|
Torapisuto Shudoin |
was founded by nine French monastics in 1896; the first monastary built in Japan; the
original building was burned out and rebuilt in 1908; 40 monks are practicing the strict
precepts, praying to God, reading and working; Butter, cookies, candies and jam made here
are famous among the tourists. 20
minutes' walk from Oshima-tohbetsu, JR Esashi Sen. from Hakodate,
about 1 hour by car. Only gentlemen
are allowed to walk around the precincts, once a day from 2:00
p.m.; application in advance by a return postcard is needed. (phone:0138-75-2139)
This is the last place we visited. Now, let's go home.
It took about 1 month to
upload this real 5-days trip. Now, I feel like adding some
points I hadn't planned. So,this is not the end, but a pause. My memory has become
less vivid and I had to visit other's homepages to check our pictures with theirs and
looked over various materials. While I was making this homepage, I found some
dissappointing changes. Baron's Materials Museum is
now painted like the building in an amusement park. It
doesn't look like the former stable. I am afraid that the Esashi
Police Station/ Hiyama Public Office will be like Baron's Museum.
(picture right "At Oshima-tohbetsu Station")
Thanks to the Tsugaru Strait Line, Esashi became more popular than before. Esashi Town provides us with rich information through the homepage. Regrettably, it has no English page. Esashi should be more proud of its "Merchant Culture" to the world. The Yokoyamas' House and the Nakamuras' House are as beautiful as the shrines and temples in Kyoto or Nara. Hakodate has nice English homepages,like the international city.
On the other hand, where has Matsumae gone? I searched "Yahoo" but found none about it. I'm concerned of Matsumae. Is this because of the discontinuance of the Matsumae Sen? It has become harder to get there. You have to gain a little more strength to go by bicycle. If you go by rent-a-car, you have to learn about the roads and traffic rules in Japan. It is likely that there are few bus services. Now, you feel like skipping Matsumae?
See you again.
Yuki......sentence and design
Hiro......photos