Kon'nichiwa! Greetings from Sapporo, Japan. Awesome to have your participation in my latest adventures. Thank you for the blessing of your time and interest in my travels. I've realized, over the past week, that I've been traveling for 32 weeks.
As I leave Taiwan, I was so blessed to experience the warmth and hospitality of the Taiwanese people. Taiwan is a beautiful country with rich with geographical diversity that is so readily accessible. It's a welcoming country that is safe, has modern infrastructure (amazing streets/roads, bridges, train/bus network), clean, and wonderfully organized. I think that was why I was reminded about how feeling in control and being independent are still important for me. I was comfortable in Taiwan. Thank you to the Taiwanese people for this gift!
I'm enamoured with Japan in me early days in the country! Tokyo has an amazing vibe and style. People certainly express themselves through how they dress, hairstyles are equally diverse, action is happening everywhere. The areas I've visited in Tokyo have been an experience. I have a similar impression when I visit London, England. It's interesting that I'm comfortable with this sense of 'chaos' whereas I was uncomfortable with the 'chaos' I experienced in other countries. I'll see how this early love affair with Japan unfolds in the weeks ahead!
My thanks to Yvonna and Samuel for their respective suggestions to help me have the best trip ever in Japan. I'm grateful to both of my friends for the generous sharing of their time and detailed recommendations.
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| Shinkansen Bullet Train |
I had a poignant reminder about a blessing I too commonly overlook - the privilege of traveling with a Canadian passport. Samuel (you'll meet below), a Taipei resident, made a comment about how great it must be the flexibility to travel as freely, given I am a Canadian. He's absolutely right. He's a valued messenger from the universe! 🙏
The weather has been amazing. The temperature has been in the mid-20's (mid-70's) since arriving in Japan. The humidity has abated. Wow! Ideal weather for moving about. There has been the occasional shower; nothing to impede getting around.
I forgot to mention last week I contacted my Canadian bank, a week ago Saturday, about the potential fraudulent use of my credit card. A charge from Apple appeared in my activity, a charge that appeared to originate in Canada. Issuing a new card, with a new card number, is the only solution. With more than a little consternation, I made a fraud claim triggering a new card. I am so very happy to share that I received my new card in Tokyo on Friday which is three business days from the time I reported the claim. Hats off to Nixon, the bank fraud agent, who suggested using my Tokyo hotel address instead of my initial plan to use my Taipei hotel. This is my third trip to SE Asia where I have had to replace at least one of my credit cards/ATM card.
Travel update: Flight is now booked on Qatar Airlines, departing from Seoul to Helsinki, connecting through Doha where I hop onto a Finn Air plane. I spoiled myself by booking business class. Qatar Airline had offered me 10% off on my next flight. The real incentive was their flight offer had the lowest price.
May the universe bring endless blessings and moments of magic 🦄 to you and your loved ones in the week ahead. 🙏
Travel Administration
Let's review simple step to ensure your early hotel check out (5 am or earlier) goes smoothly.
Travel Maps
My week started in Yilan, on Taiwan's east coast. , Through the universe's continued benevolence, I checked into my hotel in Sapporo, Japan on Saturday evening.
Taiwan: June 1 to June 4, 2025
Inter Country Travel: Taiwan to Japan - June 4, 2025
Japan: June 4 to June 7, 2025
Taipei
Many thanks to my good friend Samuel who recommended this restaurant. Beef noodles are a big deal in Taiwan. They are important enough for Michelin (the restaurant rating people; not the tire people) to publish a beef noodle article that includes their top five beef noodle restaurants. Lucky you 😉 - you can read the article by clicking on the Taiwan Beef Noodles link above.
It's time to meet Samuel, the Taipei local, I met while waiting for the restaurant to open. The conversation started when I asked him about people taking slips of paper from a machine near the restaurant entrance. He explained patrons are seated based on the numbering sequence. He also generously offered me his 'number' and got himself another 'number'. The numbering is required given the limited seating within the restaurant.
