I've already covered Fort Goryokaku in last week's post.
Today, I'll share about the rest of Day 2 in Hakodate.
Today, I'll share about the rest of Day 2 in Hakodate.
Day 2, Hakodate (函館):
Fort Goryokaku ( 五稜郭) --> Motomachi District (元町地区) --> Mt. Hakodate (函館山)
Motomachi District was a short ride from Fort Goryokaku,
and pretty soon, we were disembarking again from the tour bus.
and pretty soon, we were disembarking again from the tour bus.
Hakodate was one of the first Japanese ports opened to foreign trade,
and I was told that many foreigners settled in the Motomachi District.
Motomachi District hence acquired this interesting fusion of Western-influenced Japanese architectural streetscape.
Add in the sloping streets and scenic port views from some of these slopes,
and you'll really have the makings of some really pretty pictures/memories to bring home.
Picture above depicts the remnants of a Western-style Samurai abode.
I was told that the windows were reinforced with metal to defend against enemy attacks.
Unfortunately, only this part of the building now remains,
it is not open to the public
and the city is trying to preserve it.
The Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward.
An ornate pale blue and yellow mansion that looked impressive and regal from the outside.
It is a notable historic landmark in the area near the top of a slope.
The Hall had also hosted members of the Japanese Imperial family.
The Hall is now open to tours,
although I believe you have to pay an entrance fee to get in.
Unfortunately, again, we did not have the luxury of time,
and could only stand outside for quick shots.
The road from the Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward to the Hachiman-Zaka Slope will lead you past several churches, including the Roman Catholic Church (pic above).
The Russian Orthodox Church is next to the Roman Catholic Church.
However, I could not get decent pictures
as there was a rowdy horde of Chinese tourists blocking the entire entrance.
That same route from the Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward to the Hachiman-Zaka Slope
is also lined with stalls selling soft serve cones!
The soft serve comes in interesting flavours as well,
like melon, squid ink and miso!
Or if you could stick to the safe and ever-good Hokkaido milk flavour.
I was still high on the melons I had from Fort Goryokaku,
and so continued on the melon streak and ordered a melon soft serve for myself.
Amazingly good.
Be sure to grab one to accompany you on your leisurely stroll!
One aspect that captivated me was the fact that Motomachi District is a current residential area.
It felt like I was going house-viewing,
and I enjoyed appreciating all the lovely home designs and décor that were on display.
There were many photos that I did not dare take,
even as I longed to capture them on camera.
I was worried that they would consider it rude to take unsolicited shots of their homes.
That being said,
I actually wondered why some of them would choose to reside in a tourist zone.
Given the rowdy crowds I saw that day,
I imagine it won't be really peaceful at all.
The lovely port view from the top of the Hachiman-Zaka Slope.
I braved the onslaught of traffic for this shot,
but I honestly think that the locals there are used to the tourists doing so.
The drivers were the most patient bunch I've ever met,
and graciously let us take our photos before driving past.
Not a single horn was sounded!
Our stroll ended at Perry's Square.
Another slice of the local life,
and amazing views of the port.
Once we were done at Motomachi District,
we were brought to our hotel to freshen up and for dinner.
Our tour guide was concerned that we would miss dinner if we headed off to Mt Hakodate first.
A pretty good move too.
My parents and I were already exhausted from the lack of sleep on the flight,
and we were not the only ones in the tour group.
The hotel stop really helped to perk us up a little.
Our very first meal provided by the tour at Hotel Kahantei.
The ebi tempura was already cold by the time we got there,
but the ikura (fish eggs) rice bowl was good.
Even my mom who's not a fan of ikura changed her mind about fish eggs and enjoyed it.
Also, our very first taste of crabs.
What you see in the picture is the Hairy Crab.
It's not very meaty but the meat and roe were sweet and succulent.
I love my crabs but this one ain't really my favourite.
I'll get around to the best (in my opinion) in later posts.
Once we were done with dinner,
we hopped back on the tour bus and headed up Mt Hakodate.
Mt Hakodate is listed as one of the Top 3 Best Night Views in the world,
with the other 2 being Hong Kong (The Peak) and Naples.
I'm fortunate enough to have been to The Peak twice already,
and now only have Naples left on that list.
I have to say, I LOVE the night view.
I actually sat at the observatory for a good 30 minutes,
just appreciating the night scenery.
I also have to agree with mom on this,
between The Peak and Mt Hakodate,
I prefer the night view at Mt Hakodate.
