| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 5:00 - 18:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0138-31-5505 |
| Notes | Cherry blossom viewing, historical landmark, photography spot, walking paths, no parking (but paid parking nearby), wheelchair access |
| Location / Getting There | Central Hakodate. It's a 15 minute walk from Goryokaku Koen-mae station. From Hakodate Station take the 19, 25, or 33 bus and get off Goryokaku Park entrance. It's a 10 minute walk. There is a also a 'Goryokaku Tower Trappistine Shuttle Bus'. 44-2 Goryokakucho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0001 |
Goryōkaku Fort & Park was designed in 1855 by the scholar and the architect, Takeda Ayasaburō. His design was based on the work by the French architect, Vauban. The design is in the shape of a five-pointed star. Unlike other Japanese forts, this allowed for a greater number of gun emplacements, and reduced the number of blind spots. It was built to protect the Hakodate Magistrates office at the end of the Edo period when Hakodate opened its harbor to international trade. It played an important role as a political center in Ezo until it was taken over by the new Meiji government. The fort nowadays has seen the last of battles and sees quieter days as a national historic site. It is also a part of the Hakodate city museum and is a hugely popular spot for cherry blossom viewing.
In 1952, it was designated as a national historic site under the name of “Goryokaku Ruins”. The site is a fantastic place to wander around in any season. The green trees in summer, the autumn leaves in the fall, snow in winter. and the sprawling cherry blossoms in the spring. There are about 1,600 cherry blossoms here and they start to bloom in late April and the park is one of the best places to view the blossoms in the whole of Hokkaido. To appreciate the park there is an observation platform overlooking the park. The tower is called Goryokaku Tower and is accessible on the south eastern side.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | - |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-3822-0862 |
| Notes | Buddhist temple, no parking |
| Location / Getting There | Located at the central Hokkaido. It is a 2 minute walk from Matsukaze Cho street car station. It is directly across from Hakodate Promote Hotel. 15-17 Matsukazechō, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0035 |
Kankanji is a large Buddhist temple in the central city of Hakodate. The temple is a short walk from many of the central hotels in the area and can be easily found off the main road. Throughout the year, (as with other temples of the same religious beliefs) special events and festivals are held. This temple is part of the Omotoyama Naritasan Shinshoji. There are eight other temples of the same sect and these can be found in Fukugawa (Tokyo), Kawagoe (Saitama), Sapporo (Hokkaido), Yokohama (Kanagawa), Osaka (Osaka), Nagoya (Aichi) and Fukui (Fukui prefecture).
The Founding Memorial Festival is on the 27th and 28th of July every year. Besides this festival, there are numerous events throughout the year. The main events can be seen on January 1, February 3 brings the Setsubun festival, March 20 (Vernal Equinox Day) Spring equinox memorial service, April 8 is the Flower Festival, June 15 is the Aoba Festival, September 18 (Autumn equinox day) Autumn equinox memorial service. The longest event is from October 1 to November 30 and sees the Shichigosan special prayer meeting. Trinkets, amulets, and beads can be bought at this temple.
| Admission | Free to walk or drive up |
| Admission for ropeway | ¥1500 adult round trip ¥700 children/students round trip |
| Opening Hours | Ropeway 10:00 - 22:00 Operates every 15 minutes from 10:00 to 22:00 (until 21:00 from mid October to late April). |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 013-823-3105 Ropeway 013-827-3127 Restaurant |
| Notes | Sightseeing spot, stunning night views, parking, wheelchair access, restaurant, souvenir store, take out store |
| Location / Getting There | The ropeway station is a 10 minute walk from Jujigai tram stop (5 minutes, ¥210 from Hakodate Station). 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). The buses are covered by the day passes for trams and buses. By car. The toll-free road to the summit of Mount Hakodate is open from mid April to mid November. The road is closed to individual car traffic in the evenings between 17:00 and 22:00. |
Mt. Hakodate is one of the main attractions of the city of Hakodate. The mountain is a prominent feature overlooking the city and stands at 334 metres. It can be found on the southern headland and it is most famous for its stunning night views. It has been voted as one of the top three night viewing spots in the whole of Japan! While visiting Hakodate it is a must see during any season. At the top, besides the views, there is a restaurant, observatory, rest area, souvenir store, and tea store.
