HAKODATE IS HOKKAIDO’S THIRD LARGEST CITY. IT IS ONE OF THE FIRST JAPANESE HARBOR CITIES TO BE OPENED TO INTERNATIONAL TRADE AFTER THE COUNTRY’S ERA OF ISOLATION.

IN 1859, HAKODATE OPENED ITS GATES TO THE WORLD ALONG WITH YOKOHAMA AND NAGASAKI. NUMEROUS FRENCH AND ENGLISH MOVED INTO THE CITY AND SOON CHURCHES AND CONSULATES WERE BUILT. IT ABSORBED THE CULTURES OF VARIOUS COUNTRIES IT EXCHANGED WITH AND DEVELOPED INTO THE CITY IT IS TODAY.

EVEN TODAY, OLD WESTERN -STYLE BUILDINGS INCLUDING CHURCHES FROM FOREIGN DENOMINATIONS CAN BE FOUND IN THE MOTOMACHI AREA. THE GRANDEST AND, MOST WELL-KNOWN CHURCH IS THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1859 TO ACCOMPANY HAKODATE’S RUSSIAN CONSULATE.

PORT FACILITIES AND LOCATION

This is linked to a map in an external website. You can view port area information through its zoom feature. (Printable Map to take along ).

Printable Map of Hakodate

Watch a destination video :

Hakodate Guide Map

Port Location Map Below

GETTING AROUND

There’s no terminal building, but they had a visitor information booth set up under a canvas tent near the gangway where passengers exit the ship.

You’ll be docked at the Minatocho Pier in Hakodate. There are Free Shuttle Buses from the Port to downtown Hakodate. The bus will drop you off at Town Planning center where maps will be handed out and any questions answered. From the shuttle stop people can take a bus or train to other attractions or walk to the nearby morning market. From the morning market it’s not too far to walk to the Red Brick Warehouse, which is now a tourist shopping destination.

Hakodate’s Tourist Information Center

Hakodate's Tourist Information Center is at Hakodate Station and has brochures and maps in English and other languages.

Hakodate Tourist Office (Tel: 0138 23 5440).

TRANSPORTATION

The city is served by two tram lines numbered 2 and 5, and a bus network. They share their route between Yunokawa and Jujigai and go separate ways from there towards Yachigashira (line 2) and Hakodate Dock (line 5). The fare is between 210 and 260 yen, depending on the distance traveled. Take a numbered ticket when entering through the rear door and pay into the fare box next to the driver when exiting, as explained on the bus page.

There are buses from Hakodate Station to the summit of Mt. Hakodate (30 minutes) or you can take the ropeway, leading to the top of Mount Hakodate, which is also accessible by bus. The hiking route is open May to late October.

A day pass for unlimited use of trams on one calendar day is available for 600 yen, while a day pass for unlimited use of trams and Hakodate Bus buses (not including airport shuttle buses) is available for 1000 yen. A 2-day pass for trams and Hakodate Bus buses costs 1700 yen.

TOP SIGHTS AND ATTRACTIONS FOR CRUISES TO HAKODATE

THE HAKODATE MORNING MARKET - which spans nearly four city blocks and features rows of some 250 shops, is a must-see tourist spot when visiting Hakodate. It is a wonderland where you can find hundreds of stalls, most featuring fresh seafood. You can expect to see familiar items such as squid, salmon roe and Atka mackerel, as well as more unusual ingredients like jellyfish, fermented carp and barnacles. Locals also come here for vegetables, fruit, delicacies, and all the tastes of Hakodate.

HAKODATE JIYU ICHIBA MARKET - With rows of some 40 seafood and produce shops, this market is always bustling with tourists. This is a professional purveyor's market, where local chefs and restaurateurs come to make their purchases. Because the professionals come here for their purchases, it is guaranteed that the products are of high-quality. However this market is not just for professionals - you will always find it bustling with local residents and tourists as well.

From Wakamatsu wharf: 15 min on foot From Minato-cho wharf: 20 min by car From Nishi wharf: 10 min by car Season Year-round Park

KANEMORI RED BRICK WAREHOUSES - This is a classic Hakodate sightseeing spot built on the bay area in 1909. The buildings here date back to Hakodate’s time as a center of foreign trade. It is a symbolic building that in some way exudes a romantic charm. Now done with its role as a warehouse, it is transformed into a restaurant and souvenir shop complex where you can enjoy a wide variety of stores. More Information here.

