This is the 2nd part of the day where we went up to Mount Hakodate.
Mt. Hakodate Ropeway – Mountain Base Station
+81 138-23-3105
https://maps.app.goo.gl/LsS3uSEwkbnuByFCA
We took the ropeway up, 1 hour before sunset so that we could enjoy both the day and night views. It was crowded but the view is spectacular. The seats in the restaurant were all occupied so we decided to sit outdoors while waiting for sunset. We had sunset view on our left and nightfall on our right.
As night falls, the crowd grew on the observation deck. Luckily, we managed to squeeze in and found a good spot to get some photos in.
The queue for the trip down was crazy. We queued for an hour outdoors in the cold. We took a taxi back to the hotel, dropped our stuff and went out for dinner.
The restaurant, Araki, was about 5 minutes walk from the hotel. We made reservations just to be safe.
海鮮料理と釜めし あらき
+81 138-85-8357
https://maps.app.goo.gl/H3RVjyacRWuLKctr6
There were dozens of restaurants near the hotel but we choose this one as it has good reviews and the only one that serves Kamameshi, steamed rice. We first ate it at Kitakami in Iwate and loved it. The one here is equally good but the sides that we ordered were really out of this world.
90 percent of the filling in the crab croquettes was crab meat. A different type of seaweed was used in the humble miso soup, giving it such a rich and deep flavour. The salmon sashimi was the best I’ve ever had; so sweet and succulent.
Overall, this is one of our best seafood meal in Japan. Tomorrow we will be checking out of the hotel but will stop by Hakodate Morning Market before we head back home.