(Above) Sapporo City from Mount Moiwa We will wakeup and leave the hotel by 8am, heading by foot for JR Sapporo station’s JR information desk located at the station’s west exit.
(Above) JR Sapporo Station
We should reach there by 8.30am, just in time for the information desk’s opening at 8.30am and enquire on the purchase of the JR Sapporo-Otaru Welcome Pass(below) which we plan to get for our planned trip to Otaru the next day. This 1 day train pass allows unlimited rides on JR Hokkaido trains between Sapporo and Otaru and on all subway lines in Sapporo for 1 day without additional charges. The cost is ¥1500(SGD$19.50) per pass. This pass is available to tourists only. 
After that, we will take a nice walk, about 1.7km to the next subway station- Odori subway station where a 5minutes walk eastwards will bring us to Sapporo’s main market – Nijo market (below) is located nearby.
Nijo Market is a public market in central Sapporo, where locals and tourists shop for fresh local produce and seafood such as crabs, salmon eggs, sea urchin and various fresh and prepared fish.
After that, we will take a nice walk, about 1.7km to the next subway station- Odori subway station where a 5minutes walk eastwards will bring us to Sapporo’s main market – Nijo market (below) is located nearby.Nijo Market is a public market in central Sapporo, where locals and tourists shop for fresh local produce and seafood such as crabs, salmon eggs, sea urchin and various fresh and prepared fish. 
The market(above) is located near the Tanuki koji undercover shopping street and is arranged into crowded market alleys. There are a bit over 50 different vendors in the market selling anything from fresh fish and crabs to sea urchins. We plan to have a fresh seafood breakfast there at one of the small eateries found in the market. The standard item is the uni ikura donburi ( sea urchin and salmon eggs on rice ).
The Nijo Market is open from around 7am to around 6pm on all days of the week, with individual shops maintaining their own opening hours and closing days. The market is a good place to have a vive, watching the locals and many chefs buying their seafood. Definitely a good place to take much photography.
After this, we will head back to Odori subway station to shop at the Sapporo Underground Shopping Mall(Sapporo Chikagai) which is a shopping mall with 140 shops ranging from boutiques to variety stores to restaurants. The mall is divided by a concourse of Odori Station into two different styles of streets comprising of Pole Town and Aurora Town. These two underground shopping malls form an inverted “L”. The vertical line is Pole Town, which stretches 400 m north-south from Odori Subway Station to Susukino Subway Station on the Nanboku Subway Line; the horizontal line is Aurora Town, which stretches 312 m east-west from Odori Subway Station to Sapporo TV Tower. Both sides of these pedestrian corridors are lined with shops selling clothes and commodities, and there are restaurants, cafés and souvenir shops. The mall is directly linked not only to the subway stations but also to department stores, fashion boutique buildings and banks. This is especially good during winter where shoppers don’t have to worry about the weather. The underground malls provide good access to other department stores and other buildings. The Sapporo Transportation Information Center is at the intersection of the two malls for those who want to know more about Sapporo’s subway lines etc.
Aurora Town stretches 312m from Odori Station all the way to the TV tower in the east. The name of the mall was derived to invoke the image of a promenade filled with light and colours. Pole Town extends 400m from Odori Station south all the way to Susukino Station, linking two subway stations and creating an active and bustling town with a lively and relaxed atmosphere. Both ends of Pole Town are directly linked to department stores. One can also take the exits located along the sides of the town for various fashion boutique buildings and Tanuki-Koji, a kilometer-long shopping arcade with boutiques and stores. The Gallery Stella, decorated with stained glass works, and the Pole Plaza, located under Tanuki-Koji, are always crowded, mainly with young people who pass on the latest trends in youth culture from the town.The name of Pole Town is derived from a polestar. This should be enough to last us until lunch time. The shops there are open from 10am to 8pm. We will also visit the Mitsukoshi Sapporo departmental store, located a short walk from the Odori subway station where we are at. It sells a wide range of products such as food, clothing and gifts.
Aurora Town stretches 312m from Odori Station all the way to the TV tower in the east. The name of the mall was derived to invoke the image of a promenade filled with light and colours. Pole Town extends 400m from Odori Station south all the way to Susukino Station, linking two subway stations and creating an active and bustling town with a lively and relaxed atmosphere. Both ends of Pole Town are directly linked to department stores. One can also take the exits located along the sides of the town for various fashion boutique buildings and Tanuki-Koji, a kilometer-long shopping arcade with boutiques and stores. The Gallery Stella, decorated with stained glass works, and the Pole Plaza, located under Tanuki-Koji, are always crowded, mainly with young people who pass on the latest trends in youth culture from the town.The name of Pole Town is derived from a polestar. This should be enough to last us until lunch time. The shops there are open from 10am to 8pm. We will also visit the Mitsukoshi Sapporo departmental store, located a short walk from the Odori subway station where we are at. It sells a wide range of products such as food, clothing and gifts.
