| Podcast time | Every Thursday from 10:00 |
| Contact | voicesinjapan@gmail.com |
| Website access | http://podcast.voicesinjapan.com |
| Notes | Podcast is in English |
Tune in
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The masters, Ben & Burke
The podcast is great for those living in Japan (or thinking about it), traveling to Japan, or even for anyone who wants to practice their English listening skills! The podcast can be accessed on their site http://podcast.voicesinjapan.com. For more information on Voices in Japan, you can access them at https://twitter.com/voicesinjapan, https://www.facebook.com/voicesinjapan/, and on their instagram account https://www.instagram.com/voicesinjapan/. So, to learn more about Japan and to get some perspective on its deep culture, take a listen to Voices in Japan!
| Onsen Admission | ¥420 Adults ¥140 Children ¥70 Infants |
| Restaurant Pricing Guide (Avg. cost per person) | ¥600 |
| Opening Hours | 10:00 - 20:30 April - October 10:00 - 19:00 November - March |
| Closed | Tuesdays during July and August |
| Contact | 0142-66-7022 |
| Notes | Parking available Udon noodle restaurant Busy during summer months |
| Location / Getting There | Located on the east edge of Lake Toya, across from Nakatoya Hot Springs Campground 30-11 Nakatōya, Sōbetsu-chō, Usu-gun, Hokkaidō 052-0105 |
Udon Restaurant
The Rai Yumeto no Ie Onsen (meaning Dreamers House in English) is a small hot spring building located across from Nakatoya Hot Springs Campground. During the summer this onsen is a popular spot for the campers there. On the off season, its quieter and still a great place to freshen up, relax in the onsen waters, or to fill up on bowls of udon noodles at the restaurant there. The building itself has a rustic feel. The wood used to make this onsen comes from two hundred year old Finnish pine imported along the Siberian railroad and shipped across.
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Onsen foyer
The onsen has seven washrooms and is segregated. They also have hairdryers, shampoo, body soap available. Towels are also available to purchase and there is a massage machine that can be used. Everything to clean up and relax. There is a small udon restaurant in the building. Here you can order a variety of hot udon noodle dishes which will satisfy hungry customers. The onsen also has information and pamphlets on what to do around the Toya area, so it acts as a tourist site as well!
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 17:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-598-2012 http://jozankei.jp/en/ |
| Notes | Small museum Information service |
| Location / Getting There | Located in the center of Jozankei. 〒061-2302 Hokkaidō, Sapporo-shi, Minami-ku, Jōzankeionsenhigashi, ３丁目225 |
Small museum
Jozankei is a beautiful mountain town that is famous for its hot springs. Up in the mountains, it is a popular destination spot that is frequented by both tourists and locals. Besides the onsens (hot springs), there are plenty of activities to see and do. It is here at the Jozankei Sight Seeing Information Center, that you can not only get some more information on the town of Jozankei, but there is a small museum in the building as well. The building is on the main road, right by a bus stop so it’s easy to find. The staff at the desk have English skills and are eager to help, they can give you information on events around Jozankei plus bus times!
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| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 9:15 - 20:00 9:15 - 17:00 weekends & national holidays |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-512-7320 |
| Notes | Free parking available Lockers available Restaurant at library Gallery on 1st floor Foreign books available |
| Location / Getting There | Library is directly across from the street car station 'Chuotoshokan-Mae' which is 23 minutes from Tanukikoji station. 13 chome-1-1 No.1 Minami 22 Jōnishi, Chūō-ku, Sapporo-shi, Hokkaidō 064-0922 |
The culture center entrance
If you are looking for a place to find some literature, to do some study, relax on the grounds, or to check out some art or cultural artifacts, then the Sapporo Central Library will help all your needs! The library is made up of four floors, including a basement floor. Once inside, you can find the entrance to the Maizo Culture Center in the main foyer. The culture center has great exhibitions which are held throughout the year. The exhibition room is free to enter. There is also a small coffee shop, where you can sit and relax.
