The day started in Sapporo with more train journeys. First stop Biei - where we hopped on to a sightseeing bus ( my first in Japan yet). And of course, the guide was speaking in Japanese all throughout. She didn't know any English at all - not that it mattered much given I was the only foreigner on the tour. It was a long weekend in Japan (day of the sea aka beach day) - and this was a popular trip for the locals on that weekend.
Anyways , so as I listen to the guide describe places we pass in a monotonous voice that the rest of the locals are trying to drown and try to guess what she might be saying, we drive by beautiful countryside , lush green fields with summer wildflowers , the 'ken and Mary' tree , the 'seven Stars' tree - something to do with Japanese TV serials and cigarette ads is all I got.
Onward to furano - the land of lavender fields. Huge spreads of lavender for as long as the eyes can see on rolling fields into the distance. And more summer blooms - orange, red , yellow , purple - it was a sight for sore eyes. Such plain simple yet lush and natural beauty in a small town in central Hokkaido - having gained a reputation for flowers.
And icing on the cake - we stopped at the one and only furano winery. The wine was made from sevvya grapes ( a rarity) and tasted crisp and rich. And of course, we stopped at the market for some lavender purchases , some Japanese sweets and , believe it or not, churros.
Stayed at a town called asahikawa this evening. And interestingly enough we were right next to a street festival event. The street was packed with stalls on both sides selling everything from Japanese toys , cotton candy , games, street foods to beer and sake. The girls were dressed up in summer yukatas - a couple of guys too. And everyone , even though they were shoulder to shoulder , on packed streets , was having a good time. Me - was busy people watching , culture watching , food watching , with an asahi beer in one hand and a camera in the other.
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