Things to do in Hakodate
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Yasai Bar Miruya
Tiny and cheerful, with veggie-inspired specials often paired with local sakes or shōchūs (distilled spirits). The sweet, energetic hostess proudly produces a well-thumbed Japanese-English dictionary and will pass it around for anyone to share - but plan on practicing your Japanese. Get off the tram at Uoichiba-dōri and continue for two blocks, looking on the right for the pastel yellow sign. If you reach the next tram stop you've gone too far.
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Hakodate-yama
This small mountain (334m) offers a memorable view of Hakodate, especially at night when the twinkling city lights contrast the dark waters. A ropeway whisks you to the top in a few minutes.
A 10-minute walk from the summit is a car park. At its far end there is an overgrown path that leads to moss-covered walls and buttresses, the ruins of an old fort, Hakodateyama Yōsai. It's refreshingly deserted, and you can happily clamber around, Indiana Jones–style, among ferns with fronds the size of palm leaves.
Take tram 2 or 5 to the Jūjigai stop, and walk a few minutes uphill to the ropeway platform. Alternatively, a summit-bound bus (¥360, 30 minutes) leaves directly from th…
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Ōnuma Quasi-National Park
Though quite a distance from Hakodate proper, this national park boasts an unusually large lake and swamp that offers beautiful canoeing, fishing and many scenic hiking tracks, is worth the trip. Bring insect repellent, as tourists are particularly tasty. You're much better off hiring a car, as the train connection is inconvenient. Many of the hills have hidden hot springs, but finding them can be difficult - your best bet is to ask a local for directions to their favourite gem.
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Cable car
This mode of transport whisks you to the top of Hokadate-yama mountain in a few minutes. Take tram 2 or 5 to the Jūjigai stop (around 200) and walk uphill to the ropeway platform (seven minutes). A summit-bound bus (around 360, 30 minutes) leaves directly from the station, is cheaper and stops at several viewing places as it winds to the top. Those wanting to rough it old-style can take the hiking track (from May to late October).
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Foreigners' Cemetery
Quite unusual, as it has the graves not only of well-known people of the time, but of sailors, clergy, and others as well, all of whom died far away from their homelands. Many of the graves have English, Russian, or French inscriptions and it is an interesting slice of Japan's colonial history. The walk there is a sight in itself: running parallel to the edge of the bay, it affords some beautiful views of the water.
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California Baby
Just around the corner from Nishi-Hatoba, this place has 'the best American coffee' and a variety of inexpensive dishes, such as California sandwiches and 'Sysco Rice', a popular favourite - rice, sausages, and Italian meat sauce. Get off at Suehiro-chō and backtrack to the first stoplight. Turn left (towards the water) and look for the teddy bear museum, then turn right and look for the bright yellow sign.
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Asa-ichi
The morning market is the place for fresh fish. Seafood donburi (a bowl of rice with toppings) is a local favourite. If you prefer to eat your seafood in a restaurant, see if one will whip up a Hakodate version of oyakodon; meaning 'mother and child donburi', it's usually made with chicken and egg in the rest of Japan; in Hokkaidō it's made with salmon and its roe.
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Goryō-kaku
Japan's first Western-style fort was built in 1864 in the shape of a five-pointed star (goryō-kaku means 'five-sided fort'), and was designed to trap attackers in deadly crossfire. Nothing remains of the actual fort structure, but the landscaped grounds and moat are picturesque, and the moss-covered walls are quite fun to scramble upon. To reach the fort, take tram 2 or 5 to the Goryōkaku-kōen-mae stop. From there it's a 10-minute walk.
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Goryō-kaku Tower
Recently rebuilt but to mixed reaction ('looks like Big Brother', said a resident), the tower provides an attractive view of the fort below and the surrounding city. To reach the fort, take tram 2 or 5 to the Goryōkaku-kōen-mae stop (around 220, 15 minutes). From there it's a 10-minute walk.
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Hakodate Beer
Next to the Hakodate Kokusai Hotel (函館国際ホテル), this expansive brick building has live music and boisterous crowds. Scan the English menu, and choose from a variety of microbrews – from cold ales and golden wheat beers to dark stouts – to complement homemade pizzas and various items from the grill including fresh-caught squid and locally made sausages.
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Gagyū Lounge
In the Hakodate Kokusai Hotel. If you're dying for a view (and it's definitely a view to die for), this is the place to sip a late-night something, but plan on paying premium yen for that cocktail. Dress to impress to avoid a frosty reception.
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Ryōuntei
Not far from the new Goryōkaku tower, this place has fresh seafood and a choice of counter or tatami seating. No English, but a picture menu makes ordering a straightforward affair.
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Hakodate Rāmen Kamome
A famous noodle shop (just look for the blue awning) where you can put your culinary skills to the test – you can start with a basic bowl of miso rāmen (¥580), and add kani (crab), ebi (shrimp), ika (squid), hotate (scallops) and/or uni for a few hundred extra yen. The shop is located across the street from the fish market, so you can be reassured that everything here is fresh.
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Sabou Hishii
Antique store, coffee shop and dessert café by day, quiet bar by night. In an old ivy-covered kura (storage room) with lots of atmosphere. No English menu.
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Squid boats
At the docks there are some interesting fishing vessels, particularly the squid boats. Lantern-light attracts the squid to the surface; few boats are as picturesque.
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Hakodate City Museum Annexe
Nearby the lanscaped grounds where the old fort once stood, this museum offers a taste of the fort's history, including weaponry and bloodstained uniforms (ugh!).
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Nishi Hatoba Restaurants
A new, fairly trendy place to dine is Nishi Hatoba waterfront district, which has a variety of eateries in converted warehouses and English-style buildings.
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Russian Greek Orthodox Church
A beautiful old church restored in 1916. Remove your shoes before you enter. It's closed in winter from about 26 December through to February (dates vary).
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Old British Consulate
English-style tea-time makes a relaxing afternoon here that much more enjoyable. British souvenirs and postcards add to the nostalgia. Marmite, anyone?
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Octopus expeditions
If you want to catch your own squid, the cruiser offers two-hour expeditions. It costs extra to have them cook the unfortunate cephalopod for you.
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Hakodate City Museum of Northern Peoples
A good place to learn about the Ainu and their culture. English signs have been added to some exhibits.
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Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward
This building has a great view of the bay and the outgoing squid boats.
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Yachigashira Onsen
On the southern edge of Hakodate-yama is this enormous hot spring, one of Hokkaidō's oldest, with dark iron-laden water. To get here, take tram 2 to Yachigashira, the final stop. On foot, continue to the first intersection and then turn right – you'll see the public bathhouse complex on the left shortly after you turn.
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Motomachi
On Mt Hakodate's lower slopes, this area is home to the lion's share of 19th-century sites, and commands stunning panoramic views of the bay. The places in the following listings are all located in close proximity to one another, and are easily reached on foot.
To get to Motomachi, take tram 5 from the station and get off at the Suehirō-chō stop, then walk uphill for 10 minutes. Alternatively, get off at the end of the line and walk along the waterfront first, visit the cemetery, then stop at the buildings as you walk uphill to Suehirō-chō.
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Kyū-Igirisu Ryōjikan
From 1913 to 1934, this whitewashed mansion served as the British consulate, though today it's primarily used as a tea salon for sightseers in need of some bergamot-scented afternoon respite.
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