TeetooThe 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).
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.
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.
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.
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
