日本行 - 函館(1)

函館 Hakodate -

日本行的下一站 - 位於北海道的函館！！這次是真的要坐新幹線了~~ 不過要先到才剛啟用的新青森站轉車。

Next stop on our trip in Japan – Hakodate City, Hokkaido!! This time we would be taking the Super Express~~ But first, we would have to transfer at the newly opened Shin-Aomori Station.

  

在日本，密集的鐵路脈絡為它們國內主要的交通工具之一，因為坐車的時間長，為了要滿足乘客在食方面的需求，火車上賣的飯盒便成了日本知名的駅弁。因此坐新幹線當然也得體驗一下吃便當的樂趣囉~~ 我們在新青森選購了幾樣不同的便當，那豬肉的還好，我還是覺得飯糰的比較有特色，裡面每個包的料都不一樣，好吃極了！！難怪是得了獎的~~ 不過日本的便當大都是冷便當，真要比較的話，我還是愛台灣的鐵路便當！！

In Japan, railroad network are very well developed and it has become the most important means of passenger and freight transportation in Japan. Due to the long rides, lunch boxes known as “ekiben” were sold on trains to satisfied passengers' needs. These ekiben are now sold at train stations and has become a very important part of the Super Express experience. We of course wouldn’t pass on this opportunity and bought several different ekibens at the Shin-Aomori Station. The pork ekiben was not bad, but I felt that the onigiri one was more special. Each of the onigiri inside was different, but all of them were delicious!!! Most of Japan’s ekiben were served cold, though. So if I really had to choose, I would still prefer Taiwan’s railroad lunch box!!!

     

日本新幹線的車簡直就跟台灣的高鐵長得一模一樣！！！(嗯，這應該是要反過來說才對...)

The interior and exterior of Japan’s Super Express looks just like Taiwan’s High Speed Rail, down to the very last detail!!!! (Well, it actually should be the other way around since Super Express came first…)

  

穿越津輕海峽的青函隧道是世界上最長也最深的海底隧道，過了隧道就到北海道的範圍了。這條路線真是美麗，外面一片雪白，又時時可見海水粼粼。我們真是來到了北國啊~~

Seikan Tunnel is both the longest and the deepest undersea tunnel in the world, which crosses the Tsugaru Strait. After exiting the tunnel, we entered the land of Hokkaido. The sights along this ride was beautiful, with powdery white snow on one side and glittering blue sea on the other.

  

經過四個多小時的車程，函館終於到囉~~ 我喜歡車站外的雕塑，而小朋友喜歡的是路旁的大雪人！！

We finally arrived at Hakodate after a four hour ride~~ I love the sculpture outside of its station, and I think the kids were more interested in the giant snowman!!!

   

由於函館是當年日本鎖國時代最早對外開放的港口之一，受到歐美文化影響甚遠，因此擁有獨特的歐風港口風情。位於海港邊的金森倉庫群是一排醒目的紅磚建築，經過改建後現在變成了商場，裡面有好多可愛的店~~

Hakodate was one of the ports in Japan that opened to western trades in the early years, therefore, it was highly influenced by western culture, and has a very unique European atmosphere.  The row of eye-catching Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse was located right by the port.  This old warehouse is now renovated into a public space filled with adorable shops~~

   

但大哥帶我們來這裡的主要目的是為了這個Snaffle’s起司蛋糕店！！蛋糕還沒吃到，它超可愛的童話風招牌就已經讓我對這家店產生好感~~ 我們很幸運的坐到了窗邊的位置，從裡面看出去就是海港美麗的夕陽。

But the main reason Ken brought us here was for this Snaffle’s Pastry Shop!! I haven’t even got the cake yet and I’m already in love with its adorable sigh~~ We were very lucky to get a table by the arch window, where we could enjoy the port view.

  

鏘鏘鏘~~ 主角上場！！盒子打開裡面裝的是蛋黃酥大小的起司蛋糕。這個蛋糕真的和一般的起司蛋糕不一樣，非常的柔軟細密，不會太甜，還有濃濃的奶香~~ 是那種會讓人想獨吞的好吃甜點！！！

Finally the cheese cake!!! In the box were eight mini cheese cakes. They are really different from the usual cheese cakes, the texture is soft and light, not overly sweet, with a dense hint of milk~~ This is the kind of desert that you would want to eat it all up yourself!!!

