Squid in Hakodate 2

As I mentioned in my previous post, in Hakodate you can eat fresh squid sashimi,

taste squid-ink soft ice cream, and dance the squid dance —

as well as wear squid!

This is a T-shirt I saw at a shop in Kanamori red brick shopping mall.

Hello Kitty goods can also be seen next to the squid T-shirt.

.
.
.

Squid in Hakodate

This is a squid brooch I made in Hakodate.

Visitors there can enjoy the hand-on-experience of making a squid pin.

Why squid??

Because Hakodate is famous for squid!!

It’s a symbol of the city.

In Hakodate, people can eat fresh raw squid, taste squid-ink soft ice cream,

and dance the squid dance.
.
.
.

Shakshain, a Hero of the Ainu

The statue of Shakshain in Shin-Hidaka town, Hokkaido.

This Ainu leader fought the “Battle of Shakshain” in 1669,

standing up against the oppression by the Japanese.
.
.
.

The signboard shows the way to the “Shibechari Chashi”, which is

known as “Shakshain’s fortress” and used as a base for the Battle of Shakshain.
.
.
.

Crossing the small bridge, you can find the fortress.
.
.
.

The monument says this was the place for the Shakshain fortress.

The fort is a three-minute walk from the statue.

The exavation research will be started soon and continue for five years.
.
.

A view from there. The pacific ocean and the town of Shin-Hidaka can be seen.
.
.
.

Another view from the same fort. Hidaka mountain ranges can be seen.
.
.
.

This is the Shakshain Memorial Museum in Shin-hidaka town

The museum is located next to the statue of Shakshain.
.
.
.

Inside of the museum. Looks like a “chise” (Ainu people’s house).
.
.
.

The bear is one of the deities for the Ainu people.
.
.
.

“Shin-Hidaka Town Shizunai Local Museum”, another musium in Shin-Hidaka town.
.
.
.

Princess Sorachi

This is a mascot character of Uni town, Hokkaido.

She loves strawberries and rice produced in the Sorachi district (where Uni is located)

so she wears strawberry-designed kimono and has rice in her hand.

It seems she has a boyfriend called “Prince Uni”!

.
.
.

A Good Coffee Shop with a Good Barista

How about tasting coffee at a coffee shop with a World’s third best Barista.

This cafe is “Marumi Coffee” at S 1 W 1 in downtown Sapporo.

The owner of the shop won the third prize at the SCAE World Cup Testers Championship.
.
.
.

They offer various kinds of coffee. This is “today’s coffee”.
.
.
.

Looking at the entrance from the inside of the cafe.
.
.
.

2013-2014 Ski Season has Come!

Now Rusutsu Ski Resort is ready for skiing.

All the ski slopes on the three mountains in Rusutsu have more than 100 cm of snow!
(as of Dec 19, 2013)

.
.
.

Ohnuma Quasi-National Park

Ohnuma Park now looks like this!

The surface of the lake water has not frozen completely yet, but soon
it will frozen all over.

You can see Mt. Komagatake, one of the five active volcanos in Hokkaido,
at the back of the lake.

Ohnuma quasi-national park is located in southwest Hokkaido (50 minutes drive from Hakodate).
.
.
.