to transition to my “new” life. As expected, it was difficult to eat. I thought I could eat like how i used to, but my stomach refuses some food and if I ate too much, I needed to lay down for at least 45 minutes. I was full after a few bites being that my stomach was only 10%, but I have learned over the past year how to eat – 6 small meals a day. 3 “regular” meals and at least a snack once in between those meals. From my weight at surgery, I have lost 20 pounds. I have been better at maintaining the weight I have now. I also had to quit weightlifting so I can allow my body to heal well. I went back last week and have noticed how weak I’ve become at lifting. It will get better over time.

Mentally – it was a battle. I was told to seek professional help because many people diagnosed with cancer DO need to know how to cope with their diagnosis. Instead, I grew stronger in faith. I began writing in a journal again, I pray every night and sometimes in the car while I’m driving to work, and I let myself “rest” whenever I feel like I’m going to face mental or emotional breakdowns. Mental health is as important as physical health and I’m getting better at managing mine.

I traveled solo to Hokkaido, Japan in June and Okinawa, Japan in August. I’ve spent almost a week at the National Institute of Health learning about GIST and contributing my experience so the amazing doctors studying the disease can one day find a cure. I have also met people like me there so now I know that I am not the only person going through GIST.

I know that it will still be a battle all throughout. The huge scar across my stomach is a daily reminder of how difficult life is, but it is also a reminder of how strong and how great God is. He is wonderful and has never left my side.

Thank you for following my journey. You are amazing. If you need someone to talk to or just want to talk stories with – email me at amysgutlesstravel@gmail.com

2018:

As of October 19, 2018, I only have 10% of my stomach; hence, my blog AMY’S GUTLESS TRAVEL. In a less medically complicated explanation, I was diagnosed with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor or GIST, a tumor that grew in the muscle of my stomach. According to my doctors, it is a rare type of sarcoma. I had surgery as soon as the oncologist determined it was cancer to avoid further growth. No chemotherapy, radiation, or medication can help me so surgery it is. The original plan was to remove my stomach entirely, but during surgery, they were able to save 10% of what was left tumor-less. I am running with 10% Stomach, 100% Courage and Faith.

I was expected to stay in the hospital for 10 days, but I was strong enough and started eating “solid” foods on day 5 so I was sent home the following day.

Day Trip to Asahikawa, Japan

Asahikawa is in Hokkaido, Japan. Hokkaido is the northernmost island of Japan. It is beautiful, mesmerizing, and definitely worth visiting! I spent more than a month in Hokkaido, and Asahikawa is one of the cities I visited.

Many people automatically think about Kyoto, Tokyo, and Osaka when it comes to Japan, but Japan has so much more to offer! Hokkaido is one. I am also one of those people. In fact, I spent two weeks in those areas last year.

It is definitely worth the trip up if you’re able to head to Hokkaido.

HOW TO GET TO ASAHIKAWA

I took the Super Kamui Express train from Sapporo Station to Asahikawa Station. It costs around ¥2300 (est. $23) one-way (if I recall correctly). The JR Pass and the Hokkaido Rail Pass cover this trip so if you have that, you are good to go. For my trip, I did not have any of those passes so I just purchased the ticket at the ticket office and asked for roundtrip, so I paid roughly around ¥4600 (est. $46).

Tip: I was taught to just use ¥100 = $1 so I just move the decimal point twice to the left to convert yen to dollars… it could actually be less than that. The exchange for money while I was there was a little over ¥100 per $1.

The express train was a direct roughly 2-hour train ride. If you get to the waiting area at least 10-15 minutes of departure time, the unreserved seats would suffice… otherwise, reserving a seat would be feasible. There are trains to Asahikawa every 30 minutes, so if you miss your ride… just wait for another 30 minutes.

Asahikawa is also one of those stations you stop by to switch trains to head to Biei and/or Furano, but that’s for another blog.

There are also other options such as the bus (this would take longer) and to drive a car. I would actually recommend driving to and around Asahikawa instead as you would be able to visit and see more. You’ll know why… just keep reading.

WHERE DID I GO FOR THE DAY?

ASAHIYAMA ZOO

As stated above, I used public transportation. Unfortunately, Google Maps or Maps will tell you to WALK to Asahiyama Zoo… Don’t follow that! Well that was the case when I searched for it at the time – so if they’ve updated the information by the time you’ve read this, great!

Anyway, here’s how I got there. I arrived at Asahikawa Station and as soon as I got off the platform, I saw signs that literally lead me where to go for the zoo. There is a bus waiting area right outside the entrance/exit of the station. The bus will stop at the zoo. I know I should probably tell you which bus number or bus stop number it is, but it’s been a month since I’ve visited… just know that you should be paying attention to the signs and it will lead you where to go. It took about forty minutes by bus and I walked some from the bus stop to the ticket entrance.

