Category: Japan

Hostel Of The Day: THE STAY SAPPORO – Budget Sapporo Accommodation With Top-Notch Amenities

Last week, I brought you to one of Mad Monkey Hostels Group‘s newest hostel in Palawan, Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach in El Nido. I’d like to thank everyone for reading the first ‘Hostel Of The Day’ article. The first article even reached the people at Mad Monkey in Nacpan & they loved it. Thank you for the warm support & feedback on the Hostel Of The Day section of this website.

Welcome to The Stay Sapporo!

Today, I will bring you to Sapporo, Japan. A few days ago, I shared to you the list of places Shane & I went to in Sapporo last February. We spent 5 full days & 5 nights in the city. We didn’t have enough time to go to all interesting places this beautiful city has. In those 5 nights, we stayed in a hostel, or the staff say, a guesthouse called The Stay Sapporo. Let me share to you our experience plus some facts about this accommodation.

Enjoyed the snow fall outside the hostel building ❄

Access

The Stay Sapporo is in Susukino, Sapporo’s entertainment district. This area is where you can find all the best night out spots, bars & clubs. You can also find all sorts of shops & restaurants, plus pachinko centers. The guesthouse is in the quiet part of the district.

Remember this view, this is what you’ll see outside the hostel door.

It can be accessed by foot, about 8 minutes walk from Susukino Station Exit 4 of the Namboku Subway Line (green line) or 10 minutes walk from Nishi 11-Chome Station Exit 2 of the Tozai Subway Line (orange line). It can also be accessed by an 8-minute walk from the Susukino Station bus stop. The 10-storey building can easily be spotted because of the big logo & signage outside the building.

PS. Planning to get your Japan tourist visa soon? Let me give you some tips how I did it. Click this link to know more.

Room Types

The Stay Sapporo caters to all types of travelers. The facility both has a private rooms & dormitory rooms. As per the website, the guesthouse has private rooms for 2 people & up to 6 people, suitable for families & friends on trip. Solo travelers can stay in their 7-bed loft type mixed dormitory room or 8-bed capsule type mixed dormitory room. Solo female travelers who are not comfortable staying in a mixed dormitory room can stay in their 8-bed female capsule type dormitory room.

Inside the 7-bed mixed dormitory – photo from The Stay Sapporo‘s website

Private double rooms cost from ¥5,000 – ¥7,400 per night. The 5 & 6-bed private rooms range from ¥9,500 – ¥22,300 per night. Dormitory beds cost ¥2,300 – ¥3,800 per night. Prices vary depending on season; particularly higher during summer, holiday & snow festival seasons. All rooms have heater, light & air conditioning. Each bed has a soft mattress, comfortable pillow & sheets. It also has access to a private reading light, electrical socket & 2 hangers.

Shane & I stayed in the 7-bed mixed dormitory room. I paid ₱6,354.54 for 5 nights, that’s after a ₱500 discount from Traveloka. I paid ₱1,271 per night – this is a normal hostel bed rate per night in Japan basing it from my previous Japan trips. This nightly rate is very affordable considering the peak winter season.

Amenities

Staying in hostels or guesthouses is very different from staying in a hotel or serviced apartment. Most of the facilities or amenities are shared with other guests. The Stay Sapporo offers the following amenities.

This is what you’ll see upon entering the hostel, beside the reception area

Free WiFi Access

WiFi access is free for all guests of The Stay Sapporo. You will be given the WiFi password upon check-in. Free WiFi is available throughout the building.

Communal Shower Areas & Toilets

Guests have access to communal shower areas & toilets. Each floor has its own shower areas & toilet. All shower areas have free shampoo & bath soap. Ladies can also use the blow dry for free. Take note that they do not provide free toiletries. Either you bring your own or you can rent / buy them from reception. Bath towel rental costs ¥200 while toiletries (not rental! haha) range from ¥100 – ¥200.

Communal Lounge Areas

3rd floor common lounge area

Guests have access to 2 common lounge areas. The main lounge area is near the reception area in the 3rd floor. This main lounge area is also the venue of some activities hosted by the guesthouse. The lounge has chairs & tables, a comfortable sofa & a flat screen cable television; it located beside the dining area & kitchen. The small lounge area is in the 10th floor. This lounge also has chairs & tables, a flat screen cable television & a tatami seating area.

Common Food Preparation & Dining Area

3rd floor communal kitchen – spacious & very clean!

The Stay Sapporo has a spacious kitchen where guests can prepare & cook their own food. The kitchen has a microwave, coffee maker, electric burner & complete kitchen set. Don’t forget to clean all the pans, plates, utensils, glasses & cups you used. It also has a chiller where people can store their food. Make sure to put a label on your own food! Beside the kitchen is the dining area. This is a place where you can talk to other guests & meet people who are also travelling.

Tables & chairs found in the 3rd floor dining area

Coin Laundry

For those who ran out of clothes & need to have the used ones washed, The Stay Sapporo got you covered. Coin laundry is available for guests who need to have their clothes washed.

Smoking Area

Smoking is prohibited inside the building. The Stay Sapporo has 2 designated smoking areas – one in the basement level & one in the 3rd floor balcony, just outside the kitchen & dining area.

