For most Hokkaido-bound travelers, Japan’s northernmost island might as well be Sapporo and her backup singers. Neither Hokkaido’s wild far east nor islands like Rishiri and Rebun figure into the equation.
Nor does Hakodate, a city nestled between two bays near the very southern tip of the island near its “kiss” with Honshu. Which is a shame: The more often I go there, and the more experienced I get as a traveler, I feel more and more comfortable declaring Hakodate to be one of Japan’s top-tier cities—and maybe even the best.
The good news? If the city is at least on your radar, then my recommendations for things to do in Hakodate guarantee an unforgettable trip. The better news? I’ve also shared additional insights, which will help motivated, curious travelers take their Hakodate odyssey to a transcendental level.
Where to Stay in Hakodate
I’m all about location-location-location (in Hakodate and elsewhere), so I usually like to stay as close to Hakodate Station as possible. Specifically, I’ve recently loved the cozy, comfortable Tokyu Stay Hakodate Asaichi, which as its name suggests is literally located within Hakodate Morning Market. Other options include the higher-end Hotel and Spa Century Marina Hakodate, and the more affordable Hotel Mystays Hakodate.
The other option is to stay in Yunokawa Onsen, which is closer to the airport and, as its name suggests, is great if you’re looking for a hotel or ryokan with on-site hot spring facilities. Here, as you can do near the station, you can splurge on a stay at Wakamatsu Hot Spring Resort, or save a bit more money with the more modest (but still fabulous) Tabist Chikuba Shinyotei Hakodate Yunokawa Onsen.
The Best Things to Do in Hakodate
Ascend Mt. Hakodate by night
Though it might not mean anything to uninitiated foreign travelers, Hakodate’s status as having one of the three best “night views” in Japan (another of my personal favorites being the one from Mt. Inasa in Nagasaki) is a big deal to Japanese. Certainly, if you ascend the Mt. Hakodate Ropeway to the top of its namesake mountain, I think you’ll find yourself impressed by the city glittering beneath you. Some of this is simple geography—Hakodate, as I mentioned in the intro to this piece, sits between two bays—but some of it is, well, magic.
Explore unique history in Motomachi
If you’re interested in history, another of my favorite things to do in Hakodate is to explore the picturesque and charming Motomachi district, which sits roughly halfway between Hakodate Station and the entrance to the Mt. Hakodate Ropeway. Several European-inspired structures exist here, but my favorites are the Russian-influenced Hakodate Orthodox Church and the Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward.
TIP: If you come here on foot, make sure to stop en route at the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse, which houses a variety of shops and restaurants.
Eat the famous “Dancing Squid”
Like Mt. Hakodate, the Hakodate Morning Market is a place that’s primarily famous among Japanese—or at least it was, before a certain viral video took over the internet several years back. Even if you don’t eat the ika odori don or “Dancing Squid” bowl (which is very much dead, and moves solely because of salt in soy sauce reacting with its neurons), the market is a feast for the eyes (and camera!) and offers delicious seafood of the non-zombie sort as well.
Look Down on Goryokaku’s star shape
The shape of Goryokaku, the famous Hakodate fort, isn’t evident until you look down on it from atop Goryokaku Tower. While you’re up there, however, you should also make sure to read up on the fort’s—and Hakodate’s—history. Irrespective of this, the fort is fabulous in all seasons. It’s most famous for the hundreds of sakura trees that bloom around May 1, but don’t discount the autumn (when cherry leaves blaze burgundy, along with a menagerie of scarlet maples and golden ginkgoes) or winter when the entire scene is buried in deep snow.
TIP: Seeking other seasonal pleasures in Hakodate? If you’re here around November 1, visit underrated Kosetsu-en garden, near the Yunokawa Onsen hot springs area in the eastern part of the city. I promise you won’t regret it!
