Hakodate, Japan

Hakodate is a city and port located in Oshima, Hokkaido, Japan. It the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture, and the biggest city in south Hokkaido. The port was opened in 1859 and faces out onto the Tsugaru Strait that divides Hokkaido and Honshu. There are many attractions available for visitors to Hakodate, including
Mount Hakodate, which offers breathtaking views of the city and the sea.

Other attractions include Motomachi, the city’s historic district. It contains many historical buildings such as churches and public halls. Fort Goryōkaku in the Port of Hakodate was Japan’s first western-style fortress. Visitors will find a small museum there featuring local history. The nearby Goryōkaku Tower (Japanese) is a 90-meter viewing platform that offers views of the star-shaped fort and contains dioramas describing the Enomoto and Ezo Republic as well as the fort’s place in the city’s history.

At the Port of Hakodate’s are Red Brick Warehouses which were constructed in the late Meiji era. Today, they house seafood restaurants and commercial facilities. Visitors can board The Blue Moon, a wonderful bay cruise, near the warehouse area.

Things to See & Do

* Mt Hakodate viewing deck
* Goryokaku-koen Park
* Motomachi historic district
* Fort Goryokaku
* Red brick warehouses at the port of Hakodate

General information

Cruise Season – Jan - Dec
Currency – Yen (JPY)
Language – Japanese
Population – 295,000 approx
Land Area – 677.77 km2
Electricity – 2 perpendicular flat pins USA style or with a round pin below
Time - GMT plus hours nine hours
International Country Telephone Code – 81

Port Location – The port of Hakodate is located on southern Hokkaido island. Cruise vessels berth at a new facility in the Wakmatsu district of Hakodate.

Travel Links – Hakodate airport is 20 minutes by bus from the train station. JAL and ANA offer nonstop service to Hakodate from Tokyo (Haneda), Osaka (Itami) and Nagoya (Chubu); Air Do (ADO) also flies the Tokyo route.

Currently, the fastest way to reach Hakodate by train from Tokyo is by taking two trains, the Hayate shinkansen service and a Limited Express train, transferring between the two at Shin-Aomori station. The one-way trip lasts about 6 hours.

Hakodate's main ferry terminal is 4 km from the center and reachable on buses 1 and 19; a direct shuttle is also available between the ferry terminal and train station. Seikan Ferry and Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry operate ferry services from Hakodate's port to Aomori with multiple departures daily.