luggage off the port bow!

the beautiful Hakodate bay

chillin at the Hakodate flea market

heres a place where you fish for your own squid right out of the tank (a step up from shooting them out of a barrel)

buying king crab on the street in Hakodate

Sapporo - more than just beer

From Noboribetsu, we travelled on to Sapporo, a fun, modern typical Japanese city. We were fortunate to run into an experienced tourist from Hong Kong who recommended a great (cheap) sushi restaurant and a quick trip for dinner to the coastal village of Otaru. THANKS!

(to read this in order, start at the bottom)

Dad styling the bib and an Otaru beer

jon with bib (not seen is the words JON-SAN written on bib) grilling steak and seafood at the table

pretty flowers in downtown Otaru

what to choose...what to choose.....

mmm, so fresh it squirted only minutes before!

do you know what it would feel like to be boiled alive? This scallop does (with lemon and butter too)!! :)

Downtown Otaru

pretty view of the Sea of Japan 2

pretty view of the Sea of Japan on our way to Otaru

the infamous sapporo clocktower (there were supposed to be many pictures taken in front of it....)

Hot chicks and cold fish in sapporo

Where's Waldo (Jon) Sapporo Sushi Style

For some reason, you always need a guy in a bear suit to protest something in Japan

past and future combine to create.... THE PRESENT!!!!

this one's for uncle Ray

Me with the plaque of my distant relative? (its a Benson...)

Charicatures Ahoy!

Sapporo Starbucks

The only way I would let dad take a picture of the monk in the background was if he took one of the 'mall' instead

Seee?!? I AM working on the blog

Volcanoes, Devils, and Bears... oh my!

Noboribetsu is a fun town. In one day we hung out with bears, visited Ainu villages, hung out with the local Oni (devils) and descended into the volcanic cauldron....

(to read this in order... start at the bottom)