Outside the hostel – what a beautiful winter morning! 😍

Pay Parking

Brought your car with you? Don’t worry, the hostel has 10 secured parking spaces in the basement level. Parking costs ¥500 per night. Make sure to check with the staff if there is a free space for your car. If the spaces are full, there is an outdoor public parking beside the building.

Luggage Storage

Guests can store their luggage for free before check-in & after check-out. They have a small luggage room just beside the reception area.

The Stay Sapporo offers a lot of amenities to its guests – probably more than what normally get in a basic accommodation. I guarantee all these areas are clean & well-maintained. In addition to this long list of amenities, The Stay Sapporo has the most welcoming & helpful staff I’ve met. They make sure to answer all questions & they greet you every time you pass by the reception area. The person in the front desk even helped us book a table in the Sapporo Beer Garden for the unlimited lamb lunch & also helped us book a taxi to Sapporo Station when we left.

Food Options

7-Eleven rice meal + 1 L apple tea (from the supermarket) + 2 cheese tarts (from Kinotoya) for breakfast! 😋

The guesthouse prepares breakfast for a fee. Sorry, I forgot how much each breakfast meal cost. Shane & I didn’t avail this option; instead we bought our food in the nearby 7-Eleven or in the supermarket every night before going back to the hostel. There is also a cafe & bar in the ground floor – this bar offers discounts & deals to the guests of The Stay Sapporo.

Honey-glazed chicken & rice plus 1 L milk tea (my favorite!!) bought from the supermarket for breakfast! 😋

Guests can also ask the staff for meal recommendations. The staff will gladly direct you to the best & authentic ones in the area. They will even give you discount / promotion coupons to these restaurants.

Activities

The Stay Sapporo organizes events or activities to encourage participation & dialogue between guests. These activities range sake nights, bar hopping to random chit-chat sessions. Too bad there was no even during our stay! I would love to join one; maybe in my next stay with them. All events are in their Facebook page so make sure to check the page before your stay.

❄ Beautiful night in Susukino! ❄

The Stay Sapporo is the perfect accommodation for someone travelling on budget. You get the best amenities for such an affordable price. I suggest all my readers to stay in this hostel in your next Sapporo trip. I look forward to staying in this hostel again in the future. If you have any questions, feel free to contact them in details below.

The Stay Sapporo
Address: 1008-10 West 9 South 5, Chuo-ku, Sapporo
Phone Number: +81 011 252 7401
Fax Number: +81 011 252 7402
Email Address: stay.1@thestaysapporo.com
Website: www.thestaysapporo.com/en
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/thestaysapporo

Snowy The Stay Sapporo entry area – well-recommended place to stay!

Are you planning to go to Sapporo soon? Well you should. Plan early so that it won’t hurt your pockets that much. Did you know that my friend & I went there & tried almost everything for less than ₱45,000? Yes, it’s possible. Click this link to know more.

Do you have any questions about our experience in The Stay Sapporo or in Sapporo in general? Feel free to post the questions below. If you don’t want others to read your query, you can send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com or contact me via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thank you for reading! Watch out for the next hostel of the day post. 🙂

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hokkaido Winter Series: SAPPORO – A Winter Paradise City

A few weeks ago, I shared to you how my friend Shane & I enjoyed Hokkaido Winter last February for less than ₱45,000 all in. I showed you how & when we booked our tickets, where we stayed & how much we paid in the hostel, what we ate & what we did. That blog post was basically a summary of the trip cost-wise.

With Shane in front of the Former Hokkaido Government Office Building

Today, I will share to you in detail the places we visited in Sapporo, the capital of the northernmost major island of Japan. Sapporo is a winter paradise in a city – the city looked so beautiful covered with snow. It felt like we were in a different world! Shane & I stayed 6 nights in The Stay Sapporo, a high-rated hostel in Susukino District. I normally talk about the accommodation in the same blog; but since I just introduced a section here called Hostel Of The Day, I will talk about the hostel in a different post. Watch out for that!

Random street near our hostel 😍

Now back to Sapporo. Getting around the city is easy-breezy. The city has a very easy-to-understand subway system with very few lines in place. We used our IC cards in riding the subway trains. IC cards are contactless cards which can be used in most train lines all over Japan (except bullet trains). These cards are reloadable & can also be used in convenience stores, supermarkets & some shops.

Beautiful morning at Hokkaido U Botanic Garden 😍

Sapporo is a very big city. We didn’t have time to explore many places but we managed to visit a few iconic ones. Check out the ‘list’ below!

Susukino District

Susukino is Sapporo’s entertainment district. It is the place to be when you’re looking for shops, restaurants, bars, clubs & pachinko centers. This is the area where Shane & I stayed so we walked around this district several times.

Night snowfall at Susukino!

This is also the place where the famous ramen alley – Ramen Yokocho is located. It is a small lane with a number of ramen restaurants serving Sapporo’s best ramen. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to explore this alley. I will put this in the list when I fly back to Sapporo!

Normal winter night at Susukino

Access: Susukino Station – Namboku Subway Line

Odori Park

Odori Park covered with snow

Odori Park is Sapporo’s central park. Located in the middle of the city, this 1.5 km long park separates the northern & southern part of Sapporo. This park is also the main site of the Sapporo Snow Festival held every first week of February. We were one week late for the snow festival so the park structures were just being dismantled during our visit. The park was still beautiful & was fully covered with snow.

