I started in Japan on the southern island of Kyushu. And now I have reached the northern island of Hokkaido.

About 3000 km. And 99.9% by train, from little electric to 320 km/h Shinkansen.

The last leg from the big island of Honshu was amazing.

There are only three ways to reach Hokkaido. By plane, ferry or on a train through an underground tunnel.

The Seikan Tunnel is a 54 km railway tunnel, with 23 km of that running beneath the seabed of the Tsuguru Strait.

It is the second longest tunnel in the world.

In 1954, a typhoon sank five ferry boats in the Strait, killing 1,430 people.

Looking for a safer alternative, a bridge was ruled out because of the weather.

The tunnel was started in 1964 and completed in 1988. 34 workers died because of cave-ins, flooding and other mishaps. It remains one of the most formidable engineering feats of the 20th century.

The Shinkansen uses the tunnel, but then ends at a station about 15 minutes from Hakodate proper.

Waiting for the small local train to transfer.

Arriving in Hakodate.

When I leave Hakodate to head north to Sapporo, I’ll take a Rapid Express train that leaves from this station.

There is talk about extending the Shinkansen to Sapporo, but it requires a different size dedicated track, and I expect construction of all the tunnels would be expensive.

As a budding train nerd, I loved staying next to the station (left building) where I had a view of the tracks and harbour.

The hotel had guides to what views were of from the lounge, and also track numbers with QR codes for serious train spotting!

Hakodate is squeezed between the Tsuguru Strait and the Hakodate Harbour.

The Ropeway to Mount Hakodate for a good view.

Looking back up at Mount Hakodate along the street called Motoi-zaka Slope.

Hakodate was opened as Japan’s first international trading port along with Nagasaki and Yokohama in 1859.

The US had showed up with five gunships and said ‘we want you to open for trade’.

Many old foreign diplomatic establishments, houses, public buildings and churches remain.

But rebuilt after a huge fire in 1907.

Looking up the slope to the Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward, with the blue former Hokkaido Government Office, to the left.

Former British Consulate with impressive rose gardens.

A large old red brick warehouse area, now all shops, cafes or brewery.

A very nice harbour area.

East-meets-west architecture, sometimes one on each floor.

Where the two tram lines intersected, there was a switching tower.

There were three churches (Catholic, Episcopal, Orthodox), a temple and a shrine clustered around an intersection.

A huge Buddhist temple.

And then three cemeteries close to each in another area.

Buddhist

The Foreigner’s Cemetery

The Russian Cemetery

A Sunday afternoon street party.

And a big morning seafood market.

What I was most impressed with were melons that cost 3500-5000 yen ($35-50) each!

They were Yubari King, a type of cantaloupe carefully cultivated in greenhouses in Yūbari, a small city close to Sapporo.

Goryokaku Tower overlooked Goryokaku Fort (1853).

Onari Beach on the Strait

Lunch was shio ramen, a local specialty.

But I really enjoyed the tanmen, another type of soup with vegetables.

But Lunch 3 was good too! And crossed two things off my list.

I’d seen ‘melon bread’, and discovered it has a crunchy top. It was served warm with a slab of Hokkaido ice cream!

Hokkaido dairy is famous throughout Japan.

And to balance the lunches, I’ve found this cooked chicken breast that is very good. Makes a nice dinner with cabbage salad.

And stocked up on snacks in case I’m trapped on the train again!

Though the train did have good toilets, like the whole country has.

Although traditional paper fans are common in souvenir shops, the only fans I’ve seen in real use are battery powered.

So now it’s on to Sapporo!

See you there!