December Hokkaido 北海道 2023

With my sister's family, I had my year-end holidays in Sapporo, Hokkaido

The trip is split up into 5 nights (04-09) Sapporo, 4 nights (09-13) Club Med Sahoro and 4 nights (13-17) back in Sapporo

Of all these days, I brought the M10 with me only on 2 days of the trip. One would expect the camera to be on me most of the time. Photography, to me nowadays, is a mixed-emotion tool

Chill out and Habits

After taking "professional" photos for a good number of years, or even being a photographer, where you try your best to snap the best angle, best-framed photo, amidst all that, I realised I did not enjoy/"take in" any travel sceneries. This trip was one of my attempts to chill it out, taking the camera out with me only when I felt like it

Some habits do die-hard, though. The quest to explore different angles regardless of weather and tiredness still lives within me after all these years of pursuing photography

Otaru 小樽

Photo - Climbing up to an overhead bridge
Climbing up to an overhead bridge
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Photo - Otaru 小樽 Hokkaido 北海道
Otaru 小樽 Hokkaido 北海道
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Obviously it is not a good idea to roam around freely as I am travelling with others

Photo - After the climb and the descend
After the climb and the descend
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Photo - Making our way
Making our way
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Shoutengai 商店街

Shoutengai 商店街 in Japan is decreasing in popularity as shopping malls, and outlets are the trend nowadays. Having stayed in Japan for some years, I was witnessing the decline of these shopping districts

Photo - Silent Shopping District
Silent Shopping District
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Photo - Lunch
Lunch
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After lunch, time to head over to Otaru Canal

Summicron-M 1:2/28 ASPH.

Photo - Otaru Canal
Otaru Canal
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Having brought two lenses: Summicron-M 1:2/28 ASPH. Summilux-M 1:1.4/50 ASPH.

While testing the 28cron in Singapore, I was left with a bad aftertaste on whether I made the wrong decision to own the 28cron. Surprisingly, I was pleased with the results of the 28cron, the 50lux sat in the bag for the entire trip hibernating

Photo - 5.2c
5.2c
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Japan can be tight in certain places, but Hokkaido, in general, is wider than the major cities like Tokyo and Osaka, so the 28mm focal works well here, where most of the time, some form of scenery is in the background

Photo - Touristy Otaru Canal
Touristy Otaru Canal
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An attempt to look for churros but met with disappointment as the shop was closed. There's definitely something about the Leica or rangefinder cameras, this stranger just walks into the frame smiling.

Photo - Disappointed by the closed Churros shop
Disappointed by the closed Churros shop
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I have no idea what was the intention but I could come up with the following:

  • Fellow Singaporean (I'm not but close)
  • Love to pose for cameras
  • No Churros! Hooray!
  • Really happy to be in Japan

After our attempt to have a quick break by searching for churros, we landed up enjoying Melon flavoured ice cream that looks like santa's beard... ? (signboard translated)

Photo - Santa's beard サンタのヒゲ
Santa's beard サンタのヒゲ
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Always a challenge to focus subjects behind glass panels on the rangefinder

Photo - Taking a quick break/bite of fish cake kamaboko 蒲鉾 @ kama-ei かま栄
Taking a quick break/bite of fish cake kamaboko 蒲鉾 @ kama-ei かま栄
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Photo - Shopping for souvenirs @ Sakaimachi 堺町
Shopping for souvenirs @ Sakaimachi 堺町
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Club Med Sahoro クラブメッド北海道サホロ

The family decided to have a go at skiing, while I will stay true to snowboarding. The last time I snowboarded was over 10 years ago, time to hit the refresh beginner lessons

Disappointing Snow

Snow was disappointing. We expected snow everywhere, but that was not the case for us. One of the nights of our stay in Club Med Sahoro even had lessons cancelled due to the slopes being too icy

Snow during our check-out day

Fortunately, snow finally started pouring in on our check-out day. To make up for one of the lost days, I finally decided to take out my M10

Photo - Club Med Sahoro
Club Med Sahoro
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The Leica rangefinders are not exactly weatherproof or even have weather sealing. Having previously researched before heading to Hokkaido, most problems are condensation and battery life. The temperatures in Sahoro during our last day was -5c ~ -10c, and, the M10 lived to tell the tale

Photo - Niece having fun in the snow
Niece having fun in the snow
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Sahoro Gondola Top Station 佐幌岳

On our last day at Club Med Sahoro, the gondola finally opened up, and we decided to make use of our rarely used ski pass that was still available to us

Photo - Attempt to walk to Sahoro Resort Ski Area
Attempt to walk to Sahoro Resort Ski Area
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Photo - Cham Family
Cham Family
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And the return to Club Med Sahoro to take the shuttle bus, as there were no directions

Photo - Shuttle bus to Gondola / Sahoro Resort Ski Area
Shuttle bus to Gondola / Sahoro Resort Ski Area
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Photo - Mount Sahoro 佐幌岳 Gondola Summit ゴンドラ山頂  1000m
Mount Sahoro 佐幌岳 Gondola Summit ゴンドラ山頂 1000m
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The visibility is not great, but at least we finally see snow!

While I have been to many countries during my education days, I envy that the Japanese students get to enjoy their school trip at a ski mountain

Photo - Japanese students at Gondola Summit
Japanese students at Gondola Summit
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Photo - Groups of Japanese students at Gondola Summit
Groups of Japanese students at Gondola Summit
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On our way back from the Gondola, students from Club Med Sahoro showed up, the envy of the snow!

Photo - Shuttle Bus with Clud Med Sahoro Instructors and Students
Shuttle Bus with Clud Med Sahoro Instructors and Students
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Leica-ed back

While still trying to improve my rangefinder skills, using the M10 has slowed down my photography by many folds. Using the rangefinder does help with my so-called chill-out and “laid back” shooting style this trip; you are still looking through an optical viewfinder rather than a mirrorless EVF (absorption of the scenery)

Minimum focus distance

One of the downsides of the Leica M lenses is the minimum focus distance

After racking up some experience points with the M10, I’m beginning to miss my sold Leica Q more than before. The ability to go into macro mode at 28mm f1.7 is the best combination for a travel camera. Not forgetting the full-frame goodness

Feels great to be... home?

It's been almost 5 (pre-COVID) years since I've been to Japan

There was a grammar dilemma going on above as I was tempted to use the word "return" instead of "been"

During our in-between transportation, I've had the chance to talk to the local drivers, and it shows how much my Japanese language proficiency has dropped throughout the years. (I hold a JLPT N2 before the newly updated JLPT N5 system)

Photo - Hanging out with the shuttle bus driver
Hanging out with the shuttle bus driver
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Surprisingly, most of them still regard me as speaking with Kansai-ben 関西弁, which I'm glad stuck over the years

Thanks to hanging out with the locals during my time in Kobe and Osaka

Not close enough

Here’s to 2024 and hoping the direction is clearer as I move forward

Photo - Some directions when you are close enough
Some directions when you are close enough
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Title:

Hokkaido 2023

Excerpt:

Year-end trip to Hokkaido 2023. Shot on the M10 with Summicron-M 1:2/28 ASPH.

Posted On:

2023 Dec 27 (over 1 year ago)

Updated On:

2025 Aug 16 (14 days ago)

Topic Views: 378