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A combination of incredible scenery, mouth-watering food, colourful pretty streets and a historic harbour means there are plenty of things to do in Hakodate to keep you busy. If you have a day or two to spend, everything you need to see and do is in our Hakodate itinerary.
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- The Bottom Line
The majority of Hakodate things to do radiate out from the area around JR Hakodate Station, so the majority of the hotels I recommend are going to be near there. However, as you browse my recommendations, I want you to keep in mind that Hakodate hotels do leave something to be desired, with a few exceptions. Apart from newer properties springing up...
Ascend Mt. Hakodate By Night
As I mentioned in the intro to this post, the Hakodate night view is primarily famous among Japanese travelers—most foreigners have never heard of it! Still, I can’t imagine feeling disappointed by the incredible site of a city sprawled out beneath you atop Mt. Hakodate, especially one with Hakodate’s geography. Sandwiches between two bays that are nearly symmetrical, it’s one of the most attractive cities in Japan, certainly from above.
Explore Unique History in Motomachi
If you’re interested in history, another of my favorite things to do in Hakodate is to explore the picturesque and charming Motomachi district, which sits roughly halfway between the station and Morning Market and the entrance to the Mt. Hakodate Ropeway. Several European-inspired structures exist here, but my favorites are the Russian-influenced Hakodate Orthodox Church as well as Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse, which houses a variety of shops and restaurants.
Eat the Famous “Dancing Squid”
Like Mt. Hakodate, the Hakodate Morning Market is a place that’s primarily famous among Japanese—or at least it was, before a certain viral video took over the internet several years back. Even if you don’t eat the so-called “Dancing Squid” (which is very much dead, and moves solely because of salt in soy sauce reacting with its neurons), the market is a feast for the eyes (and camera!) and offers delicious seafood of the non-zombie sort.
Since the majority of travelers aren’t planning to visit the city in the first, the answer to how many days in Hakodate you should spend is usually a low number. While I generally recommend a minimum of about three days in each Japanese city, two days in Hakodate tends to be sufficient, especially since it’s relatively difficult to take day trips f...
You might not have ever considered seeing Hakodate cherry blossoms, but the city is actually one of the best places in Hokkaido to enjoy the seasonal spectacle. This is especially true if you ascend Goryokaku Tower and look down on the star-shaped fort, which is literally bursting with pink and white during the first week of May every year. On the ...
Is Hakodate worth visiting?
Hakodate is one of my favorite cities in all of Japan—it is absolutely worth visiting! Whether you come in spring to see the sakura of Goryokaku Fort from above, wake at the crack of dawn to eat the controversial ika odori donat Hakodate Morning Market or simply make a weekend trip from Tokyo as an expat, Hakodate will seriously impress you.
How do you get from Tokyo to Hakodate?
Several flights to Hakodate depart Tokyo’s Haneda Airport each day, with an average travel time of 80 minutes—you should plan on a minimum of two hours door to door, depending on how far your Tokyo home or hotel is from HND. The Shinkansen Hayabusa, meanwhile, travels between Tokyo Station and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto in exactly four hours, as of May 2021.
How do I get from Sapporo to Hakodate?
Until the Hokkaido Shinkansen opens in 2030, getting from Sapporo to Hakodate is somewhat cumbersome. If you prefer to travel by train, limited express services between the city take over four hours—far from convenient. Alternatively, you can fly from one of Sapporo’s two airports (ANA flies to New Chitose, while JAL flies to Okadama), although the shock of the price (sometimes as much as ¥20,000 one-way) can often offset the short travel time of less than an hour.
Whether because of Hakodate things to do or because you’re crossing from Honshu to Hokkaido (or vice-versa) anyway, I can’t recommend highly enough that you visit Hokkaido. Even if you’re not impressed by Japan’s most famous night view, which is a relatively Japanese title anyway, I have a feeling the colors, flavors and rich history of the city wi...
Nov 11, 2020 · You'll want to take two days to really soak it all in! Historical buildings, colorful reminders of old foreign influence, line the streets evoking a retro feeling as you stroll along with them. There is much to see and do, so we made the perfect Hakodate 2-Day Itinerary.
Aug 20, 2023 · Make the most out of your 2 days in Hakodate by exploring these top visited places: Mt. Hakodate Observatory, Pastry Snaffle's (金森洋物館), Goryōkaku Tower, and Gotoken Hakodate Curry EXPRESS
Apr 27, 2024 · Last updated on April 27th, 2024. A southern gateway to Hakodate, one of the port cities in Hokkaido. Read more on how to plan your one or two days Hakodate itinerary. My itinerary included! Hakodate (函館市), one of Japan’s most underrated cities.
Jan 25, 2024 · 1. Explore Mount Hakodate and the Observation Deck. 2. Walk Around Tsugaru Fort. 3. Try the Squid. 4. Tour Fort Goryokaku. 5. Shop at the Hakodate Meijikan. 6. Attend the Hakodate Port Festival. 7. Visit the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse. 8. Day Trip to the Nakamura-ke Residence. 9. Explore Motomachi. 10. Visit the Hakodate Museum of Northern People
Aug 20, 2023 · Make the most out of your 4 days in Hakodate by exploring these top visited places: Mt. Hakodate Observatory, Pastry Snaffle's (金森洋物館), Goryōkaku Tower, Gotoken Hakodate Curry EXPRESS, Onuma Quasi-National Park, Donburi Yokocho Seafood restaurant avenue (hakodate morning market), Hakodate Tropical Botanical Garden (Hot-Tubbing ...