Why hello there Mr. Snowman! ☃

Access: Odori Station – Namboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines

Sapporo TV Tower

Sapporo TV Tower is a TV tower at the same time an observation deck in one end of Odori Park. The observation deck is open for visitors for ¥720 per person. Shane & I didn’t go up the observation deck but we only passed by the TV tower site.

Random stream with the view of Sapporo TV Tower 🗼

Access: Odori Station – Nanboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines or 10-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station

Sapporo Clock Tower

The iconic Sapporo Clock Tower

Locally known as Tokeidai, the Sapporo Clock Tower is a famous Sapporo wooden landmark which dates back to the early development of the city. The clock tower is now a museum & a ceremony hall. Entrance to the clock tower costs ¥200 per person. We decided not to go inside the clock tower because it was almost closing time when we passed by.

Access: Odori Station – Namboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines or 10-minute walk from JR Sapporo Station

Hokkaido University Botanic Garden

Around Hokkaido U Botanic Garden 😍

Owned by Hokkaido University, this Botanic Garden is in the middle of Sapporo. University students use this garden for research & laboratory purposes. The public also uses this place for recreation. The garden was not open to the public during our visit; at the same time it was covered with snow.

Access: 5 minutes walk from Nishi-Juitchome Station – Tozai Subway Line

Former Hokkaido Government Office Building

This red brick office building, locally known as Akarenga, was once the seat of Hokkaido Government. This building now functions as a museum, shop & conference center. Entrance to the building is free of charge.

Inside the Former Hokkaido Government Building

Shane & I were lucky to witness the Mitsui Fudosan × Akarenga Illuminations last February. These illuminations were part of Hokkaido’s 150th Year Anniversary Project showcasing the island’s culture & history.

Witnessed the winter illuminations in the former government building

Access: Few minutes walk from Odori Station – Namboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines

Sapporo Beer Garden

Yes! Sapporo Beer Garden 🍺

Unlimited lamb for lunch! 😋

Sapporo is the famous because of the world-renowned Sapporo Beer. This beer started brewing in the city since the 19th century. The Sapporo Beer Museum shows the history & evolution of Sapporo beer production in the city. Beside the museum is Sapporo Beer Garden. This place is famous for the unlimited Genghis Khan lamb cooked grilled with fresh vegetables. It also comes with unlimited juice & of course, Sapporo Beer. The meal cost us ¥4,212 (or ₱2,114.97) each. Quite expensive for a lunch meal; but it was all worth it.

Unlimited lamb + unlimited beer = one happy man! 😍

Yes to unlimited Sapporo draft beer! 🍺

Everyone should not miss visiting Sapporo Beer Garden when in Sapporo.

Access: 25 minutes walk from JR Sapporo Station or 10-minute walk from Higashikuyakusho Mae Station Exit 4 – Toho Subway Line or Loop 88 Factory Line Bus

Sapporo Station

Sapporo Station is the city’s main station in downtown. It is where subway, JR lines & bus lines meet. This is probably the starting point of pretty much all destinations when going around Sapporo & nearby cities & towns.

View outside Sapporo Station

I got a super duper good deal in the Gap Store in Sapporo Station. I bought a pair of pants, 2 shirts & 2 baby tops (for my cousin & niece) for only ¥5,000 or for less than ₱2,500 pesos. What a bargain from Gap!

Access: Sapporo Station – Toho & Namboku Subway Lines & Sapporo Station Bus Terminal

Sapporo District

Busy Sapporo District at night!

The Sapporo District is the city’s central district. Surrounded by shopping malls & commercial establishments, this district is one of the city’s shopping hub. Almost all kinds of luxury & affordable shops are found in this area.

Access: Sapporo Station – Toho & Namboku Subway Lines & Sapporo Station Bus Terminal

Sapporo Ramen Republic

Welcome to Sapporo Ramen Republic 🇯🇵🍜

The Sapporo Ramen Republic is a floor of 8 top Hokkaido ramen restaurants. Located at the 10th floor of ESTA Complex in Sapporo District, this ramen place features Hokkaido ramen specialties – Sapporo Ramen (Miso), Hakodate Ramen (Shio) & Asahikawa Ramen (Shoyu).

Misono’s miso ramen. Yum! 🍜

Shane & I tried Sapporo Ramen in a restaurant called Misono. The ramen had miso broth with some pork & ginger flavor. The ramen cost around ¥800 per bowl.

Access: Sapporo Station – Toho & Namboku Subway Lines

Tanukikoji Shopping Street

Each major Japan city has its own shopping arcade. If Fukuoka has Nakasu-Kawabata Shopping Arcade, Nagoya has Osu Shopping Street & Osaka has Shinsaibashi Shopping Street, Sapporo has Tanukikoji Shopping Street. Just like any other shopping street / arcade, this is a row of local shops & restaurants. This arcade is the best place to buy souvenirs.

Shane & I went around this arcade several times. It is also where we bought chocolates & souvenirs for friends & family back home. Tanukikoji Shopping Street has a Don Quijote branch – the best place to buy Japanese goodies tax-free! Make sure your purchase is more than ¥2,500 tax excluded.