14-12 Suehiro-cho, Hakodate-shi, Hokkaido 040-0054 Access From Wakamatsu wharf: 15 min on foot / 5 min by car From Minato-cho wharf: 20 min by car From Nishi wharf: 15 min on foot / 5 min by ca

SLOPES IN MOTOMACHI - Another fun thing is to wander around the sloping streets that are inseparable parts of the cityscape. There are 19 steep streets at the foot of Mt. Hakodate with names, such as Hachiman-zaka, Nijukken-zaka, and Yayoi-zaka, as well as many walking routes that allow a view of the historical buildings. Look up and you'll see Mt. Hakodate; look down and you'll see the harbor. The slopes play a supporting role in providing Hakodate-esque landscapes

From Wakamatsu wharf: 10 min by car From Minato-cho wharf: 25 min by car From Nishi wharf: 5 min by car

GORYOKAKU - Completed in 1864, Goryokaku was Japan's first western style fort. It was was designed in the shape of a five-pointed star in order to trap attackers in crossfire. It was the site of the Battle of Hakodate, the last battle in the Boshin War, and the final stronghold of Enomoto Takeaki and HijikataToshizo, leaders of the Shinsengumi. It was designated a special historical site by the government.

During spring, over 1,600 cherry trees bloom in the park attracting thousands of visitors all over the country. If you visit, make sure to visit the adjacent Goryokaku Tower, which is a 15 minute walk from the park. You can see a gorgeous panoramic view of the star-shaped park from the tower.

44 Goryokaku-cho, Hakodate-shi, Hokkaido 040-0001 Access From Wakamatsu wharf: 15 min by car From Minato-cho wharf: 15 min by car From Nishi wharf: 20 min by car

MOTOMACHI - There are many historical buildings to be found in the Motomachi area. Around Motoi-zaka you can find western style buildings such as the Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward and others that symbolize a stylish Hakodate. At the top of Daisan-zaka there are many classical churches, while on Shiden-dori Street there are heavy concrete buildings. Semi-western style houses, where the 1st floor is Japanese style while the 2nd floor is western style, are only to be found in Hakodate.

Hakodate Orthodox Church will be closed for a major renovation until December 2022. Location/View 040-0001 Access From Wakamatsu wharf: 10 min by car From Minato-cho wharf: 25 min by car From Nishi wharf: 5 min by ca

MT. HAKODATE - Board an aerial tram that will carry you nearly a half mile to the summit of forested Mount Hakodate, an extinct volcano. The views along the way and from the top of the mountain, weather permitting, will be spectacular. At 334 meters above sea level, it has one of the world's three best night scenes. The overlooking view will surely impress you, as the night scene unfolds like an overturned treasure chest.

Location/View Hakodateyama, Hakodate-shi

GETTING THERE AND AROUND

BY ROPEWAY - The Hakodateyama Ropeway (Cable Car) departs from the Motomachi District. The ropeway's lower station can be reached in a 10 minute walk from the Jujigai tram stop (5 minutes, 210 yen from Hakodate Station) or by direct Hakodate Bus from Hakodate Station (10 minutes, 210 yen, 1-2 buses/hour in the evenings). The ropeway costs 1500 yen for a round trip or 1000 yen one way. It operates every 15 minutes from 10:00 to 22:00 (until 21:00 from mid October to late April). Check the official website here.

BY DIRECT BUS - From late April to mid November, there are multiple direct buses per hour between Hakodate Station and the summit of Mount Hakodate in the evenings (30 minutes, 400 yen one way). The buses are operated by Hakodate Bus and covered by the day passes for trams and buses.

BY CAR - There is a toll-free road to the summit of Mount Hakodate that is open from mid April to mid November. However, the road gets closed to individual car traffic in the evenings between 17:00 and 22:00.

WHAT TO EAT

Hakodate is renowned as the squid capital of Japan. Their famous specialty is iki ika (squid that has been sliced up while alive). This means anything you have here will give you the genuine taste of Hakodate! As for their iki ika, only the selected high-quality squid is sliced and served sashimi-style. The iki ika sashimi comes with the squid's goro (innards). You mix the goro into some shoyu (soy sauce) and dip the squid sashimi in it.

