Sapporo is getting me back for saying the weather wasn't that cold on our first day. We got kablammed with a snowstorm on the last day, making our plans to go up in the hot air balloon moot.
Instead, we trekked out to the Shiroi Koibito park to watch the making of chocolate and spend money in their giftshop. Not much worth it, in my opinion. I mean, when you visit a chocolate factory, you expect to be able to sample the chocolate, right? Kind of a lot, even? They gave us one lousy cookie; also, most of the factory is kankeinai - not much related to chocolate production or even chocolate, instead showcasing a half-assed collection of toys (because children like chocolate and children also have toys?) and a bocca della verita that screamed at us when we came near it. Nice touch.
Depressing, too, all of the creepy animatronic dolls and figures that were strewn around the glassed-in factory, adding a babes-in-toyland-esque mood to the working scene; probably annoying as hell for the people who actually have to work there, putting little slivers of white chocolate between langue de chat wafers all day.
Next time we'll skip it and try the hot air balloon rides, or maybe the Royce chocolate factory if they have one.
You know - the Ishiya Chocolate Factory is not that far away from us (when we're in Sapporo), so we've been there many times. I have to say that I never once found the place creepy... but rather nostalgic, like a boys time-capsule. An echo (albeit silent behind the glass) of a simpler time.
ReplyDeleteMaybe winter is not the time to visit.
Ha ha, good for you! Maybe I am just too easily creeped out. I hate foxglove too.
ReplyDeleteBut all the animatronic toys didn't bother you just a little?