Fish Market, redux

Two words:  Canned Ramen.  In case you're with out heat and water, but can't go with out noodles.
Despite appearances, Steve and Nao-kadate are quite well enjoying this uni (sea urchin) served right in its spiny shell.
The Hakodate Fish Market had a decidedly different feel to it than the Tsukiji Market.  This one was more about selling the final product.  Like a farmer's market in the US.  Good buys and earthy aromas were to be found everywhere: we breakfasted on the juiciest melons on the planet (ok, that's a bit unqualified), uni, toasted dried squid, and then big donburi bowls filled to the brim with crab that was caught that morning.  Hokkaido is renowned throughout Japan for its food products (it's the breadbasket of Japan) and our stop in the gateway to the island did not disappoint in that regard.  We finished our donburi bowls off with a free cup of squid-ink ice cream, which does have a distinct taste, but not one that I could easily describe.  It's tasty either way.

Our train ride from Tokyo to Hakodate was something quite different though.  After enjoying the shinkansen from Tokyo to Hachinohe (at the northern end of Honshu), we took what amounted to a local train through the longest undersea tunnel in the world to Hokkaido.  It was standing room only, and the crowd put rush-hour Tokyo's subways to shame.  It was also three hours long.

Hakodate has a rather large mountain next to it, so Nao-kadate and Alex took the tram up to the top to observe.  You can't see the city lights all too well in the photos, but I assure you it was nice up there.  Alex's camera may have gotten a good picture, but we'll have to wait and see...