Samuel was in the air force cadet program learning to be a pilot; expected graduation in December 2026. He had switched to this opportunity from his previous role in 'law enforcement' because of better pay. While he was vague about his role, he did mention interacting with Interpol. Apparently, Interpol defers to the Peoples Republic of China instead of Taiwan. This is about the time Samuel made the comment about traveling on a Canadian passport.
Interesting coincidence that I'd meet someone with the same name as the person who initially recommended the restaurant.
Yes, the noodles were amazing. 👍Thank you Samuel!
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Welcome to Beef Noodle paradise. Stools in front
for hungry guests waiting their turn. |
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| Looking towards kitchen |
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| Entrance |
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| Looking towards street |
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| My Beef Noodles |
Welcome to Juifen Old Street - a shopping paradise! Ideal shopping Taiwanese experience with a meandering narrow street filled with vendors offering a diverse range of food to eat and products to buy! I made my obligatory walk through the street. I think most people have a better appreciation for the richness that this place has to offer. My days of making purchases, other than 'essentials', are past and you can only eat so much food. There a few additional historical sites one can visit while in the neighbourhood.
Great day trip destination, about 90 minutes from Taipei. I took the local train to Ruifang and took the bus to Juifen. My heartfelt thanks to the bus driver in Ruifang who got out of his driver's seat and physically took me to the rather large signboard at the bus stop when I tried to board his bus, a bus going in the opposite direction. He pointed to the bus stop on the signboard to show me the bus stop I should be at that was about three blocks away! Thank you for his extra attention and kindness!
View
As the photos below reveal, Juifen is on a hillside offering an amazing view of the shoreline and the Taiwan Strait.
Shopping
A feast for your eyes and your tummy! Vendors offering free food samples of all types. All sorts of things to buy if you're looking for something, in fact, anything at all!
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| Old Street entrance from bus stop |
My Last Hours in Taiwan
Tuesday, my last full day in Taipei, happened to be a rainy day. The baseball game I had planned to attend was postponed due to rain. Glad I had held off on purchasing a ticket. I managed to find my way to the EasyCard Customer Service Center in Taipei City Hall to retrieve the money from my broken EasyCard. BTW - the Center is one person behind a counter. I was the first person in a growing line of people by the time the 'Center' opened at 11:30 am. I also made an 'essential' purchase. I bought another set of Sony sound cancelling earbuds (WF-1000XM5) to replace the ones I lost in India. I found a store in the Guang Hua Digital Plaza (a lead from a hotel staff member) that had them for about $1,000 TWD less than the competitors. The cash deal meant avoiding paying sales tax. Yes, I did have serious reservations about making the purchase fearing what I was buying was fake. The store staff had me try the earbuds out before I left to ensure they were working. So far, so good.
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Beef noodles and veges! I was thinking about my
mom when I ordered the veges. |
Japan
The universe blessed our flight with terrific skies as we approached Narita International Airport.
Tokyo
Narita International Airport - Terminal 3
A few things to put on your radar if you plan to visit Japan:
- SIM card - my prehistoric phone requires a physical SIM card. The good news is that you can pre-order and pay for the card to pick up on arrival. I chose Mobal, a top mobile phone company, because they had a 31 day data only plan with 50 GB of data; exactly what I needed. Cost was about $78 CDN ($57 USD/50€). Couple of items to keep in mind - Japan has the same residency requirements that India has for getting a local phone number. Appears Japan enforces the rules more aggressively. My plan is data only. You're required to install the SIM card yourself. Mobal provided great installation instructions so I was live almost immediately.
- Google Maps had incomplete travel options - I had learned, thanks to travel bloggers, that the Keisei Skyliner train ran to the Ueno Train Station, a 15 minute walk from my hotel. The Skyliner takes about 50 minutes vs. the local train which can be double the time (half the cost). The Skyliner was omitted from the Google Map travel options. Advise you to do your homework prior to landing.
