Hokkaido

This time I participated in a one-day tour with friends on July 14. Before the trip, I was worried that the trip would be boring because of the cloudy and occasionally rainy weather. Our group has about 20 people, it is a multi-country comprehensive tour, but the tour guide Xiao Hong is very good, using Chinese and English very detailed but not lengthy introduction to the classics and history of Hokkaido, will even in advance with you in advance of the next attraction interesting experience and photos, even the ranking of the food ice cream recommended by Xiao Hong is really very suitable for me and my friends. There was also assistance in fine-tuning the trip time along the way, which also made me feel that the tour guide Xiao Hong was considering the tour members so that everyone could enjoy these beautiful scenery as much as possible in the limited time. The day trip started with a light rain and cloudy day at Platinum Clear Pond, then to a sudden heavy rain at White Beard Falls, then a sunny sun, and finally to see the fragrant lavender in full bloom at Tomita Farm. This trip was really great. Next time I would like to take my family with me to participate in such a day trip again. Thank you to my fellow tour partners. I am also very grateful to the interesting and courteous tour guide Xiao Hong for allowing me to spend a wonderful day trip with my friends.

Visiting in mid-July, every attraction was crowded. Shikisai-no-oka boasts a variety of flowers; visiting around midday, although hot, the sunlight was perfect for photos. I recommend walking in without a tow truck. The souvenir selection here was the most abundant of the day, though it's a pity we didn't have time to explore more. The time spent at Blue Pond and Shirahige Falls was just right. Remember to buy a soda ice cream and take a photo by the pond before it melts, then enjoy it while admiring the blue lake. The afternoon sunlight wasn't as strong, so the photos didn't have high contrast. At Farm Tomita, be sure to try the cantaloupe and pineapple bread. Lavender products are generally similar, but the shop near the cantaloupe bread has some unique souvenirs. The lavender fields weren't as dense or as purple as they appeared, perhaps due to the reduced sunlight, but strolling through the fields was still very pleasant. The guide's explanations in Chinese were quite good; having a general idea of the destination before getting off the bus made the visit easier. Also, be sure to cooperate with time management. Finally, we returned to Sapporo Station close to 7 pm.

The shop isn't very big, and when we arrived there were already 7-8 foreigners inquiring, so it was a bit crowded. Although we waited a while, the front desk was quite efficient. It was my first time interacting with the pigs in person, and the pigs were all very cute. The staff helped assign pigs, so basically everyone could interact with at least one pig. The staff also asked if we wanted to pay for a Polaroid photo. Since it was a rare opportunity to experience this, we definitely had to take one. You can get an instant discount by sharing the shop on Instagram or writing a review on Google. Additionally, drinks are self-service, so it's recommended to get your drink before sitting down, otherwise the piglets will fall asleep on your lap and won't be able to get up. Finally, I'd like to mention that although the experience was very enjoyable and unique, and the store explained the terms and conditions, saying that the piglets' safety was the top priority, we were a little worried that the store might be deliberately feeding the piglets very small portions to prevent them from urinating or defecating easily. Many of the piglets were very thin, almost skin and bones, and one or two of them even had small scabbed wounds. Also, the store's hours were in short bursts, and we were worried that the piglets didn't get enough rest and food. We hope that the store can truly treat the piglets well, instead of just using them as tools to make money and extract as much profit as possible.

The driver was polite, attentive, the car was clean, and he drove steadily.

The zoo had many animals, and my daughter had a great time. There were penguins, polar bears, and many other animals that aren't found in Taiwan. We got very close to the animals, which was a very special experience.