Hokkaido · Day Tour
One of the first ports Japan opened to foreigners, and it built churches on the hillside.
From
¥30,000 per person
approx. US$190
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmation
A private Hakodate tour with a local guide. The red brick warehouses on the bay, Mount Hakodate for the view, the morning market with its squid tanks and the Motomachi slopes with their Western churches. Hakodate opened to foreign trade in 1859 and the architecture followed.
Hakodate was among the first Japanese ports opened to foreign ships, in the 1850s, and consulates, traders and missionaries followed. The result is Motomachi: a Russian Orthodox church, an Anglican one, a Catholic one and a former British consulate, all within a few streets, on slopes running straight down to the harbour.
The Kanemori warehouses were built to handle the cargo of that trade and now hold shops, restaurants and a beer hall. The waterfront outside is where the city walks, with the bay in front and the mountain behind.
Hakodate's market opens early and sells what came in overnight — sea urchin, crab, scallops, and squid, which is the city's emblem. There are tanks where you catch your own squid with a small rod and it is prepared in front of you within a minute. It is a bracing thing to watch and the freshest thing you will eat in Japan.
The ropeway runs up Mount Hakodate at the end of the day. The city sits on a narrow isthmus with water on both sides, so from above it reads as a band of light between two areas of black. It is among the most photographed views in the country and it deserves the reputation.
Meet your guide in Minatocho.
Sea urchin, crab and squid, early.
The waterfront and the bay.
The churches and the slopes.
The ropeway, and the view after dark.
Minatocho, Hakodate, Hokkaido. Your guide will contact you on WhatsApp beforehand to agree the plan.
The price covers your English-speaking guide. The ropeway, entry fees, transport and meals are paid as you go, and by convention you also cover your guide's. Bring cash.
Yes. The star-shaped fort and its tower are a short tram ride from the centre and are worth an hour or two. Ask when you book.
No. Fog and cloud are common and the ropeway can close in high wind. Your guide will judge it on the day and suggest an alternative if needed.
By shinkansen from Tokyo in around four hours, or by air. From Sapporo it is around three and a half hours by train.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time. Bookings are confirmed instantly.
Hokkaido · Day Tour
4 hours · From ¥30,000