Of all the zoos I visited in Hokkaido, Asahiyama Zoo is a must! The highlight (and what the zoo is known for) are the many way you can observe the animals. You can see the animals at different angles. Imagine a “normal” zoo… you enter, you look at the animal or animals, and that’s it… all you do is look. At Asahiyama Zoo, you enter and there are various vantage points where you can view the animal or it will allow you to loop around the exhibit to observe the animal at different angles.

PENGUINS

MY personal favorite: the penguin exhibit. (Penguins are my spirit animal by the way).

I have never ever seen penguins swim… in any zoo. Why? Because literally all they do is stand around right? Well, not at Asahiyama Zoo. You will walk through an underwater glass tunnel that lets you observe the penguins swim through the water! Seriously, I have never ever seen anything like it before. There is also an area where they are behind the glass standing around and/or walk around, AND they can get as close to you as possible.

WOLVES

There are two ways to view the wolves: 1) hare view or 2) the normal view. The hare view will have you walk through a short tunnel (watch out for your head – I literally hit mine) and you will look out of a glass dome that puts you at an eye level with the wolves. Unfortunately, there was a line for this one so it was just a quick look and I didn’t see the wolves (they blended in with their home) until I got out of it and went through the normal view.

RED PANDAS

The red pandas were enclosed in a cage… but what’s unique about this is the suspension bridge. The red pandas hang around it. Well, when I was there one was taking a nap at the suspension bridge. Proof:

LEOPARDS

This was a huge cage. You’d first walk up a “hill” and see them at a high point, and at the end, you may get to see these big cats up close and personal… seriously… There was a leopard sleeping on a part of the cage where you can get underneath it. I’d prefer not to as it may all of a sudden decide to take the number 2.

There are so much more that I can’t remember so make sure you visit.

UENO FARM

When I said I recommend going to and around Asahiyama by car, I meant it. Because I only had a day there, I was only able to visit two places due to the long commute between places. I had to choose two spots that I REALLY wanted to go to. Asahiyama Zoo was one (for the penguins) and Ueno Farm (for the garden, of course).

Getting to Ueno Farm was VERY sweaty. No clouds shielded the sun. I was using the zoo map as my umbrella! It was at the end of July and I walked for at least 30 minutes from Asahiyama Zoo to the “train station.” Literally, this “station” was in the middle of the farm lands so it looking nothing like an actual station. I can’t exactly tell you which station it was because I literally just followed Maps/Google Maps, which brought me in the middle of nowhere. I waited at the platform and was very confused as to how it worked. I didn’t even know how and where to enter the train. A local eventually helped me. Apparently, it was like taking the bus – you pull a ticket, then look at the monitor to see how much you have to pay based on the number on your ticket.

When I got out of the train (again in the middle of nowhere), I walked another 15 minutes to the Farm. This walk was a bit refreshing being surrounded by the farm land (which reminded me so much of the provinces in the Philippines) and green. That side of Asahikawa was a bit windy so the heat didn’t bother me as much.

Ueno Farm was beautiful! Please don’t mistake it for Ueno Park (in Tokyo) as I have originally. It also isn’t like any flower farms you see in Biei or Furano. It’s a garden where you see various areas of different types of flowers. They also have a cafe with AC to rest. I went on a weekday so it was not crowded… I remember only seeing a few people.

My favorite part of Ueno Farm are these colored chairs where you can sit and watch over this amazing and relaxing view.

You kind of have to sit because you’ll need to hike up a hill to get there. I spent about two hours at the farm exploring the different areas and taking photos of the flowers.

P.S. I traveled majority of Hokkaido during my month-long stay ALONE, but in this specific day, I had an amazing companion who was so patient with me as we walked through the heat and took photos of me.

As a final note, Asahikawa has more to offer! I honestly did not look much into Asahikawa because I only wanted to visit the zoo and Ueno Farm. Again, I’d prefer to drive around Asahikawa as point A to point B are much farther from each other than they seem. Prior to Asahikawa, I spent so much time in the city and busy streets that I needed to get away from it.

Thanks for reading my journey and I hope you find your way to Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan.

Must See in Okinawa, Japan

I traveled to Okinawa, Japan from Sapporo in the middle of August. This was a gruesome flight: I flew from Sapporo at 10 PM on Thursday, and arrived at Seoul, Korea around 1 AM on Friday for an 8 hour layover. Incheon International Airport has an area where overnight travelers can stay and relax on the second floor. I am not one to sleep in a public area, but it was 1 AM, I was exhausted and sleep deprived as I came from Noboribetsu before I flew from Sapporo. I found a couch to crash and figured it was safe as the couch I was passing had a snoring traveler, and the one after had her hands already hanging off, which indicated they have fallen asleep deeply. So I did too… for two hours, and the rest of the layover I spent forcing myself to sleep, stretching, and scrolling through social media.

