Hidden in the Northern Land — Hokkaido 8-Day Summer Trip 2019, Days 3–4

Day 3 Noboribetsu–Hakodate: The cake from the convenience store was really delicious?? Today we needed to transfer, staying one night in Hakodate. Luckily, it was still a hot spring hotel; after walking all day, returning to the hotel and soaking in the hot spring was the most comfortable thing. We carried our suitcases all the way to Oshamanbe Station to wait for the train. We reserved seats at the station the day before. Although we had a JR Pass, reserved seats still needed to be booked in advance. The trip from Noboribetsu to Hakodate is nearly two hours, and from Hakodate to Sapporo is also over two hours, so reserving seats in advance ensured we had seats; along the way, there really were people who sat in your seat by mistake. Before going out, I brought a Kindle for Lizi to read; all the way, she spent her free time reading The King's Avatar and got completely hooked, so recently she even accompanied me to watch the King's Avatar movie. Flowers in Hokkaido bloom everywhere, even at the station entrance. We got off one stop at Noboribetsu and then transferred to the express train bound for Hakodate. Hakodate was once a port city; the JR station is right by the harbor. The city has no subway; two tram lines can basically take you to most places you need to go. You can buy a one-day tram pass at the station's tourist information center, which covers the main attractions. The tram stops are in the middle of the road; if you're not careful, you might go in the opposite direction. We got off one stop and quickly crossed to catch the other tram. Lizi was quite cheerful, humming and dancing. First, we went to the hotel to drop off our luggage. The hotel was a few hundred meters from the tram station, easy walking distance; small cities are convenient. Hakodate's famous foods include salt-flavored ramen and the Lucky Pierrot hamburger. Today's itinerary was first Goryokaku, then Kanamori Red Brick Warehouses, and in the evening we would go up Mount Hakodate for the night view. I found out there was a Lucky Pierrot near Goryokaku, so we headed there for lunch. This restaurant has quite a history; they even developed souvenir snacks. The interior is decorated in an American style. The hamburger was delicious, living up to its reputation. The bread was soft and fragrant, the filling was freshly fried pork cutlet or shrimp cutlet, crispy and generous, with a refreshing taste. Probably because we were hungry, Lizi ate with relish. Goryokaku is a star-shaped fortress built in the Edo period in present-day Hakodate, Hokkaido, and is Japan's first castle built in the Western architectural style. "Goryokaku" originally referred to this pentagonal fortress, not the castle's real name. Its official name in Hokkaido is "Kameda Yakusho Doro" or "Yanaginoki Castle," but it is widely called "Goryokaku" or "Hakodate Goryokaku," and it is a Special Historic Site designated by the Japanese government, as well as Japan's largest Western-style fortress. Goryokaku lacks the keep found in most Japanese castles, mainly to avoid becoming a primary target under heavy fire. The outer base is built with stacked stones, topped with earthen walls, and surrounded by a moat about 30 meters wide. At one corner of the outer fort, a 60-meter observation tower was built to overlook the entire pentagonal fortress. This is the only large building inside. Unlike castles elsewhere in Japan, this one relies on the moat and the pentagonal earthen walls for defense; simply put, it's a pentagonal trench. So we foolishly walked all the way around the pentagon. Under the observation tower is a shopping mall; on the first floor there is a large souvenir shop, so of course we had to buy some unique items, like these pentagon-shaped cookies. After finishing the cookies, we kept the box. The next stop was Kanamori Red Brick Warehouses, located in the old dock area of Hakodate, built in 1909 (Meiji 42). This area was originally used as a shipyard and foreign settlement during the Bunka era (1801–1804), and later gradually became a collection of dock and port warehouses. The simple-style warehouse complex has become a symbol of Hakodate Port, witnessing the changes of the times. Today, the Kanamori Warehouses have been transformed into a lively shopping area, which also includes a Hakodate History Plaza with a strong Meiji-era atmosphere. It is part of the six connected Kanamori warehouses, housing about 20 boutiques from all over Japan, which is the biggest draw. There are also restaurants, a beer hall, etc. The Hakodate Pier Pavilion and Kanamori Pavilion are particularly nostalgic and popular among tourists. The manhole covers here are quite nice, featuring the most distinctive local symbols. Strolling through this commercial area converted from warehouses feels just like old streets in China. You can find almost everything on Taobao. But browsing around is still interesting. For dinner, we went to a sushi restaurant in the red brick warehouse dining area. Every time we visit Japan, we must arrange to eat fresh and delicious sushi. We also wanted to get up the mountain before dark to