Back in Edinburgh and back to school

And here they are. P3 (primary three) already! 

And ready for school. 

Japan Airlines

I love JAL. The level of service is just better. We flew out to Japan on British Airways via London Heathrow. On the way back, it was JAL via Paris CDG. In the future, I would tolerate the awfulness which is Charles de Gaulle airport, just to fly with JAL.

A menu! How civilised. 

Happy wee kids meal 

A carrot shaped as an plane brings a smile to an aeroplane obsessed boy

 Cartoons in Japanese - just the way she likes them

Cute little dish

Japanese attention to detail. Love it

The long trek home

Finally it is time to go home. And what a journey it was. 

Three and a half hour train ride from the village to Chitose (near the airport). An overnight at a hotel, before 5am rise and the 3-flight, 24 hour journey back to Edinburgh.  

Niseko train station with all our luggage.  Yikes

No shinkansen in Hokkaido yet.  A wee one carriage mountain train all the way up to Otaru.

Niseko Cheese Factory

We visited the Niseko Cheese Factory, after hearing about their delicious ice cream. They use their own camembert style cheese in the ice cream, and therefore there is a rather funky and grown up flavour to it. The kids tried it, but didn't love it.  They prefer the ice cream from the Milk Kobo up the road.  

However, we did sample some of the Niseko cheese.  Absolutely delicious! After much deliberation, we went for Momiji, 12 month aged cheese. 

Served in Japan Airlines first class.  

If it's good enough for first class, it's probably good enough for us.  

Strong, nutty, rather like an aged gouda. There was a fight over it, it was so good.  

The kids wanted more, but at equivalent of approx £50 per kilo, we only bought it once.

Niseko-cho

Some more photos of Niseko Town. Small, but charming.

Playground

There is a wee playpark in the village.  Here are some pics of the twins enjoying the space

Dinner in Hirafu

Hirafu is a small resort area, a couple of miles along the road from us.  In Winter it will be heaving, but right now it is quite quiet.  Given it's a resort area, there are loads of restaurants, cafes and bars - and even a michelin star restaurant (Kamimura).

We don't love Hirafu. I'm sure it's fab to be here in Winter as the ski conditions are said to be amazing.  But the style of some of the developments is all a bit bling bling.  I guess a lot of the investment into the area has come from Hong Kong, and so Hirafu is a 'lifestyle destination" and is quite resort-y in parts.  Luxury apartments, fancy hotels, expensive restaurants; rather incongruous to the local area.

Anyway, one Friday night we were in Hirafu to sample one of the onsen there, and stopped by in Abucha for dinner. 

Mt Yotei in background

Tables were hori-kotatsu style

Sashimi (I hardly managed to get the camera out before Rit had scoffed most of it)

Freshwater grilled shrimp - Oscar ate them heads and all, and declared them sweet and delicious

Hokkaido grilled beef with wasabi salt

Grilled chicken with karashi miso paste