Sapporo

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.

Since I arrived at New Chitose Airport after 7 PM, which was past the ticket exchange counter's opening hours, I went to Sapporo Station early the next morning to exchange my ticket. The staff were very friendly and helpful, reserving seats for me, and the efficiency was much higher than other ticket exchange counters. Using this JR Pass saved me a lot of money going to Asahikawa and Furano, and I even got to ride the Furano local train, which retired this September. A must-buy for Furano!

A pretty relaxed day following our tour guide Michelle. Pretty well planned itinerary. Very yummy lunch and inexpensive for the option. Weather was better than we expected. A very satisfying trip.