Sapporo Biei Tour

Sapporo Since I wasn’t confident about driving in the snow in Sapporo, I decided to join a tour instead. :) Hopped on a sightseeing bus and zoomed off! For the first time, I visited a Japanese rest area. It was quite similar to those in Korea, but there were noticeably more vending machines. Haha. ✔️ Seven Stars Tree There used to be birch trees next to the Seven Stars Tree, but due to the inconvenience caused to locals by tourists, many of them were cut down. 😢 Now, you can only see the Seven Stars Tree. After a quick look, we moved on. ✔️ Tree of Ken and Mary Standing alone amidst the snow, the scenery was absolutely stunning. In reality, though, there were tons of people taking photos nearby. Haha. You have to seize any open spot to snap your picture! ✔️ Takushinkan Gallery & Birch Tree Path The gallery was filled with breathtaking photos, almost like a Biei photo studio. I was completely mesmerized. The birch tree path had a unique charm, but I was too tired to take many photos, so I only managed a few. ✔️ Park Hills Hotel We had a vegetable curry lunch here (we stayed seated for quite a while, haha). Then, we quickly visited the Blue Waterfall, grabbed snacks from a takoyaki truck, and even enjoyed some sledding. It was a packed schedule! Oh! We briefly spotted a red fox near the entrance. 🦊 ✔️ Furano Cheese Factory We were treated to a delicious cheesecake, which I thoroughly enjoyed! There was also a cheese tasting area where I tried 3-4 different types of cheese. Yum! ✔️ Ningle Terrace We arrived before the lights were turned on, so we strolled around the terrace and browsed the shops. Many of them sold handmade items. On our way back to the bus, the lights came on, but the place was swarming with tourists. We just admired the view from the entrance before heading back to the bus. Despite the heavy snowfall, the Sapporo drivers sped along confidently, saying it was safe thanks to their snow tires. We arrived on time without any accidents, and as soon as we got off the bus, we headed to our pre-booked Wagyu Shabu-shabu Sukiyaki at Fujisan Gogo. We were so hungry that we opted for the all-you-can-eat option. The Wagyu just melted in my mouth. 😭 I managed to eat three plates, but the portions were larger than expected, so I got full quickly. It was a bit disappointing. 😢 Japanese Wagyu is truly a love affair! On the last day, we visited the Odori Park Snow Festival and then went shopping at Don Quijote. The lines were insane, though. 😭 Be prepared to spend over an hour just waiting to check out.