After seven days of nothing but open sea across the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean, we were ready for dry land. Japan delivered with our first stop in Hakodate, at the southern tip of Japan’s northernmost island. Our dear friend Sandy joined us onboard for a week as part of the ship’s Japanese cultural immersion program.
We kicked off the day with our tour guide at the massive morning market, packed with an unbelievable variety of fresh seafood – especially squid, the local specialty! From there, we took a bus to the aerial tramway (known as the Ropeway) up Mount Hakodate. We were lucky to have a crystal-clear day for sweeping views of the city, though it is famous for its stunning nighttime panorama when the weather cooperates.
After a couple more stops, we visited Goryokaku Tower, where we learned about the history of the “black ships.” The ships, led by Commodore Perry, arrived in the 1850s and pushed Japan to open its ports to the wider world, Hakodate among them. From the observation deck, we took in the view of the star-shaped fort below, then walked the grounds to learn its history. In the spring, the fort is covered with over 1,500 cherry trees, which must be breathtaking in full bloom.
Next, we explored the Red Brick Warehouse district, browsing shops filled with unique Japanese-made products.
We wrapped up the evening with a stop at our first-ever conveyor-belt sushi restaurant. Though we waited over an hour to get seated, it was an amazing experience taking off plates as they passed by our table! At the end, the staff tallied our bill simply by counting our color-coded stack of plates. The sushi was remarkably fresh, and the final price was surprisingly inexpensive for an incredibly fun and tasty meal.
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