Morioka kara no go aisatsu! Greetings from Morioka! Atatakai okaerinasai. Warm welcome back! i appreciate the gift of your time to share my adventures for the past week! I do hope your past week was your best week ever! 👍🌈
Chichi no hi omedetō! Belated Happy Father's Day to all the fathers joining in the adventure! Trust you enjoyed your special day!
My travels in the past week seem to be transitioning into being more in the moment than even I am used to. I'm now booking hotel rooms only a day in advance as I figure out where my next destination(s) is/are. I've decided to crisscross the country as I travel towards Fukuoka in the south, my departure point for South Korea on July 4. In my meanderings, I'm visiting destinations that are less frequently sought out by tourists. Most destinations are being labeled as the next up and rising tourist destination. I'm expecting my travels will shift as I get reach more commonly visited tourist destinations south of Tokyo.
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| A happy boy with his noodles |
In the category of things I've noticed:
- You walk on the left side of the stairs in train/metro stations (most of the time). Be alert to when the side you walk on is changed up. Also be alert to the number of people who ignore the directions.
- When paying for merchandise, you place your payment in a tray that the clerk then retrieves (most of the time). Your change and receipt, if any, is returned in the same tray. At other times, you simply hand your money to the clerk and you get your change/recceipt handed back to you.
- The cash you tender for purchases is inserted into the cash register by the clerk. The cash register generates the change and receipt. Sometimes you insert your cash directly into the cash register yourself and it spits out your change and receipt. Remember to hit the OK button to approve the transaction.
- Be vigilant when crossing streets. Pedestrians are far less sacrosanct than in Taiwan.
- There are as many variations of noodles and broths as there are noodles shops across the country. What a treat!
- The language barrier frequently mentioned by other bloggers has been a non-issue. Google Translate has worked well, hand signs are marvellous, photos of meals offered make eating easier and having a sense of adventure/curiosity helps immensely. The surprise element is a special gift!
Lots of clouds, cooler temperatures and showers were constant companions throughout the week. June is known to be a month of rainy weather. The universe continues to fill my adventures with its benevolence by minimizing the inclement weather's impact.
May the universe bring endless blessings and moments of magic 🦄 to you and your loved ones in the week ahead. 🙏
Travel Administration
This week's focus is patience and understanding while you are traveling - with yourself and with others. Interesting how I was challenged a couple times this week to be patient and understanding.
Travel Maps
I've checked off the places on Hokkaido I intended to visit during the past week. On Saturday, I traveled to Morioka on Honshu to start weaving my way across the island as I head to Fukuoka in the south. There is a slight route error in the Google Maps on my trip to/from Hokkaido as I'm only able to capture driving directions as opposed the bullet train rides that I took under the strait which is on the opposite side (west side) of the driving route.
Japan: June 8 to June 14, 2025
Sapporo - Continued
Sunday in the City
Amazing what you encounter when you walk about a city. I had a couple priorities on Sunday, visiting the Sapporo Beer Museum and purchase a ticket for Thursday's baseball game. I was also curious about Odori Park which is featured as a city highlight. Everything was close enough to reach by foot.
I had a most fortunate path to buying my baseball ticket. In my visit to the trusty Tourist Information Centre I mistakenly approached an agent working for the train company instead of the tourist info staff. The woman I spoke with happened to be a big baseball fan so she guided me to the team's downtown store, across from the station. It was only after our interaction that one of her colleagues pointed out I had been speaking with the train info team. I did return to the woman who helped, my ticket in hand, to share my successful purchase and thank her again. She was planning to be at Thursday's game as well!
The video clips below are from Odori Park where it appeared a couple women were leading a small group in a dance.
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Coffee lover's dream - seemingly endless samples
of roasted coffee |
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| Festival preparation - Odori Park |
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| Festival prep - Odori Park |
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| Did someone say 'Let's go shopping?' |
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| Ferris wheel on a rooftop |
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| Networking |
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Oh look! We're about quench our
thirst! |
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| Famous Red Star |
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| I'm sure these barrels have an important message |
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| Brewery history |
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| This way to beer heaven |
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This signboard explains the rather large vat, I think
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Curious how the star changes colour to yellow,
but not curious enough to find out why! |
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Non-alcoholic version. I had my drinking
interlude interrupted by a convo with a
couple from Los Angeles.
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'Sapporo TV Tower is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks and was built in 1957. This broadcast tower stands proud at a height of 144m at the eastern end of Odori Park, right in the heart of the city.'
