What to do in Hakodate

Activities, attractions and tours
Hakodate showing night scenes, a city and landscape views

Places to Visit in Hakodate

Ready for the adventure of a lifetime? Let Expedia.co.nz help you find the most exciting and fun things to do in Hakodate, Hokkaido while also allowing you to save a ton on travel arrangements. Regardless of whether you’re an urban explorer or an intrepid outdoor enthusiast, we can help you decide exactly what to do and see during your time in town.

Our thorough travel guides offer you an insider’s perspective on all of the best Hakodate attractions from NZ$56, making it easy for you to decide which places to visit and when. And by using Expedia.co.nz to set your sightseeing schedule, you can take in more of the enchanting attractions this area is famous for.

From group Hakodate tours and must-see landmarks to personal guides who take you off-the-beaten track, Expedia.co.nz offers you over 3 of the most popular events, activities, and attractions in this corner of the world. So whether you’re travelling alone, alongside a loved one, or with the whole family in tow, be sure to browse through our extensive travel guides prior to your plane touching down in this spectacular Hakodate. We even have a massive selection of flights, car hires, and accommodation for you to choose from. So what are you waiting for? Start your search today, and you’ll be having the time of your life before you know it.

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Top places to visit

1. Fort Goryokaku

Fort Goryokaku is an enormous star-shaped citadel built over 150 years ago as a defensive fortress for Hakodate’s government offices. After a brief period of wartime turmoil and imperial threat, the fort was transformed into a stunning public park, distinctive for its elegant architecture, magnificent cherry blossom trees, curving moat and pleasant grassy lawns. Stroll on the promenades along the moat, visit the site’s museum and enjoy the scenic park area and historic architecture.
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Fort Goryokaku featuring snow

2. Mount Hakodate

Mount Hakodate (Hakodateyama) crowns the southern end of Hakodate’s city center and peninsula area. Reach the top of the densely wooded mountain to experience unbeatable views of the cityscape and surrounding coastline. The 1,096-foot- (334-meter-) tall mountain offers a panoramic vista of Hakodate’s sprawling urban center, which is quite breathtaking at night. Visit the mountain just after sunset to see night falling over the city and a sea of twinkling city lights.
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Mount Hakodate showing a city, night scenes and landscape views

3. Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse

There may be no better way to appreciate the mixture of tradition and modernity that has made Japan famous than by renting a traditional kimono and wandering around the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse. The warehouses themselves are relics of Japan’s opening to international trade toward the end of the Edo Period. They were built in 1909 to store goods being shipped to and from Russia, Korea and the rest of Japan. Now, completely renovated, they welcome shops of all kinds. Spend the day hopping between each of the seven buildings, enjoying all the different delights here.
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Shop, eat, drink and shop some more in renovated 19th-century warehouses that now feature prominently in a Hakodate-area hot spot.

4. Hakodate Ropeway

There’s no better place for a view of Hakodate’s spit, jutting out into the sea, than from the top of the Hakodate Ropeway. Japan’s most popular gondola, ferrying more than 1,000,000 passengers annually to the top of Mount Hakodate, is popular for good reason. At night the glittering lights of the city fading down below offer a bewitching contrast with the still darkness of the nearby ocean. Stay strategically near some of the large windows of the gondola to watch as people, cars and buildings slowly appear smaller and smaller as you near the peak.
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With panoramic views of Hakodate and the sea, one of the best nighttime vistas in the world is visible from the top of this gondola ferry.

5. Morning Market

A visit to the Hakodate Morning Market (Hakodate Asaichi) is a morning ritual for many locals. Join the crowds of vendors and shoppers that flock to this buzzing marketplace each morning to begin the day with a vast array of fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood. Stroll through the inner-city marketplace and experience a treat for the senses as you peruse colorful displays of ripe produce. Pick up made-to-order breakfasts and traditional Hakodate dishes that feature the city’s magnificent local seafood.
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Hakodate featuring street scenes as well as a large group of people

6. Goryokaku Tower

Appreciate captivating views of Goryokaku Fort and its surrounding park and the Hakodate city skyline from Goryokaku Tower, a tall observation tower next to the city’s famous fortress. Visit this impressive sightseeing structure and admire its modern design. Enjoy fantastic views across the city to outlying mountain ranges and coastlines.
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Goryokaku Tower showing views as well as a large group of people

Discover the most popular places to visit in Hakodate

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Fort Goryokaku

4.5/5(9 reviews)

Walk around the enchanting grounds of this repurposed military fort shaped like a star and see historic architecture and magnificent cherry blossoms in springtime.

Fort Goryokaku
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Mount Hakodate

4.5/5(9 reviews)

Appreciate captivating views of Hakodate’s skyline, surrounding coast and glittering city lights from atop this central city mountain, accessible via a scenic cable car.

Mount Hakodate
Image for Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse

Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse

4/5(12 reviews)

Shop, eat, drink and shop some more in renovated 19th-century warehouses that now feature prominently in a Hakodate-area hot spot.

Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse
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Hakodate Ropeway

4.5/5(12 reviews)

With panoramic views of Hakodate and the sea, one of the best nighttime vistas in the world is visible from the top of this gondola ferry.

Hakodate Ropeway
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Goryokaku Tower

4.5/5(9 reviews)

Enjoy a unique overlook of Hakodate’s city skyline, surrounding mountain ranges and distant coastline from this modern observation tower and history gallery.

Goryokaku Tower
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Morning Market

4/5(11 reviews)

Start your day with delectable fruit, vegetables and freshly made breakfast in this buzzing market selling Hakodate’s freshest seasonal produce and seafood.

Morning Market
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Hakodate Park

4/5(2 reviews)

See the cherry blossoms bloom in a slightly more relaxed atmosphere or spend a kid-friendly day at the foot of Mount Hakodate.

Hakodate Park
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Hakodate City Office

After visiting Hakodate City Office, make a plan to see the other sights and activities in Hakodate. While in this walkable area, find time to visit its shops.

Hakodate City Office
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Hakodate Tropical Botanical Garden

2/5(1 review)

Most famous for its surprisingly relaxed hot-tubbing monkeys, the complex is also home to Japan’s biggest collection of tropical plants.

Hakodate Tropical Botanical Garden

Explore areas of Hakodate

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Motomachi

5/5(1 area review)

Discover Motomachi, memorable for its restaurants. Popular attractions in Motomachi include Hakodate Harisutosu Seikyokai and Hakodate City Museum of Photographic History, and you can see more of the area by hopping on the metro at Suehirochō Station.

Motomachi
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Kikyō

Even though there aren't top sights in Kikyō, you can explore the larger area and take in top sights like Fort Goryokaku. Jump on the metro at Kikyō Station to see more of the city.

Kikyō
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Shinkawachō

Even though there aren't top sights in Shinkawachō, you can explore the larger area and take in top sights like Morning Market. Jump on the metro at Chitose Station to see more of the city.

Shinkawachō

Day trip destinations from Hakodate

Nanae

Nanae