【Prompt of Happiness】⑯

Chapter 58: Third Day of the Hokkaido Trip

On the third day, I hopped on my Harley, leaving the hustle and bustle of Sapporo behind. The journey to the quiet and beautiful Furano began with a drive of about 2 hours and 10 minutes along the highway. The sound of the engine became a pleasant rhythm, and the road gradually opened up. In the hilly areas of Furano, lavender fields and colorful flowers spread out along the roadside, delighting the eyes. The sensation of the scenery flowing by slowly in sync with the speed of the bike felt as if time had stopped.
“What an amazing view, Maya.” “There’s something special about beautiful scenery that spreads out in the silence, isn’t there?” When I said that over the intercom, Maya leaned her body tightly against my back and said, “You’re right, it’s truly a wonderful view. Riding on the bike like this is also fresh and fun.”
As the sound of the Harley’s engine echoed through the quiet countryside, the two of us fully enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Furano. The scent of lavender fields and flowers colored the road, and a landscape like a painting spread out before us. In the middle of the sprawling lavender fields, the scent of flowers drifted pleasantly at Farm Tomita. Its name resonates in the hearts of many as synonymous with lavender tourism.
“Well, I’m looking forward to the lavender soft-serve ice cream. It’s a long line, but it seems like we can enjoy the wait too,” I said. “That’s true, I’m sure it’ll be worth the wait,” Maya said, filled with anticipation. While waiting in line, the two of us spent the time smiling, our expectations for the lavender soft-serve growing. The moment we had been waiting for arrived, and when I took a bite, the scent of lavender spread throughout my mouth. The pleasant sweetness enveloped my tongue, and a feeling of happiness spread through my whole body. “This is really delicious! The scent of lavender fills my mouth,” Maya said after taking a bite. “It was worth the wait. It’s the best to be able to taste this along with this scenery,” we said, looking at each other. The time spent at Farm Tomita in Furano, along with the delicious soft-serve, became something deeply etched in our hearts.
After passing through the scenic land of Furano and traveling for 30 minutes, the charming landscape of Biei spread out. The view was like something from a fantastical world, making one feel the breath of nature. In Biei, the Blue Pond and the beautiful hilly landscape welcomed us. “The scenery in Biei is truly wonderful,” Maya said. “It really is, it’s like a different world. The Blue Pond is also very mysterious, and this view is moving,” I replied. Since our helmets have intercoms, we can talk while riding. Along with the sound of the bike’s engine, while being enveloped in the natural beauty of Biei, the two of us continued down the road. The Blue Pond and the beautiful hilly landscapes appeared one after another, and our hearts were captivated by their beauty.
“Looking at this scenery, my heart feels very calm. Being in nature gives you a special feeling, doesn’t it?” Maya’s voice came through the intercom. “You’re right, nature is truly wonderful. It’s nice to feel like you’re one with nature while riding the bike like this,” I replied, and she leaned her body even closer to me. While fully enjoying the scenery of Biei, the two of us spent a pleasant time. I felt as if new discoveries and excitement were waiting for us as we touched upon the beauty of nature.
The two of us were standing on a farm road running through the gentle hills, looking out from Hokusei-no-oka Observatory Park. Crops of different colors were scattered along the roadside, looking just like a large patchwork quilt. “Hey, the scenery around here is really beautiful,” Maya said. “It really is, it’s like a world inside a painting. They say this farm road is called the ‘Patchwork Road’,” I said, looking out over the scenery. I continued, “Indeed, the colorful fields are magnificent. This is a famous place where the commercials for the Ken and Mary Tree and Mild Seven Hill were filmed.” The two of us enjoyed our conversation while looking at the Patchwork Road, surrounded by beautiful scenery. “This view is truly wonderful, isn’t it?” I agreed with her words, watching the beautiful scenery of Furano and Biei as the sun set. “Yes, I’ve always wanted to come here. It was the place I wanted to visit most in Hokkaido.” I felt as if her words were filled with deep emotion. I felt happy to have been able to share the moment her dream came true.
As the wind blew pleasantly, we were riding our bike on the road toward Asahiyama Zoo. “I’m looking forward to Asahiyama Zoo tomorrow,” I said, and she replied over the intercom. “Me too. Where should we stay tonight?” I pondered her question, but after a while, an idea struck me. We decided to stay at a roadside love hotel on the way. The bath was spacious, and the room facilities were luxurious, yet the price was surprisingly reasonable.
We decided to have dinner before going to the hotel. When I asked, “What would you like for dinner?”, she replied, “I want ramen.” Her special love for ramen came through. We parked the bike at a roadside ramen shop and went inside. Sitting at the counter of the ramen shop, the scent of warm ramen drifted over. “The ramen smells good, doesn’t it?” she said, looking at the menu. While her eyes were looking at the types of ramen, I watched her joy happily.
After finishing our meal, we headed to the love hotel. When the door opened at the entrance, a glamorous lobby welcomed us. She pressed the room number she had chosen with her finger, and we took the elevator to the room. Inside the elevator, we were filled with anticipation, wearing slightly shy smiles.
When we opened the room door, we were greeted by a room decorated with sophisticated interior design and luxurious facilities. She seemed unable to hide her excitement, making a fuss over the luxurious space. “Wow, this room is amazing! I can’t believe we can stay in such a wonderful place,” she said, cheering. When we entered the room, there was a bath equipped with a large jet tub, and she said with a look of surprise, “This is amazing!”, showing a happy smile. We decided to take a bath together in the jet tub while relaxing with each other. She seemed to really like the love hotel.

