James Moar
@jamesmoar.bsky.social
Just realised an important point I left out of my description of Goryokaku Fort — though it was built because of concerns about overseas forces, its active life as a fort consisted mainly of changing hands between Shogunate and Imperial Japanese armies.
November 12, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Just realised an important point I left out of my description of Goryokaku Fort — though it was built because of concerns about overseas forces, its active life as a fort consisted mainly of changing hands between Shogunate and Imperial Japanese armies.
This was my last full day in Hakodate. Travelling to Asahikawa tomorrow, a fairly long trek. Plan to break the journey in Sapporo for lunch.
November 12, 2025 at 11:42 AM
This was my last full day in Hakodate. Travelling to Asahikawa tomorrow, a fairly long trek. Plan to break the journey in Sapporo for lunch.
Main course was nabe (hotpot), with chicken meatballs, tofu cubes, fried tofu skin, mushrooms and one very large prawn. Nabe tends to have a subtle broth which everything’s simmered in.
November 12, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Main course was nabe (hotpot), with chicken meatballs, tofu cubes, fried tofu skin, mushrooms and one very large prawn. Nabe tends to have a subtle broth which everything’s simmered in.
Though the restaurant mostly does seafood, it was other items that I was interested in. Here’s German fried potatoes topped with cheese and vienna sausages.
November 12, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Though the restaurant mostly does seafood, it was other items that I was interested in. Here’s German fried potatoes topped with cheese and vienna sausages.
Dinner at a small restaurant offering various mostly seafood items. This place works on izakaya (pub) rules unlike most restaurants I visit — you’re expected to order at least one drink, and there’s a compulsory appetiser to justify a cover charge of a couple of pounds. I chose melon soda.
November 12, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Dinner at a small restaurant offering various mostly seafood items. This place works on izakaya (pub) rules unlike most restaurants I visit — you’re expected to order at least one drink, and there’s a compulsory appetiser to justify a cover charge of a couple of pounds. I chose melon soda.
Teddy bear from one of the first companies to make them, dating from only a few years after the concept had been invented.
November 12, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Teddy bear from one of the first companies to make them, dating from only a few years after the concept had been invented.
The Meijikan also houses a small Teddy Bear Museum — because it’s selling teddies and similar down below, but still, effort gets put into this. Includes bears designed by various celebrities.
November 12, 2025 at 11:20 AM
The Meijikan also houses a small Teddy Bear Museum — because it’s selling teddies and similar down below, but still, effort gets put into this. Includes bears designed by various celebrities.
The Hakodate Meijikan and Brick Warehouses, early western-style buildings that now house souvenir shops.
November 12, 2025 at 11:14 AM
The Hakodate Meijikan and Brick Warehouses, early western-style buildings that now house souvenir shops.
Lunch. There’s a time to try the local specialties of each city, and there’s a time to just get a double order of gyoza.
November 12, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Lunch. There’s a time to try the local specialties of each city, and there’s a time to just get a double order of gyoza.
The Apothecary Diaries seems to be a prominent series right now — it had displays for two different manga versions and the light novel at the bookshop and similar at a comic shop (plus character goods there as well).
November 12, 2025 at 11:08 AM
The Apothecary Diaries seems to be a prominent series right now — it had displays for two different manga versions and the light novel at the bookshop and similar at a comic shop (plus character goods there as well).
Some manga artists’ sketches at a bookshop. The leftmost is by Hiromu Arakawa, who’s from Hokkaido (something she draws on most obviously in her series Silver Spoon). The middle is Maomao from The Apothecary Diaries. The rightmost is Asirpa from Golden Kamuy, a manga dealing in part with the Aynu.
November 12, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Some manga artists’ sketches at a bookshop. The leftmost is by Hiromu Arakawa, who’s from Hokkaido (something she draws on most obviously in her series Silver Spoon). The middle is Maomao from The Apothecary Diaries. The rightmost is Asirpa from Golden Kamuy, a manga dealing in part with the Aynu.
Quick ice-cream in the base building of the observation tower. Had haskap sorbet, gianduja (hazelnut and chocolate ice-crean) plus a cinnamony apple-pie flavour. Odd mix, I know, but I just picked the most interesting items on the menu.
November 12, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Quick ice-cream in the base building of the observation tower. Had haskap sorbet, gianduja (hazelnut and chocolate ice-crean) plus a cinnamony apple-pie flavour. Odd mix, I know, but I just picked the most interesting items on the menu.
Closer look at a park moat and wall (there were other walls raised higher than this). Again, the wall structure strongly resembles Japanese castle defensive walling.
