A group of seven of us from the RSGC – Tengku Ariez, Adelene, Faiz, Shurin, my loving family, Mazbar, and Ziqri made a short tour of Hokkaido in the spring of this year organised by a fellow RSGC Buaya Dr Fadzil. We were welcomed at the New Chitose Airport by Dr Fadzil and Mori san (a former senior Japan PGA professional golfer) who drove us to check in at the luxurious Pacific View Villa in Tomakomai, our home for the week with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean in front and the majestic Tarumae Mountain lording over us at the back. We were also greeted by a herd of wild deer from the neighbouring park. We were told that the tour will include a few rounds of golf, some sightseeing, lots of “makan-makan’ and of course shopping!
At the Hokkaido Golf Club in Tomakomai
GOLF
Golf was first on the itinerary! From the plane to the golf course, no time wasted. Refreshed by a light breakfast, we donned our golfing attire, eager to tee off and experience Hokkaido’s golf courses. We had three rounds of golf planned, starting with the Tarumae Golf Club. Located about a 5-minute drive away from the Pacific View Villa the scenic beauty of the Tarumae Golf Course took our breath away, and Shurin and I even spotted a fox! Next was Hokkaido Golf Club in Tomakomai, Hokkaido, renowned for its well-maintained greens and fairways. It boasts two 18-hole courses:
Playing in the rain at Emina East Golf Course
The Lion and The Eagle. The Lion course offers a fun challenge with intense elevation changes, while The Eagle course is a links course with unique challenges from its numerous ponds. What I loved most was the bunker sand—so forgiving due to the volcanic soil probably – it made me feel like a pro getting out of those tricky spots. The last round of golf was at the Emina East Course. The Emina Golf Course has four 18-hole courses, the biggest golf course in Hokkaido. We, the ladies, decided to give this game a miss and asked Mori san to take us shopping in Sapporo instead. The boys—Doc Fadzil, Mazbar, Tengku Ariez, and Faiz had a wet day of golf, complete with wind and cold temperatures.
Tg Ariez teeing off at the Tarumae Country Club
TOUR
Sapporo, a city that seamlessly blends natural beauty with cultural richness, left an indelible mark on me. From experiencing Sapporo’s springtime Sakura flowers to the majestic Lake Shikotsuko, a volcanic marvel famed for its February Ice Festival, every corner offered a new discovery. Even the charming port city of Otaru with its historic and romantic canal surprised me. The Makomanai Takino Cemetery, the largest in Hokkaido, defied my expectations of a cemetery with its unique memorials and scenic grounds, the replicas of Maoi statues, the Stonehenge and the Buddha Hill with its reflection pool and a summer lavender bloom. The Shiraoi Koibito Chocolate Factory, a Willy Wonka-esque wonderland, was a delightful indulgence that brought out the kid in us again.
Easter Island Maoi Statues at the Makomanai Memorial
FOOD
Our days were filled with food, ice cream, and shopping – it’s hard to decide where to begin! First was the ice cream; everywhere we went, it was a must-have. It was mouthwatering and delicious. Tengku Ariez, can you agree more? Our food hunting started with the legendary Genghis Khan lamb BBQ at the Sapporo Beer Museum, an eat-all-you-can feast for 2 hours with a free-flow of Sapporo beer, which was a highlight. What more could you ask for? It was a true food and beer marathon! Then, we were taken to a hidden gem in the woods of Niki, a home restaurant owned by a husband-and-wife team that specialises in cold soba and tempura of seasonal vegetables.
Otaru Street
The soba was so delicious that I had to order seconds. We went to two fish markets – one of them, the Port Tomakomai fish market, we indulged ourselves in fresh sashimi, oysters, uni, ikura, crab meat and Tomakomai’s signature hoki kare (clam curry rice). On another day we were taken to the neighbouring Shiraoi fish market where the crab tempura rice bowl was out of this world. We also had a treat of the Shiraoi Tenderloin beef steak at the BiBi Log Cabin in nearby Chitose – the beef melts in your mouth. On our last day, we visited Mount Usu and stopped at a wagyu farm for an amazing wagyu burger, and the list of delights goes on! I better stop writing about food; my tummy is rumbling.
Sakura at the Tarumae Country Club in Hokkaido
The best part of all is shopping! Mitsui Outlet Park, Golf 5, Victoria Golf, Aeon Mall, 2nd Street, and more—you can never go wrong when you’re shopping with great buddies like Adelene, Doc Fareeda, Raena, and especially Shurin, our shopping goddess (who even brought an empty luggage bag to fill up with her shopping loot). Adelene is an expert in branded items, some of which have names I can’t pronounce. Doc Fareeda is the cool one, and for the latest trends, just ask Raena.
BiBi Log Cabin Steakhouse in Chitose
Sapporo, with its pristine cleanliness, stress-free ambiance, safety, and cultural diversity, is a destination I’ll eagerly return to next year. The culinary delights are a bonus to the joy of being surrounded by wonderful travel companions. As the saying goes, “Travel is the best test of friendship,” and I was indeed fortunate to journey with Doc Fadzil, Doc Fareeda, Mori san, Rastam, Raena, Tengku Ariez, Adelene, Faiz, Shurin, my beloved husband Mazbar, and my pride and joy Ziqri.
Heartfelt thanks to all for the unforgettable memories.
Arigato gozaimasu and Sayonara!!
