Wednesday, March 2, 2011

One week in Hakodate, Hokkaido

I wanted to post about my first weeks in Japan before this, but I want to have some material before publishing about Tokyo so this time the post is about my short but excellent week in Hakodate…

Hakodate city is relatively small, is situated in Hokkaido and it has the world’s third best night view (someone told me that the other two are Hong Kong and Monaco). Hokkaido is maybe 1.5 or 2 times the size of Costa Rica and the population here is not as huge as Tokyo, that’s why it has been an interesting change… From the world’s most busy city to a very calm place with a different life style. Here is cold as you can imagine… Is normal to have below zero temperatures and is really difficult when it gets windy!!!

It doesn’t matter where you are in Japan, people are super nice here, very helpful and they are always interested even in the most little details that you can tell. Here I met some friends and they helped me to get a better idea of Hakodate and it’s people.

The old government house...Juzuke, Sabina, Hallic, Shogo and Mami near a lake in a far park...

Friends from HIF!One of those unique meals! :D

Doll traditions!Volunteer's dinner :)

With these new friends I’ve visited some very nice places. First of all here’s a video of my neighborhood in Hakodate…



Here are some pictures of places we visited, sightseeing, fishing my lunch in a lake, a very nice volcano and some other photos in parks and with the people I’ve met…

Endless...Volcano at the end...

Fishing with Mami-San!Eating tempura shrimp! :D

Fishing field!Juzuke and myself!

Learning from Shogo!

My favorite spot here is Mount Hakodate…

It takes from 30 to 45 to walk to the top and now in winter is all covered in snow, a very mystic place. We met very few people while climbing (a very nice fact) and because of this you feel in peace. After walking comes the spectacular city view. I took some photos but this is one of the things you have to live… This scenery is one of the best I’ve ever seeing…

The landscape from the halfway trails on Mt Hakodate...Near the top!

Minna-San Ganbare! :DMy temporary apartment is down there...

Perfect Hakodate!Perfect Hakodate!


After watching the city you go back in a rope way and the trip ends.

Riding back to the Mt base!

My stay in Hakodate ended on the first of march and now I’m in a very different place: Setana, a thousand people town where it takes like 15 minutes by foot to the neighbor's home and here I will start my voluntary work in a farm :) !!!

If I have a better Internet connection I will post more often. In Hokkaido the Internet situation has been difficult, the service in this part of Setana is very slow…

My best regards from cold Hokkaido and I hope everything is excellent everywhere!!! :D

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