Japan Diaries 4: Weekend 84

Weekend 84: June 10 – 11, 2023

Weekend 84: June 10 – 11, 2023

Day 586: June 10, 2023

Saturday – Father & Daughter Road Trip 1: Asahikawa City


Today was supposed to be the day of Ella's Undoukai / Sports Day. The prediction for today suggested that it would rain for most of the day, so the school decided to postpone it and move it to Monday.

Breakfast for today
Breakfast for today

Ella had to report to class until 11 AM despite this. I completed several housekeeping tasks while I waited for her. We hastily got ready to leave for Ella's appointment at Nakane Dermatology Clinic in Asahikawa City when she got home. To our dismay, we learned that it would close at 12:30 and that we couldn't get there in time, as our ETA was at 1:15 PM.

Father and Daughter Road Trip 1

Regardless, we still pushed through with our first Father and Daughter Road Trip here in Hokkaido. Our destination for this trip – is Asahikawa City.

These are the places that we visited in Asahikawa City:


Former Ubun Junior High School
Former Ubun Junior High School

Filming Location of "First Love"
This school was one of the filming locations of the drama "First Love"

💙 Former Ubun Junior High School


Kamuinomori Park
Welcome to Kamui no Mori Park

Kamui no Mori Park
Kamui no Mori Park

Inside WakuWaku Egg Indoor Playground
Inside WakuWaku Egg Indoor Playground


AEON Asahikawa West Mall
AEON Asahikawa West Store

Father and Daughter Bonding in AEON Mall West Store
Ella and I had fun playing in the mall's arcade

💙 AEON Asahikawa West Store

McDonald's AEON Mall Asahikawa West
Early dinner at McDonald's

KitKat Chocolate Mint Ice Cream
KitKat Chocolate Mint Ice Cream

Before going home, Ella and I ordered food at the McDonald’s inside the Mall. We also went to the grocery section and were surprised to find the new KitKat and Baskin-Robbins collaboration. Of course, we didn’t miss the opportunity to buy it.

We got home at around 6 PM. Overall, today was a fun time for father-daughter bonding. Something that I would always look forward to every weekend.



Day 587: June 11, 2023

Sunday – Father & Daughter Road Trip 2: Tsukigata x Ishikari

Father and Daughter Road Trip 2
Father and Daughter Road Trip 2

It’s a sunny day today. My daughter and I didn’t waste this opportunity to head out and go on another adventure. For our Father & Daughter Road Trip 2, my daughter and I first drove to the town of Tsukigata (月形町). Although we had already visited the town before, we missed several must-visit destinations, and I really wanted to tick it off my checklist.

These are the places that we visited in Tsukigata:

Tsukigata Maruyama Park's Cedar Forest
Tsukigata Maruyama Park's Cedar Forest

Tsukigata Maruyama Park's parking area
Tsukigata Maruyama Park's parking area

⚫ Tsukigata Maruyama Park

Tsukigata Maruyama Viewing Platform
Tsukigata Maruyama Viewing Platform

the view from Tsukigata Maruyama Viewing Platform
The view from Tsukigata Maruyama Viewing Platform

⚫ Tsukigata Maruyama Viewing Platform

Tsukigata Town Hall
Tsukigata Town Hall

⚫ Tsukigata Town Hall


⚫ Tsukigata Prison Museum

From there, we drove to revisit Ishikari City (石狩市). Our main purpose was to go grocery shopping at Costco Ishikari, but since it was still early when we arrived, my daughter and I decided to visit some museums that we hadn’t visited yet.

Ishikari City's manhole cover 1
Ishikari City's manhole cover # 1

These are the places that we visited in Ishikari City:

Wind Museum of Ishikari Sand Dunes
Wind Museum of Ishikari Sand Dunes

Inside Wind Museum of Ishikari Sand Dunes
Inside the Wind Museum of Ishikari Sand Dunes

Inside Wind Museum of Ishikari Sand Dunes "Canning Activity"
We tried the museum's "Canning Activity"

Here's our time capsule can
Here's our time capsule can



COSTCO Ishikari
COSTCO Ishikari

After exploring the said museums, we proceeded to the last place in our itinerary – COSTCO Ishikari. There, we bought some groceries and availed of our favorite ¼ pound hot dog and combo pizza.

Driving through Route 231 going to Rumoi City
Driving through Route 231 going to Rumoi City

Ishikari City's manhole cover #2
Ishikari City's manhole cover #2

A beautiful sunset view as seen from Route 231
A beautiful sunset view as seen from Route 231

Shirogane Falls
Shirogane Falls

As we embarked on our journey back home to Rumoi, we made several stops along the way. These breaks allowed us to stretch our legs and take necessary toilet breaks, ensuring our comfort throughout the drive. It was refreshing to embrace the beautiful surroundings during these moments, appreciating the scenic landscapes and relishing the freedom of the open road.

This is what Ella asked for when we went to COSTCO Ishikari
Ella's haul during our COSTCO Ishikari visit

Earthquake in Hokkaido
We experienced our first earthquake in Hokkaido at 6:33 PM

We finally arrived back home at approximately 6 PM, feeling content and fulfilled. Although it was our first weekend without my wife, I am grateful that my daughter, Ella, and I had the opportunity to spend quality time together. Our little adventure allowed us to create cherished memories, strengthening the bond between us.

Read more:

Japan Diaries 4: Week 84
Japan Diaries 4: Day 586
Japan Diaries 4: Day 587
Ubun Shrine
Kamui no Mori Park
Tsukigata Maruyama Park
Tsukigata Prison Museum
Ishikari Sand Dunes Wind Museum
Former Nagano Store
Location: Tsukigata, Kabato District, Hokkaido, Japan

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