Our Lady of the Angels Trappistine Abbey — Attraction in Hakodate

Places you can visit are very limited, and even there is nothing much to see. I've never seen any friendly nun. They sell some goods, such as cookies, but I was never interested in. My family's home is right under the hill of this place. Today, I realized they ring the bell from 3:50 a.m.! Since I have been suffered from a mild version of insomnia, the noise of the bell is terrible. It might work when it was an agricultural society, but why does it have to ring a bell from this early morning? I admire their patience, those who have lived near this place for their life; however, to me, the noise is just a representation of a...

The lovely architecture of the convent is offset by the beautiful scenery and the proximity to the ocean and the cliffs in the distance. This is a lovely setting for a walk and some cookie shopping at its source. The gift shop also has some lovely illustration of Christian bible verses in Japanese and some interesting exhibits in the mini museum of Trappist history next to the information and gifts section. This is a lovely little stop that allows you to take in the serene environment of the convent and the nearby park grounds which seem to flow seamlessly one...

Most people just go here for the softee ice cream, lovingly handemade cookies and a selection of jams. Unfortunately, there is no access to any of the buildings and it's not possible to attend any of the services because Trappists are a closed order. Not a nun to be seen anywhere. This is sad--one of the most spiritual experiences I've had was attending early morning Laudes at St. Gervais in Paris. The nuns and monks appear out of the dark before the service, sit or prostate in meditation. OK, Japan is not a Christian country,...