Hakodate

Walk through Hakodate's brick warehouses from 1854, eat fresh uni at the 250-stall Morning Market, and watch the sun set from Mount Hakodate's observation deck. This southern Hokkaido city has preserved its 19th-century trading port architecture, including the Russian Orthodox Church with its green domes and the star-shaped Goryokaku Fort with its 1,000 cherry trees.

Getting to Mount Hakodate

The mountain rises 334 meters above sea level, with a cable car running from the base to the summit. You can reach the cable car station by taking tram number 2 or 5 from the city center, or walk up the 30-minute hiking trail between May and October. The observation deck opens until 10 PM, letting you see both daytime and nighttime views across the bay area and the city's two harbors.

Exploring the Morning Market

Next to Hakodate Station, more than 250 vendors at the Morning Market sell their products from 5 AM to noon. You'll find rows of fresh seafood, local vegetables, and prepared dishes. Stop at one of the market restaurants for a kaisendon (seafood rice bowl) topped with uni (sea urchin), crab, or salmon roe. The best time to visit is between 6 AM and noon, when vendors display their full selection.

Walking Through Motomachi

The Motomachi district's steep streets lead past buildings dating to the 1850s trading port era. You can walk inside the Russian Orthodox Church to see its iconostasis, climb to the wooden balconies of the Old Public Hall, and visit several 19th-century merchant houses. The district's museums display artifacts and documents from Hakodate's early international trading days.

Visiting Goryokaku Fort

Engineers completed this Western-style fortress in 1864, building it in a five-pointed star pattern. Today, more than 1,000 cherry trees line the fort's walls and moats. Climb the 107-meter Goryokaku Tower nearby for an aerial view of the complete star formation. In spring, cherry blossoms create patterns of pink and white along the fort's geometric design.

Local Food Specialties

Try Hakodate's shio ramen, made with salt-based broth and straight noodles. Lucky Pierrot burger restaurants have 17 locations around the city, each decorated according to different themes like Christmas or vintage Hollywood. In summer evenings, restaurants around the bay area prepare squid dishes using the day's catch.

Seasonal Activities

Spring brings cherry blossom viewing at Goryokaku, while summer includes the Port Festival where locals perform the Squid Dance through the streets. In autumn, maple and ginkgo trees around Mount Hakodate turn red and gold. Winter brings an average of 380 centimeters of snow annually. You can warm up year-round in the Yunokawa district's hot springs, where some baths look out over the ocean.