- Stored value (IC) cards - Japan, like Taiwan, uses several different IC cards to pay for public transportation. Recommend getting an IC card upon arrival if using public transportation is in your travel plans
- Japan Rail Pass - Investigate if using the JR Pass makes sense for your travel plans. I've shared a link that helps you start your research. I purchased a 21 day pass as my plans included traveling from the top to bottom of Japan by rain. The good news is the Shinkansen bullet trains are included!
- Japanese ATMs charge a fee for withdrawals - max of 220 yen/transaction (~ $2.20 CAD). ATMs are everywhere. The 7/11 store chain has a bank in Japan which runs an extensive network of ATMs within their stores and at free standing locations (like the train station).
I met a couple on the Skyliner train, from Australia's Gold Coast, who were on a nine day trip to discover Japan. He had been to Japan previously as well as had been to my part of the world - Toronto, Canada. I'll share more about the couple later in the blog as, by remarkable coincidence, I met them again at the Sensoji Temple on Friday.
My First Evening
This is the first intersection that greeted me as I exited the Ueno Train Station. The streets were hopping with people, the restaurants were busy and a good time was being had by all.
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| Explosion of light getting to my hotel |
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| People and lights |
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| My first ramen restaurant |
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My first bowl of Japanese ramen noodles. I'm in
heaven! |
I was investigating my first Japanese bakery when I discovered this department store. I've since learned the department store is renown in Japan. I was so enraptured by the bakery and fresh and prepared food, including sashimi and sushi, on the lower level I omitted visiting the rest of the store!
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Twin pandas were born in Tokyo in the last few
years reinvigorating local interest |
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| Sashimi everywhere. Ling - you'd love this place! |
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| Fresh with so much choice |
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My brunch - with apologies to my vegetarian
and vegan friends! |
Next to the Ueno Station is Ueno Park is a large park in the centre of Tokyo hosting a zoo and several notable museums (check out the link for more info). What I'm choosing to share about the park is the two Rodin replicas in the photos below. The Rodin Museum in Paris is an all time personal favourite destination. I can be easily distracted at times. With the sashimi in my tummy and Rodin artistry sparked in my memory, I was off to the Shibuya Scramble Crossing.
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| Park map with all the details |
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| Gates of Hell replica - Rodin |
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| The Thinker - Rodin |
Tokyo has successfully transformed a busy street crossing into a tourist destination. For my Toronto friends, this crosswalk is a larger version of Dundas Square in downtown Toronto.
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| And they're off! |
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A company offers street legal go-kart rentals
along with costumes. |
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| Side street |
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| Side street - shop to your heart's content |
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This green enclosure is filled with people smoking.
There is a guy who monitors the flow of people
at the door. |
My thanks to Yvonna who suggested I make a stop at this special destination. The 'factory' was located in a hip neighbourhood filled with small coffee shops and eateries that just seemed to fit in. This factory was on a walking/cycle path in what I would consider off the beaten track.
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| Store/Factory entrance |
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| Three varieties of cream puffs |
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| More options for your shopping delight |
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| My newest BFF |
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| My BFF on its way into my tummy. |
This famous Tokyo shrine was a short train ride from the cream puff factory which was a 15 minute train ride from the Scramble location. The link above has so much more info if you are interested.
I also had the great gift of learning the difference between a temple and a shrine during my visit to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building on the following day. Here's a summary of the difference:
'Temples are places of worship for Buddhism, while shrines are associated with Shinto, Japan's indigenous religion. Temples typically feature Buddhist statues and do not have a torii gate, whereas shrines are marked by a torii gate and enshrine kami, or spirits.'
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| Gate |
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| Shrine |
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| Main sanctuary |
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| Opposite side of main sanctuary |
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| Unsure what this is - people were praying |
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| Purification site - with instructions |
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| Another Gate |
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| Sake barrels |
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| Sake barrels |
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| A picturesque spot along the walkway |
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| More gates |
OMG! There is a chance to shop everywhere you visit in Tokyo. Well, at least, that's what it seemed to me!
