Pics from the NISEKO Onsen in Hokkaido

An afternoon outside of Sapporo about 40 minutes was NIKKA WHISKY makers location. 

A drama recently was produced on site. 

Where the whisky maker Taketuru, Masu-san was able to make the Japanese whiskey. 

Though neither Taka nor I EVER drink whiskey, Taka got to see what he wanted to see~ 

We went to a winery, and had lunch with wine not really anything we cared for. But the soft-cream, Taka was all into!


Another area Taka found, we collected fresh water from falls, where it's famous for making tofu, and people going to collect all the free waterfall water

Taka found this ski resort hotel, since no snow, the cost to stay was wonderfully reasonable.

In NISEKO

The mountain behind the clouds is called EZO-FUJI...Ezo is an old word for Hokkaido. Another word for the mountain is YOUTEIZAN, something about sheep's feet.

From our hotel room:

Looking back the other way insdie, our bedroom behind the glass wall (that had shades to cover for privacy)

From inside the bedroom~

Everytime we walked through the hall, I saw these room numbers:  615   616... then 617  618

and always thought of Zen and Sheon with their birthdays 6/16 and 6/18   (our room number was 620)

Speaking of numbers. The elevator does like old ways. No number 4. The number of death! 

The morning after, and no rain. the front of the hotel "Ki"   "Tree" THATS why all the woody stuff!

But then all the cows too! ; )   Hokkaido= cows!

This was some of the first autumn colors! And wood prepped to set up around trees to support snow.

Trees planted on mounds. Taka said, to give height above snow.

 The food!  An hor deurve squash soup.
Then... what ever all this was.

Sushi

Deserts. I really never eat deserts. But this coconut delicacy, I tried. 

Like Christmas

Dinner happened later in the evenings after the games. Once at this MATSURIYA, Kaiten Zushi. It really was festive, and loud and...not my cup of tea actually!

Taka took this photo, meaning to show we're at table #3, cause of Z's uniform number. But me, it was that crazy menu of sushi to order from.

We spent a little time before dinner in our Bnb for Zen to go through the nearly two suitcases full of things for him. Things he'd requested... oatmeal, trailmix, bbq sauce and sweet mustard...our well used Bob Marley throw...

 ...shoes and clothes he'd ordered, and what Taka surprised him with: a real early Xmas present:

 ...and a chair, new one, replica of ours in California, which two can fit in, these two anyhow!