He was wiping the windows diligently, not looking at the view behind him

Window cleaner at the Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward

The road stretching between the Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church in Motomachi, Hakodate, has become a tourist attraction, and many tourists were walking around. Although there were many people, it was not so crowded. The only exception was at the top of the Hachimanzaka slope. This is a spot with a view of Hakodate Harbor at the end of the straight downslope. Everyone took out their smartphone and held the lens toward the bottom of the hill. It doesn't take long to take a picture or two. However, each person spent so much time holding up his or her phone that one wonders what they are photographing, or what they are waiting for to appear. The time seemed endless to me as I sat on the side waiting for a spot to open up.

I managed to get over the wait for my turn to be photographed and continued on my way to Motomachi Park. This is where my destination, the Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward, stands. It is a Western-style building built in the Meiji period (1868-1912) as a meeting place for residents and an office of the Chamber of Commerce. The light blue and yellow exterior is elegant and stands out from a distance. The building's distinctive appearance shatters the preconceived notion that all public buildings have a plain appearance.

The highlight of the Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward is the view from the second floor. The balcony in the main hall offers a refreshing view of Hakodate Harbor below. As I was trying to capture the view of Hakodate Harbor through the window, a cleaner appeared and began cleaning the window as if he had timed it perfectly. The wonderful view may have been something that the window washers had grown tired of seeing every day. Without glancing back, the window washers continued to wipe the windows.

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