November 12, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Closer look at a park moat and wall (there were other walls raised higher than this). Again, the wall structure strongly resembles Japanese castle defensive walling.
Diorama of the park when it was a fort. Despite the star structure being western-derived, the use of wide bridged moats and the outer walls for the main defence while the inner buildings are comparatively fragile strongly resembles earlier Japanese castle architecture.
November 12, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Diorama of the park when it was a fort. Despite the star structure being western-derived, the use of wide bridged moats and the outer walls for the main defence while the inner buildings are comparatively fragile strongly resembles earlier Japanese castle architecture.
The creation of the fort was spurred by the opening of Japan to overseas trade. There’s a series of comic strips on the observation deck depicting this history — if it doesn’t look like anything you’d expect from manga, it’s because it’s in slightly retro newspaper strip style instead.
November 12, 2025 at 10:42 AM
The creation of the fort was spurred by the opening of Japan to overseas trade. There’s a series of comic strips on the observation deck depicting this history — if it doesn’t look like anything you’d expect from manga, it’s because it’s in slightly retro newspaper strip style instead.
Goryokaku Park as seen from the observation deck. In its original role as a fort, the five-pointed star outline allowed rifle coverage from inside without positions hidden from view.
November 12, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Goryokaku Park as seen from the observation deck. In its original role as a fort, the five-pointed star outline allowed rifle coverage from inside without positions hidden from view.
Visited Goryokaku Park, which was previously the site of a late 19th-century fort. This is an observation tower intended to give a proper look at the park’s distinctive layout.
November 12, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Visited Goryokaku Park, which was previously the site of a late 19th-century fort. This is an observation tower intended to give a proper look at the park’s distinctive layout.
Slightly chaotic selection from the hotel breakfast buffet. The items on offer include Hakodate specialties that wouldn’t normally be breakfast.
Among other things I’ve taken salmon in breadcrumbs, lamb stirfry (‘Genghis Khan’) with seafood, and baked squid. Small bowl of salt ramen on the side.
Among other things I’ve taken salmon in breadcrumbs, lamb stirfry (‘Genghis Khan’) with seafood, and baked squid. Small bowl of salt ramen on the side.
November 12, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Slightly chaotic selection from the hotel breakfast buffet. The items on offer include Hakodate specialties that wouldn’t normally be breakfast.
Among other things I’ve taken salmon in breadcrumbs, lamb stirfry (‘Genghis Khan’) with seafood, and baked squid. Small bowl of salt ramen on the side.
Among other things I’ve taken salmon in breadcrumbs, lamb stirfry (‘Genghis Khan’) with seafood, and baked squid. Small bowl of salt ramen on the side.
Got one more sightseeing thing for tomorrow, but otherwise planning yo be a bit more shopping-focussed.
November 11, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Got one more sightseeing thing for tomorrow, but otherwise planning yo be a bit more shopping-focussed.
Lunch or dinner at a restaurant at the top of the ropeway. Had ikameshi (squid stuffed with rice), a local specialty, plus Genovese ajillo, condisting of seafood cooked in garlic-infused olive oil.
November 11, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Lunch or dinner at a restaurant at the top of the ropeway. Had ikameshi (squid stuffed with rice), a local specialty, plus Genovese ajillo, condisting of seafood cooked in garlic-infused olive oil.
It’s the nighttime views that are really popular, though. Had to scooch in at an odd angle to get this shot, the crowds were pretty big by then.
November 11, 2025 at 10:38 AM
It’s the nighttime views that are really popular, though. Had to scooch in at an odd angle to get this shot, the crowds were pretty big by then.
Later, went up Mount Hakodate on a ropeway. The big attraction here is city views.
November 11, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Later, went up Mount Hakodate on a ropeway. The big attraction here is city views.
Toilets inside the Public Hall. The choice of seated or squat toilet is still something you see today.
November 11, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Toilets inside the Public Hall. The choice of seated or squat toilet is still something you see today.
Corridor inside the building. The layout seems to hark back traditional Japanese use of external wraparound balconies for the purposes of connecting rooms rather than internal corridors.
November 11, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Corridor inside the building. The layout seems to hark back traditional Japanese use of external wraparound balconies for the purposes of connecting rooms rather than internal corridors.
Next, visited the Former Public Hall of Hakodate. Another building in Western style from the early 20th Century, reflecting Hakodate’s importance as a trading port.
November 11, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Next, visited the Former Public Hall of Hakodate. Another building in Western style from the early 20th Century, reflecting Hakodate’s importance as a trading port.