Colourful Japan - Hokkaido Part 2

Do I want to go back to Hokkaido? I definitely will. I recently saw a documentary on Hokkaido in winter with the ice festival and yes, I would like to go there at that time.

Sorry for taking so long to blog Hokkaido Part 2. I had been very busy at Christmas time with family. Afterwards we had to babysit our grandchildren to give their parents a break. I also hosted a birthday party for them at the end of their stay. They have left now, and life is getting back to normal. The house is quiet again.

Getting back to Hokkaido Part 2. Hokkaido is the second largest, northernmost and least developed of Japan's four main islands. I've only been to Honshu island and Hokkaido and I would say I like them both in a different ways.

In this post I will share with you the photos I remember Hokkaido by. Blue colour is one thing that reminds me of Hokkaido. Perhaps because Hokkaido is surrounded by vivid blue sea. Please read the captions on each photo for what they are. Enjoy!

Young bamboo shoots dyed blue with natural colour.

Kanariya Fabric Store in Sapporo - a highlight!

Closing down restaurant selling out their
stock. I bought a couple of the blue
bowls  and chopstick resters.

BORO cloth I stitched up on the trip.

Gorgeous gift from a kind man at the vintage fabric
store in Asahikawa.

Beautiful blue gate leading onto the Otaru Canal.

Delicious and colourful pickled
plums served at breakfast.

More pickled plums in turquoise blue.

Blue and white tea set in our hotel's
room at Abashiri

Rice bowls at one of our hotels in Obihiro.

Hand blown Otaru glass wreath.

Japanese figurine found in our
hotel's lobby, Abashiri.

Kimono costume in Tokyo Hands window.

Sakiori loom from the weaving center in Otaru.

Weaving Museum in Asahikawa.

Ainu textile found in Sapporo's
underground exhibition space.

Beautifully appliqued Norens (door hangings) at a
seafood restaurant, Nemuro. 

View from our hotel's window, Nemuro.

Onsen inside and outside.

  

Ainu village at Lake Akan.

Winter leaves gathered in Hokkaido.

Using tea dye solution. The result is
nothing to write home about!

I have to admit that I haven't done much creatively lately. I have taken myself back to the gym and started a few classes. There is the tennis season here. The Australian Open is on at the moment. I do love tennis! 

My Christmas post will follow later this month. I did make a few Christmas decorations, and I started new quilting projects. I will show you on my next post. 

I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and all the best for 2017. Let's hope it's a good one for all.

Until next time

Nat

Hokkaido Driving Holiday Part 1

Hokkaido driving holiday is done and dusted! In theory, the trip is over, but my vivid memories of the trip are as clear as day! We did a lot in two weeks so I won't be able to fit our experiences in one post. I will divide them into categories for example, food, people, weather, art, craft and shopping. 

In this post, Part 1, I will share the unexpected experience we encountered when we arrived at New Chitose Airport in Sapporo - it was covered in snow. The snow arrived a month earlier than normal in Hokkaido. It was lucky for us because I can't remember the last time I was in the snow! It was a most beautiful sight for me! We took so many photos of snow you might be sick seeing them! 

We took a short train ride from the airport to Asahikawa where we picked up the car. We stayed in Asahikawa for 2 nights from the recommendation of DS when he took the family (Bike Babies) there a few years ago. 

On the full day we spent in Asahikawa, we visited the Weaving and Dyeing Museum and right across the lawn that was covered in the snow was a Snow Museum (surprise, surprise!). You can imagine I was in heaven there for a couple of hours. 

First landing at the airport - clearing the runway
so our plane could taxi to the gate.

They remind me of snow cones

Sounkyo Ropeway snow field

Our rented car for the trip

The food in Japan is to die for. I will go back there time and time again just for the food! I love smaller portions of all the sweets in Japan. Food is beautifully presented and delicious! I have many favourites. Too many to write about here. Below are some cool photos of the food I really enjoyed!

Fresh ramen at Nemuro

Japanese breakfast at the hotel in Furano

We found great coffee at Furano Cafe

Nemuro is famous for crabs! 

Japanese people are kind, helpful, generous, polite and beautiful people! We only know basic Japanese, but positive body language goes a long way in Japan. 

Sumo wrestling is still popular in Japan.
I love the tradition of the sport and the costumes
rather than the sport itself!

Met this cho kawaii (super cute)
child in a supermarket. 

A lady at a small kiosk at Sapporo JR Station.

The lovely couple at the
vintage fabric store in Asahikawa.

On part 2 of our Hokkaido driving holiday, I will share with you more photos and stories from the trip. I could easily book the next trip back to Japan right now, but the world is a big place and there are so many places I would love to visit as well.

Hope you are gearing up for Christmas. It still amazes me how fast it comes! One good thing about working is that my calendar is filled with Christmas activities whether I like it or not! I hope to put up my Christmas decorations this weekend. How about you?

Until next time

Nat

Quilts and Driving Holiday

I think I mentioned earlier that Mr Notjustnat and I are heading to Hokkaido for a driving holiday in November. November is almost here already! So we are off in less than two weeks. Can hardly wait!

But before we leave I will share with you what I did in the last couple of weeks. I have continued work on the yellow crumbs quilt. I've finished piecing all 230 blocks and started putting 4 blocks unit together. It looks quite amazing actually. I have also made a lil boro pincushion using the threads keeper filled with off-cut threads. It took me a couple years before I filled the keeper. Thanks to Deanna for a great idea to made it into a pincushion! 

Having stayed at home for two weeks after the surgery I've unearthed many long forgotten projects, one of which is the little 2" x 2" fan blocks I started long ago! To my surprise I actually made nearly enough for a nice small quilt. I only need about 50 more blocks. I'm really enjoying hand applique and hand piecing these fan blocks. I so love the vintage Japanese fabric I'm using too!

Please scroll down to the end of this post to read about our Hokkaido driving holiday...

Boro pincushion made from threads keeper

A tin full of little fan blocks ready for attention

Putting 4 little blocks into a unit

Stack of 230 blocks of yellow crumbs quilt

begin putting units of 4 blocks together

A driving holiday in Hokkaido! After a few trips to Japan Honshu island I thought we will visit Hokkaido the norther island in Japan. We decided to take a driving holiday by hire car. We won't be able to do the whole island, but I think we will see the most picturesque of the place.  

Hokkaido old map

Otaru Canal in Hokkaido

There will be plenty of photos to share on Instagram, FB and Twitter. For both of us this is also a photography holiday. I'm really excited to discover wonderful scenery in towns and villages. Another highlight for me is visiting onsens (Japanese baths). Hokkaido is famous for its natural hot spring onsens.

Will bring back lots of photos to share with you when I return,

Until then

Nat