The next morning, it would be Google-search time as we searched for a new adventure. Then, E spotted a soup curry establishment. We had never forgotten the mouth-watering soup curry we had in Sapporo two years ago and wanted to rekindle that happiness. So off we went walking again, and upon reaching it, it was the famous Garaku Soup Curry that we had! What a fortunate find. It was a small 8-seater branch. It was pure bliss to taste the soup curry again, I tell you. (At the time of writing, it has since closed down during the Covid-19 epidemic, sigh).

Garaku!! our fav soup curry
pure bliss… chicken soup curry. Unlike the japanese curry rice – soup curry is lighter and my preferred item

Seicomarto – a staple of Hokkaido, esp with Hot Chef – food is served hot hot.

After filling ourselves, we strolled to the nearby Wakkanai Fukuko Market to have a look-see. It boasts a large market with fresh catches, a small free museum with old Japanese toys, curiosity and memorabilia. This market was also a shooting location for a movie, “Sakura Guardian in the North (北の桜守, Kita no Sakuramori)” with boats just anchoring at the docks as a backdrop.

because of the earthquake, it was practically empty – kesian
Got one Angry Bird inside
Back to the Future
don’t play play – this boat was in a movie lo

Knowing it was our last night in Wakkanai, we went back to the same seafood shop (Seafood Izakaya Take-chan (location)) to eat more sushi especially the juicy hotate (scallop) and kani (crab eggs) sushi.

The aunty gave us to eat – on the houe
So big and fresh – can almost taste the sea
at 730pm – like ghost town d

That dinner wrapped up with a ribbon our amazing unplanned stay at Wakkanai, one of the most remote “big” towns in Japan. With ample time on our hands together with the unscripted slower pace, it made for some interesting discovery and hidden gems. The whole experience has made us rethink the way we will travel in the future and made Wakkanai a place that will always be in our hearts. We can’t wait to return to this town again one day.

A rare sight with the ticket purchasing machine down
Power was only restored a few days after we left this town

With limited travel options after the earthquake and heavy hearts, we decided to head to Tokyo with the only plane option – ANA. We used a local bus to get to Wakkanai airport. It wasn’t a big airport, as you could literally walk to the boarding area with no one stopping you. We had miso ramen (Hokkaido’s specialty) before we boarded the plane bound for Haneda. Bye-bye Hokkaido

ANA is here to take us home to Tokyo. Got pretty stewardess tho. :P
Miso soup… we will be back

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