Hokkaido: Asahiyama Zoo, The Northernmost & The Most Innovative Zoo in Japan

Source: http://good-hokkaido.info/en/asahiyama-zoo/

At first, I didn't set any high expectation to a trip to the zoo. My mind has told me, this could be just like a cliche sightseeing. To witness displayed animals as caged objects, not living beings much like an art museum.

Until I saw penguins walked in front of my eyes, experienced being close to polar bear as their prey, intrigued by "flying" (swimming) penguin gorgeously above head, and startled to see a snow leopard passing above my head. The concept of "behavioral enrichment" of Asahiyama Zoo core's philosophy had forced me to pull my own words.

Hokkaido: See How Japan Introduces Its Freezing World

Sounkyo Hyobaku Matsuri from high

*Scratch, scratch...*

A scratching sound continuously comes from the right side of the van. There is no life for mosquitoes in here, obviously... The sound comes from me scratching a dewy window pane. Wait, do you think what the hell am I doing?!
Yes, I was too busy to wipe the haze away from the inside of window.

The warm temperature inside the van creates moisture on windows. It wasn't just normal moisture like usual, anyway (surely for Indonesian). Condensed vapor turned into thin ice layer, since the weather were so freezing outside. What a thing!

It's been about 4 hours since we left the last city, Abashiri. And now, we were heading to next destination, a small town or likely I can call it a resort village of Sounkyo in Daisetsuzan National Park. There was no sign of our destination until the sun had hidden itself. Well, nothing could be more fun than doing such ridiculous thing of scratching frosty windows!

*Scratch, scratch...*

Hokkaido: The Famous Small Station of the North

Facade of Kitahama Station

I really didn't comprehend and a bit confused at first. Why this small building which similar to a security post could become a highly sought-after destination for some tourists, as said by our local guide, Yoshie-san. The facade looked quite old but pretty decent, stands adjacent to the Sea of Okhotsk. A rusty blue signpost above the entrance door described a name, 北浜駅 Kitahama-eki (Kitahama Station).

This station was not always crowded as that day. Some travel vans parked at the front yard indicated there were group of tourists who already inside the building. Actually, it was just an ordinary small train station. There are some similar building like this along the coastline. But, Kitahama station is the most in demand by the tourists for some reason.

We entered into a tiny main room (waiting room) of the station with its size, maybe about 5x5 meters. And we found something peculiar with our sight.....

Hokkaido: Cruising the Sea of Okhotsk on the Icebreaker Ship

Aurora II has left the Abashiri Port

North wind gusted and it felt freezing cold as the ship sped up. The observation deck had been teemed by tourists, especially at the edges of ship balcony. We were stunned by the endless panorama of the Sea of Okhotsk. The horizon separate off the sea and sky as I gazed toward to the north. Seagulls squawked while they were soaring up on the air. Some tourists were seen enjoying themselves by taking selfie with the sea landscape and also with floating drift ice. At the time, I was able to conclude that this would be the best moment during my trip in Abashiri.

Previously...

[Road Less Traveled] Hokkaido: Soup of Freedom and the Prison Break of Japan

Abashiri Prison Museum aerial view in summer

Hokkaido, the northernmost major island in Japan, was nearly a no-man's-land over decades ago. At the northeast of the island, lies a dark history of Japan development.

Truthfully, I didn't know a lot about the city of Abashiri. But I believed this port city has some things interesting to offer, until I found myself stood in front of enormous arched red-brick gate. That historic-looking architecture with 2 posts guarding at both sides is the main entrance to the Abashiri Prison Museum. With the curiosity calling me to know more about Japan's hidden history, it would be best to dig up some stories from the Meiji period here. Surely, Abashiri was able to provide a unique experience of visiting the jail museum.