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Hakodate is located on the Oshima Peninsula
near the southern tip of Hokkaido island.
Geographically, the city is bordered by beautiful
Hakodate Bay on one side and the other,
the Straits of Tsugaru which separates Hokkaido
from Honshu island. Landward, it faces snow-capped
mountains.
Today, Hakodate continues to be an important
port city just as it was during historic
times due to its advantageous location and
abundant marine supplies. Growing from a humble
Ainu fishing village, it was the first
port to open to international trade in
1858 thus ending the country’s self-imposed
seclusion. It was also capital to the
short-lived Ezo Republic established by dissident
forces of the last shogunate. Ezo was
the former name of Hokkaido before the
Meiji Restoration.
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Part of the city facing
Hakodate Bay and landward snow-covered mountains
in spring.
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The harbour area at the bay. The Ainus
- indigenous people of Hokkaido called their
original fishing village ‘Usukeshi’ meaning ‘bay’.
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View of the city by night from the
summit of Mt. Hakodate. It is said to
rank among the top 3 most beautiful in
the world together with Hong Kong and
Cape Town.
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Highly significant historical landmark
- remains of the star-shaped fort called
Goryokaku or ‘Pentagram Fort’. It was the
last bastion of the remnant loyalist of
the Tokugawa Shogunate. The imperial Meiji army
finally destroyed both rebels and fort in
1869.
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Goryakaku fort site and its
surrounding are today a pleasant recreational
and historical park opened to public. There
are more than 1,600 mature sakura or cherry
trees to enchant visitors with its blooms
in spring.
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The port city’s early exposure
to western foreigners led to many traces
of Russian, European and American cultural influences.
Trappistine Convent was established by French
nuns in 1898.
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White lanterns line a red bridge in one
of the city’s suburb.
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A small and charming downtown restaurant.
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Hakodate ‘asaichi’ or morning market is a
concentration of more than 450 shops including
restaurants to interest visitors.
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Surrounded by much sea of abundance, seafood
of a great variety and healthy sizes are
the main attraction at the morning markets.
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The squid is the symbol fish of the
city. In August each year, residents gather
for a wriggly street dance called Ika-odori
or ‘Squid Dance’ at the Hakodate Port
Festival.
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Local Hakodate produce range from all kinds
of seafood variants to grown products like
sweet melons.
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