   

它也有出巧克力口味的，身為巧克力的愛好者當然要買一顆來吃吃看。也是非常的好吃，但沒有原味來的有特色。

It is also available in chocolate flavor. Being a chocoholic myself, I had to try one out. It was also very delicious, but the original was more special.

 

我們就這樣在店裡好整以暇的吃蛋糕、喝下午茶、看夕陽。是旅途中難得的悠閒時光~~

We enjoyed a very nice afternoon tea in the pastry shop, accompanied with a beautiful sunset~~

 

如果來到函館沒有坐纜車到函館山上去看夜景，那就不算來過函館！！函館山的夜景，與義大利拿坡里、香港並稱為世界三大夜景。這整座城市濱海而建的特殊扇形地形，可以說是世界上絕無僅有的~~ 排隊的人超多，山上的風超大，室外的溫度爆冷，但仍擋不住想要一睹函館夜景風采的人潮，而再擠再冷，看到眼前的景色也都值得了！！

If you came to Hakodate but didn’t take the Mt. Hakodate Ropeway up the mountain to see its spectacular night view, then you haven’t been to Hakodate. Hakodate is one of the top three best night views in the world, lining up with Naples and Hong Kong. The unique fan-shaped landscape of this port city is rarely find elsewhere. The line for the gondola ride was long, the wind on top of the mountain was strong, and the temperature outside was freezing, but all these couldn’t stop people from coming here. The view was that worth it!!!!

 

下山後又冷又餓，該是吃晚餐的時候了。來到海港當然就得吃海鮮，而這家位於函館朝市巷內的うにむらかみ，是有名的海膽料理店！！這家店小小的又位在巷子裡，沒有花俏的裝潢，會吸引這麼多人來完全是靠實力！！說時話本人對於生的海鮮以往都只是還OK的程度而已，真得讓我選它絕對不會是第一選擇。但這次的旅行讓我對生魚片這種東西大大的改觀，因為新鮮的生魚片真是好吃的沒話說啊！！在這之前我從來沒吃過海膽，更別說是生的海膽了。直到上菜了看到那黃黃的東西還是心存懷疑，這種東西真的會好吃嗎？？跟你說，還真是好吃呢！！那海膽滿滋味鮮甜完全沒有腥味，而且真的很新鮮，入口即化實在是太神奇的口感了！人多的好處就是可以多試幾種菜色，每一道都好好吃喔~~~ 順便一提，下面照片中的蝦子也是生的喔！！從沒想過蝦子也可以生吃耶~~ 我也很勇敢的吃下去了！！好吃~~ 有沒有覺得這又是一頓膽固醇狂飆的餐點？！

By the time we came down the mountain, we were cold and hungry. Time for dinner again. Since we were at a port city, seafood was the perfect choice. And this Murakami Hakodate Uni Shop located in the alley of Hakodate Morning Market is very famous for its sea urchin cuisines. To tell you the truth, I’m really not a big fan of raw seafood, I mean I do eat sashimi, but it won’t be my first choice of food. But this trip totally changed my opinion on sashimi, because it’s actually really delicious when it is fresh. I’ve never tried sea urchin before that night, let along raw ones. Even until the food was on the table, I still had reservations about that yellowy stuff. But let me tell you, fresh sea urchin is REALLY delicious!!!!! It was so fresh and sweet and tasty, I couldn’t describe the feeling. The best thing about dining with a large group of people was that we could order several different dishes to share. Each and every one of the dishes we ordered were amazing!!!! Even that shrimp sashimi in the photo was quite tasty~~ I’ve never thought I would try raw shrimp but I did!!! Can you feel my cholesterol raising off the chart after this meal?!

     

附帶一提，在餐廳進門的走廊上有個大池子裡養了許多生猛海鮮，我們在那裡發現了一種奇怪的魚 - 王鰈，應該是比目魚的一種，但神奇的是它一看到人靠近就會游過來然後朝你吐水，超有趣的~~ 為我們在等位時提供了不少娛樂。

There were a pool of sea creatures at the entrance of the restaurant, and  something in there caught our interest. It was called Barfin Flounder, native to Japan's northern Pacific coast. Usually Flounders just lay underneath the sand, but this kind would swim towards you and spit water, it was so interesting~~~ They sure provided great entertainment for us while we were waiting to be seated~~

 

有趣的王鰈

 

~未完待續~
~To be continued~