By the time we finish with shopping there,it would probably be close to 1pm where we will take a subway from Odori subway station to the next stop – Susukino subway station. From there we will fill our hungry stomach with some food. 
First stop would be a visit to the Susukino Ramen Alley(above). We’ve been told that you should not look for a place with that name because officially that name doesn’t exist. It’s actual name is Ramen Yokocho. It is located at intersection between South 5-jo and West 3-chome, Chuo-Ku. It is a 3 minute walk from Susukino subway station so using the subway as a point of reference would be a good start. The stalls there open from 11am to 3am daily. Ramen shops line both sides of this alley and it’s been said that every stall there has it’s own closely guarded recipe for it’s soup stock. There are 3 types of soup stocks that you can order for your Sapporo ramen (miso, soy, salt) and various toppings (scallops, corn, butter). We plan to share one bowl of ramen, miso with scallops(below) to try. By sharing this way, we can eat more of other stuff. 
From what we've researched about the ramen stalls there, basically, there are two styles of ramen-ya, the diner style and the boutique style. Diner stryle ramen-ya tend to have plastic or formica tables, metal diner-stools, or folding chairs. They are brightly lit, and marginally decorated. These places are often quite old. Diner-style ramen-ya, I am told,tend to be cheap, around 400 to 600 yen, and have fairly small menus. Boutique style ramen-ya are newer and nicer. They have a theme for their decor – natural wood seems to be popular there plus cozy lighting. They often have a variety of menu options, prices in the 700 to 1200 yen range.
According to Ramen experts, a key point to remember is that the quality of the soup has nothing to do with the price of the ramen. Soup is very, very cheap to make in large quantities, and its quality is entirely dependent upon the skill of its maker. The same can be said for the noodles. Many ramen-ya have a ticket vending machine near the front door. To order, buy a ticket, and then hand it to your server once you sit down. The buttons are always in Japanese. Generally, the upper rows are the different kinds of ramen for sale. The rows (across) are often sorted by soup-type, and the columns (down) by topping-type. Simpler, cheaper items are on the left, and the more elaborate and expensive ones are on the right. Anything that costs less than 400 yen will be either an additional topping, a side dish, or a drink.
From Ramen Alley, we will walk over to Tanuki Koji South 3 West 2 just off east of the Susukino subway station. There is a recommended Japanese pub called Aburiya there that is said to sell real Hokkaido food, not the touristy corn and potatoes. Aburiya serves sushi, salmon, sea urchin and vegetables from around the prefecture, cooked in simple, honest Japanese style. “Aburiya” means “the grilling place,” and we read that it is a must to try the charbroiled maitake-beikon-maki, (mushrooms wrapped with bacon). For broiled fish, we will ask for the daily catch (honjitsu-no-yakizakana). The yakitori skewers of chicken (torikushi) and pork (butakushi) are said to be wonderful, and the salad plates and grilled eggplant (yakinasu) will give us a chance to dig into some healthy vegetables. Their sashimi plates (sashimi moriawase) are great, too. It’s in the Tanuki Koji shopping arcade and can be located by their green awning and the double flight of descending steps. From reviews we read, the menu there is challenging and the brisk, backslapping pace can make ordering a bit daunting, but the food and atmosphere make it worth the effort. Meals with beer is between 3,000 to 5,000 yen per person.
As we exit from Aburiya after a hearty lunch, we find ourselves within the Tanuki Koji shopping arcade where Aburiya is located. The largest shopping mall in Sapporo, it extends to about 1.5km. Tanuki Koji has a history that stretches back 123 years. There are more than 200 stores there offering a variety of goods ranging from clothes and footwear to electrical items and furniture. This mall is known for it’s offering of both traditional and modern Japanese merchandise from kimonos, tea or incense to modern stores specializing in computers and software or state-of-the-art electronics or digital cameras, clothing, accessories, cosmetics and shoes. There are also game centers, restaurants and coffee shops within. Things here are said to be much cheaper than those from other similar shopping areas. A hat can be gotten here below 100 yen, much cheaper than the 100 yen shops nearby.
After completing Tanuki Koji, we will move on to the other shopping complexes nearby to Susukino subway station – Robinson’s and Donki kingdom store. Directly connected to Susukino Subway Station, this department store opens long hours and is convenient for shopping on weekdays. The first and second basements are both food-product floors called Robichika (meaning Robinson’s underground lobby) among people of a wide range of ages, and is a popular meeting spot for locals. The fresh food section, which is frequented by many Susukino chefs, boasts an extensive range of Hokkaido produce such as fresh seafood, meat, fruit and vegetables. The third to eighth floors are packed with specialty shops, while the sixth floor houses beauty salons and massage parlors where visitors can easily drop in. 