I had a somewhat disappointing visit to the fish market. It felt like another market - with a focus on selling fish and seafood in different states (cooked or raw). The actual market where fresh fish is being sold (inner market) was relocated leaving just the 'outer market' for us tourists to visit. The place was teeming with people when I arrived around 9:30 am.
I'm the guy who bought a bowl of beef on a bed of rice at a fish market. To make amends, I did purchase a piece of octopus on a small bed of rice. I learned from the guy eating at the same stand up table I was at that this beef location was famous in Korea. He just happened to be from Korea on a four day holiday. I apologize that I've forgotten his name. He shared that he was a materials engineer who was working as an analyst at a private equity firm in Seoul. His average work week was 80 hours. He said he had had to make a choice and was reconsidering his choice.
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| Waiting to order |
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| Where did all the people go??? |
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| Beef kiosk |
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| Preparing the perfect feast of beef! |
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Beef, rice and an egg - served with
a glass of green tea |
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| Octopus on rice |
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| Store selling my octopus and so much more |
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| Very popular place indeed |
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| Notice the seafood shapes baked into the bread |
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| People everywhere |
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| More people here as well! |
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| More on this street |
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| And this street. Getting the idea, right? |
Hakata Ramen Ichiban
Thanks to Google Maps, I located this noodle house close to my hotel. I'm quickly learning how to use the kiosk to order and pay for your meal. I did have an early experience with ordering a meal this way when I was at Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan. You put your money in the machine, click the button on the meal you want, and a ticket with your order is printed. The ticket is used by the chef to prep your meal.
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| 2nd location for my ramen noodle tour |
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| Ramen chef and aide |
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Noodles with pork/sprouts. I was instructed to
eat them separately. |
A must-see tourist in Tokyo is the Sensoji temple. I've omitted the gauntlet of shops you need to pass once you enter the temple through the Kaminarimon Gate. The above link has the in depth temple details.
As I mentioned earlier in the blog, I was reunited with the couple I met on the Skyliner train on Wednesday evening. What a coincidence! I was busy looking for shade when they called out to me. He is originally from Slovakia and she was from Mexico City. They are married and living on Australia's Gold Coast. We had an interesting convo about personal safety living in Mexico City. I've traveled to Mexico City about six times, always with the impression about how unsafe the city can be. They also left me with a great suggestion to visit Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building based on their visit the previous day. The public has free access to panoramic city views (and Mount Fuji) on the 45th floor (202 m/665 ft). We parted company to pursue our different travel itineraries!
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| Temple entrance |
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People actively direct the smoke
in their direction. |
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A version of 'smudging' happens
at this location |
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| Seeking one's fortune |
My thanks again to Yvonna for her suggestion to add this museum to my itinerary! Blame the museum policy on prohibiting photos within the museum for the lack of content.
As I was exiting the museum I was approached to complete a survey. A most delightful conversation ensued with Tanaka, the 70 year retiree who was administering the survey. I learned he spent his first 4.5 years growing up in Vancouver on Canada's west coast. He had worked in the semi-conductor sales business most recently with NEC before retiring at 65. He also shared the Sumida area was renown for the sumo wrestlers who lived in the area and sumo wrestling training facilities. I was disappointed to learn that the sumo wrestling season had wrapped up about two weeks ago. The big news from this year's season was the new champion was only 23 years old. First time such a young wrestler became champion. Sumo wrestlers have short careers - retire at 30 years old spending their time helping train younger wrestlers (can start as young as 14 according to Tanaka). He presented me with the paper clips and post-it notes gift for participating in the survey.
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| Museum |
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| My gift for helping with survey |
I'm sure glad for the suggestion from my Gold Coast friends to visit the Government Building. I think I had discounted visiting this site based on the government connection. Oh, an error in judgement that was! Great panoramic views as advertised. While I missed the last free building tour for the day, Uta volunteered to spend time with me outlining the highlights of what I could see from the 45th floor. Heartfelt thanks for her willingness. She was the person who helped me with differentiating between shrines and temples. She also thought the fish market had lost its lustre when the inner market was relocated.