Access: Few minutes walk from Odori Station – Namboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines

Nijo Market

Yay to fresh seafood!

Nijo Market is Sapporo’s public market famous to both locals & visitors. People flock this market to buy fresh finds such as king crabs, salmon eggs & other fish. Shane & I went here to buy Hokkaido King Crab. A kilogram of medium king crab costs 12,000. We got 3 big crab legs (800 grams) for only ¥10,000. We had it cooked in the restaurant in front of the shop.

More fresh seafood 😍

The king crab was so fresh & sooooo good. It was worth the expensive price! I’m so happy we tried it even if it was a bit pricey. This king crab meal was one of the highlights of my trip – I’ll definitely have this again when I fly back to Sapporo.

Hokkaido King Crab Legs!! 😲🦀

Access: Few minutes walk from Odori Station – Namboku, Toho & Tozai Subway Lines

Other Places We Missed

We missed a few places due to limited time in the city. These places include the Shiroi Koibito Park (Chocolate Factory), Mount Moiwa Ropeway (a small mountain ropeway with a view of the city), Moerenuma Park (a large outdoor park in the outskirts of Sapporo) & Sapporo Historic Village.

These places, plus Ramen Yokocho, will definitely be in our list when we fly back to Sapporo. We don’t know when will that be but I hope it’ll be really soon.

Sapporo is indeed a winter paradise city! The city looked beautiful covered with powder white snow. The temperature may be at its lowest point but it didn’t hinder us from exploring what this city has to offer.

Beautiful winter morning in Sapporo 😍

Have you been to Sapporo during winter? How was your experience? Do you think I should also go there during summer, spring or fall? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. You can also send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Watch out for my next post about Otaru, Hokkaido’s harbor city & the detailed review of The Stay Sapporo. Thank you for reading & have a nice day.

Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) 🇯🇵 😃

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hokkaido Winter Series: The Ultimate Japan Winter Experience Without Breaking The Bank (7 Days For Less than ₱45,000 all-in)

Hi, it’s me again. If you’ve followed my blog in the past, I’ve published posts about travelling to Japan on tight budget. In 2015, my friends & I went to Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka for 9 days & spent only ₱40,000 (all in – including airfare) each. In 2016, I went on a solo journey across 7 cities over 13 days for less than ₱50,000. I went to Fujikawaguchiko & Takayama last November for less than ₱35,000 over 7 days (including a flight change). Since coming to Japan in 2015, I’ve considered it as my next favorite country to the Philippines.

With my travel buddy, Shane, in Sapporo Teine!

I post blogs like those to prove that travelling to an expensive country like Japan can also be affordable. 3 months ago, my friend Shane & I went to Hokkaido, Japan for 7 days & spent less ₱45,000 (all in – including flights). Pretty cheap, eh? Yes! This leads me to introducing the next series of blogs in this website – the Hokkaido Winter Series. We’ve also experienced a lot & had many ‘firsts’ in this Hokkaido trip. I can’t wait to share our trip with you.

Let it snow, let it snow, let is snow!

Japan winter season may be over this year but it’s never too late to look back how we made this trip very affordable. We started planning around June 2017 & we’re happy everything went smooth as planned. Let me share to you how we planned this trip & how it didn’t shock our bank accounts.

I was very happy that everything’s covered with snow!

February 2018 Exchange Rate: 1 Japanese Yen = 0.49 Philippine Pesos

Plane Tickets

There are no direct flights that connect Manila & Sapporo at the moment. The easiest & fastest way to New Chitose Airport in Sapporo is via Tokyo. Shane & I were lucky to buy a Cebu Pacific Air piso-fare return ticket to Tokyo for only ₱2,225.76 each. We added prepaid baggage for both flights – ₱690 each for 15 kgs & ₱970 each for 20 kgs. The round-trip ticket to Japan, including baggage, cost us ₱3,885.76 each. Our ticket was so cheap considering each flight takes 4 to 5 hours.

Our piso-fare ticket to Tokyo.. Thank you Cebu Pacific Air!

We bought another return ticket – this time from Narita International Airport in Tokyo to New Chitose Airport in Sapporo. There are only 2 low-cost airlines flying between these two airports – Jetstar Japan & Vanilla Air. Shane & I went for Jetstar Japan – of course the cheaper option. The return domestic tickets cost us ₱6,151.89 each including 15 kgs baggage. Yes, domestic airline tickets in Japan are expensive. In fact, the 2 x 1 hour 45 minutes-flight to & from Sapporo was way expensive than our 2 x 4-hour flights to & from Tokyo.

Overall, the return tickets from Manila to Sapporo, with layovers in Tokyo, cost us ₱10,037.65 each. Getting all tickets for that amount is so affordable – definitely a bargain!

Our ticket from Tokyo to Sapporo. Domestic tickets in Japan are expensive!

Wondering how I get super cheap tickets like these? I actually wrote two posts about scoring the most affordable airline tickets. Check these posts (part 1 & part 2) out!

Also, the Philippine government requires all Filipino tourists going out of the country to pay ₱1,620 pesos for the travel tax. I don’t know what the tax is for & where they use it; but yeah, everyone’s required to pay before getting your boarding pass.

