Matsumae has been on my list for a long time, but I was intentional about not going there at just anytime of year. On paper, this might not make much sense.
The town’s biggest claim to fame, to be sure, is that it’s home to Hokkiado’s only castle. Seeing this should, at least in theory, be a pretty evergreen experience. The thing is, it’s also one of the most renowned hanami spots in Hokkaido (which, to be fair, is not generally known as a sakura wonderland); I wanted to make sure my first time coincided with the bloom.
Today, I aim to answer a simple (but loaded) question: Is Matsumae worth visiting? The answer is definitely yes, though I’ll be unpacking some nuance over the next few paragraphs.
Why It Took Me So Long to Visit Matsumae
I started researching things to do in Matsumae a long time ago, but revisited the topic in earnest during my 2025 autumn trip to Japan. At that time, I had half of one of my days in Hakodate free, and considered driving down to Matsumae. Although I knew the town (and its castle) were best known for their sakura-season beauty, I figured both would be gorgeous during fall color season as well.
As it turns out, however, I ended up going to Onuma Quasi-national Park (which is clear on the other site of the city from Matsumae) instead, which ended up being a better choice on two fronts, most importantly that it’s famous as a koyo spot. Anyway, I knew even back then that I planned to be in the Hakodate area the following spring, so it wasn’t too hard to delay my trip (which I’d waited over a decade to take, by that point) for a few more months.
Things to Know About Visiting Matsumae
You can get there using public transportation
Reaching Matsumae via public transportation is relatively easy. First, you need to ride a Shinkansen to Kikonai Station, be that coming from the north (i.e. Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station) or the south, probably no further south than Shin-Aomori. From there, regular buses (which are usually timed to coincide with train arrivals) can take you the extra ~90 minutes to Matsumae Castle.
(But a car will make it easier)
I know I’m a broken record, but having your own car makes it much easier to travel from Hakodate to Matsumae, as it does in most with any other destination pair in Japan, with the possible exception of those involving very large cities. In my case, on this last trip, renting a car allowed me to spend half a day in Matsumae, and then get back to Hakodate in time to see the sakura at Goryokaku before sunset.
Matsumae Castle is the only one in Hokkaido
Hokkaido is home to more historical structures than people expected, from the aforementioned Goryokaku, to the Former Hokkaido Government Office Building in Sapporo. Still, it’s important to remember that Matsumae Castle is the only castle on the entire island of Hokkaido. Of course, while the original castle was built in 1606, the current structure is a complete reproduction, which only dates back to the mid-20th century.
(And a fantastic sakura spot)
Original castle or not, the Matsumae Cherry Blossom Festival is known all around Hokkaido because of a few different factors. Namely, in addition to the fact that there are dozens of cherry trees on site, there are multiple different species, which all bloom at different times. This means that in a normal year, well over a month passes between the first buds forming and the last petals falling, usually between mid-April and mid-to-late May. This means it’s one of the easiest places for a guaranteed sakura sightin!
Matsumae is a genuinely beautiful town
Matsumae is small, and the castle dominates it visually, no matter what your vantage point of the town is. With this being said, it is simply a gorgeous town, whether you’re standing on the bridge by the (very worthwhile) Michi-no-eki stand and looking back at the castle, or instead staring out to sea, above which you can see the landmass of Honshu towering above the Tsugaru Strait.
Other Things to Do in Southern Hokkaido
Southern Hokkaido, with the exception of Hakodate city itself, is somewhat neglected. Here are a few ways that you can spend your time:
- Obviously, as you’ll know if you’ve read my content about it, Hakodate more than lives up to the hype, particularly during sakura season but really, all year round.
- As I mentioned myself having done earlier in this post, you can go by train or rental car and travel northward to Onuma Quasi-national Park, especially if you’re there in the autumn.
- Though not technically in the southern Hokkaido region, Noboribetsu Onsen is doable as a day trip from Hakodate. Alternatively, travel southward over the Tsugaru Strait to Aomori prefecture.
Other FAQ About Visiting Matsumae
When do cherry blossoms bloom at Matsumae Castle?
In a normal year, cherry blossoms at Matsumae Castle start blooming in late April and, because of the wide variety of species there, can stay in bloom for up to a month. If sakura season in the rest of Japan is early or late, however, this can reflect when Matsumae’s flowers reach full bloom.
Is Matsumae Castle the only one in Hokkaido?
Matsumae Castle is the only castle on the island of Hokkaido. While it’s relatively impressive, it’s important to realize that it is not one of Japan’s 12 “original” castles. The northernmost one of these is in Hirosaki, in Aomori prefecture about two hours south of Matsumae.
What is there to do in Matsumae?
As you might imagine, much of what there is to do in Matsumae centers around the town’s castle, and its cherry blossom festival, which takes place between mid-April and late-May every year. However, I also like visiting the town’s Michi-no-eki to savor sweet treats, and to get a fantastic view of the town.
The Bottom Line
Is Matsumae worth visiting? Yes—and not just because of its awesome sakura, or the fact that it’s home to Hokkaido’s only castle. Matsumae is a charming and impossibly scenic town, cradled along an exceptionally gorgeous stretch of the southern Hokkaido coast, with views of Honshu across the Tsugaru Strait on a clear day. I’m pleased that I waited until I had time to visit when its cherry blossoms were at their peak, though I don’t doubt I’d have loved it during other months of the year—I think I’ll go next time in autumn. Whether you plan to come here as a day trip from Hakodate or stay overnight, commission a custom Japan itinerary to make sure Matsumae nests perfectly within your larger adventure.
