After about five years I finally returned once again to the place where it all started for me here in Japan. Most people don't know it, but although I've spent most of my time in Tokyo, during my first year in Japan I lived in Hakodate, Hokkaido. Hakodate is like Tokyo's opposite in almost every respect. While Tokyo's big, dirty and loud, Hakodate is small, clean and quiet. People in Hakodate are friendly while Tokyoites are generally indifferent. Things in Tokyo are expensive but most things in Hakodate are cheap. However while Tokyo is a fun and exciting place to be, Hakodate is kinda boring, with no night-life to speak of. I like both cities, but if I could do the job I'm doing now in Hakodate I would probably live there.
Anyway it was good to be back even if it was only for a few days. I had an agenda of things that I wanted to do while there. One was climbing Mt. Hakodate, and you can see from the picture of the city view that I managed it. I really wanted to do it at night as the view then is spectacular, but the weather didn't co-operate. Click here to see it anyway. The night view in Hakodate is famous for being one of the best in Japan along with Kobe and Nagasaki. Although I've never seen the other two, I can't imagine they could be much better. At night, the isthmus shape of the city, bordered on both sides by the black ocean, makes it look like an arm of a galaxy, truly a moving sight.
Another thing I had to do was go to my favourite sushi restaurant. It was expensive but worth it, there's just nothing like it (at that price) in Tokyo.
I also met a bunch of my ex-students, as well as spent some time at Daibundo English school where I used to work. If any of you guys are reading this, it was great to see you all again. I expected everyone to look older, but surprising no one had changed much and all were still in good health. I was taken out for lunch, dessert, dinner, karaoke, etc, plus a good friend of mine was nice enough to let me stay at her and her parent's house for a few nights, and they even fed me! Thanks Noriko and family!

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Hakodate - Day 3
Hakodate - Day 2
Hakodate - Day 1
Cherry Picking
Hiking Mt. Kumotori
Matsushima
Nikko - Winter Hike
Kanazawa
New Year's Sunrise 2010
Fuji Five Lakes Winter Hike
Hiking Mt. Jinba
Hiking Oze National Park
The Grapes Shall be Plucked
Sapporo - Down on the Farm
Our Man in Yakushima
Hiking Mt. Kawanori
Nara
Kyoto
Hiking Mt. Oyama
Hiking Mitousan
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