Goryokaku Fort （五稜郭）| Fortress Park with 1,600 Cherry Trees | Hakodate

Goryokaku Fort （五稜郭） was the last battle field of a large-scale civil war between the Tokugawa shogunate and the new government forces, and worked as a cornerstone of the end of feudal era of Japan in the 19th century. Now it is opened to the public as a park, where about 1,600 cherry trees are planted!

Let't go to the Goryokaku Tower （五稜郭タワ） to see the whole picture of the fortress park!

From the 107m-high double-decked observatory, we can enjoy the panoramic views of Hakodate from every angle!!

Voila!
This is Goryokaku Fort （五稜郭）, which is a star-shaped fort!

When you come here in the spring time, the star is filled with pink cherry blossoms like this↓

Let's walk in the park↓

How beautiful the blossoms are! There are 1,600 cherry blossoms planted in the park.

Anyway, do you know how many countries have such a star-shaped fortress? We can learn the history of the fortress as well as the history of Japan in the 19th century at this observatory.

When you come here, please visit this cafe stand on the first floor of the observatory!

Have you ever eaten cherry blossom ice cream?

This is a seasonal specialty during the spring time only! Yummy x 2!!!

Let's go down to the first floor, which has one of the largest souvenir corners in the city, with a huge lineup of local products as well as the original goods that cannot purchased anywhere else.

■Where is "Goryokaku Fort （五稜郭）"?

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■Tour guide information■

Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?I'll guide you! Plz click here!

Kitakarou Otaru Main Shop （北菓楼 小樽本館）| Otaru

There are a lot of recommendable sweets shops in Otaru along the Sakaimachi Main Street （堺町本通り）, downtown street in Otaru.
Today I'll show you "Kitakarou Otaru Main Shop （北菓楼　小樽本館）", one of my favorites!
（* If you need general information on the street, please refer to my other post→click here!）

Let's enter it!
One of the characteristics of this confectionery shop is large amount of samples!! Hahaha!

"Youseinomori （妖精の森）", baumkuchen （バームクーヘン）, is so delicious that it is often featured by TV programs. Of course, it has samples!

Look at Hamanasunokoi （はまなすの恋）↓ This is yummy x 2 white chocolate biscuit, and of course it has samples!

Kaitakuokaki （開拓おかき） is one of my favorite rice crackers, which has several flavors; kelp flavor（えりも昆布味）, salmon flavor（秋鮭味）, scallop flavor（帆立味）, sweet shrimp flavor（甘エビ味）, and squid flavor（松前いか味）. Of course each of the flavor has samples!!!

How about apple pies??? These are baked just from the oven!! Hot! Hot! Hot!

Don't forget their cream puff!!!

Yumefusigi （夢不思議） has W cream; custard and fresh cream, and the balance is perfect!!

Look at these! 1/4 size of the products are samples!!! Here is a wonderful sample paradise!!

Personally I love Biscotte （ビスコット） very much!!

The puff is so soft that it can be torn easily with fingers.

The custard is supper supper mild and creamy!!

Last but not least, I'll introduce a seasonal limited ice cream to you. The vanilla soft ice cream is very recommendable, but when you come here in the spring, why don't you try cherry blossom and white chocolate flavor （桜のホワイトチョコソフト）?

We enjoyed their sweets from the bottom of our heart today!

The main shop of this confectionery company is in Sunagawa （砂川）. If you are interested in their main shop, please refer to my other post→click here!

■Where is "Kitakarou Otaru Main Shop （北菓楼　小樽本館）"?

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■Tour guide information■

Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?I'll guide you! Plz click here!

LeTAO (Main Shop & PATHOS) in Otaru

LeTAO is one of the famous and popular confectionery companies in Hokkaido. There are several shops of LeTAO on Sakai-machi main street （堺町本通り） in Otaru.
We visited the main shop, across from Otaru Music Box Museum, the other day.

If you like hot chocolate, I recommend this "CHOCOLATE DRINK BAR" in the shop!

You can enjoy freshly-made chocolate drink!

I like bitter one, but you can select from sweet to mild to bitter drink.

