A photo of Hokkaido Shrine that was taken by me was leased to be used as a Sapporo feature in the December-January 2010 issue of Aspire, Hong Kong Airlines’ in-flight magazine.

1. Globetrotter Sapporo
Snowy
You’re forgiven for thinking a subdued fare at the mentioning of
the Japanese New Year, with reticence and gentleness being the
people’s distinctive characteristics. As a seasoned traveller you’d
hate to be limited by stereotypes, so go explore. Being just six
hours of flight time away is the perfect reason for you to experience
Greetings
a same same but different New Year in Sapporo.
The Japanese New Year, or Shogatsu, is traditionally the first
three days of January. Although people nowadays don’t decorate
their household as much, traditional New Year’s decorations can
still be seen. Kadomatsu is the arrangement of three erected sticks
of bamboo to welcome the Toshinogami, the New Year God. On
the other hand, the huge bundle of rice straw ropes hung on the
雪國的新年
brim of temples and shrines is called Shimenawa, which indicates
a sacred space within, and deters evil spirits. But the most common
ornamental object has to be the Kagamimochi, literally ‘mirror rice
cake’, where two to three layers of rice cakes are placed on top of
each other. Come 11 January, also known as Kagami-biraki no Hi
(Mirror Opening Day), the kagamimochi is hammered into pieces
and served with red bean paste soup.
Another tradition the Japanese honour as much as the
kagamimochi is Hatsumode. Nowhere other than the temples and
shrines can you find more Japanese people on the first three days
of the New Year, where they, like the Chinese, make wishes and
日本人向以注重禮儀見稱，但日本的新年可絕不文靜！短短數小時
的航程，便能由香港抵達北海道最大城市札幌，尋訪與別不同的異
國新年之味。
日本的新年稱為「正月」，泛指1月的首三天。札幌人的家居
內，一般會飾以傳統的賀年裝飾品「門松」。門松是以三支直豎 You may have heard about their
綠竹為一束的擺設，配上鮮艷的紅果子、松針葉和金扇子，用來歡
迎「年神」，就像中國人的插花一樣，喜氣洋洋中帶點禪意。在寺
spectacular Snow Festival and bountiful
院和廟宇的入口處，則會掛上以稻穗編成辮子的「注連繩」，用以 hot spring resorts. You may even have
表示內裏是神聖之地、驅趕邪靈。少不了的還有日本人的年糕「鏡
made it a to-do to revisit that Ishikari-
餅」，這種三層高的白色塔形米糕，會擺放至1月11日的「鏡開之
日」，當天，家家戶戶都會槌碎鏡餅，以紅豆湯煮開，一家人甜甜 nabe restaurant. But you may
蜜蜜地一起享用。 not know how people in
就像中國人的農曆新年一樣，札幌人會在正月前往廟宇祈福，這
習俗稱為「初詣」。來到寺廟，誠心燒香後，您可買一個平安符，
Sapporo celebrate the New Year.
也可求一張問卜的「御神籤」。若籤文預測到不順利也不要緊， 冰雪節、滑雪場還是石狩鍋？……
只要把籤紙綑到樹上去，便能把不好的事情送走。最值得參觀的寺
讓我們告訴您更多札幌新年的獨特好去處。
廟，當數円山公園內的「北海道神宮」。它位於景色優美的円山原
始森林山麓，已有139年歷史，廟內供奉北海道「開拓三神」及後 Text 文：TC Li
來的明治天皇，並種着充滿靈氣的百年參天老樹，每年正月都有逾
百萬人前來，熱鬧非常。即便過了正月，新年的熱鬧繼續。札幌的
1月和2月總是白雪紛飛，森林內的円山動物園，讓您可於皚皚白雪
Photo: Stephanie Boegeman
中與長頸鹿和北極熊見面，跟動物園的「熱帶」形象截然不同。
此時也是泡溫泉的最佳時節，不妨前往四面環山、被札幌人稱為
「後花園」的定山溪溫泉之城。城內共有廿來個溫泉館，源源不斷
的鹽化物泉不但暖和了冰冷的手足，更具備天然的美容和治療皮膚
損傷功效。泡過溫泉，定山溪的自然環境，更叫您讚嘆不已。定山
源泉公園以春櫻、夏葵、秋楓、冬泉聞名；您可坐在足浴亭的長椅
42 Dec 2010/Jan 2011 Aspire 優遊 Aspire 優遊 Dec 2010/Jan 2011 43

2. Globetrotter Sapporo
enough to lure you out of the comfort of your hot spring paradise.