watch the city lights of Hakodate gradually turn on. There is no tram to this area; you walk up a slope to the ropeway station. The ropeway runs every three to five minutes, and especially during the peak time near nightfall, they increase the frequency to ensure smooth flow. We queued up orderly to board. The ropeway ticket costs over a thousand yen; there is also a bus that goes up the mountain, with a much cheaper fare. But the ropeway takes only five minutes to reach the observatory, while the bus weaves up the mountain road for over thirty minutes. Feel free to choose. While it was still not dark, we grabbed a good spot. Look, there were already many people; later we stood there for another hour... Another relaxed way is to book a table at the mountain-top restaurant with a view, where you can eat slowly and enjoy the night view leisurely. The scenery is definitely worth it. One of the world's three major night views. I guess it's because the air is clear and Mount Hakodate is close to the city, plus the backdrop of the sea, making the landscape rich. If you found a suitable spot on the west side of Nanjing's Purple Mountain and built an observation platform, you might also get one of the top night views, right? After all, there is Xuanwu Lake nearby, and the air quality has improved now. Day 4 Hakodate–Sapporo–Otaru: Staying one night in Hakodate, then continuing the transfer. Fortunately, with the JR Pass, this transfer itinerary was much cheaper than buying tickets separately. Breakfast was sea urchin rice bowl from the Hakodate Morning Market. The morning market is just a local market, but it opens quite early. We arrived at seven or eight, already late, and missed out on the most affordable sea urchin rice bowl from the best shop. The market is right next to JR station, so after eating we went straight into the station. We planned to have lunch on the train, so we bought three boxed lunches at the ekiben counter. Lizi chose squid rice, and I picked a makunouchi bento, both very famous dishes. They were beautiful and delicious. First, we went to Sapporo. Our accommodation was a bit far from the station, so to save time, we stored our suitcases in coin lockers at the station. The largest locker can hold two 24-inch suitcases. With our hands free, we could easily explore Otaru. On the tram, I was busy looking at my phone and missed the slightly famous seaside section along the way. Looking out the window, there was seawater right outside, like a train running on the sea. The station called Asari is a bit of an internet-famous small station. We got off at Minami-Otaru Station, walked a bit, and headed to the Music Box Museum. The number of tourists was gradually increasing. The Music Box Museum is actually a big store! There were so many things! I wanted to buy everything! Lizi chose a green glass angel music box with the theme song from Beauty and the Beast. Unfortunately, before the angel could return home with us, it broke a wing—what a pity. LeTAO was a dessert shop recommended by a colleague, also internet-famous. We bought a cream puff and sat outside to eat, not wanting to squeeze inside. We walked along to the canal area. The scenery was really nice, and the shops were pleasant to browse. The canal must be even more beautiful in the snow. We sat by the canal to rest, and someone from the nearby tourist information center gave Lizi a paper crane. I didn't take many photos here because I had a conflict with Lizi's dad; I took Lizi, and he went off on his own... We didn't reconcile until we returned to Sapporo. But today, while writing this, I can't remember what made him angry at all... Anyway, every trip has some unpleasantness, like the time we went to Tokyo and I got angry because he spent too long in a second-hand model shop—there are many such cases. Of course, the overall situation is smooth and stable. Isn't travel an important way to test relationships? Whether you can enjoy a trip together determines whether you can continue to be friends. So a trip without arguments is incomplete. Yes, that's how it is. In the evening, back in Sapporo, considering that carrying two suitcases on the bus would be hard and the subway would be troublesome, we took a taxi directly. Thank goodness for Didi—the first ride saved us 1,000 yen directly; for a distance of just a few blocks, it was almost a free ride! In Sapporo, we stayed in an apartment booked on Airbnb: a small studio with kitchen facilities, with a supermarket right downstairs. In the evening, we bought groceries and cooked at home, finally not having to eat Japanese food anymore. The supermarket had cooked rice; just heat it in the microwave. The sliced meat was also pre-cut, perfect for stir-frying with Chinese cabbage. The chicken wings were even cut in half—maybe to make them look more plentiful? A box had about six, just enough for one dish. The eel was pre-cooked, just microwavable. We also had bean sprouts stir-fried with chicken breast, and fish tofu soup. We spent over 2,000 yen at the supermarket, and the leftovers could be used for breakfast the next day. Day 4 ends. But the days in Sapporo have just begun. Tomorrow, we go to Furano.