I skipped taking the elevator ride for the city view. I did return on Thursday evening, after the baseball game, for a night view.
This short and narrow alley is the birthplace of miso ramen. I've now truly arrived at ramen noodle mecca. I visited a couple different noodle shops during my visit. Teshikaga was my first stop, using Google Map's high ratings. My second visit was to a shop nearby which seemed to have a perpetual line of people waiting for a seat. It's been the only noodle shop to have an all female team, so far.
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| Looking down the Alley |
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| Ramen Alley's total length |
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| My first Ramen Alley noodle shop |
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| Pondering the choices |
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| Noodles being prepped |
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| My meal |
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| 2nd Ramen Alley noodle shop |
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| Our dining experience |
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| Only noodle shop with an all women team |
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| A happy customer |
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| My meal - corn is distinctive to Sapporo |
Yes, I now attended my first Japanese professional league baseball game - 6 pm game starting time btw. What a great venue, complete with a retractable roof! This Japanese stadium experience is more similar to North America than Taiwan along with the Japanese team cheerleaders being restricted to the periodic on field cheering. That said, there was a traveling horn section that played continuously to rally the fans. The cheering was a collective effort that sustained throughout the game. A much more subdued fan experience than Taiwan and much more fan involvement than what I've witnessed in North American games. Truth be told, I only have a casual interest in baseball. There was multiple times during the game I was playing with my phone. Baseball games can be so slow, for me. I'm looking forward to attending a South Korean baseball game. The Taiwanese pirated the cheerleader idea and fan support from the Koreans. Oh yeah, the home team won 6 - 1.
A quick word about public transportation. The stadium is a 40 minute drive by car from Sapporo or a 20 minute train ride followed by a five minute shuttle bus ride from the train station. I was in and out of the stadium so easily and smoothly. The train company adds additional trains to handle the crowds, similar to what GO Transit does when the local Toronto teams have home games.
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| Stadium |
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| Diamond |
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| Diamond |
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| Different food choices |
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There are comments about how expensive
the food and drinks are |
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| Retractable roof |
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| Traveling horn section to rouse the fans |
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| There goes the pitch |
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Pouring your beer while you enjoy
the game. Beer is in container on her
back. Good idea, right? |
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| Scoreboard |
'The Hokkaido Shrine was built in 1869 after the Meiji Emperor decreed that the “three pioneering gods” be enshrined to
uplift the spirit of the pioneers.'
What a beautiful day for a walk in the park where this shrine is located! A wonderful oasis in a busy city. There was an amazing breeze that made the leaves rustle with such majesty. Pure magic! 🪄
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| Park entrance |
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| More instructions for purification |
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| Shrine |
Day Trip - Otaru
A quick 35 train ride from Sapporo Train Station brings you to this port's city centre. A short canal, running parallel to the port shoreline, is a key attraction. The area is also known for its seafood and glassblowing. I opted for ramen noodles instead of seafood. There was a clutch of very small seafood restaurants that seemed all too touristy. I did my obligatory walk about town, finding a great ice cream shop, my helping of ramen noodles and a good location to have a coffee near the water and watch the world go by.
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| Purchasing tickets - metro on left; train on right |
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| Looking seaward from train station |
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| Famous romantic canal |
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| My ramen noodles being prepped |
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| Noodle shop |
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| My noodles |
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| Otaru street |
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| 'Tree' with glass blown ornaments |
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Avoid climbing this viewpoint. Nothing
to see. Seafood restaurants are just below. |
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| Where I found my matcha ice cream |
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These ornaments were hanging in an area under
construction. Go figure! |
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| Otaru train station |
I was on a quest to reach the northern most point in Japan. My quest involved taking a 3.5 hour train ride, in each direction plus an overnight stay. I'm richer for the experience! I enjoyed amazing seafood for dinner and the following day's breakfast. I'm still reconciling the fact that I'm having seafood for breakfast given that a bowl of oatmeal (porridge) is my typical breakfast.
My overnight stay was an interesting experience. The accommodation was, in my best estimation, a modified ryokan inn. The upper level had three guest rooms with tatami mats and a futon bed. The paper thin walls meant I heard a guest's snoring periodically. We also had a shared bathroom, which was something new for me when traveling. I think the last time I had a shared bath was when I was still married or a visitor at a friend's home. We were on our own for meals. The owners were a sweet couple who were engaging, kind and hospitable. They were good enough to recommend the best places for meals. Why choose this place? This was the best option in the limited options available for that night. An experience to avoid in the future. 😁
Train
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| Our limited express train to Wakkanai |
Welcome to the northernmost point of Hokkaido and Japan; a 45 minute public bus ride from Wakkanai. On a clear day you can see Sakhalin Island which is part of Russia (and formerly part of Japan). We had a cloudy day so I missed seeing the island. The temperature was about 14 C (58F) during my visit. I donned my heavier windbreaker for the occasion. I'm guessing it was warmer in North America than where I was. A long ways to go to be cold!
