Archives: Travel Post

A 20-minute walk along a mountain road in Maruyama, the back of Japan's first men's Trappist monastery, sees a statue of the Virgin standing on a rock face. It recreates the world-famous Catholic pilgrimage site Lourdes in France and is free to visit from outside. The monastery is open for men only to visit inside every Tuesday from 14:00 (limited to a small number of people. Apply by round-trip postcard).

It was founded in 1896 as the first male Trappist monastery in Japan. It belongs to the strict Cistercian order of France, and is officially named "Convent of the Virgin Trappist of the Strict Cistercian Eatai". The straight tree-lined avenue from the entrance of the vast site to the monastery is beautiful and very impressive. Although it is not possible to visit the inside of the hospital, the materials exhibition hall in front of the main gate and the cave of Lourdes, which also has an observation deck for the rear mountain, are free to visit. At the concession stands, fermented butter and cookies made by traditional manufacturing at the on-site dairy factory are sold. From mid-March to late December, I would like to taste a special soft serve made of trappist butter.

You can enjoy natural hot springs from two sources of baking soda spring and sulfur spring. Accommodation is possible at the adjacent Hotel Hakodate Hiromeso.

Road station located along Route 278. The site is attached to the "Hakodate City Jomon Cultural Exchange Center", which displays artifacts excavated in the Minami-Kayabe area of Hakodate, including the site of the Ofuna. In the exhibition room, valuable Jōmon period materials from the area are published, including the "Hollow Dogu", a national treasure estimated to be 3500 years old. It broadcasts the charm of the area as a "roadside station" with the only national treasure in Hokkaido. In the experience study room in the facility, you can experience making magatama pendants and braid accessories using clay, and it is well received that you can enjoy learning Jomon culture. There are plenty of souvenirs such as chocolate-flavored cookies in the form of hollow clay figurines.

The largest centerpiece is a hollow clay figure made in the Jōmon period, about 3500 years ago. The hollow clay figure, the only national treasure in Hokkaido, is on permanent display, but is often rented to famous museums around the world. Besides the hollow clay figurines, valuable materials such as earthenware excavated from the ruins of the Jōmon period are also found. Check out the experience learning room where you can experience making items of the Jomon period.

A rare natural outdoor bath of Nagisa, where the time available for bathing is changed by the low tide of the tide. Not only is there a single-sex dressing room set up, but it is also possible to take a bath in a swimsuit, so it is also a relief for women. At high tide, it will be submerged, so it is mandatory to go out after examining the time of bathing at the official site of the Todohoke branch in advance.

A roadside station adjacent to the Esan Seaside Park along Route 278. "Natewa" means "you and me" in the dialect of the southern region. It has a campsite along the sea, which overlooks the Tsugaru Strait, and the landscape with views of Tsugaru Strait and Mt. The rooftop observation deck is a boat deck style 50m east and west, and when the weather is nice, you can enjoy the view of the Shimokita Peninsula in the distance. A large number of kelp products are available in the museum. Kelp soft serve is delicious.

It is an active volcano at an altitude of 618m. It is located at the eastern end of the Kameda Peninsula, projecting into the Pacific Ocean, and is surrounded by the sea on three sides. There are multiple courses starting from the crater-hara parking lot at an altitude of 300m. The Esan summit course is 140 minutes round trip, and you can see 360 degrees from the summit, including the mountains of Hokkaido and the Shimokita Peninsula. There is also the Cape Observation Deck course (90 minutes round trip) where Muroran and others can see, and the Esan Observation Deck course (about 50 minutes round trip) where you can observe the smoke up close. There is no stand on the way, so I want to go out with full preparation. Also known as the azalea village, the Esan azalea park at the foot of the mountain hosts the Esan azalea festival every year from late May to early June, and it is crowded with many people.

It is a hot spring at the eastern foot of Mount Hakodate, featuring a hot tub, an open-air bath, a bubble bath, and a sauna, all featuring a tussle of brown-brown water containing iron. Since it is open early in the morning, it is also good to enjoy a morning bath while taking a walk on the city train. Within walking distance to Cape Tachibana, Tomb of Takuboku, and Hakodate Park.

A memorial about 6m high erected at the foot of Mount Hakodate. The dead of the former shogunate army killed in the Hakokan War were not allowed to be buried by the new government's order, but the bodies were buried by the volunteers of Kyoukaku Yanagawa Kumakichi, Jigyoji Hiryu, and Carpenter Kuliang, Ōoka Sukeemon, who could not see the misery. In the year of Meiji 8 (1875), Taketō Enomoto, Keisuke Ōtori and others who survived the Hakokan War also collaborated to erect a monument to memorialize about 800 people, including Toshizo Hijikata. Every year in late June, a memorial service is held.