Kōfuku Station

幸福駅
AdmissionFree
Opening Hours07:00 - 18:00
10:00 - 17:00 coffee shop
Closed-
Contact-
NotesSightseeing spot, car needed or bus travel available, restrooms, souvenir store, cafe
Location /
Getting There
The park is a 30 minute drive south from central Obihiro, take route 236. For those using public transport, from the bus terminal in front of JR Obihiro Station, take the Tokachi Bus bound for "Hiroo" and get off at the "Happiness" bus stop (about 45 minutes). It's 5 minute walk from here. From the Tokachi airport, it only a 5 minute drive or taxi ride.
Obihiro, Hokkaido 089-1246

Kōfuku Station is a closed railway station from the now defunct Hiroo line. The station originally opened on 1st November 1956, but the line, which went from Obihiro to Hiroo, was discontinued in 1987 bringing an end to the station. Even though the station closed down, it still remains a popular sightseeing spot for tourists. Why? Well, it comes down to the name of the station. The name Kofuku (幸福)translates to “happiness” and the station became famous after it was featured on a Japanese NHK TV travel programme which aired in 1973. The station name is formed from the combination of the original name of the area, Kōshin. Plus many farmers settled here in 1902 coming from Fukui prefecture after flooding. Kō + Fuku = Kōfuku.

Kōfuku Station is part of Kōfuku Kōtsu Park. In this area, there is a nice little coffee shop, plus a small souvenir store (the Kōfuku train ticket is a very popular item), and photography area. There are two old trains here that have been turned into small museums. This area is especially popular for couples as the site was chosen as a ‘Sanctuary for Lovers’ in 2008. There is a special bell here that can be rung for good luck, plus the main attraction is the small hut here. You can write a message on a pink ticket and stick it to the wall. The hut is covered with thousands of these messages. Kōfuku Station is a popular spot to visit, if you can get out that way. 

Erimo Misaki Tourist Center

えりも岬観光センター
Pricing Guide at restaurant
(Avg. cost per person)
¥1000 - ¥3500
Opening Hours9:00 - 16:30
Closed-
Contact011-4663-1666
NotesSouvenir store, restaurant, restrooms
Location /
Getting There
From Sapporo the cape is about a 4 hour drive down the south coast. There is also a return express bus from Sapporo station. JR Hokkaido Bus (High Speed) to Erimo, (reservation required until the day before departure).
*JR Sapporo Station 16:30 departure-Erimo 20:30 arrival
*Erimo 5:30 departure-JR Sapporo Station 9:30 arrival
Erimomisaki, Erimo, Horoizumi District, Hokkaido 058-0342

The Erimo Misaki Tourist Center serves as a souvenir store, information center, and as a seafood restaurant. It can be found at Cape Erimo on the point. There is a large carpark here as well, and the Tourist Center is definitely a welcome place during cold, wet and windy weather. Close by, you can also find the entrance to the Kaze no Yakata (house of wind), wind museum. The tourist center has numerous souvenirs inside. These include mainly animal products from the local wildlife such as antlers from the Hokkaido deer. 

The restaurant is large and one of the best spots to try some local seafood while in Erimo. There are not a lot of restaurants in Erimo, so this is a good spot for some lunch while on the road. Being on the coast, there is plenty of seafood to choose from. They have a great sea urchin bowl that comes with rice, pickles and a miso soup. It is costly at ¥3600 a bowl, but if you have the money, it’s worth a try. Other dishes include sashimi, sushi, and shellfish. You can also find some large tanks with equally large snow crabs for sale. These things are huge and aren’t cheap! Overall, Erimo Misaki Tourist Center is a good place, although a little old, to stop off at take a look at its wares, or have a taste of its local cuisine! 

