The Pearl of Hokkaido Heritage: Japanese anchor Hakodate (Photos)

If Japan's shape as a ship's words, Hakodate location is great "Japanese wheel" anchor. "I have to travel, travel home" -- "Olympic Fine road".

More than three hundred years ago, a famous Japanese haiku poet Basho Matsuo visited Japan, he traveled about 2400 kilometers, which lasted 7 months, with China and the Japanese Literature "Olympic Fine road" are also blooming flower, a Japanese literature.

The landscape painting scenery

My trip to Japan, fine, also like some Austrian accelerated version "". Although the time is only more than 20 days, but rely on a road go by like the wind and the Shinkansen high-speed bus, string long Japanese land of city and town.

Finally, as the end of the upcoming Hokkaido, a sea along the flight in front of me,? Or a car? Finally, I chose the rickety rail train. The long night, I fell asleep in the Japanese sleeper scarlet curtain, quietly passed a long Seikan tunnel. The light in this strange land, the car window and sway in the wind over the green pastures and cattle, as well as the car radio floats with the classic song "woman" remind me of Hakodate, Hakodate is coming.

The night, the city of golden giant anchor

This particular city is located in the southwest corner of Hokkaido, across the Strait and the state across japan. If Japan's shape as a ship's words, Hakodate location is great "Japanese wheel" anchor. It is the guardian of the Tsugaru Strait area, west of the sea of Japan, looking east Pacific, start from here north to the Aleutian Islands, has no insurance can observe, an extremely important strategic position. Can say, Hakodate in all, and the blue it nestled there have all kinds of connections with entanglement.

The night of the Hakodate, like a quiet woman

The night is one of the biggest charm and Hakodate, Hongkong night and Naples night was called "the world's three night". Anton ready, sitting in the window and rest, listen to the old tram clanked and far Haitao harmony, it was near dusk. Okay, go to the east side of the bay the Hakodate mountain, the mountain more than 800 meters of waterfront mountain, is recognized as the best place to watch the Hakodate night.

The bus on a steep slope before cease abruptly, then have to climb to the top. Round the mountain road is tortuous and surprise, when it to open the front, night suddenly from a jungle in the garb of a gold a jumping out, causing the car exclaimed -- it was a bright gold, studded with diamonds in the white light, the dark blue sea velvet surrounded. The front of a wound, it quickly eliminate in the darkness, and everyone began to hold your breath waiting for it to once again flashback.

When I was standing at the highest point of Hakodate mountain, a magnificent "Japanese anchor" finally showed -- a distance in front of me, Hakodate long flat bar deep exploration into the Bay Street, countless lights such as scattered gold broken jade outline of its shape, in the peripheral curved sharp corners. A close, two long coastline, suddenly the city beam together, put into a narrow channel, as if the anchor shank. And I in the Hakodate mountain, is the anchor shank end should be on cable. In the distant night, seems to depend on it, before Japan on the Pacific Ocean waves push, securely in the East Asian continent in the vast ocean.

Hakodate was this as "a gift to hakodate". As early as in more than 20 years ago, city hall will be the Hakodate mountain inferior zone designated as "reserve", limit the construction of high-rise buildings, the Hakodate night has been the most perfect way before the world.

The wind is very cool, side, with the romantic night are a pair of lovers, they cling together, heating for each other with whispers and body. If we say that life is the anchor words, it should be loved.

Wuling Guo, witness the shogunate.

As of the end of Southwest Hokkaido, Hakodate the earliest is indigenous Ainu, their fishing village called "Wusikesi Ainu", meaning "Gulf Coast at the end of the Warring States", and after the defeat of Japan, the local daimyo and samurai will exile placed here, while the function hall also became one of the first development in Hokkaido the place.

The taste of Hakodate, slowly, carefully, whether it is Ma Zushi or traditional tea, all leaching Japanese old fashion

Similar to the Qing government of China encounters, although the Tokugawa Shogunate had in a long time adhere to the "closed door" policy, and the closed door is difficult to resist the Western powers firm ship impact. In 1854, Japan and the United States to sign the unequal treaty "Treaty of Kanagawa", will become the United States of America supply port of Hakodate, sakoku system began to crumble. In 1859, Japan was forced to sign the "Treaty of Commerce" Japan-US repaired, Hakodate and Nagasaki city have become international trading port, and the establishment of the "foreigner residence".

The door was opened in Hakodate, Shogun with mixed feelings, began to strengthen military defense here. According to the construction practice in Japan traditional bastion, generally choose highlands or mountain. Initially, Hakodate mountain into the local view, however, after investigation, the building that the Hakodate mountain surrounding streets too dense, and too close to the sea from the harbor, foreign warships once quarrelled, here will become the "death of gun powder powdered". Finally, a away from the coast area is selected, it is difficult to lead in all directions, the siege, and in addition to the gun range at sea.

Walking in the temperament specific "Wuling Guo", I was Hakodate unique strongly attracted, several Japanese Castle it and I have visited is so different -- as heroes who battle and homes, the latter is square, with a strong foundation, floor, pavilion, scattered, the "tall Donjon" stands, and Wuling Guo is extremely special five angle, in Japan's existing dozens of Castle, no two cases. The tour guide Kimura told me, "the Hakodate marine door" identity are closely related, conservative time in Japan in most areas, early open port Hakodate had bathed in the sun the wind and rain in Western civilization, European castle architecture technology and idea came sailing -- Japanese traditional square castle defense. On the exterior wall of hole is shooting dead, while Europe as early as sixteenth Century began to use artillery and blunderbuss, so in the fort designed to give full consideration to the problem. Wuling Guo from the Western Castle "bastion type construction law", and built a five-pointed star type, since a "potential of the horns", each turret can cover each other. A "Five" wide moat along the wall all the way towards the swaying, as the shadow follows the form.

As a Japanese Castle family in "little brother", Wuling Guo 1857 start. Soon after the completion of the shogunate regime, to an important juncture of life and death. At the beginning of 1868, the shogunate forces in Fushimi failed bird feather in World War One, then the army gain victory with unstained swords with the shogunate Edo (now Tokyo city heart). However, some loyalty to the shogunate elite and refused to let the surrender, such as Admiral Enomoto Take young led 8 ships away, all the way north past the enemy encircle, over a sea, occupying the Hakodate, with "Tokchon De-fan retainer group in the name of" established "Republic of ezo". Subsequently, the shogunate forces of old influx five edge profile, the peak period of three thousand troops.

In February the following year, the army to follow-up, the shogunate forces retreat, finally retreated to Wuling Guo of life-and-death resistance. By virtue of the fortress, they beat back the Wei Xinjun round after round of attack. Seeing the situation not to, smart restoration generals found a weak Wuling Guo Weiyi: built in the plain, low-lying. They will be long range gun carriage in the vicinity of the Highlands, aim at the castle, strafe, Wuling Guo suddenly flesh and blood flying in all directions, defense system collapse. In 1869, Republic of EZO. Reform forces finally across Japan, rule all the land.

Boarded the Wuling Guo walls, infinite sob welled up -- war and years have destroyed the castle of the most buildings, leaving only a few trees and isolated walls, they snuggled up to stand here, like a lost years of anchor, as the old era ended witness.