Sapporo Snow Festival
Today being the seventh day we are in Japan, it is also the last day that we could use the Japanese rail pass on the JR trains for our Japan sightseeing.
Just before we left our hotel room, we saw that it was lightly snowing. The Sapporo weather forecast was indeed accurate. We were glad that we managed to see quite a bit during this Sapporo travel despite only having two full days here and fortunate in having friends bring us on a few tours of Sapporo including various restaurants for us to try the food as well especially the
Mongolian bbq grill.
Mongolian BBQ Grill...
We checked out of Keio Plaza Sapporo at 0745 hrs and walked to the JR Sapporo station in a light snow to catch the 0825 hrs rapid express train to Chitose Japan where Sapporo Airport is located. As we were early, we managed to do some shopping at the Shopping World before clearing security.
Sapporo Airport, Chitose Japan
We then boarded the plane bound for Tokyo Haneda Airport which departed on schedule at 1045 hrs. We arrived Tokyo Haneda Airport an hour and a half later at 1215 hrs.
Sapporo Airport, Chitose Japan
On the runway
Taking off
Tokyo Haneda Airport ...
Just before we left our hotel room, we saw that it was lightly snowing. The Sapporo weather forecast was indeed accurate. We were glad that we managed to see quite a bit during this Sapporo travel despite only having two full days here and fortunate in having friends bring us on a few tours of Sapporo including various restaurants for us to try the food as well especially the
Mongolian bbq grill.
Mongolian BBQ Grill...
We checked out of Keio Plaza Sapporo at 0745 hrs and walked to the JR Sapporo station in a light snow to catch the 0825 hrs rapid express train to Chitose Japan where Sapporo Airport is located. As we were early, we managed to do some shopping at the Shopping World before clearing security.
We then boarded the plane bound for Tokyo Haneda Airport which departed on schedule at 1045 hrs. We arrived Tokyo Haneda Airport an hour and a half later at 1215 hrs.
Sapporo Airport, Chitose Japan
On the runway
Taking offTokyo Haneda Airport ...
Baggage carousel at Haneda Airport, where luggages are placed neatly on the carousel with handles facing outwards for easy retrieval
We were now faced with two choices. We could either catch the JR train to Tokyo and change trains to Narita station since our Japanese rail pass was still valid or hop on a limousine bus which would bring us direct to Narita Japan Airport. We decided on the latter as it would be faster although it set us back by JPY3000/person.
Upon arrival at Narita Japan Airport, we had to wait approximately 45 minutes for the next shuttle bus to our hotel, International Garden Hotel Narita, as we had just missed it and as it was a non peak hour, the buses only ran hourly.
Wiating for the Limousine Bus ...
Flowers to brighten up Narita Japan Airport
It would have been better if we had made the airline reservation for a flight from Sapporo direct to Narita Japan Airport which would have saved us some travelling time. However, we did not due to certain circumstances arising at the time of making the flight reservation.
The journey to International Garden Hotel Narita took approximately half an hour. After checking in, we immediately took the next shuttle to the train station. We proceeded to the JR Narita station and took a train to Tokyo station.
Upon arrival at Narita Japan Airport, we had to wait approximately 45 minutes for the next shuttle bus to our hotel, International Garden Hotel Narita, as we had just missed it and as it was a non peak hour, the buses only ran hourly.
Wiating for the Limousine Bus ...
Flowers to brighten up Narita Japan AirportIt would have been better if we had made the airline reservation for a flight from Sapporo direct to Narita Japan Airport which would have saved us some travelling time. However, we did not due to certain circumstances arising at the time of making the flight reservation.
The journey to International Garden Hotel Narita took approximately half an hour. After checking in, we immediately took the next shuttle to the train station. We proceeded to the JR Narita station and took a train to Tokyo station.
Along the journey in Tokyo
Japan train travelFrom there, we began our short sightseeing on foot by walking to Mitsukoshi Department Store in Nihonbashi, one of the city districts of Tokyo, to view the carriage that the Emperor and Empress rode in on their wedding day fifty years ago which was on display. We were fortunate as the exhibition was on only for a week and we were just on time to view it.
Nihonbashi
Kashiwamochi, special rice cakes wrapped in oak leaves with various fillings 
We had dinner at Yoshinoya, a small shop serving Japanese food, which is considered as one of the leading Japan fast food chains. Its motto is “cheap, quick and yummy”, thus you can get a delicious beef bowl (gyudon) at less than JPY400 (USD4.10).
Beef bowl (Gyudon) 
Pork instead of beef
After dinner, we caught the JR train back to Narita station, thereby making full use of our seven-day Japanese rail pass, and then took the shuttle back to International Garden Hotel Narita.
Lots of space in the bedroom ... 
Personal fitness at the gymnasiumHuge spacious lobby area
Area for relaxation
Souvenir shop in hotel selling soba noodles 
Just across the International Garden Hotel Narita is a quaint little hotel, the Hotel Chapel Christmas. As the name suggests, it is time to enjoy Christmas all year round and gives it the festive look and feel.
Just across the International Garden Hotel Narita is a quaint little hotel, the Hotel Chapel Christmas. As the name suggests, it is time to enjoy Christmas all year round and gives it the festive look and feel.
