Day 5: Sapporo → Hakodate → Toya

The train ride to Hakodate was really long, spanning 4 hours. The view from the coastal railway is fairly scenic, though it's inevitable to get tired of it after a while. 

Given that it was already noon by the time we reached, the first stop was to the fish market right beside the JR station. Suffice to say the kaisen don was absolutely delicious!

After lunch we hung around the port area for a stroll before setting out to explore the sights in Hakodate, starting with the iconic Fort Goryokaku (五稜郭), where a pleasant surprise was waiting, with cherry blossoms still blooming into late May.

On the train to the hotel, I called the reception to request for a pick-up at the JR Toya station, and sure enough, a chubby gentleman was waiting for us at the gantry when we alighted. 

This was the first and only Japanese style room that we stayed at for this trip, notwithstanding the fusion room at Tomamu.

Once in a while it's quite interesting to experience sleeping in a different style.

Complementary crackers and dried plums were served, alongside with a pitcher of ice water.

One of the highlight of this hotel is its in-house hot springs, or onsen. 

The next day