Sapporo - Hakodate
Time to pack up the room and leave #Sapporo. Our luggage is shipped to #Sendai and we meet it in three days so the backpack is an important survival kit. We had to have the bags with @Zac for 7 am so that was an early start for the day. Unfortunately, our backpacks are a little heavier than we would have liked but we are both carrying electricals - so that adds to the load.
Breakfast sorted with plenty of choices and checkout was a breeze for the 8.45 am meet up on Level 1 and then out into the elements. Absolutely crystal-clear blue skies and although the thermometer was hovering around 3 degrees the absolutely still conditions made it "pleasant." Mind you, we did have an extra layer on today with the benefit of yesterday's experience.
Crushed onto the local train for the transfer to #Sapporo Station to join the #JR Line. Our itinerary said we would be taking our first #Bullet Train (Shinkansen) ride today - feeling that is a little optimistic because that line won't be completed here until 2030 ... or there abouts. Taking a "slower" local express version for our 4-hour comfortable and relaxing ride to #Hakodate.
Express train to start the day - comfy ride, great views
Our highlights today
- Train journey - right on the dot of the 9.44 advertised time the train departed and after a shuffle and reshuffle of luggage (some of the Chinese tourists removed our luggage from the racks to make way for their own - so took the "high road" and relocated ours in the overhead lockers), we took our reserved seats (@Zac had booked them a month ago to ensure we had prime spots and to keep the group together), stretched out and watched the world roll by.
- Stark winter tree filled landscapes and high density suburbia gave way to rivers and mountains, farm lands and the ocean. The route taken looped south following the coastline and closely followed #The Ring of Fire. The mountain views and the ocean views followed us constantly.
- Spotted our first active volcano 30 minutes into the journey - #Mt Tarumae - a beautiful snow covered peak that was behaving itself today. Its distinct outline, under a clear blue sky, with its snow covered silhouette and at this close proximity, could almost be a substitute for viewing #Mt Fuji (building this reality in case we don't get the real thing!) Just saying, a combination of Google Maps and @Zac means we have a very welcome running location commentary.
- Recognised our arrival airport at #Chitose Station - @Mac has reflected that the train may have been a better option instead of the bus for our original transfer to the hotel... next time.
- Hit the coastline at #Tomakomai 45 minutes into the journey and thankfully the left-hand side of the carriage lost a little of the sun streaming through the window. Mountains still following us but with the #North Pacific lapping on the shores, the landscape had changed. Farming in evidence with grow tunnels and the first sighting of livestock. Solar arrays support lots of homes - not on the rooftops but erected at ground level featuring 60 to 80 solar panels.
- Predominantly low-level housing of just one or two storeys and even in the commercial centres not much building activity above two levels
- The #Pacific was blue and flat - totally opposite to the churn and broiling of yesterday's #Sea of Japan. Phew, a little reassuring for the cruise adventure ahead! The shoreline was sandy - again different from yesterday where the shoreline was black rocks, pebbles and boulders. Still lots of man-made shore break structures in evidence to control any ocean surge.
- Incredible vista from the train windows on the journey into #Muroran - sweeping views around the peninsular - the ocean separating this side of #Hokkaido from our destination on the far shore on the horizon in #Hakodate. The white mountain peaks formed a ring along the coastline and seemed to dive into the water.
- #Muroran - 2 hours in - a large port with prolific industrial activity. The landscape definitely greening up here and the views over the water to the mountains approaching jaw droppingly beautiful. The "2030 bullet" train will not follow this coastal route because of the proximity to the active volcano #Mt Usu. We were surprised at the number of tunnels we traversed even when the track was adjacent to the water.
- #Yakima - 2 and a half hours in and a definite focus on fishing with nets and buoys piled up ready for use and disappointingly, many discarded and abandoned nets littered the shoreline for kilometres of the shoreline. The fishing fleet was close to shore and the active nets in the ocean were prolific. Fabulous views across the peninsula to the majestic volcanic #Hokkaido Koma-ga-take and on the right of the track the black slopes of what has been a continuous line of mountains.
- #Komagotake - just 45 minutes to go and we were at the base of the volcano #Hokkaido Koma-ga-take now making our way along the "other side" of the peninsular for the run into #Hakodate. Progressed through wooded areas and low-lying marsh land with piles of harvested timber.
- Preview of the bullet train station at #Hokuto - need to come back to this point tomorrow to catch the bullet train and we glimpsed the overhead track work development of the proposed line to #Sapporo. (Had a laugh again.) This Valley is so beautiful and apparently you could buy yourself land and a home here for around $20 000. It is nestled at the foot of the volcano though. Guess you would have close up views in times of eruption. Still the occasional spot of snow visible in iced piles dotted through the forest. Lots of high and very low plastic covered grow-tunnels protecting the produce and many steams racing quickly with the winter melt off.
Our explorations today included:
Motomachi - Took the local tram (think Melbourne tramway) to walk and talk. This area was the centre of Western settlement in the "opening up" of Japan and we toured the churches, shrines and temples that were congregated in this space all with the backdrop of a picture-perfect harbour view.
