Relax - Hot springs in Hokkaido

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STANDING in the hallway of the hotel, I feel out of place. After all, it's not in my habit to wear pyjamas in public.

But this is Japan - where sunlight peeks around the horizon at 4am, and more than 5.5 million vending machines operate like clockwork, and reading manga is a national pastime.

I'm sure you've already known the hostile nature of this country, her periodic brush with earthquakes and the recent walls of water that flattened entire coastal communities. The list goes on: typhoons, volcanoes, puffer fish and karate. So, permit me to live dangerously in the wardrobe department.

Still, venturing beyond the privacy of my tatami bedroom in a yukata, I have reservations. The yukata hugging my small frame is in different shades of blue with four-petal sunflower motif and has a strip of navy blue cloth which is supposed to hold everything together.

The elevator dinged. I stepped inside and pushed the button for the basement.

I'm terrified at the thought of some wardrobe malfunction en route to the onsen (hot spring bathing facility).

Hell Valley

Jigokudani, or Hell Valley, is the crown of Noboribetsu. Noboribetsu is a city in Hokkaido famous for its hot springs. Now that you know which part of Japan I'm visiting, let me volunteer a brief geography lesson.

Hokkaido is Japan's northern-most main island. Its land mass is slightly larger than Sabah. It's cooler than the rest of Japan, so it's a popular domestic tourism destination, in particular during summer.

Hokkaido is blessed with greenery; 10% of the whole island is, in fact, some form of natural park. Its primary industries are fishery, agriculture and tourism. The hot springs at Jigokudani are the result of volcanic activity, and the bubbling steam which fogs the walking trail at the national park gave rise to the tagline: Hell where the trolls live.

Photography can be a bit challenging, especially at the geyser area due to the 80˚C water.

Each day, tens of thousands of tonnes of natural thermal water is supplied to the hotels and inns in the area. Visitors can pay homage to the couple who pioneered the onsen business at a mini shrine along the trail.

The onsen at the hotel where I'm staying overnight is divided into two levels - the one on the upper features an open-air concept - where male and female bathers go their separate ways. The operating hours are rotated every 12 hours to enable both sexes to enjoy the two facilities.

Having entered the lower onsen level, I reluctantly shed the yukata and my inhibition. Armed with only a face towel big enough to cover either the face or private parts, two of my travel buddies and I inched towards the shower section. All the guests are expected to wash their bodies and rinse thoroughly before going into the pools.

The Japanese believe that a hearty soak in the onsen is good for health. The mineral-rich water is said to heal aches, skin diseases and other ailments. After hours of dipping in different pools and getting our backs massaged by small waterfalls, we emerge from the onsen younger, healthier and handsomer (ahem).

Volcano high

During the short drive to the Shikotsu-Toya National Park in Sobetsu the next morning, we see vast expanses of natural greenery and farms. The prefab houses we pass along the way are made of paper-based composite material. In the event of an earthquake and a house collapses, it won't kill the occupants.

From a distance, Mount Usuzan and Mount Showa Shinzan in the park are rather imposing, especially the latter, from which steam can be seen escaping from fissures. Showa Shinzan was formed during one of Usuzan's eruptions. Both are active volcanoes.

We take the cable car up Usuzan for some panoramic photography. From the observatory, we have superb views of the calm Lake Toya and the sleeping Showa Shinzan. At the end of the man-made trail is the Usu Crater Observatory. Those who aren't faint-hearted can hike to the volcanic crater for a closer look.

Now, there's something peculiar about Mount Usuzan. It has stuck to a casual timetable - having erupted in 1910, 1944-45, 1977 and 2000 since modern records were kept. You have to admire the "never give up" spirit of the Japanese people. The local population evacuated during each eruption and returned to rebuild their homes and lives afterwards.

But God is fair. The dark red volcano soil is very fertile so the agricultural produce from this region is top-rate. Usuzan's next eruption is approximately 20 years away.

At the foot of the mountain, we pay the Bear Range souvenir shop a visit. The outdoor area is a mini zoo that is home to dozens of bears in various stages of development. The adult bears are so domesticated that they have taken on human traits. The moment we approach the perimeter of their elevated enclosure, they stand up on hind legs. Some of them begin waving at us, egging us on to throw apples.

