My first encounter with a horse was a short ride around a park in our country’s summer capital. That horse was short, thin, and looked lazy and sad. Then I met Donnie, my friend’s retired racehorse which he used to breed more racehorses back in Dallas, Texas. I still remember how Donnie went galloping to meet us from the stable to the entrance of the stud farm. He reminded me of pet dogs eager to be cuddled by its masters. I was “properly introduced” to Donnie and my friend kept reminding him to be gentle as I mounted the retired racehorse. I was excited but a tad scared. But the experience changed my whole attitude towards these elegant animals.

📸 Megumi Takeda

📸 Megumi Takeda

Here in Ikoro Forest, we learned Camping 101. Oh ok, it’s really not hardcore camping. More like glamcamping 101. We met the friendliest horses and learned how to sap a maple tree for its syrup. The same syrup we used for the pancakes cooked in the open, crisp air of Hokkaido’s winter. A table of sliced fruits was set up, ready to be skewered with a twig to roast in an open fire, along with marshmallows. The coffee was boiling, and the big boys engaged in snowball games while the little boy built a snowman that’s really more like a bear. Still others tried chopping wood or carving little receptacles out of wood. All that in this winterland forest where temps rose just slightly higher than zero.

The time spent in Ikoro was just what we needed to “wind down” after all the adrenaline-pumping winter adventures we engaged in. The friendly horses 🐎 tempered our moods and the “back to basic” activities kept us amused in a low-key way. After all, it is not your everyday thing to go into a forest in the dead of winter. The staff we met here were so accommodating, eager to teach us basic camping skills without imposing. Chopping wood for the men; woodcarving and cooking for the ladies. The little boy can throw snowballs and sled!

Pancakes with Fruit Compote?

Families with small children should do this. We’re a mixed group of “milleniors” and enjoyed this camping experience. But I’m sure the youngest in our group had the best time. I loved the forest walk towards the horse farm. Such a delight to see horses eager to be pet. And those pancakes with fruits and marshmallows? Love it. This time being winter, we left just when the sun was prepping to set. The sun rays filtering through the bare forest trees should be any photography nut’s delight. I only have a phone cam but I’m quite happy for this memory keeper to remind me of this Hokkaido hangover. Truly, Hokkaido surprises all the time no matter how many visits you make.

And should you plan a trip here, try Hokkaido Treasure Island, Inc. We found this local operator and used them 3x — each time, our Travel Planner Megumi Takeda outdid herself. From 2 pax minimum to an entire squad. This is NOT a paid advert. Just a thumbs up from one satisfied customer. No, make that a bus-ful of happy customers! 😊

A Photography Nut’s Delight!