Hokkaido - Hakodate

The last day in Hokkaido, and an exploration of Hakodate, starting with an early morning onsen. We checked out the early morning fish market, fresh with squid. There was a squid-fishing game, where they cooked your catch straight away. I didn't realise, but squid grab on from the other end of their body than I expected.


Past the red brick warehouses to the former residences of foreign traders from the 1850s.


At the foot of Mt Hakodate, the mansions spread out like a miniature San Francisco; including the Russian Orthodox Church, the Old British Consulate, the Chinese Memorial Hall, the prefectural government's former branch office building and the old Hakodate Public Hall.


Gents and Ladies Olde Toilets:


After that we took a very long walk (longer than we realised, and came to regret!) to the other side of town. Past an interesting taxi, and sewer panel.


Goryokaku is a 5-pointed star fortress, with the 107 metre observation tower next door. "In 1868, when the Meiji Restoration led to the overthrow of the Edo Shogunate, loyalist rebels fled to Hokkaido instead of surrendering and used Hakodate's Goryokaku as their headquarters in the resulting civil war against the Imperial forces. The loyalists surrendered in 1869." (Japan-Guide.com)


A quick lunch of curry ramen (excellent) and we hopped on a tram to the final destination of the whole trip. Yunokawa is a famous hot spring resort, a little far out of the city but built next to the beach so worthy of a walk around. We went to the hot-house which had a monkey park inside. These monkeys - about 100 of them - were pretty grim and scratched constantly. Some sat in their own onsen, turning round to enter the pool, while others picked fleas, like a group massage parlour.


They were also incredibly horny, and humped profusely.


One poor little guy looked scared and lonely:


There was a also a semi-blind raccoon and an overflowing onsen seat. Even if you could close enough, it was so hot you couldn't have sat down for the following week!


Back to the train station and onto the airport, for a short flight back to Tokyo.


Hokkaido's a beautiful place and I'd like to revisit one Winter.

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A few with me included in various places (Motomachi, Hot House):