| Japan's Best Night View
The view from the summit of Mount Hakodate, overlooking the city on a clear night, is considered the finest night view in Japan, and by many Japanese, in the world. Locals call it "The Million Dollar Night View", but they apparently have not been tracking inflation well, because this view is priceless.
Asaichi (朝市)
The "Morning Market" is the quite literal translation of "asaichi", and is where the daily catch get distributed in the wee hours of the morning. There are roughly 400 shops and vendors in the area. Be there by six in the morning at the latest if you want to catch all the real action, I think it generally starts around five, though. If you miss the rush in the morning, there's plenty of good fresh seafood to order up at the little restaurants surrounding it. Merchants selling squid, sea urchin, salmon roe, and crab line the walkways all day.
The Fishing Lights (漁火)
Many of the fishing boats that troll the Tsugaru Strait for their nightly catch are equipped with several rows of intensely bright lights. These mesmerizing lights, visible from the aptly named Asaribidori (the fishing lights road) and shining out of the blackness of the sea like stars fallen to Earth, are one of Hakodate's many wonders.
Graveyard for Foreigners (外人墓地)
The first American to be buried in Japan was a mariner who died on one of Commodore Perry's ships while Hakodate bound. The graveyard is also the final resting place of many other westerners who spent their final days in Hakodate after the opening of the port.
Hachimanzaka Slope (八幡坂)
There are many roads heading straight up the mountain, and each one offers a different view of the bay, but this one with the tiled road is thought to have the most impressive view, is always crowded near the top with people taking photographs. Hiking to the top of it from the streetcar line takes only a couple of minutes.
Festivals & Firework Displays (祭や花火大会)
- Port Festival (August) Lasts a couple of days. It seems like half the town either participates or watches.
- World Music and Dance Festival (August)
- Christmas Fantasy (December)
The Historical Red Brick Warehouses (赤レンガ)
This is a group of well preserved warehouses made from red brick during the Meiji era. They have been converted for use as a beer hall, a concert hall, shopping, and are central to the Bay Area, one of the must-see parts of Hakodate for any tourist.
Hakodate boasts some very unique architecture and neighborhoods due to the sudden mixing of cultures that took place after the opening of the port. Here's a few places you may want to visit.
- Russian Orthodox Church
- Motomachi Roman Catholic Church: The church was founded by a French missionary and after being destroyed numerous times by fires it was recontructed as is in 1924. Featuring Gothic architecture, it houses the only altar in Japan presented by the Pope himself.
- Hakodate Episcopal Church: Built in the shape of a cross by a missionary named Denning in 1874.
- Former Hakodate Ward Public Hall: This building was designed by a famous Japanese architect and built in 1913. A lot of money was spent on building it and it is considered a cultural asset.
- Former Branch of the Hokkaido Government
- Former British Consulate: Built in 1913, it now functions as a museum dedicated to the opening of the port. Apparently wedding ceremonies are also held there.
- The Chinese Memorial Hall: Chinese merchants living in Hakodate imported carpenters, sculptors, and other craftsmen to rebuild their hall after it was burned to the ground in the Great Hakodate Fire of 1907. A fine example of Ch'ing dynasty era architecture, it is a brick building with a laquered and golden interior. Amid all the western and Japanese buildings, it is a true treasure. Rumor has it the entire building was built for 20,000 yen, less than $200. But it certainly was not built on a budget.
- KanaMori Warehouses: Another example of Hakodate's interesting combination of old and new. The KaneMori Warehouses are six early 20th century red brick warehouses that have found a new use as something like a mall or plaza containing touristy shops, restaurants, and even a museum and a hall generally used for music concerts.
Hiking (ハイキング)
For the time being, I'll limit this to hiking Mount Hakodate, although there is plenty of hiking to be found in the areas surrounding the city. There are several trail heads, the two most popular being one located behind Shiomi Junior High School, not too far from the rope-way boarding area. The other goes straight up from Cape Tachimachi.
Parks (公園)
- Hakodate Park: Located on the slopes of Hakodate-yama, This is a nice place to spend a few hours on a sunny day, and is also known for its cherry blossoms, which bloom a few days later than Goryokaku's. There is a small zoo, a fountain, a miniture amusement park for children, and a museum.
- Goryokaku Park: To defend against attacks from the north, Fort Goryokaku was built by the Tokugawa shogunate in 1866 in a western style, its five pointed star shape was designed to maximize crossfire on the enemy and minimize blind spots. Shogunate loyalists soon occupied the fort and declared Hokkaido as The Republic of Ezo. The government forces eventually broke through and the secessionists surrendered the fort in 1869. It is now a public park with a museum and nice open spaces. Due to its 1600 cherry trees that bloom simultaneously it is an extremely popular spot for "hanami" (Cherry Blossom Viewing). The park also contains an annex to the city museum, and is overlooked by the recently completed Goryokaku Tower, which replaced an older shorter version.
- Chiyogadai Park: This park has the most to offer for the athletic type. In addition to a baseball stadium and an olympic size public swimming pool, it has a track, tennis courts, and a community center with a gym. The 1030 meter track the rings the complex also gets good use from local joggers and walkers.
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