What I had for the lonely dinner in Hakodate-yama !

by Kazu

It was a pity that the Japanese bistro "Hakodateyama" didn't have living squids in the salt water tank on that day so that I could eat the half-living sushi-grade squid which limbs might run away from the dish on the table. So I ordered grilled squid, fried balloon fish.    

The number of squid to fish was regulated strictly to preserve the delicious and mysterious creature and the fishermen had not been able to go to offshore of the city to fish squid with bright light bulbs and net.

Watching the dishes on the counter of the bistro, I thought I would have to take out some dishes to the room in the hotel. But it was unnecessary concern because I could ate up all the dishes in an hour on that day. All of the dishes were superb and impressed me so much. 

 

Japanese Bistro "Hakodate-yama" just before Closed !

by Kazu

After coming back from my hometown Kitami City to Sapporo, I went on a business jaunt to Hakodate City. It had been a year since I had visited the Port City before that.I took the tram on the street to go to Yachigashira District at the foot of Mt. Hakodateyama and for return to the hotel I stayed.

It seemed that I was the last guest to have dinner in my favorite Japanese Bistro "Hakodateyama". At the late night on Sunday, the chef might have had itchy feet to close the Izakaya but I started to order many dishes for dinner/supper. 

I heard that the fresh sushi-grade cod milt could be available on that day, I  ordered that flavoerd with citrus and soy sauce with broth. For a dinner for one person, the amount of the dishes must have been too much but I could fill me up with top-quality seafood and pints of beer. 

 

The Best Hakodate Night !

by Kazu

This is the tram station of Yachigashira District in the Port City Hakodate. After finishing my duty in the city on that day, I went to the hot spring spa in Yachigashira at the foot of Mt. Hakodate-yama where my father had lived for years decades ago.   

This tram connects Yachigashira, train station, Goryokaku Area and Yunokawa hot spring area. I make a point of soak my body in the hot spring bath in Yachigashira or Yunokawa when I visit the city.

After stretching my legs and spine in the spa, I came back to the hotel I stayed in the central area of the city. I did not foresee my fiasco the next morning at that time. 

 

I was longing to the Trip from this Station !

by Kazu

In my high school age, I was longing for the train trip from this station to go somewhere in Japan or on this globe in the evening. I wanted to take red-eye train (night train) but I found that the seat in the train was a little bit uncomfortable for me later.    

Red-eye flights are also stressful even after growing-up but the movie films in the aircraft satisfy me and ease the pain with some alcohol. Night train was my dream at that time.  

We took the Limited Express Train Ozora to go back to Sapporo on that day. The locomotive had the emblem motifed the flowers of Ozora Town, pink and white mossphlox near the cockpit. It was much more comfortable than I expected. 

 

Kansai Flavored Udon Noodle Soup in my Hometown Kitami !

by Kazu

My aunt found a cozy Japanese Udon noodle soup Bar near my house in my hometown. The soup and flavoring were that of western part of Japan such as Kyoto and Osaka. The soup was transparent, not of dark color like in Tokyo Area. 

The noodle itself had so nice and appropriately chewy texture. I was so impressed by the quality because I had not expected such high quality in my hometown. Anyway, we got other choice for eating out.

The train station of Kitami City has not been changed so much and still simple and cozy without too many souvenir shops inside. The souvenirs were sold in the convenience shop in the building.

 

For the people who died in the War !

by Kazu

This is the new monument for the deceased in the World War Ⅱ built by the committee headed by Mr. Keijiro Takino who called the shot in the city at that era. Praying for the souls of the deceased and the eternal peace of the world, it was built. 

It described that over eight hundred citizens were trained and sent to China, Russia, southern islands and passed away in the war. The brave hearts to protect their nation including their families should be appreciated by the descendants of them and the current nation. 

The overview of the city in the hollow can be gained from the place of the monument and the souls of the deceased must be looking at the current lives of the citizens in peace. May the force of the brave soldiers be with the city.

 

The Approach to the Monument was Closed !

by Kazu

I think I had seen and visited the monument built for the deceased in the Japan-China War, Japan-Russia War and World War Ⅱ in my adolescence. But the approach stairs to the monument was closed. 

The maintenance of the approach and the monument must be tough for the municipality. The Midorigaoka Graveyard on the hillside of the mountain at the northern end of the hollow had been the playground for the kids until decades ago.

The autumnal foliage was not shining with the sunlight but the color of the leaves entertained me enough early in the morning. I had run around this mountains and the creek at the foot of the mountain. I love the aroma of the spruce trees in this area.