In the Liangchuan Park, there is a statue of Toshimochi Enomoto. It is said that the name of Liangchuan town comes from the pen name of Toshimochi Enomoto, who played a role in the establishment of the Hokkaido Development Commission, the signing of the Treaty of Saint Petersburg, and served as Minister of Communications, contributing to Japan's modernization. I visited a long-established izakaya in Liangchuan town, which has been in business for about 40 years. The stylish owner welcomed me. I recommend the grilled yellowtail collar (460 yen). They also offer grilled fish and grilled chicken. The oden was priced at 150 yen each and had a Hakodate-style miso topping. The draft beer is Sapporo (450 yen) and they also serve highballs (350 yen). It was a cheap and delicious restaurant.

Just a 5-minute walk from the streetcar stop "Goryokaku Koen-mae." The sidewalk is slippery with snow. My wife, who broke her bone last season from a fall, is linking arms with me, even though we don't get along. She's soon having surgery to remove metal plates and bolts. Ouch (laughs). Yes. We enter the izakaya "Haretari Kumottari" recommended by our daughter. I used to visit a few times with my professor during my university days. There's one group of three customers already inside. The interior is old and cramped. Well, maybe it just feels that way because I'm big! Sake is around 500 yen for about 120ml, I think? My wife orders "Tateyama," my daughter orders "Urakasumi," and I order "Tadashu" for a toast. We leave the appetizers to my daughter, who orders grilled squid and murmurs. Turns out the other customers were actually in the same industry (laughs). Just a short walk from the streetcar stop, Hakodate's word-of-mouth reviews drop drastically. I want to keep using such unique restaurants in the future. The two appetizers were a perfect match for the sake. Feeling sleepy, I head back to the hotel after just one drink. Thank you for the meal!

On this day, I went to a place that was "sunny and cloudy". I was planning to go to a second bar with my junior colleague, but the place I had in mind was closed. We walked in the snow, feeling the maximum cold, and stumbled upon this place. When we entered, two regular customers were chatting with the owner. We sat at a table. I ordered a "draft beer" without being defeated by the cold, and my junior colleague ordered "hot sake". Inside the shop, there were souvenirs from various places in Hokkaido, probably given by regular customers. What caught my eye more were the train-related items. I don't know if the owner is a train enthusiast, the owner's wife is, or if it's the hobby of regular customers... I don't know. The appetizer was "stir-fried butterbur and fish cake", lightly seasoned and delicious. Looking at the menu, I ordered "grilled chicken skewers, pork skewers, and tsukune" all with salt, along with "french fries". The owner mentioned that "the french fries will take some time". The grilled chicken skewers arrived first, and the french fries arrived in about 30 minutes. These french fries were delicious! I think they are fried from fresh potatoes. The grilled chicken skewers were also delicious, the owner was nice, so I will definitely go again! Thank you for the meal.

Every year, there is a gathering of alumni from the high school club. The age range is wide, from people in their 50s to those who just graduated in their teens. Approximately 50 people attended this summer event. It started early, and by 8:30, it was over. Then we went to find a place for the second party. About 30 people joined this year. It was a Saturday night during the Obon season, so finding a venue was a bit of a challenge. After trying a few places, we found this restaurant that welcomed us. It wasn't very spacious, and there were already customers there. The tables were crowded, with three people sitting at a table for two. In Hakodate, where the population is decreasing, this place had a high population density. There were only two staff members, the owner and his wife, managing the place. Some of the younger attendees helped take orders and serve drinks. Each person had about 3-4 drinks and some light snacks, costing around 2000 yen. We were grateful that they accommodated our group. Visited on August 10, 2013.