In December 2015, the Sapporo Streetcar completed construction to make the tracks connect from West 4 stop (Odori) to Susukino station, making it a full loop around central Sapporo city. This is a very convenient turn of events, and the Sapporo streetcar now attracts a lot of attention. MCs Li Qiang and Isis hop on to the streetcar from the newly built “Tanuki Koji Stop” to explore the city.
The first place they visit is a Candle Specialty Shop called “Candly”. After the pleasant surprise of finding new and unique candles in the shop, our hosts try the offered activity: making their own “Aroma Wax Bar”, a handmade candle made with dry flowers. They make something that really shows their characters, it was fun!
Ｆｅｅｌｉng a bit hungry, we get off at the street car stop “Nishi sen 11”, and head towards “café maison”. It’s a beautiful building that looks like a regular household at first glance, but actually is a heart-warming lunch restaurant. The shop owner also designs and sells unique Japanese handmade bags. The top seller for lunch is a hot ginger yaki-udon (hot pot). We had to try it, the perfect dish to warm you up in winter.
Our next stop is Sapporo “Mt. Moiwa Ropeway”. It has been chosen as one of the “Top Three New Night Views of Japan”. It is a gorgeous view of Sapporo City, we highly recommend it!
Finally, we ride the streetcar back along the loop to get off at Tanuki Koji. Walking along the crowded shopping street, our hosts find a large sign with a blue camel inviting them into “Café Sahabie”. They are thrilled to try the winter-only menu of hot cocktails with the shop’s popular “Deluxe Donuts”!
With the new streetcar loop both locals and visitors alike can enjoy newly found locations of Sapporo City.

This week we introduce the delicacies of winter in Okhotsk. Our host Li Qiang travels to the tip of northern island Hokkaido, seeking crab and oysters.
First, he travels to the area that is famous for drift ice, Monbetsu city, and stumbles upon “Okhotsk Tokkari Center”. Tokkari means “seal” in the Ainu language. Li Qiang is thrilled to see the cute seals up close.
He finds crab! At the direct sales shop “Marukaichi Suisan”. Next door, you can enjoy the fresh seafood as a luxurious lunch, at “Kaisen Robata Yaki”.
Next, Li visits a restaurant that serves crab in a wide variety of dishes, “Ajidokoro Azuma”. Li Qiang orders the course menu that includes a Snow Crab hot pot; that is sure to warm you up on a cold winter’s day!
Lake Saroma is known for its burning bright orange sunsets. The perimeter is so wide, it is surrounded by three areas: Yubetsu Town, Saroma Town, and Kitami City. From late October, the oyster fishing season begins, so the tastiest of the harvest is caught during this winter season! At “Tokoro Michi no Ichi”, our host bought himself a 3 kilo tin full of oysters, and looks for a place to cook and eat it. Walking around to find a welcoming place to borrow a BBQ set, he arrives at “Shinya” Factory, which is famous for “Smoked Pickled Scallops in Oil.” The tin full of oysters was made for BBQ, so Li Qiang just adds some sake, covers the 3 kilos, and waits. The freshly grilled oysters are incredibly delicious!
We’re not full yet! Looking for more ways to enjoy oysters, Li visits the restaurant, “Sushi no Yasu-san”. You can really warm up here with their famous Sukiyaki, and never forget the taste of oyster-nigiri (sushi)!
Winter Okhotsk has plenty of local favorite foods for you to be completely satisfied! Li Qiang is more than thrilled to bring you this delicious seafood-filled episode!

This week we introduce Lake Toya and its surroundings. Lake Toya is a Caldera lake at the foot of Mt. Usu, which is a volcano that has erupted 9 times since the Edo Period. The nearby Volcano Science Museum had a new renewal opening in 2007, and introduces the history and details of how the mountain has erupted and how it influences the area and people today. MCs Li Qiang and Isis learn how important Mt. Usu is.
They jump on “Mt. Usu Ropeway” for a relaxed ride 560 meters high, to the top of the mountain. After a pleasant walk around the summit, they marvel at the beautiful fields and mountains of Hokkaido from the Lake Toya Observation Deck. They also learn the secrets of Showa Shinzan (Mountain), and how it was born. You can truly feel nature’s strength and vigor from this point of view.
At “Kudamono Farm Hamada-En” in Sobetsu Town, our hosts try their famous apple pie. We also taste a naturally sweetened apple jam, topped generously onto bread. It was shocking to realize how sweet it was without any sugar!
Our next stop is in Toyoura Town, to visit “namihei pizza.” Their pizza is baked on a lava stone of Mt. Usu! And it is indeed exceptional!! We are impressed with the “Wasabi Pizza”, topped with plenty of local ingredients. A must-try!
For the night, we stay at “Toyako Manseikaku Hotel Lakeside Terrace”, where the rooms face the gorgeous Lake Toya for a relaxing view. There our hosts indulge in a fantastic dinner plan, with “Seafood Nabe” (hot pot) filled with shrimps, Li Qiang’s favorite! And Kuroge Wagyu (Japanese Beef) made with perfection, thrilling all meat-lovers.
We can only say thank you to the powerful mountain, for without it we could not have such a rich environment to enjoy. We hope you can fall in love with this area too!
Thank you Mt. Usu for your blessings!

This week we introduce two famous Hokkaido “Eki-Ben,” which is a “Station-Bento”: a packed meal for travelers on the go. We visit the towns Oshamambe for “Kani Meshi” crab on rice, and Mori Machi for “Ika Meshi” which is squid stuffed with rice.
MCs Li Qiang and Isis visit Oshamambe first. At “Oshokuji Dokoro Hamanoya” they encounter the town’s popular mascot, Mambe-Kun. They were guided into Mambe-Kun’s room, at the Oshamambe JR Station, and find out there are 6 different Kani Meshi (crab on rice styles). Unsure of which to try, they decide to visit Mambe-Kun’s recommendation, “Kani Meshi Honpo Kanaya.”
At the production factory, our hosts watch how Kani Meshi is made. We were impressed by the delivery service of the factory: they receive the order by phone from the limited express train, respond swiftly, and rush to the station with a fresh meal. We absolutely love this taste of the Kanimeshi!
Our next stop is Mori Machi. There was an archeological site recently found in Mori Machi, and from ruins dating back to the Jomon period, we found pottery in the shape of a squid! Was Mori Machi destined to be famous for squid since long ago? To enjoy “ika” more, our hosts visit a famous production factory, Abe Shouten, for Ika Meshi (squid stuffed with rice).
Abe Shouten boasts leading sales and national rewards at Eki-Ben rankings, with its famous Ika Meshi. Li Qiang and Isis take try to make this seemingly challenging dish themselves. They put rice in the squid, and stew the squid in a big pot of their secret sauce, with a base of soy sauce and sugar.
Our hosts are ecstatic by the taste of the Ika Meshi they made by themselves!
Relaxing at a stylish café in Mori Machi, they chat about how great the idea of Eki-Ben is, and how much they love it. We hope you love it and eat it during your travels, too!