The most popular product here is Fromage Double（ドゥーブルブルフロマージュ）; a double layered cheesecake with baked cream cheese and no-bake mascherpone.

I really love it!

I also recommend its fresh soft chocolate, especially white one with grape flavor （ホワイトチョコレートナイアガラ）!!!

On the second floor, you can eat its sweets including cakes.

Let me see.......... What should we eat???

We chose a strawberry cake,

and a chocolate cake,

and a cheese cake!

Don't forget chocolate drinks!
Look at the cups! They're soooooooooooooo cute!

LeTAO opened its new shop and cafe, PATHOS, on May 16th, 2011 on the same street!

It has a crape section,

a chocolate & cake section,

a bakery section,

and even a bag section!!!
SOMES Saddle Co. is the only manufacturer of equestrian gear in this country. The company has produced high-quality domestic harness and bags.

On the second floor, there is a cafe-restaurant.

I ate a Mont Blanc tart.

If you cannot choose only one dessert, how about a Double Plate (ドゥーブルプレート）, which has three kinds of their delicious cheese cake; Chocolat Frommage （ショコラフロマージュ）, Cinderella DE Fromage （シンデレラデフロマージュ）, and Double Fromage （ドゥーブルフロマージュ）, the most popular and standard one? Perfect, isn't it?

We really enjoyed their sweets :)

■Where are shops of LeTAO?

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■Tour guide information■

Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?

I'll guide you! Plz click here!

Dining Takeda （味処 たけだ）| Seafood Dinng | Otaru

When you come to a fish market, you must eat fresh seafood sold there on the spot! I have the same idea!
On the 15th of April, we went to Sankaku Fish Market （三角市場） neat JR Otaru Station.
(* If you need some general information on the market, please refer to my other post→click here!)

"Ajidokoro Takeda （味処　たけだ）" is run by "Takeda Fish Store （武田鮮魚店）" located just in front of the dining in the same market. After getting orders, the cook picks up fresh seafood in the shop! Perfect, isn't it?

They serve a wide variety of dishes, and we were so happy!

This is an appetizer, dried squid with squid ink! Yummy x 2!!!

Voila!
This is "Sansyoku Don （三食丼）", a bowl of rice topped with three kind of fresh seafood. Actually they serve several kinds of Sansyoku Don. This is a salmon, sea urchin, and scallop version. How appetizing it is!!

This is also Sansyoku Don with scallop, Botan prawn, and king crab! Do you think it has everything you want to eat? Hahaha!

I ordered a sea urchin bowl （旬の生うに食べ比べ丼）. It has two kinds of sea urchin, and we can compare with each other! I really love horse-dung sea urchin （バフンウニ）. Are you surprised to hear the name? Unlike the sound, it tastes super delicious!!!

All of the lunch comes with this crab soup! Wow! Wow! Wow!!!

Two weeks later, on the 29th of April, I came back here again with other tour guests. We ordered so many fresh seafood dishes that you must be surprised at the amount!!! Two of the guests and I ordered ...................

■Horse-dung sea urchin （バフンウニ）

This is in the best season! Yummy yummy!!

■Salmon roe （いくら）
Hokkaido reminds you of salmon, right? We must try it!!

■Botanebi prawn （ボタンエビ）
They are HUGE and fresh!!

■Scallop （ほたて）
Hokkaido scallops are very sweet and yummy x 2!!

We also ordered a half &half. Do you have any idea what we ordered here?

Voila!
■King crab (boiled)
Yes! We ordered a king crab!! We had the half boiled, and

the other grilled! What a great idea it is!!!

■Channel rockfish （きんき）
Channel rockfish caught off Abashiri （網走）, fishing town, in the eastern part of Hokkaido is supper supper juicy and fatty!!! I really recommend it!!

We really enjoyed Hokkaido fresh seafood! Hip! Hip! Hooray!!

(* If you need some general information on the market, please refer to my other post→click here!)

■Where is the Sankaku Fish Market （三角市場）?

View Larger Map

■Tour guide information■

Do you need a nationally-licensed English-speaking tour guide when you travel to Hokkaido?

I'll guide you! Plz click here!