旅浪漫
I traveled all the way from Aomori to Hakodate on the Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry for a romantic trip. I stayed at Super Hotel Hakodate in Matsukaze-cho, in a single non-smoking room for 4300 yen including tax. The hotel boasts a complimentary healthy breakfast, with organic JAS certified vegetable salad being a specialty. Upon check-in, a paper with a 6-digit passcode is handed to you. The room is accessed by entering this passcode on a keypad on the door, as there are no keys. Toothbrushes are provided, but razors are available for a fee. Nightwear is not in the room, but can be found next to the elevator. The room lighting is slightly dim, part of their eco-friendly LOHAS initiative. The windows are small and have blinds instead of curtains. The bed is a double size at 150cm wide. On the first floor, there is a gender-segregated natural hot spring called "Ryoka no Yu" with time slots for men and women. The next morning, I enjoyed a buffet-style breakfast starting from 6:30 am. The spread included meatballs, Hokkaido German potatoes, scrambled eggs, grilled mackerel, simmered vegetables, hijiki seaweed, burdock root salad, macaroni salad, organic vegetable salad, soup curry, miso soup, squid marinated in salt, raw egg, yogurt, Hakodate milk, and more. There were also local specialties like soup curry and marinated squid. While there was rice and bread, the variety of bread was limited. The main focus seemed to be on Japanese cuisine. I tried a bit of everything and after finishing two bowls of rice and a plateful of dishes, I was quite full. After returning to the room and getting ready, I checked out without needing a key, simply leaving the hotel. Like many other hotels, there was a group of Chinese tourists gathered at the front desk. Despite the lack of greetings from the female staff at the front desk, I still believe that a smile and a greeting can make a positive difference in the environment and one's mood.