Head to the Jyozangensen Park, credited for its green design,
and appreciate the splendour of the snow-capped mountains
while treating yourself to the few foot hot springs inside the park.
It doesn’t take a very discerning mind to see the Japanese’s
love of beer. That the vending machines at hot spring outlets are
stocked up on beers means it’s a drink to be gulped down after
a hot spring bath. Hop on a bus that takes you to downtown
Sapporo, where the Sapporo Beer Garden is. Built in 1890, the
red brick structure remains largely intact, with ivy festooning its
outside walls. Like that distinctive aroma of the liquid gold, just
as welcoming is the firewood-lined walls and fireplace inside the
beer hall, not to mention the century-old, massive cauldron that
stands from floor to ceiling. Order the Hokkaido dish of Genghis
Khan – mutton slices cooked on a dome-shaped hot plate, whose
resemblance of a Mongolian helmet possibly inspired the moniker 3.
– and wash it down with premium draft beers like the Sapporo Five 4.
Star. The restaurants also cater to non-meat eaters with a menu of
crab dishes.
Better still, wait till the morning when the stalls at Nijyo Market
display the freshest marine catch on racks and make-shift
1.
Styrofoam booths. From salmon, Japanese hairy crab and sea
urchin to Hokkaido’s own vegetable produce of potato and Yubari
honeydew melon, the 60-odd shops are the answer to your
Our Flight
港航行程 insatiable appetite for great food. On the periphery of the Nijyo
2.
Market are a number of eateries that dish up scrumptious local
Hong Kong Express 1. The Odori Park, with the Sapporo TV Tower marking its eastern boundary.
operates four flights per 屹立在大通公園東面的札幌電視塔，與公園一樣是市內的重要地標。 dishes, such as soup curry and Ishikari-nabe, a hot pot of salmon
week to Sapporo. 2. The Sapporo Shrine, with the New Year decoration shimenawa hung on the brim at its main entrance to
香港快運每周四班航班 slices, tofu and other vegetables in a soup made with konbu and
fend off evil spirits.
往返香港 – 札幌。 miso.
北海道神宮正門於正月掛上以稻穗編成辮子的「注連繩」，以驅趕邪靈。 Photo: Ronald Tan
Another spot not to be missed when travelling in Sapporo is the
www.hongkongairlines.com
Odori Park. Spanning over an area of 78,901m2, the park is 1.5km
buy omamori (charms) and the omikuji, a written oracle that offers 上，邊挑望披雪群山遠景，邊享受暖洋洋的足浴、與友人悠閒地聊 of green strip in the city centre, hence it has long been the venue of
4.
prediction of the near future. If you so unfortunately receive an 天，誠為人生一大樂事。 exciting events throughout the year. If you stay long enough, you’ll
unpleasant prediction, do it like the Japanese and tie it onto a tree 很多日本人都愛在泡溫泉後來一杯啤酒，在以啤酒馳名的札幌， make it to the Sapporo Snow Festival, to be held on 7-13 February.
so that you can hopefully rid your future of the bad luck. For a feel 您又怎能錯過？在充滿節慶氣氛的新年，乘巴士到札幌市中心，您 Among the better known events held at the Odori Park, and a
The Shogatsu Menu
of such festivity, the Hokkaido Shrine is where you’ll want to be. 定能找到最具代表性的札幌啤酒園。札幌啤酒園建於1890年，紅 world-famous snow festival on its own, the Sapporo Snow Festival 新年の味
features ice and snow sculptures by deft hands from all over the A glimpse of the Japanese table on New Year’s Day
Tucked away in the Maruyama Park, the shrine was built in 1871 磚小屋外爬滿長春藤，內裏有標誌性的彩色玻璃木格窗、銅色的壁 一嚐東瀛新年的味道！
to house the three deities of the Hokkaido reclamation and later 爐和天花板高的巨型大汽鍋，人們圍在拱形的烤爐旁，興高采烈 world, which explain the sheer number of visitors every year. And
you’ll be one of them, now that you’re in the know. • Toshikoshi soba: a soba dish eaten on New Year’s Eve. As tradition
the soul of Emperor Meiji. 地吃着北海道名菜──成吉思汗烤肉。為何以蒙古大汗命名已不可 goes, one must finish the whole soba dish to bid goodbye to the misfortune in
While you’re in the area, stop by the Maruyama Zoo, which 考，但吃烤肉是札幌人與家人或好友聚會的必點菜式，熱燙的羊肉 the past year in order for better things to come in the New Year.