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| Area map |
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| Northernmost point monumment |
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| Oh, there's Sakhalin Island |
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| More info |
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Musical monument playing 'Soya Misaki', a
ballet about the Cape played in the enka style |
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| Hello from the Cape |
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Tower of Prayer monument dedicated to Korean
Airlines flight 007 shot down is September 1983 |
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| Flight info |
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| Remember - three strikes on the bell |
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| Monuments galore |
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| Finding my way |
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| Naval watchtower |
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Monument dedicated to the Japanese and
American soldiers killed in the area during
WWII |
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| Even more info |
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| and more |
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Add to my ever increasing
collection of lighthouse photos |
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| Where to go |
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| and what to see |
Dinner
What a delightful seafood feast, recommended by the couple at the place I was staying.
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| View from restaurant seat |
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| Restaurant |
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This woman was a combination
of graciousness and frenetic |
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| My meal |
Around the city
A few photos from my various walks and experiences about the town.
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| Wakkanai Port |
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| North Breakwater Dome |
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| North Breakwater Dome |
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| Sunset |
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| Notice the Russian on local signs |
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Bus payment system. You take a ticket when you
board. You match the ticket number to the number
on this board and pay the corresponding fare.
Easy peasy - if you know the rules, that is. |
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| Downtown Wakkanai |
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| Japan railway's northernmost point |
A quick 15 minute bus ride brings you to Wakkanai's second cape. The visit highlight was to enjoy a sea urchin breakfast and then take the short walk to the cape for a few photos.
Breakfast
Guess what? Sea urchins were in season during my stay. What better breakfast to have than fresh sea urchins! BTW - eating sea urchins was new to me. First time I heard about eating sea urchins. They were delicious! My thanks to the couple who owned and ran the place I stayed at - Lulu Stay.
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| Where you order your meal |
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| Where you eat your meal |
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| Restaurant interior |
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| My breakfast. Note that wasabi comes in a tube |
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| Clams in the miso soup! Delicious! |
The Cape
This site is far less glamorous than Cape Soya. There are a few sculptures, signs and a cold water aquarium if you're interested.
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| Dolphin statute |
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| I missed visiting the two islands just off the coast |
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| Another lighthouse |
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| Military installation including weather monitoring |
Goodbye Sapporo - For Now
What an exciting, clean and safe city! While the February snow festival sounds like a blast, I think I'll avoid spending money and travel time to be in cold weather when I have those winter delights in Canada!
Photos below are from a major intersection in the Susukino area where I stayed. The electronic signboards were lit up at night with lots of sounds. Fun part of the city to stay in. I should also mention there were several 'gentleman' type clubs (pardon if I have the wrong terminology) in this area as well. A neighbourhood in transition.
I must return to discover the real Hokkaido which is found in all the wonderful national parks I omitted from my travels. Thanks Yvonna for the timely reminder. I can add this destination to my ever growing list of places to revisit, like Sumatra, to have a better first hand experience.
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| Sapporo city core street |
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Corner of Tsukisamu dori and Hwy 36
Susukino |
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Corner of Tsukisamu dori and Hwy 36
Susukino |
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Corner of Tsukisamu dori and Hwy 36
Susukino |
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Corner of Tsukisamu dori and Hwy 36
Susukino |
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My favourite Sapporo bakery - daily visits
Thanks to the hotel staff for sharing! |
Hakodate
I added Hakodate, the most southern city (and port) on Hokkaido, to my travel plan for two reasons, to keep my travel time to around four hours and to visit the much publicized morning market with its fresh seafood. As I learned, the morning market's reputation is well deserved.
I was on a mission once I arrived in Hakodate given I limited myself to a one night stay. I checked into my hotel around 3 pm and was off to my first two destinations, Goryokaku Park and Mount Hakodate. I decided to try the city tram instead of the Google Map bus suggestion. I did need to seek help on the tram as to the correct stop to alight as the tram station route map was missing my intended stop. It is an interesting exercise to use Google Translate to seek assistance while traveling on a crowded tram. The first person I asked was unable to help, however he took it upon himself to ask fellow passengers for their help. Everyone pitched in and one of the passengers guided me to the tram door to ensure I got off at the right stop, her stop as well. Welcome to Japanese hospitality and kindness. Heartfelt thanks to the Japanese people who've been so wonderful in my short time here!
