Japan - Day 14

(Not going write much......too lazy)

Took a 3 hours train back to Sapporo.




(Had this for breakfast in the train)






(Sooo beautiful)

Main event: Otaru Canal



Otaru is very famous for its glass arts and lamplight arts, so it is also called the 'City of Glass', and the 'City of Lamplight'.







The Kitaichi Glass is a major company to make glass art works, which plays a very important role in the development of glass art in Otaru. The headquarter of the Kitaichi Glass is located on the bank of the Otaru Canal, and it takes 10 minutes by walk and 3 minutes by Otaru Sightseeing Bus to get there.



Along the street, there are many glass art and other art galleries and shops in the ancient warehouses. that sells a great variety of glass art works and glassware.


You will surely find your favorite things.















It takes about 10 minutes by walk from Otaru station to the famous ancient bank street along the Otaru Canal, which was called the ' Wall Street of North' from the Meiji period to the early Showa period.



You can have a good view of the nostalgic and romantic Otaru Canal, the roads along which are decorated with various gas lamps, while taking a relaxing stroll among the old-fashioned buildings in the bank street which symbolize the ancient prosperity.





Otaru Canal was completed in the 12th year of the Taisho period, and a lot of cargo storehouses were also built in the harbor area. Now these stone-made warehouses have become various beautifully-designed restaurants and shops, and you can have a good feel there of the nostalgic atmosphere of the ancient Otaru Canal.








The “must-eat” item in Hokkaido is Genghis Khan. It’s actually Monogolian barbeque but is known in Japan as Jingisu-kan. It just lamb meat and they dump lots of fresh onions, bean sprouts and lay the meat on top to grill.

Sizzlingly delicious and it was a most satisfying meal.


After meal, come my cigarette.


Took this picture while walking along the street.


Shopping as usual for the ladies.

Japan - Day 13

In the morning, just a 3min walk across from Hakodate station was the famous morning market.

The market area spans about four city blocks. Hokkaido is a treasury of abundant seafood. There are many markets for fresh seafood, vegetables and fruits for the local people.



Above all, this morning market in Hakodate with over 400 shops is one of the best in the size and abundance of commodities.



Products on sale include various types of fresh seafood and several restaurants can be found in the market area as well. Hokkaido is famous for its catch of variety of crab, such as hairy crab, king crab or snow crab.

Stall after stall, the vendors call out to tourists, handing out samples of piping hot crab meat to lure them in. Competition seemed stiff, as vendors laid out their seafood in attractive displays. The streets smelled of sweet-cooked crab.



We saw black rounded sea creatures with lots of sharp thorns around them. They are sea urchins. They don't come cheap too and it cost me 1,000 yen to buy this fresh sea urchin.


Sea urchin roe which is considered a delicacy in Japan. I ate this 1000 yen raw sea urchin. Sweet, juicy sensation spread in my mouth, and I could not help but praising for it awesomely delicious taste.

Die..die must try!!! (5 stars)


The market is full of lively voices of the vendors.


We saw “live” squid swimming in the tank.


Quote us 1,000 yen for 1 squid and grill for us as well. Hakodate's signature fish is squid and so we ordered....(we're rubbing our hand)


Vendor pull out 1 squid, squeeze it body to drain out excess water.


Squid was struggling for it very existence.


Within ten minutes, we sample it meat. Wow, was wonderful surprising tender. At least this squid did not die in vain, it serve it purpose that was to please our taste buds.


After the market, we took their local tram headed for Goryokaku Park in the north of the city. It is located at the site where the first western style castle in Japan was built in 1855.


Help! There's no shelter anywhere.


Goryokaku Park is designated as a special historical site today. "Goryokaku" means five edges, in other words a star shape.


This pentagonal park design as the star-shape structure fringed with greenery.








Not worth visiting to be honest.


I'm melting


Lunch


We took bus intending to sightseeing along the way. Their ticketing system is quite interesting. You get a ticket the moment you board the bus. The ticket show will show a number indicated which bus stop you boarded.


When you intended to disembark, just look at the board it will show how much should you pay base on which bus stop you board earlier.


We took the wrong bus, end up in the middle of “don't know where”

All is not lost, I found a hair saloon. One of the thing must do in Japan is trying out their hair-cut aka Japanese style.
Hair cut damaged: 3650 yen (SGD53/-)


She is my stylist. Their chair is remote control, very nice, very advance.


The lady in my far left is the shampoo girl and she's the who washed my hair. So pretty, so stylish unlike our local counterpart. Oh yeah, the Japanese stylist is really good, she trim my eyebrow for free. My mum and sister loves my new Jap look.


Next, below are the pictures we took around Hakodate.






Hakodate Russian Orthodox church.


This British Auglican Church.




Old British Consulate.




Bay area






Along the bay area, there is this foot onsen. It free, meant to use by the pubic. The water isn't dirty. Some minerals contained in onsen make it look brown.


Our feet really enjoyed every moment.