Hakodate seems like a fun place. After our exciting breakfast in the morning market we decided to visit Goryoukaku, the historic fort in the city. Even though it is late September it is hot here – mid to high twenties and oof, that took a lot out of us.
Tram system:
Tram got to around, but it was still a long walk to the fort. Across the street is a tower that overlooks the site. We decided to start there.
You know how I confidently announced earlier that the rebellion against the Meiji restoration was settled in 1868 in Aizu? Wrong. Turns out things carried on onto Hokkaido. Hakodate was the second Japanese port opened to the west, after Yokohama. Once the Japanese began to go out into the world they brought back many ideas. One was the concept of a star shaped fort to defend a city. We’ve seen them in the Netherlands, and I’m sure many of you are familiar with the citadel in Halifax.
So – Goryoukaku is built. The shogunate is subdued. But there are defectors from the shogun’s navy who are mad at both the shogunate and the restored Emperor. They make their way to Hakodate, seize the star shaped fort and declare The Republic of Ezra. They try to convince that samurai family who were in charge of Hakodate to join them – the clan declines. Fighting ensues and the Imperial forces arrive to put an end to it all. (And yes every time I read or write that I’m thinking of empire in Star Wars terms…)
Here’s a view of the fort and the city.
And after all the fighting and carrying you know what the fort became known for?
Our tickets to the tower provide a clue:
They get lots of snow here in the winter, and eventually the moat freezes. A business evolved where they would cut out the ice, pack it in straw and send it south.
Back on the tram and off to the brick warehouse district. When trade with the west opened up big brick warehouses were built to store the goods, and many of them still exist. They’ve been transformed into all manner of trendy and tourist friendly businesses.
Including?…
I’m sure you were wondering why it has been so long since there were any beer pictures.
Beer, fish and chips and fried squid.
They have machines here that flay the squid and cut into strips, which are then battered and fried, so not like calamari. Why do they do that to the squid, you say?
Because they are huge! This is a dried specimen casually hanging in the 7-11 near our hotel.
One thing that caught my attention was the tourist directions signs in multiple languages:
Japanese, English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean and…. Russian!
So – Hakodate was interesting. Next up Lake Toya onsen town.
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