There are three ways to get to the top. The most popular mode of transport is the use of the gondola (it is the most used gondola in all of Japan!). The ropeway station has parking at the bottom and operates all year round. The gondola offers great views on the way up. There is parking at the summit, and a winding road to drive up for those with their own transport but this road is closed during winter once the snow arrives. For those more adventurous and fitter , there are walking trails to the top (it takes about 40 minutes to the top). You can hike to the top throughout the year. Anyway you get to the top, the views and facilities make this a must see in Hakodate!
| Opening Hours | 9:00 - 18:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-3824-8108 |
| Notes | Supermarket, shopping hall, souvenir shop, tax free, parking available (at Mitsui nearby), |
| Location / Getting There | It's only a 2 minute walk from Suehirocho station. It's also an 18 minute walk from Hakodate station. It's right by the old red brick warehouses shopping district. 24-6 Suehirocho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0053 |
Hakodate Nishi Hatoba (known as the ‘west wharf’ in english), is a seafood market, souvenir and large shopping warehouse. Here, you can walk through this shopping area which has an atmospheric beauty. Old wooden floorboards, warm lighting from rustic light shades, and Japanese written hangings, makes this market a pleasant place to walk around and peruse the local wares. Hakodate being a harbor city, this market sells mainly seafood, and they have a lot of produce, 2,000 types of products! For those traveling from abroad, you can pick up some souvenirs, and being tax free is a real bonus.
Hakodate Factory is part of the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse area and is a popular sightseeing spot. They have a tonne of seafood products that make for a great gift to take home, or to give as a present. These items include a variety of fish, salmon, eggs, kelp, squid, octopus, and crab. They have livestock products such as ham and sausages, and agricultural items grown fresh in Hokkaido. They also have dairy, plus ramen, curries, and famous sweets. In addition, you can try the raw delicacies such as the local “Matsumaezuke” (pickled seaweed with shredded squid), or the dried delicacies such as the popular “dried scallop”. Around the area they have restaurants including the famous Lucky Pierrot, a Starbucks, cafes, and other shopping outlets. This is a great day out in Hakodate.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 0138-23-5440 |
| Notes | Sightseeing spot, historical landmark, walking spot, no parking (paid parking nearby) |
| Location / Getting There | The monument is located on the old pier of Hakodate. It's only a 2 minute walk from Suehirocho station. It's also an 18 minute walk from Hakodate station. It's right by the old red brick warehouses shopping district. 24 Suehirocho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0053 |
Since the Meiji era, the Higashihama Pier (the former pier) was the gateway to Hokkaido. This pier was the original landing site. In 1968 a monument was erected to commemorate the 100th anniversary of this landing. The monument also celebrates the achievements of the ancestors who came and cultivated Hokkaido. It is fascinating to go to that very spot and gaze over waters that brought in settlers from the mainland of Honshu. For those who like historical spots, take a quick walk down and enjoy the view.
The design of the monument depicts a brown bear standing over an anchor. The bear and the anchor are common motifs seen around Hokkaido. The monument was designed by Nobumichi Akashi, who was a professor at Waseda University. The pier itself is a nice place to take a walk by the water. The landing spot is right past the Red Brick Warehouse shopping area (which is a great spot to visit), so it is easy to have a wander around and take in a bit of history. 
| Admission | ¥500 Adults ¥250 Children |
| Opening Hours | 8:30 - 18:00 (admission until 17:00) April-October 9:00 - 17:00 (admission until 16:00) November-March: 10:00 - 15: 00 December 31st-January 3rd |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 013-827-2500 info@mashumaru.com http://mashumaru.com |
| Notes | Museum, guided tours available, no parking (though Hakodate Station Square Parking can be used), restrooms |
| Location / Getting There | Located on the western harbor in Hakodate on the old pier. It's only a 4 minute walk from Hakodate station. It's also a 10 minute walk from the Red Brick Warehouses 29-15 Goryokakucho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0001 |
The Mashu Maru is a ship that once served as a ferry and was the link between Hokkaido and the main island of Honshu. This ferry was in service until its last day on March 13, 1988. It is now moored at the old Hakodate number 2 quay. This platform was the actual platform from which the Mashu Maru operated from. In what is an already historical city, it now serves as a museum adding to the history, and sees its days welcoming sightseers. Close by to the ferry you can find Ika Square and Seaport Park, which is not a bad spot to have some take away lunch!
Once on board the Mashu Maru (kind of pronounced like marshmallow) you can access various parts of the ship. Take a turn at the wheel at the wheelhouse, or have a look at the wireless communication room as it was back in the day. One of the front cabins was remodeled into an exhibition room and has models and parts from the ferry. There is also a history of the ferry with panels and images. Unfortunately, there is no access to the main engine room or overall control room though you can see these rooms via a monitor camera that you can control. Access to the deck is available, though in the event of strong winds or snow parts of the deck will closed to the public. On board you can find a small shop selling souvenirs. Enjoy!