(Above) Donki Departmental Store
(Above) Donki Departmental StoreA wide variety of dishes including Japanese, Western and Chinese cuisine are available at the restaurant mall on the seventh and eighth floors. We may try out some leg massage there to soothe our aching leg muscles from all the shopping! From there, we will move on to Donki Kingdom store, a 3 minute walk from the Susukino subway stationn. It is a famous chain of stores in Japan that sells cheap foodstuffs, toiletries and other misc. items that are useful. The biggest plus is that they are open till very late! Some are open 24 hours! They can sell shampoo, cushions, MD walkmans, watches and curry packets.
We will shop till 6 plus and probably the cold and constant walking would have made us hungry for dinner. For dinner, I will be bringing Gayle for shabu shabu at Shabu-Zen, an all you can eat eatery located within the Robinson’s departmental store on the 7th floor. Shabu-shabu is the sound of thinly sliced beef and vegetables being swished through simmering water and the name for that style of cooking. We will also try lamb too.
There are no English menu here, but Shabu-zen has four all-you-can-eat options to make ordering easy. For your group, choose from shabu-shabu, sukiyaki, suki-shabu (half sukiyaki, half shabu-shabu) and yaki-shabu (half Korean barbecue and half shabu-shabu). I recommend the half-and-half deals for their variety. These come with vegetables. It’s all-you-can-eat, so keep ordering trays of meat or vegetables until you’ve had your fill. The dinners are priced according to the quality of beef, with the basic grade costing 2,000 yen per diner. Drinks will incur an extra charge.
After this nice hot dinner, we will be invigorated to walk along the Susukino night district(above) , which is a must do in Sapporo. There are about 4500 businesses ranging from bars and restaurants to soaplands and brothels along the Susukino district and they are the reason why Sapporo has one of the best nightlife districts in Japan. There is the usual obligatory red light district there but for most parts, it is a good place to have eat, drink and have fun. Those into karaoke and pubbing will definitely find the place something up their alley. From what we read, there are many nightclubs and discos - the most famous being the decadent King Xmhu, but there are also many bars for drinking, ranging from somewhat traditional yakitori or izakaya style establishments to "gaijin" bars such as Rad Brothers, Jersey Bar, Locotonte and Salsita. There is even a gaijin(foreigners) bar called Gaijin Bar, though it is described as a bit of a dump. There are quiet jazz clubs and noisy live houses, including somewhat odd places such as Voodoo Dance and 350 Bar, as well as interesting but pricey beer pubs like Mugishutei. Susukino is also a hot dating spot, known for being a fairly easy place to pick up a Japanese girlfriend or boyfriend, though the substance of such casual relationships are likely to be somewhat short term.
However, we read that in spite of all these bars and nightspots, Susukino is still quite safe and well lit. Even ladies can drink here without having to worry about their safety. Apart from the usual range of karaoke and junk food outlets, there are many good restaurants & bars, as well as a large number of hotels ( We will be looking at the rent by the hour "love hotel" kind just out of curiousity). Susukino is a bustling nightlife district that gets more crowded with each passing hour of the evening. Recently, hot spring hotels with saunas have become popular there. After a whole day of walking and shopping, we will take the train from Susukino subway station back to Sapporo subway station and then walk back to our hotel for a good rest and look through our shopping conquests.
After this nice hot dinner, we will be invigorated to walk along the Susukino night district(above) , which is a must do in Sapporo. There are about 4500 businesses ranging from bars and restaurants to soaplands and brothels along the Susukino district and they are the reason why Sapporo has one of the best nightlife districts in Japan. There is the usual obligatory red light district there but for most parts, it is a good place to have eat, drink and have fun. Those into karaoke and pubbing will definitely find the place something up their alley. From what we read, there are many nightclubs and discos - the most famous being the decadent King Xmhu, but there are also many bars for drinking, ranging from somewhat traditional yakitori or izakaya style establishments to "gaijin" bars such as Rad Brothers, Jersey Bar, Locotonte and Salsita. There is even a gaijin(foreigners) bar called Gaijin Bar, though it is described as a bit of a dump. There are quiet jazz clubs and noisy live houses, including somewhat odd places such as Voodoo Dance and 350 Bar, as well as interesting but pricey beer pubs like Mugishutei. Susukino is also a hot dating spot, known for being a fairly easy place to pick up a Japanese girlfriend or boyfriend, though the substance of such casual relationships are likely to be somewhat short term.However, we read that in spite of all these bars and nightspots, Susukino is still quite safe and well lit. Even ladies can drink here without having to worry about their safety. Apart from the usual range of karaoke and junk food outlets, there are many good restaurants & bars, as well as a large number of hotels ( We will be looking at the rent by the hour "love hotel" kind just out of curiousity). Susukino is a bustling nightlife district that gets more crowded with each passing hour of the evening. Recently, hot spring hotels with saunas have become popular there. After a whole day of walking and shopping, we will take the train from Susukino subway station back to Sapporo subway station and then walk back to our hotel for a good rest and look through our shopping conquests.
