| 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!
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | Open 24 hours |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | - |
| Notes | Sightseeing spot, walking spot |
| Location / Getting There | The park and square are located on the eastern harbor, on the pier of Hakodate. It's only a 4 minute walk from Hakodate station. It's also a 10 minute walk from the Red Brick Warehouses 22-22 Otemachi, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0064 |
Hakodate is a coastal city. There are many piers and waterside promenades to casually stroll along and enjoy the views. On the western harbor you can find a nice small park appropriately named Seaport Park, plus Ika Square. The park is accessed via a circular walkway that surrounds the park and leads on to the well known Tomoe Big Bridge. The park has some small seating areas, has a view of the water, and views down onto Ika Square and the plaza there. This plaza is where tourists can access the decommissioned ship turned museum, the Mashu Maru.
Hakodate has a long and thriving squid fishing industry. It is one of the most popular seafood in Hakodate for the locals. In 1989 the city of Hakodate designated the squid as the city’s official fish. Squid is called ‘Ika’ in Japanese. Ika Square was created in honor of this event. The large monument located at the centre of the square represents a swarming school of squid. There are other statues in the plaza including an old anchor plus a young girl waving off departing ships from the port.
| Admission | Free |
| Opening Hours | 8:00 - 18:00 |
| Closed | - |
| Contact | 011-3856-0572 http://www2.saijoji/homepage |
| Notes | Buddhist shrine, sightseeing spot, no parking (though can park across the street) |
| Location / Getting There | Located in central Hakodate. It's across from Goryokaku Park on the west side. From Suginami-cho station it is a 13 minute walk north. 29-15 Goryokakucho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0001 |
Saijioji is a small Buddhist Temple in central Hakodate. It is directly across from Goryokaku Park, and is particularly beautiful in the spring as there are a couple of cherry blossoms in the courtyard area. There is also a small cafe next door making this a nice area to walk around. Being a Buddhist temple, you can find the various statues and motifs symbolizing the faith of this religion. There is a lovely little central shrine in the courtyard. It makes for a great photo opportunity.
Inside the temple itself they have the statues of the four widely revered Bodhisattva (Bosatsu in Japanese). Bodhisattva refers to anyone who has made a resolution to become a Buddha and has also received a confirmation or prediction from a living Buddha that this will be so. The four Bodhisattva include boundless compassion, wisdom, practice, and lastly patience and salvation from suffering. This is a nice spot to drop into and visit on your way to or from the Goryokaku Park nearby. And why not take a break at the cafe next door.
