Hokkaido Folk Arts and Craft Village

It’s a small world.  One of my US friends told me she has a friend who is originally from Hokkaido and now living in the US.  She told me her friend was coming to Japan to visit family and introduced us by email.  So, my friend’s friend, who is now my friend, came to Hokkaido and invited me to the home of her mother and sister one afternoon.  I took the train and they met me at the station.  I had a great time, and my new friend invited me to accompany her to the Hokkaido Folk Arts and Crafts Village a few days later.  Not only that, she arranged for us to take a weaving lesson!

We visited two of the three museums in the village.  Photographs were not allowed in the museums, but we were able to take many in the class area, the lobby, and the gift shop.

We had a great time!  Here is my finished weaving project.

Asahiyama Zoo in Spring

We were gone Saturday – Monday on our little Golden Week Trip.  Our first stop was the zoo outside Asahikawa.  We visited once before in the winter and I wrote about it here.  Things were a little different in the warmer weather. For one thing, it was much more crowded, being a beautiful Golden Week Saturday.  The admission cost for adults is 820 yen, but children 15 and under get in for free.

 

My favorite things this trip were the flamingos, penguins, and giraffe.

 

Trash must be separated at the zoo, as it does everywhere else in Japan.  Ted was a little challenged on this one and had to ask for help.

 

 

We didn't have to ask for directions, because the signs were in katakana!

 

Before leaving we had to try the strawberry ice cream, made with real strawberries – yum!

 

After leaving the zoo, we headed to Furano.  More on that part of the trip later….