Japan - Day 4 - Okurayama Ski Jump and Lake Shikotsu

Sunday, October 16, 2016  Mt. Okura, Shikotsu-Toya National Park

Today was a long-anticipated, special day for us . . . but I'll explain about that later. For now, our first stop was Okurayama Ski Jump which we visited the last time we were in Hokkaido.  You can check out that visit here. 







We were so fortunate to be able to witness skiers practicing while we were there.  We were told that it's a rare occurrence. 




The view from the top was misty and not too spectacular, but we didn't mind. Mostly we were anxious to get on to Lake Shikotsu.


One of the main reasons that we picked this particular tour to go on was because it was going to Lake Shikotsu, the home of Sweetie's all-time favorite ramen . . . a seafood ramen. I wrote about it here. She talked about it often and dreamed of being able to taste it once again. 

It became apparent though that even though we were going to the lake, all of the stars still needed to align just right for Sweetie's dream to come true. 

Lake Shikotsu is huge, and our tour group needed to go to the same location that we had been to the last time. Also, the restaurant needed to still be in business, and we weren't really positive about that. And then, we needed to be there at a time when the restaurant would be open, and we needed to be given enough time to order and eat. 

After talking to our tour guide, we found out that we would be at the lake at around 11:00 a.m. . . . but it wasn't going to be a scheduled lunch stop. Instead the plan was for the group to go down to the lake to take some photos and to meet back at the bus in 40 minutes. Okay . . . good so far . . .

As the bus pulled into the parking lot, I whispered excitedly to Sweetie, "This is IT. THIS IS THE SAME PLACE!!!" 

We quickly exited the bus. I hurriedly told the tour guide, who knew of our plan, that we would be back at the bus in 40 minutes. And then we ran. 


We ran all the way to the restaurant. It was still there. And it was open!



This ordering machine is new.  It wasn't there before. 


Sweetie, who got there before me, searched the selections.


And found what she wanted . . . No. 8 . . . Scallop Butter Ramen.


As we settled into the exact seats that we had sat at before, an emotional Sweetie began to realize . . . that the nearly impossible was about to happen. 


She was gonna get to eat her favorite ramen again. Yipppeeee!!!


The ramen was delicious. Sweetie said that except for a change in a few of the ingredients, it was just as she had remembered.

After lunch we even had enough spare time to go to the Visitor Center restroom and try to recreate one of our favorite photos from two years prior . . . 


but missing two other sistahs.