Getting deeper into Hokkaido...

After five weeks in Japan travelling around our own, we then moved into a new phase, doing a private guided expedition across the wilds of Hokkaido. A company called Hokkaido Nature Tours sent Steve, our guide in to pick us up in a Honda people-mover, not too big for us and our luggage. In fact, it was very comfortable.

On a day which was uncharacteristically warm, about -1C, but with progressively more and more snow falling, we set out. The plan was to take the Kuradake Ropeway for "stunning views" but today was not the day for that - in fact, the ropeway was down due to high winds. So instead, we did a visit to the Otokoyama Sake Brewery and museum at Asahikawa (Hokkaido's second biggest city after Sapporo and before Hakodate). This brand of sake has been very successful in international competition, and appeared in some significant Edo Period artworks, and, best of all, we got to sample the varieties!

We had a pleasant light lunch (soup and curry) at an "Italian - Japanese fusion" restaurant called, intriguingly, Beer Grill Canyon in a large resort in a snowy gorge near Asahikawa, then drove on to our final stop for the day, Sounkyo Gorge. We expected something much more intimate, but Sounkyo proved to be another large gorge resort, with thousands of beds, and is a major visitor destination in summer judging by the photos on walls and the size of the bus parking areas.

Lunch at Beer Grill Canyon.

One afternoon, and the next morning, we looked at a several frozen and half frozen waterfalls which were quite spectacular although sometimes partially hidden by heavy falling snow. At lesst one of the waterfalls had climbers on it both times we saw it. Our morning outing involved snow-shoeing for a kilometer or two in very soft snow, an invigorating exercise session, welcome especially considering the long drive to get to Sounkyo, the meals we're eating and the sake we're drinking!

Placid view of the Sounkyo Gorge river as seen from our snow-shoeing expedition.

With Steve on the Sounkyo Gorge trail, and old road now closed due to rockslides.

Steve leaving us behind!

Steve's HNT car at the start of the trail.

Two climbers heading for the top of frozen waterfall Ryu Sei No Taki.

The Sounkyo resort village is hosting the 43rd Sounkyo Onsen Ice Festival from 25 January to 18 March 2018 so we were just at the right time to see it. We even managed daytime and night-time visits to the event, held in what is normally just a riverside park, and have to say that, although a lot smaller, it was just as good and interesting as Sapporo. The approach at Sounkyo is to build wooden frameworks and then, over two months or so, to drip water over it which freezes to form walls, stalactites and many intricate patterns.

Dusk view of the foggy Sounkyo Gorge and ice festival from Hotel Taisetsu.

The artificial village of the Sounkyo Ice Festival.

Outside a shrine at Sounkyo ice festival.

Inside the shrine. The circles are coins for good luck.

Many ice "buildings" are grown in this way, and the total effect is nothing less than stunning. Coloured lighting adds to the effect. The buildings are shrines, castles, labyrinths, and inside them there are little grottos and more conventional ice sculptures.

Eerie bridge across the river.

Part of the artificial ice castle.

Giant bear sculpture, deep inside an ice castle.

Bravo to Sounkyo - this is truly an amazing achievement for such a relatively small town. Since the main business in Sounkyo is accommodation, sponsorship of the annual festival is not altruistic - the festival packs the town out with overnight visitors.

Torii gates leating to a JTB sponsored shrine.

And a giant sacred owl inside.

Lucky cat inside one of the ice buildings.

Snow falling at the ice festival.

The Sounkyo ice village lights up the forest, view from our room.

Our overnight hotel in Sounkyo was the Taisetsu, a large and ageing multi-building establishment on top of a hill directly opposite the festival site, so we had a great view of it from our room, including the nightly fireworks display. The hotel was packed, but we didn't see any other western faces amongst the guests. Our room was Japanese style, so shoes off at the door, spacious but no beds until someone comes in in the evening to make up futons on the floor. Our package included a Kaiseki dinner which we took in our room, sitting on the floor at a low table - the food was delicious, but the floor business is hard work for oldies. This is the first hotel in this whole trip without wifi in the rooms, although it was available in the lobby.

Snowing just a bit for this night-time shot of the Haotel Taisetsu, Sounkyo.

Our room at the Hotel Taisetsu.

Kiseki Dinner as delivered to our room, before we made a mess of it.

The Taisetsu had three or four public bathrooms. The one we chose was at ground level and quite popular. Its open air onsen was wonderful with a splendid view of the mountains and fallen snow right up to the edge of the large bath, lit at night. Scalding hot spring water fed the bath via a small rocky waterfall - the closer you sit to here, the hotter it is, a great experience, night and day.

This bear in the Taisetsu lobby would probably rather be in the forest.