Day 10 Hakodate, Japan

Today was about as perfect as it gets…. The weather was fantastic, we were very warmly welcomed when we arrived at Hakodate, Japan and the tour was great. We first went to the market, one of the largest I’ve seen. The seafood on display was amazing. There was a huge selection of King Crab, one of my favorites. Next we went to the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse area which had a pretty large selection of shops. Lunch was next at a local hotel. We had several courses and the lunch was pretty good. It was a bit too much food for me but tasty nonetheless. After lunch we went up the aerial
cableway to the top of Mt. Hakodate. The views were spectacular! One the way back down we made an unscheduled stop to see some local churches and temples…. Next we went to the Goryokaku Tower, again with fabulous views of Goryokaku Fort and the surrounding area. Finally, we went to the Trappistine Convent before proceeding back to the ship. It was a great day! We leave Hakodate tonight at midnight and take a short sail to Aomori, our next port. We will arrive at 0800 tomorrow and I will take a ships tour. Here is the description:
Aomori & Archaeology
Your first stop on this comprehensive tour of Aomori will be at the Showa Daibutsu (meaning big Buddha). At 70 feet tall, this landmark stands on Kuwabara Hill, and is the city’s symbol of wisdom, kindness and inner power. The statue weighs 220 tons. Continue on to Aomori Natural Park recreation area, which showcases the Aomori Nebuta Festival, including 10 giant Nebuta floats on permanent display. You’ll have a chance here to see the experience show and try festival dancing as well as handling the Nebuta. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Sannai Maruyama ruins that date back more than 4,000 years. An exhibition room holds various artifacts from the site. Transfer back to Aomori city to visit the Tourism and Produce Center— a 15-story, triangular building that overlooks Mutsu Bay.
Tomorrow should be another great day……