Apologies for my lack of details on the buildings in the photos below. I was busy listening to Uta without taking any notes or taking photos of signboards located by the windows. Great view though, right?
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| Meiji Shrine Park (green area) |
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| This building has a retractable helipad |
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Well, I could see Mt. Fuji in the distance. My
phone camera was unable to the image. |
Hotel Room
Welcome to Tokyo's smaller hotel rooms. The photos below show you what a 15 sqm. (161 sq. ft) hotel room looks like. This room size works for a solo traveler like me. I know this size would be overly cozy for two people. BTW - you can rent smaller rooms and smaller rooms without windows. Larger rooms are available for larger travel budgets than mine!
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| Double bed |
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Desk, chair, mini-fridge and coffee
making center |
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| Bathroom with mini-tub and shower |
Tokyo to Sapporo
My Saturday travel plan was spending about eight hours between two different trains to reach Sapporo. The first leg was on the Shinkansen Bullet Train from Tokyo to Hakodate. The second leg started in Hakodate on a Limited Express train to Sapporo (means there are several stops, just not as many stops as a local train).
Now it's time to introduce Koichi, my fellow bullet train passenger. Koichi, born in Japan, moved to Calgary, in the Canadian province of Alberta, 30 years ago at the age of 28. I happen to be an Alberta boy who lived for three years in Calgary between 1989 - 1992. Koichi is a semi-retired insurance agent (all types of insurance) who has a condo in Atami. He was traveling with one of his twin sons (19 years old) to Sapporo to visit his mother-in-law. His wife, daughter and other twin son stayed in Calgary. Interesting person to chat with. He was curious about my travels, my work and my lifestyle. What a coincidence, right? I resisted the temptation to share the link to my travel blog as has beyond my common practice when meeting new friends.
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| Tokyo Main Station |
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| Tokyo Main Station |
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| Shinkansen Bullet Train |
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| Hakodate Train Platform |
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| Hakodate Train Platform |
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| Green Car - Limited Express Train |
My master plan is using Sapporo as a starting point to briefly explore the island of Hokkaido. I'll be traveling to Wakkanai, Japan's northern most point for an overnight stay before returning to Sapporo.
I was blessed to be staying at a hotel within ten minutes walking distance to all dance venues. The dancers and their costumes were stunning. What an incredible gift to be in the midst of this awesome energy and excitement!
And I quote from their website - 'The YOSAKOI Soran Festival was born when a group of youths declared that "The streets are our stage!" after witnessing the magic and passion of the historical YOSAKOI Festival in Kochi. Beginning with only ten teams and 1,000 dancers with 200,000 people cheering them on, the festival continued to grow bigger with each year and now proudly hosts roughly 30,000 dancers and two million visitors. The festival has gained recognition both within and beyond Hokkaido and even overseas, earning it the honour of being the event marking the start of summer.Let there be dancing in the streets.'
Travel Administration
Periodically, I'm required to check out of my hotel room at ungodly times like 3:30 am to catch a flight. What I've learned over time was to check/pay my hotel bill the previous evening so the only task I need to do is hand over my room key and be on my way. There has been a few occasions where I've had to make additional inquiries to resolve the final payment. What I'm trying to avoid is having an issue with my hotel bill that needs to be resolved at 3 am when the hotel staff on duty may have limited access to the proper resources to answer questions. You may also be dealing with staff who may have been sleeping and have just woken up to help you check out. Such much unnecessary adventure early in the morning. A thought for your future travel - besides avoiding early morning flights like I had, that is!
Next Week
I'm now traveling to Wakkanai, for an overnight stay in my northern most destination in Japan. I'll return to Sapporo for a couple nights so I can attend my first Japanese professional baseball league game. I'll have an overnight stay in Hakodate, my last days on Hokkaido before heading to Morioka on Honshu, Japan's main island.
'See you' next week! Stay happy and healthy!
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