Day 870: March 20, 2024
Wednesday – Vernal Equinox Day x Asahikawa City
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| It's Vernal Equinox Day. Time for another road trip |
Today marked Vernal Equinox Day (春分の日), a national holiday in Japan that quietly signals the changing of seasons. Once known as Shun-ki Kōreisai (春季皇霊祭), it was established in 1878 as a day to honor past emperors and members of the imperial family. After the war, it evolved into a non-religious holiday, and these days, it feels more like a gentle pause before winter finally loosens its grip.
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| Off to Asahikawa |
With clear skies overhead and Ruru’s newly installed tires giving us extra confidence on the road, my family and I decided it was the perfect excuse for a short road trip. We kept things simple and familiar, choosing Asahikawa City (旭川市) as our destination rather than heading too far.
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| 2nd Street Hanasaki Branch |
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| Ella and Kai went to check out the toy section first |
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| Mega Don Quixote |
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| There are just a lot of gachapons here |
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| There are also a lot of products to buy. |
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| We bought several Filipino products from the World Eats corner |
We left Rumoi City around 10 AM, making our first stop at the 2nd Street Hanasaki Branch to look for baby essentials for Kai. From there, we headed to Mega Don Quixote, where an unexpected discovery instantly lifted our mood. Tucked away in the grocery section were Filipino food products, a small but comforting taste of home that we happily stocked up on.
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| Next stop: AEON Mall West Store |
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| KFC chicken for lunch |
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| We also bought McDonald's |
By then, hunger had caught up with us, so we made our way to AEON Asahikawa West Store for lunch. Spotting KFC and McDonald’s at the food court sealed our fate. We gave in without much resistance, ordering six pieces of original KFC chicken and three large fries, fully aware and fully accepting of the guilty pleasure.
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| After eating, I went to Quick Cut BB for a haircut |
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| Quick stop at Starbucks inside AEON Mall West Store |
After lunch, I slipped away for a quick haircut at Quick Cut BB on the mall’s third floor. Before leaving AEON, we made one last stop at Starbucks to enjoy some of our go-to Frappuccino drinks.
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| Takasago Onsen |
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| Onsen time for me... |
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| ... and my family |
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| There is a "manga" room here, but it was quite cold. |
To balance out the day, we ended it with something a bit more wholesome. We drove to Takasago Onsen, located in the Takosagodai area of Asahikawa City, to soak and unwind. Although it was crowded when we arrived, the onsen was spacious enough that it never felt overwhelming. The outdoor bath and the sauna were my personal highlights, and by around 8 PM, we felt completely refreshed.
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| We enjoyed our frappuccino after a relaxing onsen bath |
Relying once again on the reassurance of Ruru’s new tires, I drove us back to Rumoi City, getting home at around 9 PM. With work waiting the next day, we called it a night soon after.
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| It was truly an amazing experience. Thanks, Takasago Onsen. |
All in all, it was a day well spent. Vernal Equinox Day always feels like a quiet promise that winter is nearing its end and that road trip season is just around the corner. Here’s hoping we get closer to our #Hokkaido179 goals this year.
Read more:
Japan Diaries 4: Week 125
Japan Diaries 4: Weekend 125
Takasago Onsen
10 Things to Do in Asahikawa City
10 More Things to Do in Asahikawa City
Hokkaido 179
Japan Diaries 4: Summary
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