Passing by at night, I was deeply drawn to its elegant Western-style architecture and stopped without realizing it to admire it. Since it was just before Christmas, there were still activities going on inside the church. The warm, dim lighting illuminated the historic building, adding a solemn yet cozy holiday atmosphere. That evening, I was on my way to take the ropeway to see Hakodate's night view and briefly stopped in front of the church. Unfortunately, the winter night was simply too cold to stay long, so I had to move on quickly.
Hakodate Orthodox Church | Review by Linda Liao
Other Reviews by Linda Liao
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Hokkaido Shiki-Saikan JR Hakodate Store
Located inside JR Hakodate Station, Hokkaido Shiki-Saikan offers more than 1,000 items, including popular Hakodate and Hokkaido sweets. Open from early in the morning, the store is crowded with people stopping by before boarding the train.
The location is very convenient, right inside JR Sapporo Station, so you can pick up all kinds of Hokkaido specialty souvenirs without going out of your way. They have everything from classic Hokkaido sweets, cookies, and snacks to local specialties. Whether you’re buying something to enjoy yourself or bringing gifts home for family and friends, there are plenty of good options. Last time I stopped by, I found the famous peppermint oil and immediately bought a few bottles to take home. The small bottles are easy to carry in your bag.
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Hakuba Happo One
Hakuba Happo One offers trekking and mountain climbing in summer, winter sports in the winter, and many other activities throughout the year. Hakuba Happo Onē is also famous for being used as the venue for the Alpine skiing competitions at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics.
For my first time snowboarding, I chose Hakuba Happo One in Nagano! The snow quality is very good, and it’s also a famous ski resort that once hosted the Winter Olympics, so I was glad to finally have the chance to experience it myself. Everywhere I looked, the mountains were blanketed in snow, and the expansive mountain scenery was beautiful.
My friends said the snow quality at Happo One is somewhat different from Hokkaido’s powder snow, but as a first-time snowboarder, just being able to stand on the board and slowly find my balance already felt like an accomplishment! Even falling a few times didn’t dampen my enthusiasm. Instead, the more I snowboarded, the more hooked I became.
The overall environment was great, and the snowy scenery was especially refreshing. The only minor downside is that it’s quite far away. If I remember correctly, we had to transfer several times before finally arriving.
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Sendai MaaS
We all know the pains of traveling, booking tickets for public transportation and places on the other side. That’s where Sendai MaaS comes in, leading as an online service for streamlined travels in Sendai.
If you're traveling independently in Sendai, it's worth researching "Sendai MaaS" in advance! This service brings together transportation passes commonly used for sightseeing in Sendai and the surrounding area, discount coupons for tourist attractions, and more on an online platform. Travelers can choose a package that suits their itinerary, purchase it online, and simply show the digital ticket to use it. There's no need to carry around a bunch of paper tickets, which makes things much more convenient! I especially recommend making good use of the discounted transportation packages. They make getting between attractions more efficient and reduce the time spent waiting in line to buy tickets. For people who like planning their own itinerary and want a more relaxing trip, it's a very practical digital tool for planning a visit to Sendai.
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