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8/15/2019 Japan Beyond Tokyo
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/japan-beyond-tokyo 1/458 Mabuhay Magazine / January 2016
JapanBeyondTokyo
TRAVEL JOURNAL
Winter in Tokyo is quickand short. For a full
experience, get away
from the hustle-bustle
of the capital city. By
JOANNE VILLANUEVA
Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera (“Pure Water
Temple”) takes its name after Otowa
Waterfalls where it was built. No nails were
used in the making of this temple. P hoto b y
Mi chael C hand l er .
BRRR-EATHTAKING
ICE SCULPTURES IN SAPPORO, HOKKAIDO
(12-13 HRS FROM TOKYO VIA TRAIN)
In 1950, a group of high school students
exhibited ice sculptures in Odori Park. Little
did they know, they were starting an annual
celebration of artistry which will draw in over
2 million visitors every February.Loads of
snow are sourced in time for the Sapporo
Snow Festival, highlighted by a competition
between national teams around the world.
TIMELESS BEAUTY IN KYOTO
(3 1/2 HRS FROM TOKYO VIA
TRAIN)
Smores and hot drinks by
the fireplace come to mind
when you think of winter,
but Japan’s snowy landscapesare begging you to go
outside. Especially in Kyoto,
where falling snowflakes
emphasize the grandeur of
imperial palace architecture.
Kyoto alone has 17
UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Photo by Michael Chandler.
K ani hav e
some?
Hokkaido is well-aware of its
fresh seafood, and the snow
festival provides an arena to
showcase just that. Sapporo
becomes an exhibition space
for the finest kani (crab),
hotategai (scallops), and
other produce in town.
58 Mabuhay Magazine / January 2016
Spot the difference: Monumental ice sculptures
mimic life in Sapporo’s urban atrium.
8/15/2019 Japan Beyond Tokyo
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/japan-beyond-tokyo 2/459 www.philippineairlines.com
Enter a hotel, a cafe, a school, and a restaurant—all
structures made of ice.
NAKED, Inc. brings you the Tomamu Ice Theatre
presented with 3D pro jection mapping.
Travel north for about an hour and you’ll find
another winter wonderland in Furano Kan
Kan Mura (“Furano’s Good Cold Village”).
Ningle Terrace shops dot the path towards Furano Ka
n Kan entrance.
While waiting f or the dusk to bring you Furano Kan Kan Snow Night Fantasy, explore the village’s list of novelaccommodations and you will never run out of things to do. Go paragliding f or a more adventurous tour.
YOUR OWN COZY LITTLE PLACE
IN TOMAMU AND FURANO
(HOKKAIDO)
When you feel like retiring for
the day, illuminated villages made
of either ice or snow give you a
warm welcome. Tese villages
are open from December to Mid-
March.
Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU
uses ice instead of snow, giving
the houses a soft glow.
snowball fi ght ,
an y one?
Ice gla s se s f or the
per f ect cold d r ink –
sta y s chilled without
the d iluted ta ste.
59 www.philippineairlines.com
8/15/2019 Japan Beyond Tokyo
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/japan-beyond-tokyo 3/460 Mabuhay Magazine / January 2016
TRAVEL JOURNAL
BATHING MONKEYS AND SNOW
ADVENTURES IN NAGANO
(2 1/2 HRS FROM TOKYO VIA TRAIN)
Japan is the farthest up north that
monkeys can survive in, and it is in
Nagano where most of these curious
creatures convene. When the coldest of
the cold comes, the hot springs (Onsen)
along Yoyoku River Valley become a
solace for the Japanese macaques.
Photos by Tony Burns.
Snow monkeys share our love for hot
springs. While they can be as playful
and social, we still do not expect them to
abide by Onsen etiquette. However, it is
a must that you do. Some notes to keep
in mind:
• Onsen hotels have alternating female-
only and male-only hours.• No swimming or scrubbing in the
springs. Te Onsen is merely for soaking
and relaxation.
• Bringing in any fabric in the bath is
seen as dirtying the water. You can put
the towels on the rim of the springs or on
your head.
A snow monkey
unknowingly (or so we think) leaves a trail with its paw prints.P hot o b y R a y mond P at r ic k .
Get 11 ski resorts in one
destination at Hakuba. Elevation
reaches up to 3,000 m. P hoto
cour te s y of Hak uba T our i sm.
After hosting events during the 1998 Winter
Olympics in Nagano, Shiga Kogen (Shiga
Highlands) and Hakuba Valley became snow
adventure hotspots.
60 Mabuhay Magazine / January 2016
8/15/2019 Japan Beyond Tokyo
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/japan-beyond-tokyo 4/461 www.philippineairlines.com
A MUST-SKI: NISEKO
(13 HRS FROM TOKYO VIA TRAIN)
o leave out Japan’s most famous ski
resort would be treacherous, particularly
for the Australian frequenters.
What it lacks in elevation (1,200m),
Niseko makes up for in lodging. Head to
the foreigner-friendly town of Hirafu to
find something closer to home.
Or you can try authentic Japanese cuisine
in an Izakaya, a pub serving food to
accompany your drinks. Te chef inside
Rin’s open kitchen will treat you with a
lights and scents show while you wait.
Shig a Koge
h a s about 71 lift
from gondol a s
two- se ater s up t
ropew a y. Photo
R a ymond P atr
Have a break with meals-on-wheels.
P hoto b y Ra y mond Patr ick
Hirafu’s laid-
back streets
are great for an evening
stroll. Photo
b y Ra y mond
Patr ick .
Try takoyaki and other dishes cooked home-style atWabi-Sabi.
Shiga Kogen is one of the largest ski resorts in the world
(1.64 sqmi). It also has one of the longest ski seasons,
starting from November until the first week of May.
Elevation reaches approximately 2,300 m.
61 www.philippineairlines.com
PAL flies between Manila andTokyo (in Haneda and Narita)twice daily. For more information,call PAL reservations office at(+632) 855 8888 or visit www.
philippineairlines.com.
MANILA
JAPAN
TOKYO