Fukidashi Park

ふきだし公園
AdmissionFree
Opening HoursOpen 24 hours
Contact011-3642-2111
http://www.town-kyogoku.jp/kanko-event/fukidashi-park/
NotesSightseeing spot, parking available, fresh water spring, cherry blossoms, picnic area, jogging spot, restaurants at park, bathrooms, children play area, photography spot
Location /
Getting There
Fukidashi Park is on the western side of Mt. Yotei. It is between the districts of Kutchan and Kimobetsu and is a 90 minute drive from Sapporo. Take Route 276, and turn right onto route 784.
45 Kawanishi, Kyogoku Town, Abuta District, Hokkaido 044-0131

Fukidashi Park is a relaxing and beautiful park by Mt. Yotei. What makes this park so popular is the pristine waters that can be found flowing along its streams. The ice-cold waters flow down from Mt. Yotei and can be collected by visitors so be sure to bring some water bottles and containers to fill up! Containers can be bought at the park. The water is channelled by various wooden outlets and tourists and locals alike line up to get access to the spring water (this park can get very crowded). There are numerous tree lined paths and wooden walkways to gain access and invite visitors to enjoy the tranquility. Moss covered stones and pleasant streams makes it feel like a scene from a fantasy movie. 

The entrance and parking is at the top of the park. Here, there is lush grasslands, and a play area for the kids. During the spring, you can find beautiful cherry blossoms here. There is also a large log cabin from the parking lot which serves as a souvenir store and restaurant. Following the numerous winding paths you can find a nice grove with stone effigies among the trees. Down the bottom, at the water collection point, there is a small lake plus a restaurant to enjoy a lunch overlooking the streams. Fukidashi Park is gorgeous in all seasons and the water here is crisp and fresh, so be sure to take some home with you!

Hakodate Nishi Hatoba Factory

函館西波止場
Opening Hours9:00 - 18:00
Closed-
Contact011-3824-8108
NotesSupermarket, 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.

Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse

金森赤レンガ倉庫
Opening Hours9:30 - 18:00
Closed-
Contact0138-27-5530
NotesShopping complex, historical site, free Wifi, wheelchair access & rental, no smoking, tax free shopping, rental bicycles, lockers, baby stroller rental, breast feeding room, pay phone, no pets, no outside food, currency exchange machine, parking available at ¥400 an hour
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.
14-12 Suehirocho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0053

Sitting on the old Hakodate pier, the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse is a commercial shopping area. Kumashiro Watanabe founded the first warehouse business in Hakodate, which lead to the current site. Constructed in 1909, it consists of four large facilities. Hakodate Port opened up to international trading. The Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse, over its history, has seen countless people and cultures trade within its walls. The area has changed very little. This area is a great spot to walk around and enjoy the history of the place. 

 

 

The Red Brick Warehouses are divided into four areas. Bay Hakodate, Kamemori Yobutsukan, Hakodate History Plaza, and Kanemori Hall. Bay Hakodate includes numerous stores, such as souvenir shops, boutiques, tax free stores, art and craft stores like Malaika, restaurants and cafes, plus a wine museum. Kamemori Yobutsukan, as with Bay Hakodate, has an array of twenty four stores including boutiques, interior stores, arts and crafts. Hakodate Plaza has fewer shops, but has a large beer hall with a couple of other stores, and the last warehouse is the Kanemori Hall. The hall is a concert hall that has regular shows on. Points of interest around the warehouse include the Girl in the Red Shoes, and the First Place of Entering Hokkaido.

Lucky Pierrot

ラッキーピエロ
Pricing Guide
(Avg. cost per person)
¥600 - ¥1000
Opening HoursDepends on store though generally most stores open at 10:00 until 00:30
Closed-
Contacthttp://luckypierrot.jp/shop/hokutoinari/
Notes17 stores around Hakodate, burger and souvenir restaurant, English menu available, no smoking
Location /
Getting There
For store locations please see the end of article

If you ask anyone what the most famous restaurant in Hakodate is, you more than likely to hear “Lucky Pierrot” as the answer. You can find Lucky Pierrot restaurants only in Hakodate and nowhere else in Japan. The Lucky Pierrot company was founded in 1987, and there are seventeen restaurants in the Hakodate municipality. Serving 1.8 million customers per year, its Chinese Chicken Burger was named as Japan’s “best local hamburger” by the Nikkei. Lucky Pierrot serves not only as a burger restaurant, but it’s also a place to pick up some local souvenirs!

