Onuma Park

On Wednesday, I didn't have to go to school with Kim so I went to visit Onuma Park, which covers 90.83 square kilometers. I didn't really follow a route, instead taking a trail here and there. But I got some nice pictures : )

Mt. Komagatake (behind the trees)

Hakodate

On Tuesday, after classes (Kim teaches English at different schools in the Oshima district), we hopped on the train to Hakodate.

We didn't have much time to spend in Hakodate but we saw the two most visited places in Hakodate: Fort Goryokaku and Mt. Hakodate.

Fort Goryokaku : Instead of trying to explain in my own words, I'll simply post a picture that explains it all:

The governmental hall of the Republic of Ezo (located inside the fort)

To be able to see the star shape, you have to go the top of the Goryokaku Tower.

Goryokaku Tower

Can you see the star shape?

The mountains you see in the distance are the coast of Aomori, the northernmost prefecture of Honshu

After that, we went to eat soup curry! It was delicious! If you like curry, it's a safe bet to say you like soup curry as well.

Tummies satisfied, we walked up the hill to the ropeway departure station and took the ropeway to the top of Mt. Hakodate. And witnessed the superb night view of the city below. There were also thunderstorms visible in the distance, which made it even more dramatic.

I even managed to capture some lightning (near the right corner)

Otaru

On Sunday, we took the train (from Sapporo) to Otaru. To give you a better idea:

Otaru is a popular tourist destination. The city's most famous landmark is the Otaru Canal, which is featured on many of the postcards in Otaru's souvenir shops.

Otaru is also known for its arts & crafts and glass industries. In the town, there are tons of glass shops where you can buy beautiful bowls, cups, etc.

A woman working with glass

Here's a more historical landmark: the Temiya line, which was originally constructed as a part of the Horonai Railway, the first railway in Hokkaido.

And all of Hokkaido is known for its fresh seafood, so you can find many markets selling seafood in Otaru.

Grilled scallops: they were the most delicious scallops I've ever tasted in my life! : D

After visiting Otaru, we took the train to Mori, where Kim lives and where we'll be staying for the next week. And for supper that night, we had miso ramen, which is a staple in Hokkaido.

miso ramen

Sapporo

Greetings from Hokkaido! : D

I flew out on Friday and met up with my friend Kim in Sapporo, on the island of Hokkaido.

Back in Tokyo, the summer heat is still lingering but up here, the temperature is already lowering to 10-15 degrees, and it gets quite chilly at night. But it feels refreshing to not be constantly hot and sweaty. And it makes me feel a bit at home, because it's about the same temperature in Winnipeg as well.

On Saturday, we visited Sapporo and pretty much all the famous places and landmarks Sapporo is known for.

The Clock Tower: the symbol of the city
(It's actually of American design and is one of the few remaining Western-style buildings in Sapporo)

Sapporo TV Tower

A fountain in Odori Park

Picture taken from the observation deck of the Sapporo TV tower:
This gives a better idea of the size of Odori Park,
 which spans across 13 blocks in the middle of the city

Kim, expertly roasting our lamb
(For lunch, we ate jingisukan, which is a Mongolian style barbecue with cut lamb and vegetables)

A visit of Sapporo would be incomplete without visiting the Sapporo Beer Museum, right? : )

A very, very old beer

For supper, we went to Susukino, the red-light district of Sapporo, and ate Mexican food.

Taking the streetcar (tram) in Susukino

We had also planned to take the ropeway (cable car) up to Mt. Misen, but due to thunder, the ropeway was closed. Instead, we rode a ferris wheel which overlooked the city and then went back home.

With Kim

Striking a pose at the Beer Museum

Graduation!

Today I graduated from the Bekka Japanese Language Program! Hip hip hurrah!

We simply had an informal ceremony and a small party after with the teachers.

From left: Jee (Thailand), An (Vietnam) and me

With Nishiyama sensei, my favorite teacher

With my roommate Anzu

My graduation diploma

Japanese on the left, English on the right

Tomorrow, I'm flying to Hokkaido so next time I'll be posting, it'll be from Hokkaido! Matane!