10 Best Things to do in Hakodate for your Holiday!
Hakodate is a quaint little port city on the southern tip of Hokkaido
Welcome to Hakodate, the gateway city to Hokkaido Island! Tucked away in the southern most tip of Hokkaido, Hakodate is a charming port town that was once a bustling hub for international trading during Japan’s early imperial era.
There is so many things to do in Hakodate, from admiring the gorgeous viewpoints, to learning more about the city’s historical significance, to dipping your toes in a nice relaxing onsen, to eating the freshest seafood imaginable. I just came back from a holiday there and I’m going to share with you my personal picks for the best things to do in Hakodate! So let’s get to it!
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Hakodate, the Gateway to Hokkaido
A lot of nice looking boats and cruises come through here in Hakodate
Hakodate is a very significant city for Japan, it was one of the first Japanese ports opened to foreign trade in 1859 and it played a major role in the introduction of Western culture, architecture, and technology to northern Japan. Therefore, it’s a very unique city where local and Western influences mix.
Hakodate was historically important as a fishing and trading port, especially for squid and this is evident in the huge morning seafood market culture at the Hakodate Asaichi which I will be telling you about shortly. Also, some of the best things to do in Hakodate revolve around exploring it’s history such as the historical districts like the Motomachi district filled with former consulates and churches, as well as the European style Goryokaku Fortress.
Hakodate is an incredible place to explore, and while not as populous as Sapporo, the prefectural capital of Hokkaido, it’s still one that is packed full of amazing experiences and is a destination that is well worth a visit.
Why You Should Get a JR Rail Pass for Traveling in Hokkaido
The most responsible purchasing decision I have ever made, Image from Klook
If you’re planning to visit Hakodate, then I highly recommend you get a JR Rail Pass for traveling, it is essential and will make your life a whole lot easier, not just for traveling in Hakodate, but in Hokkaido as a whole.
A JR Rail Pass gives you unlimited rides on JR trains throughout the region and it makes getting between cities like Sapparo, Otaru, Hakodate, Ashikaway, and Furano easier, faster, and stress free.
It’s more affordable too if you plan on traveling a lot and you don’t need to worry about purchasing individual tickets, plus you can pre-book our seats for free at the JR station. If you are planning to do a lot of traveling between cities then a JR Rail Pass is one of the smartest purchasing decisions you can make. I’m not kidding.
You can purchase a JR Rail Pass at Klook here, and it can be redeemed at the Airport or at the main JR train stations.
1. Hakodate Morning Market (Asaichi)
Look at this Salmon, Ikura, and Uni donburi rice bowl, and that little Hokkaido shaped seaweed!
One of my favorite things to do in Hakodate is eat! But, James, you could eat anywhere? Well that’s true but Hakodate is home to the Hakodate Morning Market (Asaichi) where they serve arguably the freshest seafood in all of Hokkaido Island!
In fact, Hakodate has the nickname of “Squid City” as the city is famous for it’s squid products like Ikameshi (squid stuffed with rice), Shiokara (squid pickled in salt), Surume (sun dried squid), and Saki-ika (shredded dried squid).
The Hakodate Morning Market was established just after World War 2 and currently has over 250+ stalls and restaurants selling everything from scallops, raw fish, King Crab, melt in your mouth Uni (sea urchin), and so much more.
But my absolute number 1 thing to do in Hakodate is to eat at one of the many Donburi (sashimi rice bowls) restaurants located in the Donburi Avenue portion of the Hakodate Morning Market, an indoor alley lined on both sides with restaurants dedicated to serving Donburi.
For foodies like you and I, if you’re planning your list of top things to do in Hakodate, the seafood morning market should be number 1. Plus it’s located right next (literally next door) to the main Hakodate JR train station.
I can be a bit confusing exploring the Hakodate Morning Market by yourself, that’s why I recommend joining a tour such as this Hakodate Morning Market Tour with Tasting Options. the tour includes a professional guide and you’ll be shown the best stalls, learn what makes Hakodate seafood so special, and actually know what to order, all while tasting ultra-fresh squid, seafood bowls, and local specialties along the way.
2. Mt. Hakodate Panoramic Views
The views from Mt. Hakodate is absolutely gorgeous, especially during the evening!
Once you got your morning fill of seafood, one of the best things to do in Hakodate is to visit Mt. Hakodate to witness one of Japan’s most famous views.
Mt. Hakodate is about 334 meters tall and the view from up there is absolutely gorgeous, you get a scenic panoramic view of the city and the surrounding Hakodate Bay, and Tsugaru Strait.
Don’t worry about the journey up as there is a Gondola ropeway that will service you up to the viewpoint. It’s the most popular way to get up there and the whole journey takes only 3 minutes from the base station.
