Hakodate Sept 26 – 28, 2025
Cape Tachimachi, Hot spring and Harbor view from Cafe Morie
I came to Hakodate again. This is my third time to visit the town in the northern mainland Hokkaido. This time, I planned to visit Tachimachi Cape, Trappistine Convent, a cafe near the Foreigner cemetery, Yachigashira public bath house during this trip of three days.
I arrived at Hakodate airport before nine o’clock in the morning. It is a flight of less than one hour from Haneda. I bought a one day tram ticket at the tourist information in the Hakone station building. I rode a tram toward Yachigashira and got off at Jyujigai to stop by the city’s relocation consultation center to get some information about relocation. The office is in the former department store. It is near the entrance on the first floor and people come and go often. I lost feelings to consult something in the setting all of sudden. I decided to go out, returned to the same tram stop and rode on the tram for Yachigashira. What a waste of time there! Tachimachi Cape is located south behind Mt. Hakodate. It would be about 20 minutes to Tachimachi Cape from the Yachigashira stop by walk. It was slight rain shower. I started to walk wishing the light shower would not last long. The cape is famous for the grand scenery of some 30 meters cliffs surrounded by sea facing the shoreline of Aomori. The Ainu, the indigenous people of the Northern land, called the cape “Stand and wait to catch fish” in Ainu. Cape Tachimachi is its translation in Japanese. I wondered they waited for their arrival patiently. It was very beautiful site. It is worth walking some thirty minutes. I came to the cape watching the ocean on my left. I returned to Yachigashira tram stop through the mountain side route. worried I might meet a bear. I stayed on the roadway. It was a kind of hiking in the woods. But it took nearly one hour to return to the stop. I found the building of Yachigashira Onsen near the stop by chance. It was 11:40 in the morning. I felt a bit hungry. But I decided to stop by to take a bath as I did not want to come later. The bath house is open from 6 o’clock in the morning. People who are obviously neighbors are coming. There is large bath rooms on the second floor. On the men bath room, there are four bathtubs of different water temperature, 40C, 41C and 42C inside and one around 42C outside. The blown water contains chloride which is effective for nerve pain, muscle pain, fatigue. On the first floor, they have a rest room with a cafeteria that serves light meal like Udon noodles. The fare for adult is just 460 yen. I wish I could come everyday. I stayed about one hour and headed to the tram stop.
I ordered a Ham cutlet hamburger and a local beer by the electrical order taking machine at the corner. As soon as I had a Ham cutlets and a beer at Carl Raymond, I walked towards Foreign cemetery. There is a cafe called Cafe Morie near the cemetery for Protestant. It is standing next to the cemetery on the cliff facing the Hakodate Harbor. I found it when I came Hakodate in 2023 first time. I had recognized it when I was taking pictures of the cemetery. But I did not try to enter that time. Memory lingered and I thought I should have a coffee there next time I visited Hakodate. I like a quiet place rather than a loud and crowdy place. Open the slide door, I found it is my place except the staff’s high spirited voice. Her high tone rings through the room. Except that, the cafe is perfect place to have a cup of coffee: Quiet room, Wide windows, Beautiful scenery of the Hakodate bay. The tab boat is leaving slowly from the freight vessel at the distance. A pair of sea gulls are flying close each other as if they were playing. I believe they are playing. Those scenes sinks into my heart slowly. I am glad that I could make this trip. I said to myself. I learned Perry’s fleet once entered this harbor some 150 years ago. I could have watched the fleet entering into the harbor from here.
I just ordered a cup of coffee. I found Piroshki, a Russian fried bread, on the menu. I was not hungry just after having a burger at Carl Raymond. I thought I should come again and order it someday. They close in January and February as it could be freezing cold and they could not warm up the room enough. I could not imagine how it got cold when it could not warm up enough. I think someone is living on the second floor even in winter. I want to visit here around the early March and have a Piroshki with black tea though it could be a quite walk on the snowy road to come here.
