Hakodate and beyond
During my time in the hostel in Tokyo I don't think I came across another traveller who was planning to come up here to Hokkaido. Although it's a bit of a trek up here if Hakodate is anything to go by then they're missing out. This modest sized city has a lot going for it: a coastal location with a busy port, fishing fleet and bustling morning fish market; a cable car to one of the finest views you could hope for; a collection of colonial buildings and churches nestling amongst the Japanese style buildings; a good shopping area; great transport links to the mainland and around the city. I'm not sure about whether there's a beach in the vicinity but otherwise it's an enjoyable place to spend some time in a fairly sedate sort of way, although the surrounding countryside looks ideal for more energetic exploration should time permit. Before I even touch the rest of this sizable and varied island it's proven it's worth on a potential itinerary.
My first night in Hakedote proved to be somewhat random in that while looking for a place to eat in the evening I came across an appealing looking restaurant located in a former warehouse on the waterfront and offering a range of seafood dishes and an English menu. On the inside however it turned out to be styled on a German beer hall, so there I was in northern Japan being serenaded with good German oom-pah drinking music!
It was here I discovered that, while Westerners often feel a bit numb with their chop-stick skills, for those who are brought up with chop-sticks the humble knife and fork can prove just as daunting! A couple of Japanese girls on the next table were trying German sausage and the first attempt by one of them to tackle it with a fork made it shoot onto her lap. Although the wurst made a few more attempts for freedom it fortunately didn't make it beyond the plate, but it was quite amusing to watch, and I assume the Japanese receive similar entertainment from watching foreign visitors deal with the local cuisine using unfamiliar implements.
The eating place I ended up in last night was also a decent spot, although as is often the case it's near impossible to ask the waiting-on staff anything as they don't speak a word of anything aside from Japanese. Often I'd like to find out if what I'm ordering constitutes a full dinner in its own right or if I should be ordering something with it. Normally though I have to make do with remaining ignorant and hazarding a guess at what might work for sustinance. Yesterday though I was taking my time which of the many tempting delights to try from the menu when the waiter arrived and began hover. "I need a few more minutes" I say to him; he looks blankly at me. "Can you come back?" I offer, accompanied with some gesturing; blankety-blank. "Look, can you just bugger off for a few minutes and let me decide in peace what I'd like for bloody dinner"; the blankness was deafening.
In reality of course it didn't get that far and when I realised that my pleas were falling on the deafest of knees I opted for some small squid and rice dish just to get rid of him which of course turned out to be absolutely miniscule so I had to order another dish as well, but by this point I'd resigned myself to be fate as the dumb illiterate foreigner.
I have in my defence been trying to learn a little Japanese although progress has been rather slow. Despite being here a few months all this sightseeing and travelling about the place has proven tiring and a significant hindrance in getting much in the way of learning done. Hopefully by the time I leave in a few weeks I'll be a bit further along, but for now while I can manage a few pleasantries I'm otherwise still reliant on a good deal of charades and a good natured and patient host to get through.
I'm off shortly to the Sapporo, the main city of Hokkaido to see what that has to offer. I'm unsure if I'll have time to get to any of the national parks as I'm feeling I need to make the most of my rail pass and get moving, however either way it'll be nice to get a taster for the area and who knows maybe one day I'll come back and visit Hokkaido in a little more detail.
My first night in Hakedote proved to be somewhat random in that while looking for a place to eat in the evening I came across an appealing looking restaurant located in a former warehouse on the waterfront and offering a range of seafood dishes and an English menu. On the inside however it turned out to be styled on a German beer hall, so there I was in northern Japan being serenaded with good German oom-pah drinking music!
It was here I discovered that, while Westerners often feel a bit numb with their chop-stick skills, for those who are brought up with chop-sticks the humble knife and fork can prove just as daunting! A couple of Japanese girls on the next table were trying German sausage and the first attempt by one of them to tackle it with a fork made it shoot onto her lap. Although the wurst made a few more attempts for freedom it fortunately didn't make it beyond the plate, but it was quite amusing to watch, and I assume the Japanese receive similar entertainment from watching foreign visitors deal with the local cuisine using unfamiliar implements.
The eating place I ended up in last night was also a decent spot, although as is often the case it's near impossible to ask the waiting-on staff anything as they don't speak a word of anything aside from Japanese. Often I'd like to find out if what I'm ordering constitutes a full dinner in its own right or if I should be ordering something with it. Normally though I have to make do with remaining ignorant and hazarding a guess at what might work for sustinance. Yesterday though I was taking my time which of the many tempting delights to try from the menu when the waiter arrived and began hover. "I need a few more minutes" I say to him; he looks blankly at me. "Can you come back?" I offer, accompanied with some gesturing; blankety-blank. "Look, can you just bugger off for a few minutes and let me decide in peace what I'd like for bloody dinner"; the blankness was deafening.
In reality of course it didn't get that far and when I realised that my pleas were falling on the deafest of knees I opted for some small squid and rice dish just to get rid of him which of course turned out to be absolutely miniscule so I had to order another dish as well, but by this point I'd resigned myself to be fate as the dumb illiterate foreigner.
I have in my defence been trying to learn a little Japanese although progress has been rather slow. Despite being here a few months all this sightseeing and travelling about the place has proven tiring and a significant hindrance in getting much in the way of learning done. Hopefully by the time I leave in a few weeks I'll be a bit further along, but for now while I can manage a few pleasantries I'm otherwise still reliant on a good deal of charades and a good natured and patient host to get through.
I'm off shortly to the Sapporo, the main city of Hokkaido to see what that has to offer. I'm unsure if I'll have time to get to any of the national parks as I'm feeling I need to make the most of my rail pass and get moving, however either way it'll be nice to get a taster for the area and who knows maybe one day I'll come back and visit Hokkaido in a little more detail.
posted by Daniel at 4:16 am
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