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Study time
The library itself, whether it be for study, reading or research, is on the first two floors. If you live, work, or are a student in Sapporo, you can get a library card to borrow materials. You need to bring one piece of identification with your current name on it. Upon receiving your free library card, you may start borrowing books from any municipal library in Sapporo. Children under age 12 are not required to bring any piece of identification to get a library card. You can borrow all loan items, including books, magazines, CDs, DVDs and videos, without fee.
Views from the park of the surrounding mountains.
If you forget your library card, you can borrow books and other items by showing your name and address. Newspapers, foreign magazines, reference books, maps and atlases (marked [館内]) may be used only within the library. What makes the Sapporo Central Library a nice place to visit is not only the library itself, but the broad park that lies behind the building. There are paths and benches, which makes for the perfect spot to sit in the sun and read a good book. You can find some tranquility here in the city.
Soba noodles
You will find most of the window seating inside the library has views over the park. Here you can also read, or have a coffee and unwind. Lastly, if you happen to be having a long day at the library and wouldn’t mind a spot of lunch, then the basement floor one will suit your needs. It is here, the library has a small tea and lunch house. Prices range from a very affordable ￥350 to ￥500. They have curries, ramen, and noodles and salads for which to enjoy. The restaurant seating also faces the park, making for a pleasant spot to eat.
| Basement floor | Restaurant & tea room |
| 1st floor | Exhibition room. Geography, social science, language, medicine, childrens book, literature, art, science, religion, philosophy, biology, sports. |
| 2nd floor | Magazines, audio visual material, foreign books, maps, internet corner, newspapers |
| 3rd floor | Auditorium, meeting room, directors office |
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 17:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0166-94-3355 |
| Notes | Wifi available Parking - 165 vehicles Coffee shop & restaurant Restrooms (wheelchair access) Park golf Shopping area |
| Location / Getting There | It takes about 20 minutes by car from JR Biei Station. A 2 and a half hour drive from Sapporo. Shirogane, Biei, Kamikawa District, Hokkaido 071-0235 |
Huge park area next to facilities
Whilst on the road and taking in the sightseeing spots in Biei, the Biei Shirokanebiruke Roadside Station is a nice spot to have a rest, do some shopping, grab a bite to eat, or to enjoy the park and its facilities. The rest area is just down the road from the Blue Pond, and also the Kaiku Kiln Museum, which are some good spots to visit while in Biei. There are about half a dozen new buildings at the site, which is surrounded by a large park that incorporates a park golf course.
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Souvenir shop
Besides the park golf course, you can find restrooms here for some relief. For those looking for a quick bite to eat, there is a nice little hamburger shop called Between the Bread. Here you can eat inside their restaurant, or have lunch in the park. The park is full of sculptures and there is a table tennis table plus some instruments(interestingly), and seating. The other buildings include a souvenir shop that has information about Biei and the surrounding areas, plus an ice-cream shop, and a North Face outdoor equipment store.
| Pricing Guide | ￥300- ￥500 |
| Opening Hours | All day |
| Closed | - |
| Notes | System is in Japanese |
| Location / Getting There | Multiple locations |
Where can you wash your car in Sapporo? For automobile owners, or for rentals, there are two ways to give your car or bike a good wash if you don’t have the room (or the time) at your residence. The first, and more expensive, is at the gas stations where you can sit back and have a coffee. The second, and more economical option is at the self service car wash stations that are dotted around Hokkaido. Each station has about 3 to 5 car bays with a heavy duty water spray and a machine to select the washing course.
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Spray machine
About the same size an ATM, the water spray machines are green or blue but they do the same thing. There are 6 washing courses to choose from and they are pretty simple to use. There is a simple water wash, a soap wash, and a wax course and they last from 5 to 10 minutes. Simply follow the three steps:
1. Place your money into the machine.
2. Choose which course you want and push the button. This symbol 押
3. Pick up the water spray and then press the start button
The standard course, is a water wash, a soap wash, then a water rinse. The long course is the same but longer for a large vehicle. The spray machines are in Japanese, for a translations in English, please see the image below.
