Day 5 – to Asahikawa

We’re to spend the next couple of nights in Asahikawa, and boy does it snow properly there! By the time we arrive and get checked-in it’s getting dark, meaning another dinner before 6pm.

A lot of things are closed so we’re a bit stuck for options at this point. We make the trek a couple of km through the falling snow to get to Bikkuri Donkey, a family restaurant chain that I’ve seen before but never been to, always amused. It’s kitschy, in that weird way that Japan loves to replicate the American diner aesthetic. In any case the food is good and not too badly priced in the end, about 1700 yen each.

Something interesting I noticed, some patches of road have heated sections to prevent snow and ice buildup, kind of like the demister in your car. It’s a clever feature but obviously uses a lot of electricity. It’s not entirely clear how they choose which sections of road need it most, possibly just on inclines near intersections.

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It’s up to you to decide whether you like Something in your coffee

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Funky showerhead looks like the Sydney 2000 Olympic torch

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This snow is much more fun that what you (rarely) get in Tokyo. It turns to slush instantly there, but here it makes lovely soft drifts of snow

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I should be yodelling

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Adrian loves plain white rice

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The decor at Bikkuri Donkey is… interesting. Old Americana, but not Route 66

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I’ve been curious about this place since forever, having seen it in a bunch of places in Japan – the name literally means Surprised Donkey

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A small heated stretch of road, it’s like an electric blanket to prevent snow and ice from forming there

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A little Christmas tree near our hotel