We started out our ten day trip with two nights in Sapporo where we visited the famous annual Sapporo Ice Festival. Some of the sculptures were really amazing; intricate and very detailed. Check out more photos on our Flickr site.
We also sampled some of the local delicacies.

We had a Gengis Khan BBQ, a hit plate with lamb, vegies and a special sauce.


We ate sushi with a view overlooking Otaru. People say that really fresh sushi melts in your mouth, well this didn't melt as such but it was damn gooooooood.


We also had Sapporo Ramen, a flavor that is distinct to up here. This one was butter corn Ramen.


Something that I found out last year when I was in Niseko was the Niseko Komekichi Rice Ball Family Restaurant, tucked under the Gondola lift. They are by far the cheapest and best restaurant on the mountain. What else do you need when snowboarding in Japan?


We went to one good restaurant which had an indoor rock climbing wall in it! The food was awesome too... the hamburger i had literally melted in my mouth...


Here's one neat bar. You enter through a fridge door...


And finally, I'll finish this post with a photo of Jen's new haircut, the Snowfro.