The Jetstar Airbus 320 sharklet plane we used to Sapporo

Hot news! Philippine Airlines revealed to Inquirer last month that they are looking to mount a direct flight from Manila to New Chitose Airport in Sapporo later this year. There are no details when the flight will start & what the flight times are but I hope this pushes through.

Tourist Visa

Filipinos need a tourist visa when visiting Japan. In 2016, the Japan Embassy in the Philippines granted me a 5-year multiple entry tourist visa until October 2021. Shane also had a 5-year multiple entry tourist visa. We didn’t apply for a tourist visa for this trip; we used our existing visa.

A clear winter morning in Sapporo

Interested to know how I got my 5-year multiple entry tourist visa to Japan? Check out these 4 easy tips on how you can get a Japan tourist visa. The article includes tips for easier application.

Accommodations

We stayed in 2 hostels for this trip. It was my friend Shane’s first time in a hostel so I made sure we stay in the nice ones. Our 5-night stay in The Stay Sapporo Hostel cost us ₱6,354.54 each, that includes a ₱500 off from Traveloka. The rate includes 5 nights in a 7-bed dormitory room with access to hostel’s common areas. I’ll talk more about the hostel when I post the more detail post or itinerary of this Sapporo trip.

Booked our Sapporo hostel via Traveloka

We stayed for a night in Tokyo before our flight back to Manila. We stayed in my favorite hostel in Tokyo, Oak Hostel Zen. We paid ₱644.09 each via Agoda for a night stay in an 8-bed mixed dormitory room. I don’t need to talk about Oak Hostel Zen because I already wrote reviews about this hostel in my past Tokyo trips. I’ve been to Tokyo 3 times & I’ve stayed with this hostel in all my trips.

Booked our Tokyo stay with Agoda

Shane & I paid ₱6,998.63 each for the 6 nights we spent in Japan. Accommodation in this country is very expensive so getting a bed for around ₱1,160+ average per night is already a good deal!

READ! I wrote about our experience in The Stay Sapporo. Check out this article.

Pocket Wi-Fi

One of Sapporo’s iconic building – the Old Hokkaido Government Building

As mentioned in my previous Japan blogs, a pocket Wi-Fi is a necessity when travelling around Japan. Not only does it help you upload photos in various social media platforms & communicate with your loved ones back home, it also helps you navigate your walks & direct which trains / lines to take. Shane & I got our device from Klook. The 7-day pocket Wi-Fi device rental cost us ₱1,887.36 – that’s 943.68 each.The device we got is a 4G LTE capable one & it has unlimited data allocation.

Ski Day Trip

Sapporo Teine Ski Resort

This Sapporo trip was our first winter trip & a winter trip will never be complete without skiing. Shane & I don’t know how to ski so we took Sapporo Teine‘s First Time Ski Experience Group Lesson. The whole day lesson cost us ¥14,000 (or ₱6,860) each. The rate includes ski equipment & outfit rental, instructors & gondola fees, a 1 hour 30 minute basic ski lesson in the morning & a 1 hour 30 minute downhill ski practice in the afternoon.

Photo with our ski instructors

The ski resort’s rate is expensive but their rate is actually the cheapest we saw in Sapporo. It was our first time to go skiing so we decided to invest for the experience. The ski experience was worth it. It was one of the highlights of our trip!

I wrote a separate article about our Ski Day Trip to Sapporo Teine Resort. Check out the article here.

Sapporo Beer Garden Lunch

Sapporo Beer Garden – my liver is happy!

Apart from our first winter & ski experience, Shane & I also had our first unlimited Genghis Khan lamb experience in one of the restaurants in Sapporo Beer Garden. This shredded mutton barbecue is a famous local dish in Hokkaido. The buffet includes unlimited vegetables, juices & of course, Sapporo beer.

Yes to unlimited lamb in Sapporo Beer Garden!

Another yes to unlimited Sapporo beer!

The meal cost ¥4,212 (or ₱2,114.97) each. It was an expensive meal but you don’t get to have unlimited mutton everyday, right?

Hokkaido King Crab

Hokkaido King Crab legs on display in Nijo Market

Hokkaido is known for its king crabs & fresh seafood. A visit to Japan’s northern most main island will never be complete without trying the king crab. On our 3rd day, Shane & I went to Nijo Market in Sapporo to have brunch. We came across a stall where the man offered us a free taste of the fresh king crab. A kilogram of the large king crab legs costs ¥13,000. We bought 800 grams for ¥10,000 (close to ₱5,000) & the man gave us ¥400 discount. Yes, king crabs are that expensive! We had the crab legs cooked & we went to a nearby restaurant to eat it.

800 grams of king crab legs for brunch.. So good!

Another expensive meal but it was so good! Shane & I were super full up to the point we didn’t eat the entire day. We rarely have king crabs here in the Philippines so it was worth the try!

We tried the Hokkaido king grab when we walked around Sapporo on our first days in the city. Find out where else we went & what we did around the city by checking this link.

Onsen Day

Outside Hoheikyo Onsen – a perfect winter day to be in an onsen

Japan’s Hokkaido is an onsen paradise; the island has many onsens or natural hot springs. In fact, there are a few onsens which are accessible from Sapporo. Shane & I went to Jozankei, the nearest onsen town in Sapporo. We specifically went to Hoheikyo Onsen, a natural hot spring which has an open air spring bath setting & a famous Indian restaurant.