SKY J RESTAURANT
KEIO PLAZA HOTEL SAPPORO 
We will see if we can do a check in and if not, we will ask to leave our bags in storage with the hotel and maybe explore the Botanic gardens(below) diagonally opposite our hotel to take some scenic shots. This 13-hectare (32-acre) park with its entrance at North 3 West 8 contains some virgin forest and more than 4,000 varieties of plants gathered from all over Hokkaido and arranged in marshland, herb, alpine, and other gardens.
Of greater interest, perhaps, is the section devoted to plants used by the Ainu,one of Japan’s tribal group whose extensive knowledge of plants includes not only edible ones but also those with medicinal use and other properties, including organic poison used for arrows to kill bears and other game.We are told that it is a popular spot for an afternoon picnic in the summer, due to it’s large expanse of trees and grassy lawns. Other attractions within the park includes Japan's oldest natural science museum, founded in 1882 to document the wildlife of Hokkaido and housed in a turn-of-the-20th-century, Western-style building. Admission to the park is ¥110 (SGD$1.05) per person.
Another one is Esta(above) which features various kinds of foodstuffs and delicatessens on the basement flour. On the upper floor, there are different kinds of shops and a big area dedicated to electrical appliances. Another complex is Bic Camera which is located at the south side of Sapporo station, accessible via JR Sapporo Station. There is a food hall here besides the general range of clothing, accessories, general items and restaurants on the upper floors. Of interest here are the 100 yen shops, supposedly better than Daiso at the basement floors. For those interested in Japanese anime books, you can source them at three book stores in the area – Sanseido located on the 8th floor of the Daimaru Departmental Store which has a cafe where you can bring new books inside it’s cafe to browse. Now that’s what we call customer service. There is also Asahiya on the 5th floor of Stellar Place East Shopping mall and Kinokuniya on the West side of Daimaru which also has a cafe on the 2nd floor. For food, we may go to Sato Suisan located South side of Sapporo station which specializes in many kinds of sea food such as crabs(below) and local delicacies.
On Top of the World point in the Singapore Flyer ( Marina Bay and Kallang Basin )
During the 1 week school break, Gayle and myself took the opportunity to take a ride on the Singapore Flyer. It was an opportunity not to be missed since the management at Singapore Flyer were giving out free standard 30 minute rides to all teachers. We had not gone before as the pricing for two of us was exorbitant - $60 dollars plus for 30 minutes ride. So when a friend of ours tipped us on this free offer, we went to check it out. We were initially quite suspicious because it sounded too good to be true but it really was free. For HSBC Credit card holders, there is a 1 for 1 ticket offer till 31st January 2009.
Moving off at ground level 
City skyline
The hotel where we held our wedding banquet
There are a few eateries there though we think that there are many other better places nearby to eat unless you want to make your $7 worth of parking and linger there longer. Of interest is the aicraft simulator centre which you can try flying a simulator based commercial jet for $155 for 30 minutes flight experience. 
On arrival, we found that they were awaiting us because as we entered the reception, they knew who we were and led us to a lounge specially reserved for the two of us. The two masseuses attened to us by informing us about the program for the spa session, took down our health requirements and asked about possible allergies or sensitivities. We also had a blood pressure test. 
(Above)On the way to the spa suite, this area is used for ROM solemnization ceremony. Quite good views and scenic for photo taking.
The masseuses briefed us on the amenities of the suite and informed us that we had a free and easy time of 50 minutes to shower and relax in the jacuzzi. There was a pot of hot jasmine tea and also a fruitty chocolate fondue set for us too.
It was a first for us,having a shower on the rooftop in the open, very liberating. Strategically placed palms and other flora helped provide a natural privacy screen.
After the refreshing shower, we had a really nice quiet time in the jacuzzi, the water jets helping to massage and stimulate our back and shoulder areas. The view was wonderful, looking out into changi beach and the sea.
We had another shower and went into the airconditioned suite to enjoy our tea and chocolate fondue as we waited for our masseuses. The chocolate fondue provided sweet accompaniment to the refreshing jaccuzi we had.A discreet knock on the door signalled the arrival of our masseuses who asked if we were ready for our spa session. They led us to our seats and started with what they called the Retreat welcome which comprised of a mineral salt foot bath that continued into a foot massage and cleaning of our feet. It was really a shiok feeling because our job requires us to stand on our feet for long hours daily and well all we can say is that our feet really felt wonderful. The service was very warm and personalized as they lifted our foot onto their thighs and wiped , massaged our feet. It was a strange but warm and nice feeling though as we were initially not quite used to such personalized service. 
(Above) Us lovey dovey at Changi Coast Walk