For your comfort and ease, I recommend joining this Private 6 Hour Hakodate Historic Tour complete with a Government licensed guide. It’s actually the tour that I went on to explore Hakodate. Joining this tour was the best decision, as the guide (mine was Kazuo-san) will bring you to all the major attractions such as the aforementioned Morning Market, Mt. Hakodate viewpoint (of course), and some of the others that I will share with you later in this blog post. It’s such a great and hassle free way to explore Hakodate!
As for the Mt. Hakodate viewpoint, one thing to look out for is the weather condition, make sure it’s not foggy or cloudy when you’re planning to visit!
3. Goryokaku Park & Tower
Goryokaku Park, this is the first time I am seeing a European style fortress and it’s so cool
I am a huge history nerd and if you are too, one of the top things to do in Hakodate is to visit the Goryokaku park and tower.
Goryokaku park is a European (French inspired) style star shaped fortress surrounded on all sides by a large moat. It was built during the mid 1800s during the end of the Samurai era and right when Western influences are starting to take hold of the country.
The park is incredibly gorgeous, especially during the winter when the moat freezes and becomes solid ice. In fact, a fun fact for you, back then there was a whole business of vendors harvesting this moat-ice to later be sold as “Goryokaku Ice”.
The star shaped design is only visible from a bird’s eye view and that is where the Goryokaku Tower comes in. You’ll need to purchase a ticket to get up and the tower offers a 360 view of the entire surrounding area, while you can spot the fortress in all it’s glory, you can also take in sights of Hakodate city as well as the bay and the distant mountains.
Anyways, within the tower is a little showcase exhibit with information about the history of the city as well as the fortress, complete with well crafted miniature displays.
If you’re interested in history or want to read more about Japan’s transition into imperialism then visiting Goryokaku tower and park should be on the top of your things to do in Hakodate list.
4. Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses
It might look kind of boring on the outside but inside is full of cute products to browse through
If shopping is more your forte then one of the many fun things to do in Hakodate is to take a stroll at the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses street located along the Hakodate Bay.
This area was a historic waterfront warehouse complex originally used for shipping, trading, and storage back in the late 1800s when Hakodate’s trade was booming. Nowadays, it’s repurposed into a shopping, dining, and entertainment street.
Known for its distinctive red brick architecture and nostalgic atmosphere, you can find a plethora of cafes, restaurants, beer halls, and souvenir shops. The shops in particular are unique as they sell a bunch of high quality and locally produced goods like leather bags, glass decorations, jewellery, music boxes (a lot of those), and so much more.
There is a famous local restaurant chain called Lucky Pierrot located here which I will talk more about later in this blog post.
The Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses are especially popular during the evening when the area is illuminated and it makes for a nice and chill stroll if you are looking for things to do in Hakodate in the evening, even if you are just window shopping or just wanting to take some aesthetic pictures for social media.
5. Hakodate City Museum of Northern Peoples
A little bit of learning about the historical culture and the region never hurt nobody
If Goryokaku Tower and Park has piqued your hunger for the local history then another one of the best things to do in Hakodate is to visit the Hakodate City Museum of the Northern Peoples, which focused on educating visitors about the cultures of the indigenous northern peoples, especially the Ainu of Hokkaido.
Housed in a historic building, the exhibits includes showcases on traditional clothing, tools, weapons, and household items, and details the daily life of these people and how they have adapted to living in the cold and harsh climates of Hokkaido.
The Hakodate City Museum of the Northern Peoples is small and quiet but the displays are neatly laid out and easy to understand. Well worth a short 1 hour visit and it’s located in the Motomachi area which just so happens to be my next item on this list of top things to do in Hakodate!
6. Motomachi District and its Churches
Aside from that Japanese signage, I feel like I am in Europe!
Visiting the Motomachi district is one of the top things to do in Hakodate if you love to learn about history, culture and religion. This is a historic neighborhood that was one of the earliest to be opened up to foreign trade back in the 19th century.
Motomachi is known for its Western-style architecture that is in heavy contrast to the surrounding urban Japanese developments. And it is here where many of the city’s most famous churches are located, a few that I recommend you check out are:
Hakodate Orthodox Church
Motomachi Roman Catholic Church
Hakodate Anglican Church
I am not very knowledgable in these things, but it was pretty cool to see and admire the architecture of these churches. In addition to religious structures, you can also find a couple of petite bakeries and cafes here if you are in need of some energy, I stopped by at AnRoom.Cafe for a nice an quick cup of iced coffee. Motomachi is a great place for a stroll if you are looking for some things to do in Hakodate during the later afternoons or evenings.