Also, Incheon Airport has a public shower available for overnight travelers & shower I did. The bright side about being at the airport are seeing the flowers! There were so many flowers. For those who don’t know, I love love love flowers! They had orchids all over the airport! Orchids were a huge part of my childhood (my grandmother loved them and took care of them in our garden) so it was such a great feeling being surrounded with them.

I arrived at Naha International Airport around 2 PM. I was told that it was hurricane season and there was a hurricane (or it was already passing) when I arrived. It was pouring rain! My original plan was to head straight to Shuri Castle while I waited for my person, but that didn’t work out and I needed to think of plan B quickly. Where could I go that won’t be raining?Indoor obviously. I searched for the closest mall on Maps and luckily, there was one attached to a monorail station! Naha Shopping Center has a covered walkway to and from the monorail station. I spent at least two hours at the shopping center window shopping and eventually ended at Starbucks to get some work done until we met up. lol I looked like an exchange student.

Oh, did I mention Naha International Airport also has flowers everywhere!

Despite the storm, that did not stop us from exploring the beautiful island of Okinawa. Okinawa is another prefecture of Japan, rich with its own culture and magnificent nature views. Okinawa felt like Hawaii to me. I have spent two weeks in Sapporo – surrounded by skyscrapers, towers, and concrete. It was a great break from the concrete jungle.

Saturday

CAPE ZANPA LIGHTHOUSE

This lighthouse can be spotted on the way to Cape Maeda. In fact, that is the very reason we visited – the lighthouse caught my attention! It was worth the trip. The area can be a great opportunity to take in nature. Take your time and walk around.

There are various paths that will show a different angle of the lighthouse and breathtaking views of the ocean.

Walk around and you will appreciate the beauty of nature. This view reminded me so much of Hawaii and made me miss home. The water, the cliff… so much of Hawaii. In fact, the lighthouse reminded me of Makapuu Lighthouse.

There is a path on the right, walk away from the lighthouse and you will end here (see photos above). You can also walk further down, but we decided to just turn around as we weren’t sure how far the next stop was going to be.

A few minutes walk from that spot are the petting zoo, the gigantic shisa (lion-dog) statute, and a large ship where children could play.

CAPE MAEDA

Cape Maeda is known for the best snorkeling spot on the island. For non-snorkelers/swimmer like me, it was enough for me to see such a beautiful view.

There is a lookout/observatory, but it was closed at the time. This point was a quick stop. To the left of the parking (facing the observatory), there is a path that eventually leads to two pathways: we took the shortest one (less than 5-minute walk to the edge of the cliff).

As I mentioned numerous times, it was pouring rain the day before so this area was a bit muddy. I was wearing my white converse too lol. I have no regret as that view was worth the muddy path.

As a bonus, there is also a beach down the road. Parking was a little difficult though so it was also another one of those check it out and leave situation.

Sunday

ASATO CATHOLIC CHURCH

I found a catholic church in Okinawa! Mass begins at 8:30 AM, but we did not attend it as it was conducted in Japanese. Instead, we went afterwards and soaked in the magnificent architecture of the place. The church is literally across a huge shopping mall.

SHURIJO CASTLE PARK

By this time, the rain had already stopped so we were able to enjoy the park with no rain. But it was very humid and hot. So it is advisable to wear light clothing, bring an umbrella, and water. There are resting spots available and the castle has AC; however, majority of the time will be spent outdoor.

Shurijo Castle Park or Shuri Castle was the residence of the Ryukyu kings. Their photos can be seen in one of the 12 spots to visit. There are free areas, but to actually get inside the castle and through the rest of the park, it cost ¥820 per adult. It was also interactive as the map allows you to stamp each area and later receive a souvenir sticker (if you get 8 stamps) or a souvenir sticker and shurijo goods (if you get all stamps). Actually, I’m a kid at heart so I enjoyed stamping.

Shuri Castle can be easily accessible. From the airport, take the monorail to Shuri Station, and it should be a 5 minute walk from there. However, I came by car and there are multiple parking areas. It’s still difficult to get a parking spot close to the entrance if it’s a busy day. I went on a Sunday so I would suggest going on a weekday instead. It was impossible to get photos with no people in the background.

Shuri Castle has been burned down to the ground before, but has been built and is still being improved today. The most memorable of the twelve spots are Nanden Hall for its red color and the wall in which you can walk along and see the castle’s hilltop views. You will need at least two hours there if you were planning to see everything and take lots of photos.

THE END…

Although there was a storm, the sky was gloomy, etc… Okinawa was still a sight to see. There are many more activities to do and places to see such as the aquarium and temples, so two days will not be enough for a visit there. Take your time, take in the views, sit and stare if you have to. Okinawa is wonderful and it should be on your next travel list.

Thank you for reading my blog and if you have any more ideas on where I should go on my next visit, please send them my way through the comments.