LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER
This is where I first lived in Japan, and where I later returned for research. The harbour, hillside streets and changing light still mean a great deal to me.
Hakodate was the first place I lived in Japan. Later, I came back to do research, returning to a city that already meant a great deal to me. It holds those two parts of my relationship with Japan together: the beginning of life here, and the historical questions that brought me back.
For a visitor, its appeal is easy to see. Streets climb from the harbour towards churches and old public buildings; trams connect the neighbourhoods; and the sea keeps appearing at the end of a road. Give yourself two nights if you can, with time to walk slowly and see the waterfront in different light.
Hakodate opened to foreign trade in 1859, following its designation as a treaty port in 1854. Its architecture and food still carry traces of those connections. Across town, Goryokaku tells another part of the story: the fighting that accompanied the end of the Tokugawa shogunate and the rise of the Meiji state.
SIGHTS & STORIES
01 / Motomachi & the harbour slopes
Start around Hachimanzaka and follow the lanes across the hillside.
Orthodox, Catholic and Anglican churches sit within walking distance of one another, alongside Japanese houses and buildings shaped by the international port. The pleasure is in the walk itself: changing rooflines, a turn into a quieter lane, and the harbour opening below you. Allow a couple of hours.
02 / The red-brick waterfront
The Kanemori warehouses give the bay its familiar red-brick outline. Once part of the working commercial waterfront, they now hold shops and places to eat.
Walk along the water and around the warehouse lanes, then continue towards the older streets at the foot of the hill. This is an easy place to leave some unplanned time between lunch and Motomachi.
03 / Goryokaku
This star-shaped fort was largely completed in 1864 to house the magistrate’s office and strengthen northern defences.
In 1869, it became the final stronghold of forces resisting the new Meiji government. Go up Goryokaku Tower to understand the shape, then walk the moat paths and visit the reconstructed magistrate’s office. Set aside around two hours, plus the journey from the waterfront.
04 / Mount Hakodate at dusk
From the summit, the city narrows between two stretches of water.
Arrive before sunset to watch the coastline give way to streetlights: the changing view is part of the experience. The ropeway’s lower station is above the Motomachi area, so it pairs naturally with a hillside afternoon. In low cloud, spend that evening among the harbour streets instead.
AT THE TABLE
Local favourites, Western-style cooking and somewhere to settle in for the evening.
01
A local institution with a playful personality. Try the Chinese chicken burger at the original Bay Area shop, close to the warehouses, for an easy lunch between walks.
02
Spanish cooking in Suehirocho, near the waterfront. Make an evening of shared dishes and wine after exploring the port and hillside streets.
03
A small bar on Nijukkenzaka, with a thoughtfully chosen drinks selection and an intimate feel. A good place to settle down after dinner in the old town.
04
Founded in 1879, Gotoken connects Hakodate’s international-port history with its long tradition of Western-style cooking.
Seafood is a natural starting point in this port city, but Hakodate’s food also follows the people and ideas that have passed through it. These are four places I would build into a stay, from a distinctly local burger to Western-style cooking, Spanish food and an evening drink.
THROUGH THE YEAR
Late April–early May
The star-shaped moat becomes a ribbon of blossom when the cherries flower. Walk beneath the trees, then see the pink outline from the tower.
This is a seasonal highlight rather than a fixed-date festival; the flowering shifts with the spring weather.
Early August
The city celebrates its harbour with fireworks, parades and the cheerful Ika Odori, or squid dance.
Make room for the evening street celebrations as well as the waterfront: this is a chance to see Hakodate collectively enjoying itself.
December
A large illuminated tree beside the red-brick warehouses turns the bay into a winter evening destination.
Come as daylight fades, walk along the waterfront, and warm up over dinner nearby. The event usually runs from December 1 to 25.
SHAPE YOUR DAYS
A sample stay, with room to linger.
Start with a seafood breakfast around the Morning Market and a short look at the stalls.
Take a tram towards Goryokaku-koen-mae, then walk to the fort. Visit the tower first, followed by the park and magistrate’s office.
Return by tram to Jujigai and walk to Lucky Pierrot’s Bay Area Main Shop.
Walk through the warehouse area, then climb towards Hachimanzaka and the churches.
Head to the Mount Hakodate ropeway and watch the light change from the summit.
Come down for Spanish food at La Concha, or make Gotoken your dinner if you chose a burger at lunch. Finish at Casa Flor if you would like a drink.
FIND YOUR WAY
KEEP EXPLORING
MAKE IT YOUR JOURNEY
Build a journey around the places and experiences that interest you.