Besides their famous Chinese Chicken Burger, their next best seller is the Lucky Egg Burger, plus a Pork Cutlet Burger, and a good old fashioned Lucky Cheeseburger. With so many burgers to choose from, it may take a while to go through the whole menu! Apart from burgers, they have curries, rice bowl meals, rice and omelette dishes, plus a dozen side dishes! There is definitely something for everyone. Each Lucky Pierrot restaurant has a facade. They are each decked out in an eclectic array of objects and furniture, creating a fantastic wonderland in which to dine in. While in Hakodate, be sure to make at least one visit to a Lucky Pierrot and check it off your list. 

 

Marina Suehiro0138-27-5000
10:00 - 0:00
Access: Near Kanemori red brick warehouse group.
From JR Hakodate Station, 5 minutes by car, or a 20 minute -walk
14-17 Suehiro-chou, Hakodate-shi, Hokkaido
Nanae Tōgeshita General Head Shop0138-66-6566
10:00 - 0:00
From JR Shin Hakodate-Hokuto Station, 7 minutes by car, or a 30 minute walk
337-11 Tōgeshita, Nanae, Kameda District, Hokkaido 041-1102
Bay Area Head Shop0138-26-2099
10:00 - 23:00
Near the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses
From JR Hakodate Station, 5 minutes by car, or a 20 minute walk
23-18 Suehiro-cho, Hakodate 040-0053
Front of Goryokaku Park0138-55-4424
10:00 - 0:00
From Goryokaku Park & Tower, a 1 minute walk
30-14 Goryoukaku-chou, Hakodate, Hokkaido
Front of Hakodate Station0138-26-8801
8:00 - 23:00
From JR Hakodate Station, a 5 minute walk.
From Hakodate Asa-ichi, a 1 minute walk
Hotel New Ote 2F, 8-8 Wakamatu-chou, Hakodate, Hokkaido
Tokura Shop0138-59-5888
10:00 - 0:30
Eastern side of town. From Hakodate University, an 8 minute walk.
30-1 Tokuracho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 042-0953
Shōwa Shop
0138-44-6600
10:00 - 0:30
Along Route 5 (runs through Hakodate). From Goryōkaku Station, an 11 minute walk
2 Chome-12-17 Showa, Hakodate, Hokkaido 041-0812
Akaigawa Shop01374-5-3323
10:00 - 0:30
From Akaigawa station, an 8 minute walk west
125 Aza-Akaigawa, Mori-chou, Kayabe-gun
Esashi Shop0139-52-5553
10:00 - 23:00
Western coast of Hakodate. From Shigejiro Hot Springs, a 6 minute drive
1252-1 Miwa, Assabu, Hiyama District, Hokkaido 043-1117
Hondori Shop0138-53-8080
10:00 - 0:30
South eastern area of Hakodate city. From Goryōkaku park, a 7 minute drive
4 Chome-17-32 Hondori, Hakodate, Hokkaido 041-0851
Hokuto-inari
0138-73-1515
10:00 - 0:30
On the western bay across from Hakodate city. From Kamiiso station, a 5 minute walk
1 Chome-6-4 Inari, Hokuto, Hokkaido 049-0161
Mihara Shop0138-46-8988
10:00 - 0:30
North area of Hakodate. From Goryokakucho Park, a 10 minute drive
2 Chome-14-3 Mihara, Hakodate, Hokkaido 041-0806
Minato Front of Hokkaido University0138-42-6550
10:00 - 0:30
Across from Hokkaido University of Marine Studies. From Nanaehama station, a 17 minute walk
3 Chome-18-28 Minatocho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 041-0821
Matsukage Shop0138-32-1777
10:00 - 23:00
Central Hakodate city. From Goryōkaku Park, a 5 minute drive, or a 13 minute walk
22-6 Matsukagecho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0003
Hitomi Shop0138-53-7477
10:00 - 0:30
Central Hakodate city. From Hakodate Racecourse, a 19 minute walk. From Chiyogadai station, a 15 minute walk
24-15 Hitomicho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0005
Honchō Shop0138-56-4469
10:00 - 23:00
From Goryokaku Koen Mae station, a 3 minute walk. Near Goryokaku park.
4-18 Honcho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0011
Jyujigai Ginza Shop0138-23-2300
10:00 - 21:00
From Jyugigai station, a 1 minute walk. From the Mt. Hakodate ropeway, an 8 minute walk
8-11 Suehiro-chou, Hakodate
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