The onsen day package was worth it!

The round-trip bus ride & onsen entrance fee cost us ¥1,800 each (around ₱880). This deal was a steal because the onsen fee itself (if not availed with package) was already ¥1,000 & the bus fare per way was ¥640.

ICYMI, I posted a separate blog about out onsen day. Check out this link to know more about our winter onsen experience.

Daily Expenses

I always set a daily budget for each day I am in Japan. This helps me plan out my expenses day by day. In previous Japan blogs, I’ve set daily budgets ranging from ¥2,500 to ¥3,500 per day. This amount covers all meals, transportation expenses & museum tickets or entrance fees if needed. Sapporo is a bit more expensive than the previous cities I’ve been to so I placed a daily budget of ¥3,500 per day. This trip had the same daily allowance with my 2016 Japan trip. The difference these 2 trips had was I travelled alone in 2016 (so more expenses) & I was with Shane in this Sapporo trip (we shared in some expenses like food, snacks, etc).

Otaru Canal at night

I was in Japan for 7 days to my total ‘daily expenses’ budget was ¥24,500 yen; that’s ₱12,005 in Philippine pesos.

Did you know? We took a half day trip to Otaru, one of Hokkaido’s famous port city. What else can you see & do there aside from visiting the Otaru Canal? Click here to know more.

Summary

That’s about it. Let’s have a look how much I spent for this entire trip.

All in all, I spent ₱43,911.93 for a 7-day winter trip in Hokkaido, Japan. Expensive? No. Cheap for a first timer? Y-E-S! This trip was for the books!

Early mornings in Sapporo be like..

Have you been to Hokkaido? Shane & I are planning to go back soon & we’re looking for more places to visit. Feel free to post your suggestions in the comments section below. You can also send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Check out the individual posts featuring Sapporo, Otaru, Sapporo Teine & Hoheikyo Onsen! Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) 🇯🇵 😃

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Outside Popular Japan Cities: Fujikawaguchiko & Takayama On A Budget – 7 Days For Less Than ₱35,000

Last November 2017, I went on a week-long journey to explore 2 not-so-popular places in Japan – Fujikawaguchiko & Takayama. I arrived & spent the first day in Tokyo, then stayed in Fujikawaguchiko for 48 hours then onwards to Takayama before flying home from Nagoya.

Mount Fuji from Lake Kawaguchiko

If you’ve followed my blog for a while now, you’ll notice that I’ve shared to my readers how much I roughly spent for my past Japan in trips. In October 2015, my friends & I went on a 9-day trip across Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka for less than ₱40,000 all in. In 2016, I went on a solo journey across 7 cities (Nagoya, Hiroshima, Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, Kobe & Fukuoka) for 13 days & spent less than ₱50,000 including flights. Both trips are pretty affordable than the usual Japan trip.

The beautiful & well-preserved wooden houses of Takayama Old Street

Have you ever wondered how much I spent in my Fujikawaguchiko & Takayama trip last November? Fret not, I am here to answer your question. Yes, I only spent less than ₱35,000 for 7 whole days in Japan. This could be cheaper (to probably around ₱25,000 – ₱30,000) if I booked the right flight to Japan & if I didn’t go on a luxurious dinner with friends in Tokyo. Just like the earlier posts, I will divide the post below to different sections – ticket, accommodation, bus tickets, etc.

November 2017 Exchange Rate: 1 Japanese Yen = 0.47 Philippine Pesos
Ticket

I mentioned above that I had to change my flight to Japan. As mentioned in my Fujikawaguchiko blog, I initially planned to go to Sapporo for this trip. Plans changed when I luckily booked another Cebu Pacific Air piso fare ticket to Tokyo for February. My first ticket cost me ₱2,175.86 with Kansai Airport in Osaka as the arrival airport.

Months before the trip, I decided to take the Tokyo-Fujikawaguchiko-Takayama-Nagoya route. It was cheaper & faster to book a new ticket to Tokyo than to take my original flight & take another flight to Tokyo. I booked my one-way Tokyo ticket & used Traveloka‘s 10% off promotion. The one way ticket to Tokyo cost ₱3,509.10.

My return tickets cost me ₱5,684.96 – still cheap for a return ticket to Japan.

Tourist Visa

The Embassy of Japan here in the Philippines gave me a 5-year multiple entry visa when I applied in 2016 so I didn’t apply for a new one for this trip. If you want to know how I got my 5-year visa, I made a 4-step guide a few months ago. You can check the guide here.

Accommodations

Accommodations for this trip were well-planned except for the one night stay in Tokyo. I took advantage of Traveloka‘s promotions. I only paid ₱970.45 for a 2-night stay in K’s House Mount Fuji, that’s after the ₱1,206 discount from Traveloka. On the other hand, I paid ₱2,713.13 for my 3-night stay in K’s House Takayama Oasis – that was after a 20% discount from Traveloka. I mentioned in one of my previous blogs that a decent hostel in Japan will cost you a little over ₱1,000 a night.