Depending on the season,  the type of squid varies, the main types being surume ika (Pacific flying squid) caught between June and December, and yari ika (spear squid) caught between January and May.

The meat of surume ika is thicker and the goro (internal organs) large, so it is primarily used for sashimi (served raw), frying, and shiyokara (salted squid guts). Yari ika is smaller than surume ika and has a sweeter taste making it good for sashimi.

MUST-TRY HAKODATE RESTAURANTS - Five Best Shops Serving Hokkaido Squid Dishes

If you are adventurous, here is a list of restaurants that serves the iki-ika. If you are squeamish and would rather just look around and observe how the local tourist does it, do not be shy to ask to take a picture or video. To see is to believe! It is a visual assault, a real shock and awe, like watching Fear Factor live ! The locals would gladly pose for you !

1. Hakodate Asaichi Aji no Ichiban- This is a popular restaurant located inside Hakodate Morning Market. This 34-year-old place offers a variety of superb delicacies like iki ika and homemade ikura (salmon roe). It is guaranteed to be a super-fresh stock of seafood at any time of the day. In particular, their iki ika, caught that very morning, has a crispy texture that makes it more delicious than any other squid! There's a lot of choices, including ramen (noodles) and ika-meshi (squid stuffed with rice).

Their Isaribi-don, which is a rice bowl dish that combines fresh squid with ikura, also comes highly recommended.

It's located opposite of Donburi Yokocho in Hakodate Morning Market

Open: [May - October] 6:30 am - 3:00 pm
[November - April] 7:00 am - 2:00 pm
Closed: None
*Closed only on New Year's Day and January 2
Average price: 1,300 JPY
*Ramen and rice bowl set meals are also available
Access: Exit Hakodate Station and turn right, heading to Hakodate Asaichi. It's opposite of Donburi Yokocho.
Address: 11-13, Wakamatsu-cho, Hakodate-shi, Hokkaido

Map

2. Uomasa Goryokakyu - This this seafood izakaya (Japanese pub) serves super-fresh ingredients like vegetables, meat, and fish that were procured from local producers. This means anything you have here will give you the genuine taste of Hakodate! As for their iki ika, only the selected high-quality squid is sliced and served sashimi-style.

It's a 4-minute walk from Goryokaku-koen-mae Stop. It is also close to many tourist attractions!

Open: [Monday - Thursday, Sunday, National Holidays] 5:30 pm - 12:00 am (L.O. 11:00 pm)
[Friday, Saturday, Day before National Holidays] 5:30 pm - 1:00 am (L.O. 12:00 am)
Closed: None
*Always open except for the beginning and end of the year
Average price: [Dinner] 5,000 JPY
*Courses are priced from 5,000 JPY. Course meals with iki ika are priced from 5,500 JPY.
Access: 161m from Goryokaku-koen-mae Station
Address: 4-8, Hon-cho, Hakodate-shi, Hokkaido

3. Ikkatei Tabiji, - This popular restaurant is inside Donburi Yokocho, which is a famed area inside Hakodate Morning Market.

Their signature dish is the Iki Ika Odori-don, which uses squid procured from nearby waters. They fish the squid straight from a fish tank and prepare it right in front of you.

Once slices of the translucent meat have been arranged on a bed of rice, salmon roe is added and then on top of that the legs of the squid, called gesso. When served, the legs of the squid are still moving in what's described as dancing squid sashimi. The squid will keep dancing both in the rice bowl and in your mouth! 1,890 yen.

There are also an uni (sea urchin) and hotate (scallop) don (bowl) (1,980 yen), an uni and ikura don (1,980 yen), and a sanshoku (three-color) don comprised of sea urchin, crab, and salmon roe (1,980 yen), as well as a variety of other fresh seafood bowls.

Open: 5:00 am - 3:00 pm
*Changes to 6:00 am - 2:00 pm from late October to late April
Closed: None
Average price: 840 JPY
*Their flagship dish, Iki Ika Odori-don, costs 1,890 JPY.
Access: 1-minute walk from the West Exit of Hakodate Station. It is located in the building right in front of the station, which is in Donburi Yokocho in Hakodate Morning Market.
Address: Donburi Yokocho Market, 9-15, Wakamatsu-cho, Hakodate-shi, Hokkaido

(Map)

4. Hakodate Dining Gaya - Gaya only uses only fresh seafood from Hakodate. Right in front of Hakodate Station, they serve fresh fish caught in nearby waters, as well as other Hokkaido delicacies. Lively iki ika is caught from their fish tank and sliced up into thin noodle shapes, which are then eaten as sashimi. There's also a crab tank, so don't miss this chance to enjoy Hakodate's fresh seafood!

