Hakodate (函館) is a port city in Southern Hokkaidō, Japan. Separated by the 20-km long Tsugaru Strait (津軽海峡) from Honshu, Japan's main island, the city has naturally been seen as an entrance to Hokkaido. Like Kanazawa and Nagasaki, Hakodate is one of the hidden gems of Japanese tourism. Everyone should see Kyoto and Tokyo, because they're amazing cities.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Hakodate is located on the south coast of the Southern Circuit in Hokkaido, the northernmost major island of Japan. As one of the first cities in Japan to be opened to trade, like Yokohama and Kobe, there are numerous signs of foreign influence in Hakodate, notably in architecture. Hakodate used to be the largest settlement of explorers in Hokkaido Island through and after the Meiji era, following the few years of the Republic of Ezo since 1868 (see box). The city-wide fire in 1934 significantly reduced its influence and population with many moving north.
Hakodate is connected by two (practically one that branches to the SW of the city) streetcar lines and roughly two-hundred bus lines. Take a ticket or tap the IC card reader when boarding, then drop the ticket in the ticket box or tap again when getting off. Nationwide IC cards can be used in Hakodate, but using the local ICAS nimoca cuts ¥160 off bus-bus/bus-streetcar transfers, though it's probably not worth the hassle for travelers to create a card for this discount alone. Pay exact amounts in cash, and use the 両替 machine next to the ticket box to exchange coins or ¥1000 bills to smaller denominations if needed.
1 Mount Hakodate (函館山 hakodate-yama, 334m) (A ropeway will take you up for ¥780/1280 one-way/return. There are also buses (by Hakodate Bus) from platform 4 of the main bus station in front of Hakodate Station in summer season (mid-April to mid-November). A trip back and forth will cost ¥400 each, however, the Day Pass is valid, making it a great deal! The bus frequently stops at stunning points along its venture up - this can be important as the top station is often covered in clouds.).
Port Festival (函館港まつり Hakodate Minato Matsuri). annually from August 1st to 5th. This is Hakodate's biggest carnival and known for very unique Hakodate Squid Dance (函館いか踊り Hakodate Ika-odori) in its parade Wassyoi Hakodate (ワッショイはこだて Wasshoi Hakodate). The parade is normally in the 2nd and 3rd day (2nd day: Jujigai to Matsukaze-cho, 3rd day: Horikawa-cho to Goryokaku). Also there are a fireworks event in 1st day. (Please note that this schedule may be changed because of the weather.) Hakodate Christmas Fantasy, ☏ +81-138-27-3535. annually December 1 to 25. A giant Christmas tree is displayed floating on the sea in the red-brick warehouses (金森赤レンガ倉庫群) area during the festival each year.
Hakodate's signature fish is squid and its signature dish is Hakodate shio rāmen (noodle with salty soup. not to be confused with shoyu ramen), a version of the ubiquitous noodle dish prepared with — you guessed it — squid stock instead of the usual pork. Nearby Mori-machi is also reputed to have Japan's finest ika-meshi, rice-stuffed squid. If you dare, eat the odori-don or ike ika-don dish, where a live squid is caught from the fish tank, its head removed, sliced and served as a side dish, and the rest placed on top of a rice bowl.
There are two main drinking districts in Hakodate, Daimon, which is close to the station, and Goryōkaku, in particular Hon-Cho. Foreigners seem to be more catered to in the Goryōkaku area. Bagus. A surfer-style bar open 'til morning. Bar Big Job (バービッグジョブ), Hakodate, Honcho, 7-7 (behind Hokuyo-Ginko bank in Goryokaku), ☏ +81 138 54 3003. An English-style standing room only bar featuring a selection of bottled Belgian beers. Chairs are often set up outside in front of the bar during the warmer months of the year. Eiley's Irish Pub (アイリッシュパブエイリーズ), Hakodate-shi, Honchō, 9-5 3F, ☏ +81 138 54 4771. A spacious Irish pub on the 3rd floor of a building in Goryokaku.
Visitors unused to icy conditions should be careful in winter of the icy conditions, particularly of black ice. Cars may skid in the streets and pedestrians can fall victim to it on the sidewalks. Do as the Japanese do: simply stand up and keep walking like nothing happened. As elsewhere in Japan, Hakodate is comparatively very safe when it comes to petty crime. One exception that seems to happen in Hokkaido, albeit rarely even then, is being approached by a foreigner claiming to be in distress and needing cash.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Hakodate typically sees ~27°C daytime highs and 10 rainy days.
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