Asahikawa

I'm spending a night in Asahikawa because the train to Wakkanai leaves at 0912. If I were to start from Biei, I would have to get to the station by 0800. When I planned this trip I didn't think it possible. But I didn't realise that sunrise is early here and people start work early. But I would have to miss breakfast at Biei because unlike other hostels, it's at 0800. This is exactly what Femke did. She went ahead to Rishiri-to and I will catch up with her a day later. However stopping over in Asahikawa has the benefit that I stay a night at the Terminal Hotel which provides free Internet. The hotel doesn't get more convenient than this: it's just beside the station. You don't even have to step outside to enter the station, there is a connecting door. The front is quite attractive at night but snow crystals in the design remind you what happens here in winter.

I actually got here mid-morning. I looked at the list of things to do in this city. None of the museums interested me and I didn't feel like visiting a sake factory, even if they do give out free tipples. So I just walked around the central mall, and the streets around it. This shop seems to specialise in the lucky waving cat (Maneki Neko). I didn't know before that this animal in Chinese culture originally came from Japan.

Then I had a lunch of char siu shoyō ramen at the place suggested. I could tell that the ramen here was the drawcard, it tasted better than noodles from other shops. They must make them on the premises.


Then I checked in and spent the afternoon indoors catching up with my email and the rest of the world. You don't realise how isolated you can be in Japan until you have spent some time here. The TV channels are all local, unless you are in an expensive hotel with satellite channels. Since I can't understand the TV programs, I can't get news from that. English papers have to be sought out specially and out of the question in small places. And Internet access, as mentioned before, is normally not available in Hokkaido hostels. That is why I was pleased to see the Ethernet plug in the room, even if it meant "wasting" a touring day.

In the evening I went out to grab a fast-food dinner, partly to avoid looking for a sit-down restaurant and partly because I wanted a respite from Japanese food. The burger was just like you would expect. But the portions are smaller and cost more than in Australia. Then I walked around the city a bit. The mall is given over to skateboarders in the evenings. While the nightlife is nowhere as lively as Sapporo's Susukino, there were enough bright lights and loudspeakers spruiking the joints.