Rich and Strange Aeons

Hakodate, second stay, May 18-21

Fri, 22 May 2026 13:23:51 GMT

May 18

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Hakodate-Aomori ferry

Fri, 22 May 2026 12:26:45 GMT

I realized another reason this part of Hakodate reminds me of San Francisco: hills, and streets that go up the hills like a middle finger raised to contour lines.

So, I'd decided to go to Aomori today, and assumed it'd be by shinkansen with walk-up ticket, that being reasonable. But last night I discovered there's a ferry. Slower, but cheaper. Hmm! I wouldn't want to pass on good train views, but I'm not sure if there are any. The track isn't coastal; looking at it on Google Terrain, you'd think it has to pass through lots of mountain tunnels (boo) or cross lots of valleys (whoo). My one short-notice source recalled neither, which is odd, though admitted she was busy online.

Well, been a while since I was on a boat, I decided this morning I'd do that. (I put the P in INTP.) Taking a taxi to the terminal ate up much of the savings. (There was a cheaper streetcar + bus option, but I was leery of big luggage on a bus, and it was just... eh.) But before that I had to pack, not having packed at all last night! Took like 33 minutes, minus some backpack stuff at the end, with some cleaning mixed in as well; I feel if I'd focused on just packing, wouldn't have taken that long. I am getting more optimized for short stays.

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Hakodate, San Francisco, and Ainu Museum

Tue, 19 May 2026 11:20:45 GMT

Hakodate has been making me think of San Francisco. I think a combination of the weather, slopes, low and somewhat color buildings, and views of the ocean. In particular it reminds me of parts of the Richmond and Sunset districts, which I recall had also been quiet and sleepy without making me fear for their economic health.

Then I realized something: I'm on a peninsula between two coasts. The narrow part is less than a kilometer, and even the southern bulb is 2.3 km or 1.4 miles. Of course there's not much east-west (NW to SE) traffic: where would it go, or come from?

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Hokkaido catchup

Mon, 18 May 2026 02:15:22 GMT

Catching up on daily entries seems increasingly quixotic. But a quick summary

Sapporo events

Went to Maruyama park a few times. Enjoyed a lot of cherry blossoms, and climbed to the summit, which wasn't the greatest experience.
Took ropeway and cable car up to Moint Moiya. That was cool
Botanic garden
Train to Otaru. Views from the train might have been the best part, for a good stretch it runs right between the ocean and hills.

Hakodate

Train to Hakodate was less pleasant in both experience and views. JR seems to like running the Green cars hot. But the seats in ordinary cabin would have been very narrow.
Ropeway to Mount Hakodate
Visited Goryokaku star fort
Coast east of me, park, and little zoo. Album
Coast west of me, shopping area, and bikeshare ride. Album

Hakodate (or my part of it) continues the Sapporo feeling of "where are all the people?" With more justification: Hakodate's population is down by like a third from peak. Though I suspect there's also a thing of businesses being more concentrated than in Tokyo or Osaka, with residential places being quieter. Or the fact that all the streets are wider leads me to expect more.

Ironically, I write that as I wait in Hakodate Park, in between Airbnbs, right next to a small amusement park which is decently busy even at 11 AM on a Monday morning in mid-May. Some of these kids look older than six...

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