James Moar
@jamesmoar.bsky.social
Lunch or dinner at a restaurant at the top of the ropeway. Had ikameshi (squid stuffed with rice), a local specialty, plus Genovese ajillo, condisting of seafood cooked in garlic-infused olive oil.
November 11, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Lunch or dinner at a restaurant at the top of the ropeway. Had ikameshi (squid stuffed with rice), a local specialty, plus Genovese ajillo, condisting of seafood cooked in garlic-infused olive oil.
It’s the nighttime views that are really popular, though. Had to scooch in at an odd angle to get this shot, the crowds were pretty big by then.
November 11, 2025 at 10:38 AM
It’s the nighttime views that are really popular, though. Had to scooch in at an odd angle to get this shot, the crowds were pretty big by then.
Later, went up Mount Hakodate on a ropeway. The big attraction here is city views.
November 11, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Later, went up Mount Hakodate on a ropeway. The big attraction here is city views.
Toilets inside the Public Hall. The choice of seated or squat toilet is still something you see today.
November 11, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Toilets inside the Public Hall. The choice of seated or squat toilet is still something you see today.
Corridor inside the building. The layout seems to hark back traditional Japanese use of external wraparound balconies for the purposes of connecting rooms rather than internal corridors.
November 11, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Corridor inside the building. The layout seems to hark back traditional Japanese use of external wraparound balconies for the purposes of connecting rooms rather than internal corridors.
Next, visited the Former Public Hall of Hakodate. Another building in Western style from the early 20th Century, reflecting Hakodate’s importance as a trading port.
November 11, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Next, visited the Former Public Hall of Hakodate. Another building in Western style from the early 20th Century, reflecting Hakodate’s importance as a trading port.
Assam tea and rose flavour ice-cream at the Former British Consulate. The egg-timer indicates the time until the tea’s ready.
Seems like the rose flavour is a result of an English-rose association, even though we’d associate it with Turkish Delight instead.
Seems like the rose flavour is a result of an English-rose association, even though we’d associate it with Turkish Delight instead.
November 11, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Assam tea and rose flavour ice-cream at the Former British Consulate. The egg-timer indicates the time until the tea’s ready.
Seems like the rose flavour is a result of an English-rose association, even though we’d associate it with Turkish Delight instead.
Seems like the rose flavour is a result of an English-rose association, even though we’d associate it with Turkish Delight instead.
Japanese image of Commodore Perry, who led the mid-19th century opening of Japan from its former isolation (via, frankly, gunboat diplomacy), compared with a photograph of the man.
The word ‘Hakodadi’ represents how Hakodate was pronounced in the local accent at the time.
The word ‘Hakodadi’ represents how Hakodate was pronounced in the local accent at the time.
November 11, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Japanese image of Commodore Perry, who led the mid-19th century opening of Japan from its former isolation (via, frankly, gunboat diplomacy), compared with a photograph of the man.
The word ‘Hakodadi’ represents how Hakodate was pronounced in the local accent at the time.
The word ‘Hakodadi’ represents how Hakodate was pronounced in the local accent at the time.
More seriously, interesting how the consulate building has western-style walling and chimneys, but adds a Japanese-style roof to that.
November 11, 2025 at 9:58 AM
More seriously, interesting how the consulate building has western-style walling and chimneys, but adds a Japanese-style roof to that.
After the Museum of Northern Peoples, visited the Former British Consulate. A chance to explore the exotic foreign culture of—oh, wait.
November 11, 2025 at 9:52 AM
After the Museum of Northern Peoples, visited the Former British Consulate. A chance to explore the exotic foreign culture of—oh, wait.
The Aynu themselves didn’t traditionally tend towards representative art (though did some semi-realistic animal carvings), so the ukiyo-e images dominate the pre-photographic record. Here’s an alternative image from a German-captained Russian exploration.
November 11, 2025 at 9:48 AM
The Aynu themselves didn’t traditionally tend towards representative art (though did some semi-realistic animal carvings), so the ukiyo-e images dominate the pre-photographic record. Here’s an alternative image from a German-captained Russian exploration.
Ukiyo-e paintings of various Aynu activities. Artists working in this style could be at best awkward and at worst insulting when depicting groups outside the Japanese ethnic majority, and a lot of Aynu images tend towards the latter.
November 11, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Ukiyo-e paintings of various Aynu activities. Artists working in this style could be at best awkward and at worst insulting when depicting groups outside the Japanese ethnic majority, and a lot of Aynu images tend towards the latter.
The patterns on Aynu clothing also appeared on many other artefacts. The wallet is actually from the Uilta, a group in Sakhalin Island to the north of Hokkaido, but is clearly similar in style.