My K’s House Mount Fuji Hostel reservation with ₱1,206 Traveloka discount

I booked by Tokyo accommodation last-minute, thus I paid ₱828.66 from the usual ₱600-₱700 per night rate of Oak Hostel Zen. It’s still cheaper compared to other Tokyo hostels. You basically get the same amenities & service. I paid ₱4,512.24 for all 6 nights in Japan. Big thanks to Traveloka‘s promotions, I saved a lot!

My K’s House Takayama Oasis Hostel reservation with ₱800 Traveloka discount

Bus Tickets

I travel on budget & I don’t have the money to pay for a JR Pass so I always take the highway buses. For me, the highway bus is the most affordable mode of transportation between cities & towns around Japan. The buses leave & arrive in every stop on time / on schedule. These buses have comfortable seats; some even have toilet & free Wi-Fi on board & power outlets per seat.

The empty bus to Takayama

I took 3 highway bus routes in this trip. First, I took the Fujikyuko Bus from Tokyo Station to Kawaguchiko Station in Fujikawaguchiko Station. The 1 hour & 45 minute trip cost me ¥1,800 (₱829.73). From Kawaguchiko, I took the afternoon Nohi Bus to Takayama. The 4-hour trip along the Hida mountains cost me ¥5,000 (₱2,304.81). From Takayama, I took the Highway bus to Nagoya, the city where I flew out of Japan. The 2 hours & 30 minutes bus trip cost me ¥2,980 or ₱1,366.14. I booked these bus tickets before flying to Japan. Some bus routes have cheaper fares when you book  (via Willer Express website) weeks / months before the trip. There are also bus companies (like Nohi Bus) that offer fixed bus fares per route.

Took this bus from Nagoya – this bus schedule was operated by Nohi Bus

The 3 bus rides of over 8 hours in total only cost me ₱4,500.68. This amount won’t even let you buy a ticket for the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto!

Internet Sim Card

Exploring Japan without access to Google & Google Maps is difficult. Since I was alone, I got an internet sim card from Klook. This sim card comes with unlimited 4G internet for 8 days but with no credits. I didn’t have issues with the network anywhere I go – mobile internet was faster than the internet provided by the other establishments like restaurants & buses.

This sim card was quite expensive – ₱1,484.82 but it was cheaper than getting a pocket Wi-Fi. I also got the sim card to avoid carrying the pocket Wi-Fi device in my bag every single day.

Tokyo Dinner With Friends

I took advantage of my Tokyo stopover to meet my HTC friends who were living in & visiting Japan. I met with Laura & Leon in Omotesando Hills. We walked around the area then to Shibuya. We had a glass of craft beer in Craftheads then went to Nogigochi for dinner. We had yakitori for dinner & sake for drinks.

This dinner was quite expensive. I spent around ¥5,000 (or ₱2,350) for dinner & drinks. I don’t mind spending too much when I’m with friends.

Mount Fuji 4th Station

I met a Dutch guy in the hostel & we decided to visit Mount Fuji 4th Station to see what’s up there. We bought the round-trip tickets in Kawaguchiko Station. The return ticket costs ¥2,100 (or ₱987). It took us around 45 minutes by bus to reach the 4th station & another 45 minutes to go down. This destination offered a nice view of Mount Fuji’s crater & the Japanese Alps.

Hida Beef Lunch

One of the highlights of this trip was the hida beef lunch set I had in Ajikura Tengoku in Takayama. The whole beef lunch set (with dessert & tea) cost me ¥4,000 (₱1,880). This was the most expensive lunch I had in Japan for this trip. The experience & the meal was worth the expensive price.

Shirakawa-go Day Tour

Ticket to Shirakawa-go – purchased at the Takayama Bus Terminal ticket office

Another highlight of this Japan trip was the visit to Shirakawa-go. This UNESCO World Heritage-listed site is located 60 kilometers away from Takayama. It takes about an hour by bus to reach this village full of gassho-style houses.

Walking around the wooden houses & seeing the people’s daily lives in Shirakawa-go gave a unique experience. I explored the village for about 3 hours & I think it was just right. I spent ¥4,420 (₱2,077.4) for the round-trip bus tickets to Shirakawa-go.

Daily Allowance

 Breakfast food & drink bought in the supermarket!

One of the ways to travel in budget is to set a daily allowance. This allowance should cover food, transportation, entrance fees & beers. I set a daily budget of ¥3,000 in my 2015 trip & ¥3,500 in my 2016 trip. These trips were both subway-heavy so I had to put in a higher budget. For my Fujikawaguchiko & Takayama trip, I set a daily budget of ¥2,500 per day. This included breakfast & dinner (while I was in Kawaguchiko) food I bought in the supermarket & minimal daily expenses + all transportation costs I had.

Summary of Expenses

Everything’s in. Let’s have a look how much I actually spent for the trip.

There you go! I spent a total of ₱33,322.10 for 7 days in Japan (Tokyo, Fujikawaguchiko & Takayama) including airfare, accommodations, a flight change & extraordinary expenses. As mentioned earlier, the total expenses can still be reduced to around ₱25,000 – ₱30,000 if only I planned everything well. I don’t regret the last-minute changes I made in my itinerary.