Hakodate Community Hall - We were guests in the restored and preserved very Western, historic #Community Hall for a look into the traditions of the "grand life" in the 1800s in #Hakodate. This Hall, with its magnificent top floor Main Hall, is the perfect example of East meets West architecture and was constructed when the port was opened to the west. It was destroyed in the fire of Hakodate in 1907 but was reconstructed and finished in 1910. When the Imperial Family travelled to #Hakodate, this is where they rested and stayed.
Definitely a shoes off environment - and house slippers were supplied as you stored your shoes in the numbered boxes (ha ha, I chose "70" for obvious reasons.) Small chairs were conveniently offered by the attending staff if bending over and dealing with your laces was a problem.
Lots of rooms to walk through and explore over two levels (yes, very steep stairs to access the second floor) and each room was set out with samples of furnishings from the original building.
There was an offer to dress up in period costume and have your photo taken in various settings or with the balcony view of the harbour as a backdrop. We declined - just too many layers to work through - our shoes were enough!
Interesting to note here that many of the buildings were constructed with a "western" base and a very traditional Japanese roof - the view from the harbour as ships arrived was of a typical oriental city but "up close" it became very Western.
The Hakodate Ropeway - This cable car zips you from the base to the summit of #Mt Hakodate for 360 views of the peninsular. It is only 334m up, but a fabulous vantage point of the city with the harbour on one side and the ocean on the other.
Marked our stay on #Mt Hakodate y jostling with hundreds of others (mostly extremely noisy and bustling groups of Chinese tourists with bellowing leaders with flags on sticks) to watch the sunset and then the city lights sparkle into life. Had to dash backwards and forwards indoors because it was icy cold outside - exposed face and then hands to take photos were blocks of ice. The designated viewing platforms were 4 and 5 people deep, but @Zac had given us the heads up on an alternate vantage point and we had railing views.
By the time we were ready for the ascent, the cable car was running every 5 minutes and with our long-ago Chinese tourism training in place, we kept our elbows in and legs locked to prevent a rush for position from behind and successfully defended our front row position with our noses pushed up against the glass for the ride down.
Found the tram line (never in doubt with @Mac on duty) and warmed up on the heated seats on the quick return ride towards home for the night. Thought of @Mindy with a smile - we didn't know if you had to press the button to make the tram stop ... we still don't know, but luckily it was a very popular stop so perhaps someone else took care of it.
Dinner was in two parts for us - an appetiser in the Cafe at the top of #Mt Hakkodate (a seafood pizza that was inhaled) followed by a main closer to the Hotel. We literally stood on the corner of the intersection and looked up and down the streets and picked a venue where all the locals were heading. No idea of its name because there was no English here.
No English spoken by the wait staff here and only three words of Japanese for us - but the waitress had her phone and with the help of a pictorial menu and a phone translator we did very well. The restaurant was extremely busy but was worth the wait on the little stools in a queue and after downing every last grain of rice we only had to toddle across the road to retrieve the backpacks and retire for the night.
Another #Route Inn - so a cookie cutter version of our previous two. With familiar lodgings we were settled quickly, and the beds here had a "waffle topper" so did feel we were sinking into a soft(er) mattress. Sleep was easy to find after another day filled with changing landscapes, history, culture and loads of laughs.
PS Toilet story of the day. Found myself in a rush on arrival after the train trip and dashed in and inelegantly plonked on the loo. Was very perplexed to hear waterfalls gently cascading and birds quietly singing. Took me a few minutes to realise that my thigh had overflowed to the control panel and activated the "privacy" background noises!
Things we've noted:
Height of seats and wash basins are low (perfect #Jan height) no doubt in response to the average height of the population)
Fresh fruit seems to be scarce and more expensive than at home- a punnet of strawberries was ¥700
Had to remove shoes at the Community Hall and had our first introduction to "bathroom slippers." When you use the public toilets - as you enter the bathroom, you remove the house slippers that were proved and don the bathroom slippers - in this case big yellow rubber clogs.
Worth repeating- cash is king. However, there are prolific ATM access options especially in the 7/11 convenience store
Bathroom supplies in the hotels has been generous (hand wash foam, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, sponge, brush/comb, razor, toothbrush/toothpaste, cotton tips) and perfect to use. However, it is worth noting that so far, the supplies DO NOT include cakes of soap, face washer, shower cap or any form of hand cream/moisturiser. Important for back packing days to take with you if they are essentials.
A hint on using the dual switch tap in the bathroom - get the water temp ready over the sink before dialling over to the shower and when finished the shower - dial the water back to the sink before turning the water off. This simple routine saves you from burning yourself (speaking from experience.)
Do all the management of water over the sink rather than in the shower
Weather: Maximum of 9 degrees but absolutely no wind. Very pleasant - at least until the sun went down
Steps: 12 916
KEEP CALM THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
A hug is the perfect gift: one size fits all, and nobody minds if you exchange it. Anonymous
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