Mt Moiwa

On our last day in Sapporo we bundled up and headed to hike and explore nearby mountain. The weather was very overcast with expected snow so we weren't sure how much we would be able to see and do. After a short streetcar ride, we arrived at the base of Mt. Moiwa. Most of the hiking trails are closed for the season so we took a rail car up to the summit.

Snow coming in...

There is a large observation deck at the summit. An area marked as "Lover's Sanctuary" had hundred of locks. (Interesting that some of the locks still had the keys attached. What symbolism were they expressing?).

Walk right over the guard rail....

Standing on ~ 12 feet of snow.

We walked around the summit for a bit but soon the clouds rolled in and we couldn't see more than a few feet in front of our feet. So we decided to visit the restaurant inside and try the last Hokkaido specialty on our list: curry soup. I love Japanese curry. It is phenomenal. So when I read that Sapporo makes a special spicy curry soup, I added it to the must-list for our short trip. It did not disappoint. The soup had that excellent curry flavor with a spicy punch. It was served with spicy Hokkaido rice.

With chicken

With prawn and shrimp

We spent a while enjoying the warmth and watching the storm take over more and more of our view. Finally, we made the return journey back to our hotel.

Definitely a chilly day, but being in the middle of a windy snowstorm was a new experience!