Hakodate Attractions

Hakodate, situated at the southern tip of Hokkaido and encompassed by the sea on three sides, stands as an important port city in Hokkaido, renowned for its “Million Dollar Night View” seen from Mt. Hakodate, cherry blossoms, historical buildings, and fresh seafood. As it is not an overly large city with fairly concentrated attractions, one can basically cover them within two days.

Hakodate is the filming location of the Detective Conan movie, “The Million-dollar Pentagram.” If you are planning to visit Hakodate, why not explore the city from Conan’s perspective?

Tourists feeding deer in Matsume, Hakodate

Top Attractions in Hakodate - Detective Conan's Filming Locations

1. Mt. Hakodate

The night view of Mt. Hakodate, renowned as the “Million Dollar Night View” and one of the world's three most beautiful nightscapes, is a famous tourist attraction that no visitor to Hakodate should miss. Situated not far from the city, Mt. Hakodate offers convenient ropeway as the preferred mode of transportation for most people. At the top of the mountain, there is an observatory where one can peacefully relish the magnificent scenery. If you arrive around sunset, you can witness the beautiful transition from sunset to night view. Additionally, Mt. Hakodate is dubbed “the treasure trove of plants” as over 650 species of plants thrive on its slopes, creating a lush and green carpet that covers the mountainside.

2. Goryokaku Park

As Japan’s first Western-style castle, Goryokaku Park attracts countless tourists with its unique pentagonal shape. Especially during the season of cherry blossoms, the beautiful cherry blossoms and the unique pentagonal castle complement each other to form a breathtaking scene. Climbing the 107-meter Goryokaku Tower, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of Hakodate City, including Mt. Hakodate and Tsugaru Strait, and get a clear view of the star-shaped design of Goryokaku Park.

The Hakodate Goryokaku Festival is held on the third weekend of May every year in Goryokaku Park, where Hakodate residents reenact war scenes through a parade, and visitors can watch historical characters dressed up and experience the atmosphere of war.

A tourist wearing kimonos on the streets of Hakodate

3. Hachiman-zaka

Hachiman-zaka, Hakodate's most famous and beautiful street, once voted as the No.1 Japanese slope people wanted to visit, has a romantic atmosphere and is a popular filming location for Japanese dramas and advertisements. Standing at the top of the Hachiman-zaka slope, you can see the port and the sea in the distance, with the sunset reflecting on the water, making it seem as if the whole world has been painted gold. The buildings and trees along the slope look even more ancient and serene in the setting sun, making it feel like you're in a beautiful painting.

4. Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse

Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse, dating back to 1869, was selected as a Hokkaido Heritage Site and is a designated area for preserving important traditional buildings. Currently, it is a commercial shopping district with various restaurants, cafes, daily goods stores, souvenir shops, and gift shops. The best time to visit is in winter, when the red bricks and white snow against the backdrop of the sea look incredibly beautiful. By the way, the nearby Clown Burger shop is also one of Hakodate's unique features, so don't forget to taste it!

5. Hakodate Morning Market

A seafood stall at the Hakodate Morning Market

Hakodate Morning Market, known as the seafood paradise of Hokkaido, a gourmet feast for early risers, is one of the most vibrant and famous markets in Hokkaido and one of the most representative seafood markets in the area. It has about 280 shops and is open all year round, with the market opening from 5 am to 6 am in the morning and closing around noon. At Hakodate Morning Market, customers can not only buy fresh seafood but also try it at the market, trying and choosing while tasting, and enjoy a unique shopping experience.

6. Catholic Church Hakodate Motomachi

Catholic Church Hakodate Motomachi is one of the oldest Catholic churches in Japan. Its architecture is Gothic style, with white exterior walls and a blue triangular steeple roof, which is a very beautiful place to take pictures. There is a guestbook inside the church where visitors can write down their wishes or prayers. The church will pray for the people who have left their wishes when conducting mass services.

Other Attractions to Visit in Hakodate

1. Onuma Quasi-National Park

Onuma Quasi-National Park, selected as one of Japan's Three New Scenic Wonders, boasts a sunny and breezy natural environment. In addition to enjoying the fun of cycling or walking by the lake in the rich natural environment, visitors can also taste various fresh and delicious foods.

2. Matsumae - The southernmost resort in Hokkaido

When visiting Matsumae, don't miss the following:

Cherry blossom viewing: Matsumae was selected as one of Japan's 100 best cherry blossom viewing spots, with over 250 varieties of approximately 10,000 cherry trees planted. The different varieties of cherry trees bloom at different times, so visitors can enjoy cherry blossom viewing from April to May for an entire month.

Visiting Matsumae Castle: Matsumae Castle is the only Japanese castle in Hokkaido, and it houses the Matsumae Library. Visitors can appreciate the castle while learning about its history.

Tasting Matsumae pickles: Matsumae pickles are made by pickling squid, herring roe, and kelp together, and all the ingredients are sourced from the local sea. The residents of the area have been making these delicious pickles for over a century.

3. Yunokawa Onsen

Yunokawa Onsen is one of the most representative hot spring towns in Hokkaido, with a history of over 350 years. It is said that the Matsudaira lord of the Edo period (1603-1868) once cured a serious illness here. There are more than 20 hot spring hotels and outdoor hot spring facilities along the main street, making it the best place to relax.

4. Hakodate Tropical Botanical Garden

Here you can see over 100 tropical plants, but the biggest attraction is the monkeys who soak in the hot springs here from December to May every year.

Hakodate Tropical Botanical Garden

How to plan a Hakodate tour

One-day trip: Hakodate Morning Market → Goryokaku Park → Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse → Catholic Church Hakodate Motomachi → Mt. Hakodate

When you exit from Hakodate Station, you will find Hakodate Morning Market, where you can enjoy delicious food. Then, take a 30-minute bus ride to Goryokaku Park. After admiring the beautiful scenery of the park, take a 40-minute bus ride to Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse. Following lunch, walk to the Catholic Church Hakodate Motomachi and Hachiman-zaka to stroll, and then walk 10 minutes to the Mt. Hakodate Ropeway Station to take the ropeway to the top of Mt. Hakodate and enjoy the charming night view.

Two-day trip:
D1: Kanemori Red Brick Warehous → Hachiman-zaka → Catholic Church Hakodate Motomachi → Mt. Hakodate
D2: Hakodate Morning Market → Yunokawa Onsen → Hakodate Tropical Botanical Garden→ Goryokaku Park

Upon arriving in Hakodate, you can start by strolling around the Kanemori Red Brick Warehous and then walk to the Hachiman-zaka and the Catholic Church Hakodate Motomachi to admire the historic buildings. In the evening, go to the top of Mt. Hakodate to enjoy the night view. After viewing the night view, stay at a hotel near the Hakodate Morning Market, and in the next morning, you can go to the market to taste delicious food. After that, take a 25-minute bus ride to the Yunokawa Onsen and Hakodate Tropical Botanical Garden to relax in the hot spring and immerse in nature. Finally, take a 40-minute bus ride to Goryokaku Park to see its unique pentagonal castle.

If time permits, consider spending an additional one to two days in either Matsumae or Onuma Quasi-National Park to further explore the city.