November 11, 2025 at 9:35 AM
The patterns on Aynu clothing also appeared on many other artefacts. The wallet is actually from the Uilta, a group in Sakhalin Island to the north of Hokkaido, but is clearly similar in style.
Aynu necklaces, which tend to be large and use metal beads.
November 11, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Aynu necklaces, which tend to be large and use metal beads.
Examples of Aynu clothing — these are modern creations but in continuity with traditional styles. This use of symmetrical patterns is a ubiquitous feature. Unlike the dyed patterns on kimono, these are created by pasted strips of cloth.
November 11, 2025 at 9:25 AM
Examples of Aynu clothing — these are modern creations but in continuity with traditional styles. This use of symmetrical patterns is a ubiquitous feature. Unlike the dyed patterns on kimono, these are created by pasted strips of cloth.
Statue of korpokkur, fairy-like beings from Aynu folklore, associated with living under butterbur leaves (which doesn’t necessarily mean they’re tiny, Japanese butterburs actually do grow this big.)
November 11, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Statue of korpokkur, fairy-like beings from Aynu folklore, associated with living under butterbur leaves (which doesn’t necessarily mean they’re tiny, Japanese butterburs actually do grow this big.)
Ema (wooden prayer plaques) at a site commemorating the 150th-year anniversary of the end of the Boushin War. (This must have been up for about 6 years, since the war ended in 1869.)
November 11, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Ema (wooden prayer plaques) at a site commemorating the 150th-year anniversary of the end of the Boushin War. (This must have been up for about 6 years, since the war ended in 1869.)
Couple of items picked up from a convenience store for desert. They were selling baked sweet potatoes at the counter — this was a major sweet snack in olden times, and it’s still eaten today. Also picked up a chocolate ice-cream sandwich. Sandwich gets shortened to ‘sand’ or ‘sando’ in Japanese.
November 10, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Couple of items picked up from a convenience store for desert. They were selling baked sweet potatoes at the counter — this was a major sweet snack in olden times, and it’s still eaten today. Also picked up a chocolate ice-cream sandwich. Sandwich gets shortened to ‘sand’ or ‘sando’ in Japanese.
Shio (salt) ramen for dinner. While you can get that all over the country, Hakodate treats it as a specialty. It’s a lighter broth than the other major types of ramen, clear and chickeny, and as here not always as salty as the name implies.
November 10, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Shio (salt) ramen for dinner. While you can get that all over the country, Hakodate treats it as a specialty. It’s a lighter broth than the other major types of ramen, clear and chickeny, and as here not always as salty as the name implies.
Found three distinct manhole cover illustrated designs in Hakodate. Sorry about the framing on the last one — it was night by then and using flash photography for once must have thrown me off.
November 10, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Found three distinct manhole cover illustrated designs in Hakodate. Sorry about the framing on the last one — it was night by then and using flash photography for once must have thrown me off.
Lunch. Lucky Pierrot is a burger restaurant with Chinese influences. I had a chilli-prawn burger, plus chips with a demiglace-and-cheese topping, plus banana chocolate ice-cream to follow.
November 10, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Lunch. Lucky Pierrot is a burger restaurant with Chinese influences. I had a chilli-prawn burger, plus chips with a demiglace-and-cheese topping, plus banana chocolate ice-cream to follow.
Had lunch at one of the branches of this place. Oddly, it’s a chain with 17 branches in Hakodate but none elsewhere. This us the head shop — the others have mildly less frightening signs.
November 10, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Had lunch at one of the branches of this place. Oddly, it’s a chain with 17 branches in Hakodate but none elsewhere. This us the head shop — the others have mildly less frightening signs.
On the way out of Noboribetsu. View of the public square from yesterday, with sulphur-smelling steam rising out of a tunnel.
November 10, 2025 at 10:35 AM
On the way out of Noboribetsu. View of the public square from yesterday, with sulphur-smelling steam rising out of a tunnel.
Dinner. Milk ramen, a dish particular to the local establishment, plus garlicky zangi (fried chicken) in a nice light batter.
November 9, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Dinner. Milk ramen, a dish particular to the local establishment, plus garlicky zangi (fried chicken) in a nice light batter.
There’s a natural warm-water footbath in the forest near Hell Valley. It’s not actually that warm (may be the product of the season and natural variation), though clearly more so than you would expect from the ambient temperature.
November 9, 2025 at 12:25 PM
There’s a natural warm-water footbath in the forest near Hell Valley. It’s not actually that warm (may be the product of the season and natural variation), though clearly more so than you would expect from the ambient temperature.