Most of the apples land off-course, and this would trigger a mad scramble each time. A bear, whom I shall name Yogi, eyes me pleadingly. I nod to signal him, and my last apple follow a trajectory that I'm proud of … and lands straight in the mouth of the bear next to Yogi.

Yogi glares at me: What the hell?

Sapporo sights

Sapporo, the capital city of Hokkaido, is different from other Japanese cities in terms of architecture. It was designed with American help in the 1870s, so you can see western features like an Eiffel Tower clone, Clock House and the Former Hokkaido Government Office Building.

One building even features a giant ferris wheel.

Next on the itinerary is the Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium, one of the venues of the 1972 Winter Olympics. The chairlift to the summit provides an amazing adrenaline rush, legs dangling mid-air. On the observation platform, you get a breathtaking view of the city.

Visitors can have their "I've been here" pictures taken on a podium at the end of the ski slope below. Everyone leaves the stadium like a champion.

The city comes to life at night with glitzy, bold neon signs screaming from every building in the entertainment district one block from our hotel. We check out girls in kimono, kids with strawberry cheeks, friendly staff in convenience stores and robotic car parks.

The sidewalks are filled with after-work salarymen strolling to dinner or their favourite watering hole. There are lots of ushers or promoters in the street, some in oversized cartoonish costumes, soliciting clients on behalf of the pubs, private clubs, karaoke parlours and adult-themed establishments.

The only danger here is to your wallet. The cover charge for some of the outlets can trigger a heart attack.

Art of perfection

Otaru was a thriving port city in the 1920s. The reminder of this is its scenic canal, portions of which have since been reclaimed. Today, the place is ideal for shooting movies or a leisurely stroll.

Handicraft and pastry shops line the main street. Here, you'll learn that when the Japanese do anything they try to achieve perfection. It's hard to detect any flaws in the products they make, from fragile glassware to tiny music box to fresh creamy chocolate cakes.

Due to time constraints, I mainly tour the Music Box Museum, skipping the sake store and what might be a Doraemon museum which I'm interested in. The music boxes come in every shape, size and subject matter. There must be thousands of them in the museum. For souvenirs, I pick a non-drip soy sauce dispenser for Mum from a glassware shop and tidbits from a few pastry shops for friends and relatives.

Select anything at random from the shops, and you are unlikely to have complaints. The products are of very high quality. If your stomach still has room after sampling the complimentary cakes, sweets and chocolates in the pastry shops, try the grilled scallops, steamed corn or ice cream from the snack vendors.

Food and shopping

The Japanese worship seafood and luxury goods. The buffet dinner at the hotel in Noboribetsu offers unlimited servings of crustacean craze - soft shell crab, hairy crab and spider crab. Throw in the compulsory sushi and sashimi and countless other dishes, hot and chilled, and you'll agree that it's a good idea to avoid the bathroom scale for the whole trip.

Over the course of three days, we savour milky soup ramen, pan-fried dumplings, shrimp rice, steamboat, do-it-yourself BBQ, among other things. The highlight has to be lunch in Sapporo. The restaurant doubles up as a fishmonger, so all the ingredients are fresh.

We have king crab, grilled abalone, grilled salmon, humongous scallops and crab miso soup. Score: 8/10.

Designer goods like Coach, Burberry, Armani and Tommy Hilfiger can be had at great discounts at two factory outlets. The ¥100 (S$1.60) shops offer unbeatable bargains for curios, household items and food.

For the discerning and well-heeled, the Daimaru departmental store at JR Tower in Sapporo houses the Burberry Blue Label for women and Burberry Black Label for men. The products are sold exclusively in Japan. The airports stock many items available in normal shops in case you forgot to buy something.

Last but not least. It's safe to visit Hokkaido. It's probably the most unpolluted place in Japan. Despite the occasional acts of God, it is an indisputable fact that Japanese have the longest life expectancy in the world.

By the way, Malaysia has fully lifted the travel advisory to Japan in November.

Hot springs in Hokkaido

By Jeffrey Ng, The Star/Asia News Network | Sat, Feb 4 2012

Hokkaido, the northernmost island in Japan, is where the Japanese flock to during the summer for its hot springs, national parks, bears and more.