Stopped here en route just for the bean ice cream! Best ice cream I have had in my trip!

Must stop and visit! Lovely shop.

There are lots of Hokkaido souvenirs reasonably priced. I definitely recommend this store.

Originally, I was just stopping by to look around on the way I didn't expect there to be a craft class And apparently you don't need a reservation on weekdays! It was really worth it, though; I now have my very first handmade puzzle You need to buy it at the shop first! After buying it, just go to the classroom😌

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There are three “Japan-wide or even world-class” features here worth stopping for: 1. One of the world's largest “giant bluebirds” and a “forest fairy performance” This 20-meter-tall tower is called “Kamurin” and is a symbolic landmark along this road. Every day, on the hour from 08:00 to 18:00, the tower's mechanical performance begins. First, a group of wooden fairies emerges holding instruments and playing music; about 4 minutes later, the finale, the “bluebird,” appears. This bird's wings reach 2 meters in length, and its size is astonishing! The whole performance lasts about 5 minutes and feels very much like a fairy tale. 2. The home of Japan's number-one “white flower beans” Rubeshibe in Kitami City is Japan's leading producer of white flower beans. There are several “non-seafood” specialties here you must try: “White flower bean soft serve” is sold in the shop inside Kamurin no Yakata. It has the fibrous texture of beans, with a subtle bean aroma paired with milk, making it a rare flavor; for “white flower bean sweets,” the long-established local shop “ふじや菓子舗” offers “Shirohana Mont Blanc” or “Shirohana Castella,” perfect as a snack for the onward drive to Asahikawa. 3. A wooden play paradise: Kamurin café and workshop Even adults who aren't little kids will find it soothing to step inside and look at “Kamurin World,” an entirely wooden indoor space: it's filled with play equipment made from Hokkaido timber, such as a wooden ball pit and a wooden maze. The wooden tableware and small items sold here are high quality. Some simply designed handmade wooden items feel every bit as refined as luxury brands.

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