The Backpack Adventures

Otaru Canal ( 小樽運河 ), located in Minatomachi, Otaru City, Hokkaido Prefecture, is one of, if not the, most popular tourist destinations in Otaru City. Otaru Canal Otaru Canal Details ( WINTER ) Otaru Canal was completed in 1923 during the heyday of the Port of Otaru. Since the port was very busy, large ships can't stay in the port to unload cargo for extended periods of time. To address this problem, smaller vessels are used to unload these cargoes which would then transport them to the warehouses via the Otaru Canal . Otaru Canal - Otaru City, Hokkaido Prefecture Through time, as the dock facilities improved the canal became obsolete and fell into disuse.  There came a point where there were plans to reclaim the canal and the warehouses beside it be demolished. Thankfully, a citizen's movement saved parts of the canal to preserve them.  Otaru Canal in winter One of the plaques explaining the history of  Otaru Canal A pathway (covered in snow) is found in the whole length o

Having recently explored Otaru City  ( 小樽市 ) on a tight budget successfully, I wanted to share with you my day tour itinerary so that you can save time and effort in planning your trip.  Otaru City Budget Day Tour Itinerary Disclaimer: 1. Transportation from your accommodation going to Otaru Station is  not included  in this itinerary. 2. The accommodation budget is also not included. 3. The exploration time in a place is pegged at an hour per destination. However, you may opt to cut it shorter or stay longer.  4. It is also assumed that you are traveling light. Otaru City Budget Day Tour Itinerary Otaru City Walking Course 8:30AM   Estimated time of arrival at  Otaru Station  from  Sapporo Station .   8:35AM   Since you’re quite early and most nearby destinations are still closed, you can spend a few minutes taking photos with  Otaru Station’s Welcome Bell . You can also visit the Otaru Station Tourist Information Center and ask for a map of Otaru City.   8:50AM   From the station, wa

JR Tower Observatory T38 ( JRタワー展望室タワー・スリーエイト )  occupies the top level of the JR Tower and gives a magnificent panoramic view of Sapporo City.  It is located at 2-5 Kita 5 Jonishi, Chuo-ku, Sapporo City in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan . JR Tower Observatory T38 JR Tower Observatory T38 Details Opened on March 6, 2003, JR Tower is 38 stories high and stands 173 meters tall. It is currently one of the tallest buildings in Sapporo. The tower is connected to the east side of JR Sapporo Station. Although JR Tower refers to all the commercial facilities of Sapporo Station, this article will only focus on the JR Tower Observatory T38 . JR Tower Observatory T38 - Sapporo City, Hokkaido Prefecture As mentioned the JR Tower Observatory T38 occupies the topmost floor of the JR Tower . It has an unobstructed 360-degree view of the beautiful city of Sapporo and the vast lands of Hokkaido beyond. The observatory tower is also one of the most popular spots to see the nighttime view of the city.  Th

Weekend 10: January 8-9, 2022 Day 68: January 8, 2022 Saturday - Rinku Park Good morning! Today is my first full day here in Osaka Prefecture. It is a beautiful day today. Mr. Toshi told me that the two of us will be heading out to eat breakfast. Breakfast at Aloha Mai Breakfast with Mr. Toshi We ordered Aloha Mai's breakfast meal set From Mr. Toshi's house, we drove for a few kilometers to a familiar place. Aloha Mai is a cafe where we had breakfast on the 21st day of our 2018 Japan Trip . This cafe was memorable as its owner Tanaka-san once graced us with his koto playing skills during the said visit.  We also tried the coconut caramel crunch coffee and the black sesame chiffon We ordered the morning set and I also tried the coconut caramel crunch coffee and the black sesame chiffon which are both best sellers of Aloha Mai . What I loved about this visit aside from the food was that Mr. Toshi and I had a lengthy chat with the owner about his business and his hobbies. He ev