霓虹燈、儼如置身德國的白色聖誕和新年。若打算在春節到訪，更 • Toso: an alcoholic drink believed to rid the new year of evil spirits and bless it
opens all year round, except the three days to New Year’s Eve. 片配以啤酒園獨家釀造的冰凍純生啤酒，便是札幌獨一無二的味道 with longevity (“If one person drinks the toso the whole family will be blessed,
別錯過2月7至13日的札幌冰雪節！札幌冰雪節舉世聞名，雲集來
Now you may be chuffed that the zoo is open, but that by no 了。不吃肉的話，這裏也有多款螃蟹菜式可供選擇。 if one family drinks it the whole village will be blessed.”). It’s made with mixed
自世界各地的冰雕專家，為參觀人士送上一場懾人的冰雕展覽。林 herbs, sake, sweet wine and sugar and drunken in an order of seniority. The
means prevents your limbs from freezing into icicles as Sapporo 談海鮮，在北海道怎能不去逛逛市場？大清早起來到二条市場， herbs are said to benefit the well-being of the stomach, intestine and immune
林總總由小雪人至龐大如一整座宮殿的冰雕，在燈光效果的映襯下
is at its coldest in December and January. In this part of Japan 長長的大街上有60多個小販攤檔，紛呈由三文魚、日本毛蟹、海 system in general.
詮釋着何謂「巧奪天工」，難怪成為全北海道最矚目的盛事。繽紛 • Mochi: the rice cake is much loved by the nation and easily becomes a food
blessed with hot spring sources, there’s no better way to warm 膽、北海道土產農作物以至北海道名物夕張蜜瓜，再挑剔的食家也 to be had on special occasions. In many parts of Japan, the art of mochi-
精彩、充滿動感的札幌冬假，正期待着您來親身體會！ making (with a wooden bucket and a long-beaked wooden hammer) is still
up your body than a dip in the onsen. Boasting about 20 hot 能找到最高的味蕾滿足度。市場旁更有為數不少的小食店，您既可
demonstrated on 29 December.
spring resorts, the Jyozankei Onsen Town is the most frequented 自攜海鮮拜託店家即席製作，亦可品嘗札幌另外兩道名菜──咖喱 3. The Nijyo Market in the central district of Sapporo attracts locals and
visitors alike for its daily supply of fresh catch, fruits and vegetables. • 年越し蕎麦：一種除夕吃的蕎麥麵，依照傳統必須把麵吃個清光，這樣便能告別去年
in Sapporo. The hot spring at Jyozankei is mainly sodium chloride, 湯和石狩鍋。石狩鍋是北海道漁夫發明的料理，湯底由昆布和味噌 的不如意，愉快地迎接美好的新一年。
位於札幌市中央區的二条市場，每天供應新鮮海鮮、蔬菜及水果，深受本地
• 屠蘇：一種混入山椒、細辛、防風、肉桂、乾薑、白朮、桔梗和糖的清酒，並會依
which is a natural disinfectant and helps heal skin diseases and 調製，佐以三文魚片、豆腐和蔬菜同吃，嚴冬中吃來風味十足。 人和遊客歡迎。 Photo: Ali Muskett
輩分來喝。日本人相信酒內的草藥對腸胃有益，喝了能驅除新一年的一切邪魔，延年
injuries. 既然在新年來札幌，就不得不去大通公園。佔地78,901平方米、 4. Impeccably made snow and ice sculptures are the reason people flock to 益壽。有一個說法就是「一人屠蘇，一家受惠；一家屠蘇，一村受惠」。
Odori Park every year. • 餅：柔軟又有嚼頭的「餅」（糯米團），幾乎可說是日本的國寶級食品，新年又怎少
Whether you opt for just a few hours of nourishing dip or staying 長1.5公里橫跨市中心的大通公園，是札幌市民全年舉辦大型活動 於大通公園舉行的札幌冰雪節，展覽巧奪天工的雪雕和冰雕，是每年不可錯 得了它。每逢12月29日，日本全國上下都會有打年糕活動，穿上傳統服飾的男人以長
the night, the magnificent natural beauty of Jyozankei is more than 的靈魂場所，每年更有冬節焦點「德國聖誕市集」，給您一個漫天 過的盛事。 Photo: Ali Muskett 長的木槌打年糕，充滿氣氛。
44 Dec 2010/Jan 2011 Aspire 優遊 Aspire 優遊 Dec 2010/Jan 2011 45