D3 Around Lake Toya 洞爺湖

9~21May2024 13D13N Hokkaido adventure

Ohayo gozaimasu from JR Inn Hakodate.

We had a nice view from our hotel room, as we are able to view Mt. Hakodate.

Really can't bear to leave Hakodate so soon.

It was already day 3, where we would make our way to lake Toya.

It would also be the day we start usage of our Hokkaido JR pass.

The weather forecast for the day was also fine.

Carrying only our day bags, we embarked on our journey out of the city.

We will be taking the 737 am Hokuto3 Limited Express bound for Sapporo.

All seats must be reserved, and we did it on our day one.

Having breakfast on the train.

The journey will take about an hour and half to Toya.

Except for one sleepy baby, the rest were so awake and looking forward!!😆

Arrived!!

As it was not convenient to get to some places around the lake,

we hired Asset and Care for a 4-hour taxi tour.

The tour was due to start from 10 am, but Mr. driver was already waiting with his Toyota Crown when we arrived, as I provided the train details. He was holding a name plate with my name on it.

We asked for some time to look around the station and will head to his car around 10am.

We saw a mailbox by the train station and wanted to mail postcards home.

So lucky we managed to find it in a convenient shop by the station, and they even sell stamps!!

In no time, we wrote our messages and posted them.

Our driver tried to communicate in his weak English and mostly Japanese, but there are some words we could not catch.. He wanted to give us some おすすめ (recommendations), and we also realised that the Sobetsu Waterfall (that we wanted to go) was temporary closed.

I did not know what was 水仙 at first. He said those were 花.

The first recommended spot - Toyako Park

The kind driver came along and helped us take photos.

We had very good impression of him.

The sakura along Lake Toya has not wilted 😀

Arrived at Shōwa-shinzan 昭和新山 next, we were going up Mount Usu 有珠山 soon.

We bought the tickets from klook in advance

We started to have a faint view of Mount Yotei 羊蹄山 in the far, faint background.

Go straight from this point if we wanna head to the crater.

But as we were only given an hour, we do not have the time to hike there.

So we will only go to the Terrace.

Showa Shinzan

On the move again

Sobetsu Park Plum Garden 壮瞥公園 梅林

(It is near the Sobetsu Waterfalls that was closed. I initially wanted to add this in, hence, it was a pleasant surprise that our guide brought us.)

Mr Driver does not want to take photo with us, so we took photo with his car.

Hungry.. Time for lunch @Lake Hill Farm

Again, we see Mt. Yotei

This is Yuki the goat やぎ, who lives in a dog house,

with Mt. Yotei in the background

We love Yuki!! 🥰

Lake Hill Farm, a really lovely place 😍

More surprises awaited us..We arrived at Silo Observatory next.
Another place I wanted to visit initially.. 😃

It was 130pm, the tour would be ending in 30 mins.

Mr driver ask if we wanted to extend for an hour and he promised to bring us to 2 of his favourite places.

Yet another lovely place, Narcissus hill スイセンの丘

Welcome to the flower green!

We were here at the right timing!! 美しいところ!!!Great recommendation!!!

So lovely.. we gonna miss place..

Ukimido Park 浮見堂公園 - bonus to see a swan as we arrived

The No. 1 favourite place of our driver still has lots of sakura in bloom.

Somei Yoshino

Can you see the difference between the species?

Shidare Zakura

We see a two-story pagoda

The water here is very clean & clear

Yaezakura

This is the way to our hotel. And the 5 hours was almost up, but our driver still wanted to bring us to a last attraction.

It was already 3 pm by the time we reached here.

So happy we need not walk here later on - Tsuki no Hikari 月の光 55

Muse 56

Our driver is from Kobe, not Hokkaido, but we love him!!

We were initially billed 32,000 yen for 4 hours. And we agreed to extend an hour to 5 hours, which costs 40,000 yen. Mr Driver did not charge extra for exceeding about 15 mins.

Arriving at hotel along Lake Toya, around 315 pm

We had a nice view.. it made me think of the hotel I've stayed at Moto-Hakone, where we were able to view Mount Fuji from the similar window.

From here, we can view Nakajima island

We bought cream puffs from Lake Hill Farm.

Enjoying teabreak with the green tea provided by the ryokan.

Do a hand spa before continue our journey

This is a cute one

See the "irritating" face behind.. 😅

Toron Foot Spa 洞龍の湯, just behind our hotel

We enjoyed a 15 mins good soak.

It's time to take the ferry.

It will take 50 mins to go one round around the lake.

Already bought the tickets in advance from kkday for S$14/pax.

The ferry was almost leaving at 430 pm as we arrived at the jetty.

That's Nakajima island in the middle of Lake Toya.

We did not alight at the island as it will take another 30 mins for the next ferry.

Exploring again sculptures along the lake after the ferry ride

Wakaisaimo - famous for their sweet potato-shaped bean snack

Another hand spa

Beauty hands?

Beautiful as the sun was about to set..

It seemed the sun had started to set around 615 pm, but reported time for sunset was around 645 pm

Back to hotel, we reserved the 630 pm session for dinner.

We wanted to change into our yukatas and then have dinner

As we entered the room, noticed that the futons had been laid.

Dinner time!! 😋

We did not use the onsen for reasons.. so just take photo la

Waiting for the fireworks along Lake Toya to start at 845 pm.

The fireworks will be held every night from 845 to 905 pm from April to October.

That's the ferry that sets off at night for viewing of fireworks

The illumination street

We had time to shop at Tsuruha Drugstore and Seicomart before they close.