Itinerary:
Night View from Mt Hakodate
Goryokaku Tower
Yunokawa Foot bath
Hakodate Bay area
Hakodate Morning Market
My trip to Hakodate was divided into 2 days, but I wrote it
all together on this page.
Transportation in Hakodate
There are 2 modes of public transportation in Hakodate:
City bus and street car, aka tram. Hakodate Tram has two lines with almost the
same route. We can buy an ICAS ticket for a 1-day tram pass for ¥600, or a
1-day bus pass for ¥800, or a bus+tram 1-day pass for ¥1000. This pass can be
purchased on trams and buses. Without a pass we have to pay in cash because IC
cards such as SAPICA/Pasmo/Suica cannot be used yet. It depends on your needs,
but actually taking the bus can cover all tourist attractions including the bus
ride to Mount Hakodate.
The transportation center is in front of JR Hakodate
Station. The bus terminal is in front of this train station, as is the Hakodate
Ekimae tram stop.
If you take the Shinkansen from Tokyo, it will stop at
Shin-Hakodate Hokuto Station. This station is still in the middle of nowhere,
not yet in Hakodate city. You need to take another train (15 minutes journey)
to get to Hakodate station. Make sure you don't take too long to transfer at
Shin-Hakodate because the connecting train timings to Hakodate have been
carefully arranged, once you miss it you have to wait at least 30 minutes
before the next train arrives. The best holiday packages
Hotels in Hakodate
The most strategic hotel (but expensive) is Loisir Hotel,
located right in front of JR Hakodate station. But of course we just look for
what fits in our pocket.
For information, hotel rates in Hakodate are quite
expensive, plus there are not many choices. I have tried 2 hotels here which
are both in the budget hotel category.
First is Hotel Nets by Sunroute. The location is right in
front of the Goryokaku-Koen-Mae tram stop, so it's walking distance to Fort
Goryokaku. Room rate ¥16000 for 2 people incl breakfast, kids stay free.
Next I tried the tatami (Japanese style) model, namely the Seoul Garden Hotel. The location is about 4 minutes walk from JR Hakodate Station. The owner of this hotel is Korean, the room can accommodate 3 beds, FYI the bathroom is shared. Room rate ¥5000 per person.
Mount Hakodate
My first itinerary after lunch was to go to Mount Hakodate. I ate first in the city center because dinner at the top of the hill there was said to be quite expensive. Yup, the most popular time to climb Mt Hakodate is late afternoon to catch the sunset.
The view from Mt Hakodate is said to be in the Top 3 Best Night Views in Japan, so you have to go up!
Before coming here, you should check the weather forecast, whether it is sunny or foggy. It's useless to get to the top if Mt Hakodate is covered in clouds.
According to the advertisement, the most impressive way to go to Mt Hakodate is using the Hakodate Ropeway gondola. Round-trip fare is ¥1,280. The lower station is located a 10-minute walk from the Jujigai tram stop.
The cheaper option that I used was using the bus (especially if I already have a bus pass). Wait at bus stop number 4 at JR Hakodate Station, take the Mt Hakodate Climbing Bus which has a fairly frequent schedule, especially starting in the afternoon. The risk is that you have to be prepared not to get a seat so you have to stand throughout the 30 minute journey.
The bus journey will start uphill and winding to the top of the observatory, but don't worry, we will get fun views along the way. But once you get to the top, the sea of people will pile up before dark, so choose the best spot for photos.
JR Hakodate Station is visible from here, at the 10 o'clock position. Also the Bay Area, with the landmark brick-colored Hotel La Vista Bay.
Fort Goryokaku
From the name it is clear, this fort is shaped like a pentagon, exactly like a star. We will appreciate its shape more when we look at it from Goryokaku Tower.
Goryokaku Tower itself is an observatory which is also shaped like a pentagon. For tickets ¥840 per person we will be taken by fast elevator up to the observatory level. Information is provided here about the history of the founding of the fort in Hakodate and westerner settlement.
After we were satisfied with taking photos from the top of the tower, we then walked to Fort Goryokaku. This fort is very comfortable for us to explore, not too big and very beautiful.
In the center there is a replica of the Magistrate's Office. It functions like a city hall in the Edo period, now it is the Hakodate history museum.
Tired of walking here? This is a food you must try when you go to Hakodate: Lucky Pierrot Burger. The price is not expensive and the taste is great. There are several branches, the easiest to find is the one directly opposite Goryokaku Tower. The burger contains fried chicken topped with spices and mayonnaise, and you can also order a portion of giant squid. Lucky Pierrot is only available in Hakodate, not in other cities.
Yunokawa Foot bath
In Hakodate there is an area famous for its hot springs: Yunokawa Onsen. But because I don't plan to stay in this area (because I'm bringing children), I just tried it by dipping my feet.
Yunokawa Onsen is reached by taking the tram to the last stop. At this point you will start to find many accommodations that offer hot springs as a facility for guests.
Meanwhile, the public footbath is at a red light intersection not far from the tram stop. This facility is free for anyone, just bring your feet here :) You need to bring a small towel to dry your feet when you're finished.
Hakodate Morning Market
If you want to try seafood breakfast dishes such as sashimi or donburi filled with the famous Hokkaido Hairy Crab meat, come to Hakodate Morning Market. The place is right next to JR Hakodate Station, it's a bit touristy but okay too.
Apart from selling fresh fish, this market also contains seafood restaurants that will make your mouth water. The price of a plate of food like this cannot be cheap, on average it is over 1000 yen.
Hakodate Bay Area
The landscape of the city of Hakodate is very interesting: there is Mt Hakodate which protects it, there is also the sea which makes Hakodate a port city. The lively area is around the Bay Area, people usually refer to the La Vista Hotel for directions. We can get here by taking the tram and getting off at Jujigai, then walking about 5 minutes north.
There is something that sells tourism here: Red Brick Warehouse. So this is a former old warehouse (we usually see in the old city of Jakarta), with red brick walls, transformed into a shopping area.
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