Conveniently located right in front of Hakodate Station. It is also incredibly close to Hakodate Morning Market.

Open: Lunch 11:30 am - 2:30 pm (L.O. 2:00 pm), Dinner 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (L.O. 11:00 pm)
*Operating hours are subject to change depending on the season
Closed: Irregular
Average price: 2,000 JPY
Access: 2-minute walk from the West Exit of Hakodate Station. From there, head towards Mt. Hakodate and you'll eventually see Gaya's sign. It's by the entrance of Hakodate Morning Market.
Address: 9-14, Wakamatsu-cho, Hakodate-shi, Hokkaido

(Map)

5 . Gyosanko - Inside, there are tanks of live squid used for making truly fresh sashimi from 1,000 yen, depending on local prices. Other popular squid dishes served are ika poppo, squid grilled in aluminum foil (780 yen) and shiokarani, stewed squid guts (880 yen).

Katsu ika sashi is a live squid dish where the cephalopod has been beautifully filleted and sometimes referred to as the “emperor of sashimi”. The legs and other parts of the body are tastefully arranged on the plate together with the goro (inner organs) and eyeballs.

Mix the goro in soy sauce until it dissolves and then dip the slices of meat into it before eating it; this is the way it is eaten in Hakodate.

There is also a wide variety of other Hakodate sashimi dishes offered and depending on the catch of the day, the names of the fish line the walls. The hand-written menu has recommendations that are worth checking.

Sashimi made from hokke (Atka mackerel) and kajika (sculpin) caught off the coast of Hakodate are two popular types. There is also an English menu at this beloved Hakodate restaurant.

Open: 4:00 PM ~ 1:00 AM (last order at midnight)
Closed: no set schedule
Access: 3-minute walk from JR Hakodate Station

(Map)

OTHER FOOD OPTIONS

SEAFOOD RICE BOWL (Kaisen-don) - If you do not want to try the ultimate taste test of ika-ika, why not try eating a seafood rice bowl (kaisen-don) generously topped with fresh seafood ingredients when they visit Hakodate? The variety of quality ingredients, as well as the enticing appearance of the toppings, will make one's mouth water. An especially popular spot is the Donburi Yokocho in Hakodate Morning Market, which features 11 restaurants offering seafood rice bowls.

Western Cuisine Hakodate was Japan's first international trade port and window for exchange with various foreign countries since old times, thus allowing the western cuisine culture to take root in the place. Experience the profound influence of western cuisine here in Hakodate, from restaurants dating from the Meiji Period, ham and sausage shops that continue to use techniques passed down from Germany in the Taisho Period, to bold new shops that use only the freshest seasonal local ingredients.

Sushi Here in Hakodate, whose periphery is surrounded by sea, you can always find fresh seafood to eat. One of the seafood varieties currently talked about is the Toi tuna from the Tsugaru Strait, and it is said that this is currently the tastiest tuna in the world. Of course, in addition to tuna you can also enjoy delicious seafood in any season, such as sea urchin, scallop, abalone, octopus, and squid.

CURRENCY AND SHOPPING

Japanese yen (JPY) Traditional lacquerware, handmade crafts, dried fish and confestionaries.

HAKODATE SQUID DANCE

Hakodate is known as the squid capital of Japan. Based on the number of live squid tanks in the market, restaurants serving squids, plush toy squids, squid banners, squid mascots and amazingly squid dance, I’d say it is a very good description!

The Squid Dance was created by locals to show their appreciation for the squids. Before the the ship depart, more than 200 hundred kids dressed up in kimonos showed up. They danced the Hakodate Port dance and the more popular Squid dance. A few high school students also entertained us with their squid dances.

The Squid Dance is so easy to follow that spectators can join and dance together. Part of the lyrics is “Ika-ika-ika-ika-ika-odori!” (Squid-squid-squid-squid-squid-dance! ) plus a few other moves.