It’s located right along the slopes to Mt. Hakodate as well so it can be a nice little stopping point along your journey.
7. Yunokawa Onsen Footbath
Anyone wanna step in a nice soothing hot spring in freezing temperatures with me?
This next item on my list of the best things to do in Hakodate is a bit off the beaten path, I’ll be bringing you on a quick day trip to Yunokawa Onsen to dip your toes (or your whole body), a district located east of Hakodate city.
You’ll need to hop on the JR train (get your JR Pass if you haven’t already) from the main Hakodate Station to Yunokawa Onsen Denti-Mae Station, roughly a 35 minute train ride.
Yunokawa is one of Hakodate’s oldest onsen areas with a history of over 350 years, and it is here where you can book a stay at a Ryokan or hotels, all of which provide a nice indoor or outdoor onsen bath. Some ryokans I recommend are:
Hakodate Uminokaze - Boutique resort with scenic Tsugaru Strait views and elegant hot spring facilities.
Hotel Banso - Popular amongst travelers for its varied bath options and seafood buffet.
The waters of which are known for being rich with chloride, believed to help with fatigue and blood circulation. If you don’t plan to spend the night, then some hotels even offer day-use onsen bathing. In addition to proper baths, there are also several public spots throughout the district where you can just dip your foot into some soothing hot water, one of which is located right next to the Yunokawa train station.
This district is located near the coastline so a lot of the onsens here provide a very calming ocean view too! Definitely one of my favorite things to do in Hakodate. Also nearby is the Hakodate Tropical Botanical Garden which you don’t wanna miss!
8. Hakodate Tropical Botanical Garden
These guys are living the life!
As the name suggests, the Hakodate Tropical Botanical Garden is a garden located in the Yunokawa Onsen district and it’s one of the most fun things to do in Hakodate, especially if you are a traveling as a family with kids. The garden houses thousands of tropical and subtropical plants for you to see all housed inside a year-round warn greenhouse.
All in all there are about 300 species to discover, totaling around 3,000 tropical plants.
The whole place is designed to feel like exploring a jungle. But what you should see are the famous Japanese Macaques (snow monkeys), who can be seen bathing and soaking in the soothing hot springs during the winter months (Dec-May).
You can even buy some food to feed the monkeys! Aside from the red faced chimps, the garden has an outdoor area with a playground perfect for the kids, as well as an area for the aforementioned footbaths for you to relax at.
9. Lucky Pierrot
Hakodate’s fast food pride and joy! Lucky Pierrot!
You can’t come to Hakodate without trying out this local fast food burger chain! Lucky Pierrot can only be found in Hakodate and eating here is definitely one of the things to do in Hakodate that you need to experience.
Lucky Pierrot was established in 1987 and has since grown a cult following with 17 restaurants spread throughout Hakodate. Its most striking feature is the wacky decorations where each chain has a unique theme from things like: space, cowboy western, and even classical art deco…? Anyways, it’s fun, it’s wacky, it’s nostalgic, and it’s charming.
The menu consists of burgers, fried chicken, curry rice, ice cream, BUT the thing you have to order is the Chinese Chicken Burger, a piece of fried chicken lathered in a sweet sauce between 2 buns, the restaurant’s signature menu item.
While I would recommend you try Lucky Pierrot just because it is something solely unique to Hakodate, it is a fast food chain after all and it’s quite touristy at that with long queues at almost every chain, so set your expectations.
10. Onuma Quasi-National Park
When the city is too overstimulating, nature is the best escape
And finally, if you want to spend a day in peaceful nature, then one of my recommended things to do in Hakodate is to visit the Onuma Quasi-National Park which is located about 90km north of Hakodate. Yes this one is a day trip but if you have a JR Pass you can take a 30 train ride from the Hakodate main station to the Onumakoen Station.
Onuma Koen (park) is a national park known for its scenic Onuma, Konuma, and Junsai lakes all connected by walking paths and bridges. It’s a great place for all sorts of activities like jogging, cycling, canoeing, and even hopping on a boat cruise along the lakes.
Or you can just have a picnic and enjoy the scenic views where you can spot Mt. Komagatake in the background. During the winter when the lakes are frozen the atmosphere is much more calm and serene, while in the autumn months you can enjoy gorgeous the gorgeous foliage.
Aside from greenery, there is a small town next to the lakes where you can find plenty of cute cafes and restaurants for lunch, or dinner, giving you more reasons to justify your day trip to Onuma Koen.
If you’re tired of the city or just want to escape life then visiting Onuma National Park is one of the best things to do in Hakodate.
Looking for More Things to Do in Hokkaido?
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