This five pointed (star shaped) fort, designed to protect the area from a potential Russian invasion (which never happened), was completed in 1864. It was designed by Takeda Ayasaburo and influenced by the French military engineer Vauban. This was the first Western style fortification in Japan.
I had visited a five point fort in Jaffna (Sri Lanka), built by the Dutch (and never used - just saying), so I was interested in the comparison. My humble opinion - the Jaffna fort is a much better place to visit if five point forts are your thing. Many internal buildings are still in place at Jaffna giving you a much better feel for the fort's operations.
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Goryokaku Tower - which I decided to
skip in favour of Mt. Hakodate |
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| Visiting Hokkaido |
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| Fort details |
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| All about the wall structure |
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| Walk along the fort wall |
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| Moat |
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| Moat |
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| Picturesque setting |
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| Fort wall |
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| Inside the fort |
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| Loved these trees inside the fort |
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| Even more details about fort |
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| Magistrate's building |
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Sign warns of falling ice and snow.
Yikes, it's June! |
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| Cannon #1 |
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| Cannon #2 |
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| More info |
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| Beautiful view from wall |
The Observatory was about a thirty minute stroll from my hotel. I wanted to see as much as I could with the one night stay. I did find a bakery on my way that sold small slices of apple pie. What a nice treat to have while I enjoyed the harbour view from Mount Hakodate. My thanks to Yvonna for inspiring me to take more night time photos.
As the photos below reveal, this destination is super popular. Finding a place to enjoy the city lights is a major adventure. There were additional busloads of people arriving as I was leaving around 7:30 pm. The challenge to find a good and comfortable viewing area was about to be amplified!
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| 3 minute ropeway ride to peak |
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| Sun is setting |
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| Hakodate |
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| Sunset |
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Most people were taking a photo of this, so it must
be important, I think. |
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| Sunset |
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| Wall to wall people |
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| People everywhere |
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| More busloads on the way |
A Statute
I happened upon this solitary statute on my return walk to my hotel. What struck me was this statute's state of disrepair (facial features were worn away) and the unkept grounds around the statute. There were a number of places in Hakodate that needed attention. I've been accustomed to pristine appearances and maintenance wherever I've traveled in Japan, to date.
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| Read all about the man being featured |
This morning market, famous for its fresh seafood, was a key destination in my Hakodate visit. Sushi or sashimi, breakfast of champions!
My thanks to Google Maps to help identify a place to eat. There are so many different places to choose from. I had the most incredible breakfast.
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| Making the options easier to choose from |
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| The market is about three blocks square. |
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| Seafood everywhere |
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| Fresh, dried seafood plus fresh veges and fruit |
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| My eating destination |
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| Inside the restaurant |
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| Serving counter |
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| My sushi meal and all the accompaniments! |
Morioka
My two night stay in Morioka, in the Iwate Prefecture, spawned out of my desire to avoid going directly from Hakodate to Sendai, which was part of my original itinerary. I discovered Morioka as I was looking for alternative stopovers. This is one of those Japanese cities that is just starting to gain popularity as a tourist destination. The city was identified as a top international destination in 2023. I'll end up missing out on visiting Mount Iwate, a strong rival to Mount Fuji for its beauty, given the low cloud cover during my stay.
Bakery
I'm blessed with the gift of having a monthly Zoom call with friends, a call that originated during Covid. During Friday's call, my good friend Janet mentioned about the strong relationship between Japanese and French pastries and bakeries. I've seen several French patisseries throughout my short time in Japan. I just had to include this photo of a bakery just outside the Morioka Train Station given the recent discussion with my friends! I did stop by this bakery to sample their apple pie. Gotta do what you gotta to! 😁
'Chagu Chagu Umakko is a traditional event in Iwate, in which workhorses adorned in magnificent costumes march approximately 14 kilometers from Onikoshi Sozen Shrine in Takizawa to Morioka Hachimangu Shrine in Morioka.'
The universe shone its benevolence in my journey once again. This march, which past the front of my hotel, happened about an hour after I arrived in Morioka. I got the sense, as I was walking to my hotel, that there must be a parade on its way with all the people lining the streets. Far too many people around to be waiting for transit buses!