Enjoy a natural escape in Onuma Quasi-national Park
Hakodate is relatively remote, so options for day trips from Hakodate are somewhat limited. The easiest one to take, whether you go by train or rent a car, is Onuma Quasi-National Park, located around 30-45 minutes north of the city center. As is the case with the aforementioned Kosetsu-en, it’s ideal if you come here in autumn (whose colors usually peak around November 1), though it’s a literal breath of fresh air no matter when you come. Note that if you have a car, I recommend taking the “long way” back (in other words, around cast-away Cape Esan) back to the city.
How Many Days in Hakodate Do You Need?
Since the majority of travelers aren’t planning to visit the city in the first place, the answer to how many days in Hakodate you should spend is usually a low number. While I generally recommend a minimum of about three days in each Japanese city, two days in Hakodate tends to be sufficient, especially since it’s relatively difficult to take day trips from Hakodate, compared to other destinations in Japan.
With this being said, there are enough things to do in Hakodate to justify staying 3-5 days, especially if you’re taking a longer trip to Japan (say, one month), if you’re focusing on Hokkaido and/or Tohoku or if you’re simply at the phase of your Japan travel where you’re prioritizing secondary and tertiary destinations.
The Best Time to Visit Hakodate
You might not have ever considered seeing Hakodate cherry blossoms, but the city is actually one of the best places in Hokkaido—in Japan, really—to enjoy the seasonal spectacle. This is especially true if you ascend Goryokaku Tower and look down on the star-shaped fort, which is literally bursting with pink and white around the first of May every year.
On the other hand, I’m also a fan of Hakodate in winter, even though the city admittedly isn’t as famous in winter as, say, Niseko or Otaru. Warm yourself with a meal at Hakodate Morning Market, or lean into the chill of a snowstorm blowing through the streets of Motomachi. Furthermore, Hakodate is absolutely fabulous in fall, whether you traipse amid scarlet maples in Kosetsu-en garden, or take a day trip to Onuma Quasi National Park, whose slopes will appear to be made of gold in the autumn sun.
Other FAQ About Things to Do in Hakodate
Is Hakodate worth visiting?
Hakodate is one of my favorite cities in all of Japan—it is absolutely worth visiting! Whether you come in spring to see the sakura of Goryokaku Fort from above, wake at the crack of dawn to eat the controversial ika odori don at Hakodate Morning Market or simply make a weekend trip from Tokyo as an expat, Hakodate will seriously impress you. I also highly recommend Hakodate’s underrated autumn, which tends to peak during the first or second week of November.
How do you get from Tokyo to Hakodate?
Several flights to Hakodate depart Tokyo’s Haneda Airport each day, with an average travel time of 80 minutes—you should plan on a minimum of two hours door to door, depending on how far your Tokyo home or hotel is from HND. The Shinkansen Hayabusa, meanwhile, travels between Tokyo Station and Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto in exactly four hours, as of December 2025.
How do I get from Sapporo to Hakodate?
Until the Hokkaido Shinkansen extension opens in the 2030s, getting from Sapporo to Hakodate is somewhat cumbersome. If you prefer to travel by train, limited express services between the city take over four hours—far from convenient. Alternatively, you can fly from one of Sapporo’s two airports (ANA flies to New Chitose or CTS, while JAL flies to Okadama or OKD), although the shock of the price (sometimes as much as ¥20,000 one-way) can often offset the short travel time of less than an hour.
The Bottom Line
I can’t recommend highly enough that you visit Hakodate, whether or not you end up agreeing with me that it’s one of Japan’s best cities. The basic list of things to do in Hakodate is easy enough to execute: Start with an ika odori don at Hakodate Morning Market; spend the afternoon at Goryokaku Fort or Kosetsu-en garden and end the day looking down on the city from historical Motomachi or atop Mt. Hakodate. The real magic, however, comes when you leave the space and curiosity to dig deeper—and when you’re open to returning to Hakodate (whether in conjunction with Sapporo or not) in multiple seasons. Need personalized help integrating Hakodate into your larger Japan trip? Consider commissioning a custom Japan itinerary today!