The Peak presents a night scene that appears pulsating and more vibrant,
reminiscent of Hong Kong's pace of life.
Mt Hakodate however, seems softer and more romantic or peaceful.
Unfortunately, I could not get to the best vantage point to grab shots.
In fact, this was the best position I had in the biting cold wind.
It so happened that there were hordes of Japanese school students on excursion then,
and that added on to the already tourist packed crowd.
Plus, this group of savvy photographers who set up business taking class photos and tourist photos.
They had the best position but refused to let me even grab one quick shot.
Yes, and the wind was biting cold.
My dad and I enjoyed it but mom was freezing.
So those of you who are afraid of the cold,
my advice is to wear something thicker and to bring along a windbreaker.
(It's really more the wind that will kill you)
You might want to watch out for your camera too,
in case it gets those blurry spots on the lens.
We then queued for almost an hour to take the ropeway down.
Thank goodness the car was huge,
and could accommodate the crowds.
Even then, it felt like I was in a bird-cage with all the chirping and screaming school kids.
So while I did enjoy the view on the way down,
I was also very relieved to get out.
I believe on normal days,
the ropeway would be an awesome way to get up Mt Hakodate and worth every penny.
Tip for those of you taking the ropeway:
If you're going up Mt Hakodate,
face the back of the car, and to your right for the best view.
So if you're coming down,
it would be the front of the car.
By the time we got back to our hotel,
we were dead beat and I was entertaining the beginnings of a headache from the lack of sleep and the screaming kids.
So I was most pleased to see that they had already laid out our futons and duvets on the tatami mats.
Our room at Hotel Kahantei was small, clean and basic.
In fact, it was so basic, our very first allocated room had no bathroom attached.
We later understood that the hotel was frequented by locals.
In fact, I think we were the only foreign tour group there then.
Every other guest I saw were Japanese!,
Also, Hotel Kahantei branded itself as an onsen hotel,
so most locals would take their baths at the onsens.
Unfortunately, this was not an option for us,
and we requested for a change of rooms.
So if you're interested in this hotel,
you might want to make a note of it when making your reservations.
Otherwise, this was the typical traditional Japanese tatami room.
I always had trouble with the small-sized Japanese rooms,
so it was amazing that for once, I didn't hit myself in the small, cramped bathroom.
And to give you an idea of how small that bathroom was:
The bath tub/shower sits on one side of the room,
and the towel racks on the opposite side.
It was effortless for me to stretch across the room after shower for my towel,
and that's stretching across the toilet and sink as well.
That said, I was otherwise quite pleased with the room,
and fell dead asleep very quickly.
Thoughts from Day 2:
Fort Goryokaku is what I consider a "hit-and-miss".
It's one of those attractions that you might want to consider going if:
a) there is additional spare time to be had, or
b) if the "season" is right for it, e.g. during hamani or cherry-blossom viewing
However, if you do get to Fort Goryokaku,
I do hope you'll get to the Observatory Tower for the bird's eye view.
Drop by the Lucky Perriot for a meal too.
I strongly recommend Motomachi District and Mt Hakodate on the itinerary.
In fact, both are close enough to each other that you can do them on the same day.
In addition, you should also consider getting to the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses along the Hakodate Bay Area.
In fact, I was sore that we did not get to the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses in the tour.
That would be a haven of shopping for curios,
enjoying the food at the various restaurants
and having a sip at the famous Hakodate Beer Hall.
Tourist Information:
Motomachi District
Go to this link and download the Hakodate City Walking Map.
It details a really good route to take through the various landmarks in Motomachi District,
the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses and all the way to the Mt Hakodate Ropeway.
Mt Hakodate Ropeway
Website: http://www.334.co.jp/eng/
Operating Hours: 10am to 10 pm (25 April – 15 October),
and 10 am to 9 pm (16 October to 24 April)
The car departs every 10 minutes.
Fares: Adult fare is 660 yen for one-way and 1,200 yen for a round trip.
Child fare would be 330 yen for one-way and 600 yen for a round trip.
Do note that if you have at least 15 persons,
you can enquire about the group rates.
Hotel Kahantei
Local name: ホテル河畔亭
Address: 2-5-23 Yunokawacho, Hakodate 042-0932, Hokkaido
Local address: 〒042-0932湯川町2-5-23
I couldn't get a hotel website,
but you can google and book the hotel through various third-party sites.
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