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| March info |
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| Every march needs dignitaries, right? |
Odori Arcade Street
Lucky me! The shopping and entertainment district was about a three minute walk from my hotel. The biggest bonus was the bakery nearby that had at least two types of apple based pastries! Simply divine! The Iwate Park, Rock Splitting Cherry Tree and Sakurayama Shrine were at the end of the street, about a ten minute walk from my hotel.
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Looking towards Iwate Park, just after
the march. |
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| Looking towards my hotel |
'Ishiwarizakura, popularly known in English as the Rock-Splitting Cherry Tree (or “Rock-Breaking” Cherry Tree) is nearly 400-years-old. In 1923 the tree was designated a natural monument of Japan'.
A testament to the power of Mother Nature! The rock is a granite boulder!
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| Read all about it! |
'When constructed in 1597 the castle was originally known as Kozukata Castle. It was the residence of the local feudal lords until 1874 when most of the buildings were demolished. Fortunately the stone walls remain in their original form and the castle grounds were preserved as a park in 1906.'
'It was founded in 1749. The shrine building is located on the site of the Sannomaru ruins of Morioka Castle, and was worshiped as the guardian deity of the Nanbu domain.'
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| Approaching the Shrine |
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| Shrine is behind me in this photo |
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Shrine entrance. Entering the shrine grounds involves
navigating around the oval seen in the photo. |
Hoonji Temple, built in 1394 (est.) has wooden lifelike statues of 500 Buddhist disciples (rakan) who gathered here from different places after the death of Buddha. Truth be known, there are only 499 rakan, what's in a number, anyway?
I intersected with a groundskeeper on my way into the temple grounds. Most helpful man, who advised me about the 300 yen entrance fee, need to remove my shoes to enter the building and, most of all, he was emphatic about noticing the dragon image on the ceiling in the temple. Small confession. In all my photo taking I almost missed looking at the ceiling.
Beautiful grounds; ideal location for quiet contemplation in a busy city.
The cemetery near the temple caught my attention. Sections of the cemetery were within a wooded area, more of 'one with nature' environment which I thought makes so much sense.
There are several temples in the same area if you're interested.
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| Welcome to the Temple |
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| Magnificent entrance |
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| Looking towards the main hall |
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| More info |
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| Almost there |
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| Getting closer to the building entrance |
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| Temple is white building |
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| Entrance fee paid - on my way |
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| Rakans on the right |
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| Great Buddha |
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| Rakans on left |
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| Dragon image on ceiling |
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| Part of temple complex |
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| Great Buddha |
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| Cemetery on way to temple |
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| Cemetery |
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| Cemetery |
Kozukata Jajamen
Moroika is known for its
three great noodle dishes, Morioka Reimen, Morioka Jajamen, and Wanko Soba. I managed to try the reimen and jajamen noodles during my stay. Jajamen noodles are flat udon noodles adorned with toppings like chopped cucumber, green onions, and a distinctive red meat miso. The flavour is reminiscent of the flavors savoured in former Manchuria over six decades ago.
Google Maps came through with a great noodle place within five minutes walking distance. After my initial confusion of where the noodle place's location, I ended up with an amazing bowl of noodles. The delightful nuance to this bowl of noodles is the after noodle dining experience - chitantan (an egg drop soup).The chef takes your last remaining noodles, adds some soba broth and an egg (which you get to whisk) to create a wonderful soup.
I encourage you to read the article I've shared above for more detail on each noodle type.
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I knew the noodle place was on a lower level. Finding
these stairs took some doing. Google Maps had
the location on the opposite side of the street. |
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| Jajamen noodles |
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| Chitantan |
Travel Administration
I had occasion in the past week to practice what I preach about being patient and understanding. There were a couple hotel experiences where I discovered a gap between my expectations and what I was receiving. Nothing serious or life threatening.
Steven Covey had the best advice - 'First seek to understand, then to be understood.' Remember a couple things: 1) There are potential gaps in communications both in translated materials and what you are hearing/trying to say AND 2) it's best to start with the assumption that you have good people trying their best in a second language. My experience suggests forget about raising your voice. Lower tones to gain clarification is a great starting point.
Next Week
I'm now planning to weave myself across Honshu Island in an attempt to experience both coasts as well as a hint of the island's interior. The destinations on my radar include Akita, Niigata, Matsumoto, Mt. Fuji and possibly end up in Ise on the east coast. Should be interesting!
'See you' next week! Stay happy and healthy!
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