Chapter 59: Fourth Day of the Hokkaido Trip

On the fourth day, we left the hotel in Asahikawa City and spent the morning at Asahiyama Zoo. Within the vast grounds, we spent a healing time walking around and seeing various animals.
At the “Penguin House,” when we entered the 360-degree underwater tunnel, a mysterious sight spread out as if the penguins were flying in the sky. Maya was excited and cheered, “Look, that penguin, isn’t it amazing! It looks like it’s swimming in the air!” When we stepped into the “Seal House,” the sight of seals swimming gracefully in the tank jumped into view. Maya cheered excitedly, “Seals, they’re cute!” standing in front of the tank. I stood next to her and replied with a smile, “You’re right, they’re very cute.” While watching the seals relaxing in the tank in a leisurely posture, I also became interested in the design of the enclosure, which was modeled after a Hokkaido port. “It’s rare to see seals spending their time in such a relaxed way, so this is precious,” I said, and we etched that scene into our hearts.
When we stepped into the “Polar Bear House,” the sight of a polar bear swimming powerfully in a vast pool jumped into view. Maya said with a look of surprise and emotion, “That big polar bear, it’s so impressive!” I also admired its magnificent figure next to her and exclaimed, “It’s truly amazing. That powerful swimming seems to shine with the instincts they have living in nature.” Many visitors around us seemed overwhelmed by the dynamic swimming of the polar bears and captivated by their intensity.
When we stepped into the “Big Cat House,” powerful lions, Amur tigers, snow leopards, and Amur leopards were being kept. Maya said with a voice of wonder, “The power of that lion is truly overwhelming!” I agreed with her words and replied, “That’s right, you can feel the power of the wild to a magnificent degree. The structure of the cages is also ingenious, and it’s wonderful that you can observe the animals from various angles.” In the cages, the lions stood with dignity, the Amur tigers walked around gracefully, and the snow leopards and Amur leopards exuded a unique atmosphere. The presence of these animals overwhelmed the visitors and gave them a deep sense of emotion.
In the afternoon, we left Asahiyama Zoo and decided to head to Wakkanai via Rumoi. On the way, we passed through a road called the Ororon Line, and I was surprised that the road itself was a highlight. The scenery where the grasslands, sea, and sky spread out was as beautiful as a painting. In particular, the group of windmills seen at the Sarobetsu Plain and the Otonrui Wind Power Station was a sight that gave one a mysterious feeling.
“This scenery is truly wonderful, isn’t it?” Maya nodded with a big smile. “You’re right, it’s the best trip to be able to touch such natural beauty,” I replied. While agreeing with those words, we continued on the road to Wakkanai. Silence spread around us, and the scent of the sea drifted pleasantly. The view of Rishiri Fuji in the distance was like something out of a painting.
“This view is truly beautiful. Being in such nature, I feel like my heart is being cleansed,” Maya sighed deeply. “You’re right, looking at this beautiful scenery makes my heart calm,” I smiled. While smiling at those words, I continued on the road toward Wakkanai. The road to Wakkanai while looking at Rishiri Fuji became a wonderful drive surrounded by magnificent nature.
After a long tour lasting seven and a half hours, we arrived in Wakkanai. The day’s journey left a deep impression on my heart, along with wonderful scenery full of highlights.

To be continued