The Seikan tunnel between Honshu (main island) and Hokkaido (northern island) spans 53.85km, of which 23.3km lies under the sea. At the lowest point, the ceiling of the tunnel is 240m under the sea, with water depth of 140m and overhead earth thickness of 100m.
The remoteness of Hokkaido is apparent when emerging from the tunnel -- the greenery grows so tall alongside the tracks that there's barely any view for long stretches. It's a long ride from Tokyo, but time passes quickly on pleasant train rides. Among other things, I've been reading All Things Shining. Although it's a bit glossy at times, the phenomenological reading of religious history is fascinating. I wish I'd read it as an undergraduate!
Hakodate is like a cross between Yokohama and San Francisco: East meets West in a hilly city with an old-fashioned tram, a mountain, a cable car, a lovely bay...
> Photos from Hakodate
It's the perfect place to visit for a day or two. The seafood is caught the same day, the tram is smily, and there's blue beer made with glacial ice:
No comments:
Post a Comment