That’s it for today. Are you planning to go see Mount Fuji up close or visit Takayama’s preserved old town? Well you should! If you have any questions about the details provided above, feel free to comment below. You can also send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Watch out for the next post! I’ll take you to Sapporo, Japan! Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) 🇯🇵 😃

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Tuesday Tip: 10 DOs & DON’Ts When In Japan

Spring is one of most visited seasons in Japan. All visitors go to almost all major cities to see the full bloom of the iconic sakura or cherry blossoms. A few weeks ago, the Japan Weather Association released the cherry blossoms blooming forecast for every major & known city all throughout Japan. You can check out the updated forecast here & here. Authorities said that the cherry blossom’s full bloom this year will be earlier than expected.

🌸🌸🌸 Autumn sakura in Tokyo last October 2015 🌸🌸🌸

I haven’t been to Japan in spring, particularly during the cherry blossom season. My friends who’ve been there said that the cherry blossoms are beautiful. One downside of going during spring is everything is expensive & crowded – accommodation rates are double the usual price, air tickets are costly due to high demand, guided tours are price-y & recreation areas are full of tourists. I am not discouraging you to visit Japan during the sakura season; in fact I also want to visit the country in this season hopefully before my 5-year visa (Want to know how to apply for a tourist visa? Click here) runs out.

🌸🌸🌸 Winter sakura in Ueno Park Tokyo last February 2018 🌸🌸🌸

Most of you know that I’ve been to Japan several times over the past years. I’ve been to many known cities such as Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya, Hiroshima, Sapporo (blog to follow) & Fukuoka. I’ve also visited less touristic places like Nara, Kobe, Fujikawaguchiko & Takayama. In these visits, I’ve noticed that Japanese people observe respectful daily practices & social etiquette. As tourists, we must be fully aware of these practices & manners specially we are just visitors in their home country. I asked help from friends who’ve also been to Japan (thanks heaps Majo, Junelle, Jolly & Jeng) on what we tourists should do & not do when traveling in Japan. The practices & manners listed below are purely based on our personal experiences in our past trips.

Here’s what you should do & not do when in Japan:

Bow

Taking a bow is a common practice when meeting someone in Japan. People take a bow when meeting a new friend, thanking someone & saying goodbye to colleagues. It’s not common to shake hands when in Japan. Wait for the other party to offer his hand before shaking your hands with another person.

Shoes Off

K’s House Kyoto‘s reception area – guests leave their shoes in the lockers & use the hostel’s slippers

This is probably one of the most famous Japanese practice. When you see a house or a building with a foyer with rows of footwear shelves on the side, you’re expected to remove your footwear. Some hostels provide indoor slippers which you can use whilst inside the building.

Two Hands Practice

Japanese people always give & receive with 2 hands. They practically do this in all things may it be food, drink or gifts.

Slurp Away

This ramen is perfect for slurping! 🍜

It is a standard practice to slurp when eating noodles in Japan. It may be uncustomary when you do it here in the Philippines but it’s perfectly fine when in Japan. Just make sure not to spill your food. Slurp responsibly.

No Tips

Japanese people do not accept tips in restaurants, hostels & service areas. In case you leave a small amount of money (paper money or coins) in your table, expect a waiter or staff to chase you in the streets. He / she will give your money back.

Queue Up

Japanese people form a line when waiting for the next train. Station platforms usually have lines drawn to guide the queue directions. Make sure to follow the lines when in train stations.

People lining up for the next train to New Chitose Airport in Sapporo 🚉

Keep Right / Left in Escalators

Be mindful of the escalator etiquette when in Japan. Major cities like Tokyo & Sapporo keep left when alighting in escalators. They allow those in a hurry to move faster on the right. Osaka & nearby Kansai region cities keep right when in escalators. This might be confusing for first timers but the key here is to be mindful of local practices when in a certain city / town.

Subway Phone Etiquette

Japanese people are known as quiet & respectful people even in public places like train stations & subways. It is inappropriate to talk to someone on the phone when in trains & buses. People are also encouraged to put their phones & gadgets to silent mode.

Bonus tip: If you want to talk to your friend or colleague, make sure to do it not too loud.

Soluble Toilet Paper Is A Thing

Filipinos are used to throwing toilet papers into trash cans to avoid clogging. In Japan, it’s the other way around. While this may not be true to some areas, but most toilet papers you see in Japanese toilets are soluble. Yes, these toilet papers dissolve in water. Make sure to always read the instructions located near the toilets.

Typical toilet in Japan 🚽 Make sure to check if the toilet paper is soluble or not.

Sacred Sakura Trees

Japanese people regard the sakura tree as a sacred tree. This means that picking a cherry blossom flower or shaking the sakura tree is a disrespectful act. This is definitely one thing you should not do when in Japan. I believe looking at the sakura trees & flowers is enough for us to appreciate its beauty.

🌸🌸🌸 One of the few sakura trees in Ueno Park last February 2018 🌸🌸🌸

That ends the list for now. Pretty sure we missed a few ones but I look forward to writing a second set of Do’s & Don’ts when in Japan. 👍

Is there something you want to share? Have you observed something during your recent or past visit? Feel free to share them in the comments below. If you want to remain anonymous, you can send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Again, big thanks to my friends  Majo, Junelle, Jolly & Jeng for helping me come up with the list above. Until the next set of Tuesday tips! 🙂

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC Re & HTC U11.