Sensational Sapporo, Outstanding Otaru & Nectarous Niseko

I can't fathom WHY in all these years, I've never zeroed in on Japan as a holiday destination.  Perhaps it was the impression that it was excrutiatingly expensive, or that the language barriers were insurmountable, or there was radiation everywhere, BUT drat, I've wasted a good 30 years of missing out on this fascinating land, of the Rising Sun.

Since I realise most people, including me, don't really bother sifting through tedious texts, and I shall be word stingy in this post, and keep the natter to a minimum.  

 The quintessential Hokkaido crab, this was taken at the fishmarket in Sapporo.

 Our first sashimi meal, those scallops are to die for, and so cheap.

 Finding a bad gyoza is like finding an honest politician in our cabinet.

 Even their fried rice seems nicer ...

 Hokkaido crab legs, sake and Sapporo beer.. can it get any better?

 Even the sashimi platters from the Supermarkets are fresh and succulent.

 The orgasmic Milk Kobo Cream puffs... dollops of creamy pastry cream, from the tits of cows of hokkaido.... the dairy in Hokkaido is amaaaazing!!!!

 Very atas snack platter at one of our Happy Hours, courtesy of some guests.

 Fabulous sparkling Sake, a first for me.  It's almost true I think, the hangovers from Sake are never quite as bad.  Or maybe all the alcohol was burned up furnacing the body, in that wintery chill...

Tonkatsus galore, and yes, its piggy pig.... oinkety oink...

 Gobules of generations of Salmon that will never quite see daylight... sorry guys....Okay, while this dish LOOKED fascinating, I can't really say it's something I'd eat repeatedly.

 Grilled Hokkaido Scallops, who were still breathing moments before they were grilled.

 Huge ass calamari...

 Clams, cockles and scallops...in Otaru

 Otaru Beer....

 The famous Otaru Le Tao Double fromage cheesecake... one layer of baked cheesecake and another layer of mascarpone...it's that amazing dairy from the tits of amazing cows, I tell ya, that makes all the difference.

 Toro from the fish market, that melts in your mouth like swiss chocolate...

 Swiss Rolls filled with fabulous dairy cream.... Actually, I have yet to see those hokkaido cakes that are sold here, in Hokkaido.

 Green Tea Chocolates...

 The snows of Sapporo...

The majestic and mysterious Mt Yotei, in front of our resort in Niseko...and the various faces of Mt Yotei.  In the lower right frame, Mt Yotei is totally not visible due to heavy snows.  Apparently we were very lucky to see the entire mountain on a bright sunny day in winter. Mt Yotei is volcanic, although supposedly dormant.

A simple meal in the restaurant Mina Mina in front of Shiki Resort.... very reasonably priced..

Sapporo, capital of Hokkaido...

The ski slopes of Hirafu and Hanazono...

Nikka Single Malt Whisky Factory, ...free tastings for 10 and 17 years... no prizes for guessing which one I zeroed in... It's a nice love story, the founder, who originally was supposed to join the Yamazaki fellas, ..and how he fell in love with this Scottish chick, and ...sigh, she followed him to a far off land, despite her Scottish family's objections.... now all go AWWWWWWWWWWWWW.....

The seaside town of Otaru, and the famous Otaru Canal...

And my lovely yakitori experience in Kutchan town... also made famous by Anthony Bourdain...sake cups are poured till overflowing..my cup runneth over...Gorgeous yakitoris, fresh shellfish, melt in the mouth pork neck, chicken skin... prepared over a real charcoal fire, as it snowed outside....

Oh when oh when shall I revisit thee, O Land of the Rising Sun......