Ai Nishimura
Administrator of the blog "My Diary," which began in 2004. A writer who has traveled to all 47 prefectures and loves local culture and history.
Author of Shimane's "Geography, Place Names, and Maps" Mysteries (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha), My Town is the "Number One in Japan" Dictionary (PHP Institute), and Prefectures Explained in Neko Neko Japanese History (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha). Official blogger for Suntory Gourmet Guide, official top user for Retty, and official platinum blogger for Excite.
There are other ways to explore Hakodate using the city tram. We will go around "Hakodate Dock Mae", "Omachi", and "Suehirocho", and stop by an old Western-style cafe.
The tour starts in front of Hakodate Dock, the last stop on the city tram line.
It was a very quiet port town compared to the Bay Area.
The rain got heavier and I couldn't walk much, but I did find a cute pink public bath called "Taisho-yu". I'm not familiar with public baths, so I felt like I saw it in a movie or drama. It might be fun to come for sightseeing and then go to a public bath before going home!
We arrived at the last stop of the tram, "Hakodate Dock Front." I was seriously trying to think of what "dock" meant, but it turned out to be a dock.
It was raining. The port was very quiet, probably because everyone had finished work.
There is also an old Western-style building along the coast that has been renovated into a restaurant.
Hakodate experienced many fires, and the building with the fireproof brick walls was turned into an izakaya.
This area also slopes up towards the mountains.
As you go up the hill, you will come across a pink building. This cute building with a mix of Japanese and Western styles is the retro public bathhouse "Taisho-yu."
The entrance hall has double doors, which are common in houses in Hakodate. Photography was prohibited inside, but it had a great atmosphere.
Antique accessory shop "cloud9" located at the top of the stairs of a Western-style building
We arrived in the Bentencho area. The second floor of Sato Shokai, an old building that has been renovated to become a cafe and store, is where we found "Cloud9," which sells antique accessories. It's a cozy shop with a pure white space filled with warm-colored accessories and selected miscellaneous goods.
"Cloud9" is located in the Sato Shokai building. I stopped by the accessories and miscellaneous goods store.
Antique accessories are displayed with great taste.
These accessories have a classic and sophisticated shine. They are comfortable against the skin and can be worn daily.
We pay special attention to each and every chain and part.
The interior of the store is decorated in natural colors and is very relaxing.
There is also an atelier next door, so you can buy directly from the makers!
"Cloud9" is on the second floor of the light blue building in Bentencho. There is also a cafe on the first floor.
A valuable building left by a wealthy merchant, the cafe and French restaurant "TACHIKAWA CAFÉ"
The Tachikawa Family Residence and Store in Omachi is currently open as a cafe and restaurant. It is a store and residence that was once a rice merchant, and even from the outside it exudes an imposing presence.
The food is also said to be popular, but this time we only visited the cafe.
When viewed from the cafe side, the wall features beautiful single-piece wooden beams and partitions made from solid wood, giving the space a well-worn texture and the dignity of natural wood grain.
After showing a modicum of interest, we were shown into the back room, where a box staircase with a beautifully decorated handrail awaited us.
TACHIKAWA CAFÉ has revived something old and added new charm to it. It's a place worth making the effort to visit.
"TACHIKAWA CAFÉ" in Omachi. The building is the Tachikawa family home and store, a national important cultural property.
The shiny planks and beams are made from zelkova and katsura wood.
The flower arrangements are tastefully done and beautiful. There are table seats and sofa seats.
The back room had a high ceiling and was very elegant.
A box staircase. It is a magnificent structure with Western-style carvings.
The Tachikawa family was a wealthy rice merchant. They were successful businessmen and built this building in 1901, combining a large store hall with a residence.
The coffee was also very good.
It is popular both as a cafe and as a French restaurant, and was fully booked on the day we visited.
The design combines Western-style elements with Japanese elements such as roof tiles and copper panels.
Next door there is a Western-style building decorated in deep green that can be used as a guest house for parties and other events.
It also has a high quality design.
I felt that this was a valuable piece of architecture left behind by our ancestors. I'm grateful that they've transformed it into a cafe that anyone can use. It's definitely a must-see.
Read the second part here
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
