Southern Hokkaido

The southernmost part of Hokkaido, made up of the Oshima and Hiyama areas and centered on Hakodate, where the night view, treaty-port Western-style buildings, Goryokaku and the cherry blossoms of Matsumae Castle mark the historical starting point of Hokkaido.

This region corresponds to Hokkaido's Donan area, i.e. the jurisdictions of the Oshima General Subprefecture and the Hiyama Subprefecture. It includes Hakodate, Hokuto, Nanae, Matsumae, Esashi, Yakumo, Oshamambe and Okushiri Island, and borders Shiribeshi and Iburi in central Hokkaido to the north. It follows the official subprefecture boundaries, with no exceptions.

Highlights: the night view from Mt. Hakodate, ranked among Japan's three best night views; the Western-style churches and former consulate on the slopes of Motomachi, the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses, the star-shaped fortress of Goryokaku, and seafood rice bowls at the Hakodate Morning Market; Yunokawa Onsen; Onuma Quasi-National Park in Nanae, with views of Mt. Komagatake; Matsumae Castle, in Japan's northernmost castle town, famous for its ten thousand cherry trees; Esashi, which preserves a merchant district from the Kitamaebune trading-ship era and the Esashi Oiwake folk song; and Okushiri Island in the Sea of Japan, known for sea urchin and its rugged coastal rock formations.

Classic itinerary: 2 days in Hakodate (Motomachi–Red Brick Warehouses–Mt. Hakodate–Goryokaku–Morning Market–Yunokawa), plus a half day to a full day at Onuma; in spring, add a day for cherry blossoms in Matsumae and drive back via Esashi, for 3–5 days in total. It also often serves as the first or last stop on a Hokkaido loop, or can be combined with Aomori for a trip across the Tsugaru Strait.

Getting around: Hakodate Airport is about 20 minutes by car from the city center; the Hokkaido Shinkansen runs to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto, where you change to a Hakodate Line train; the Limited Express Hokuto takes about 3.5–4 hours to Sapporo; and the city has streetcars. Matsumae, Esashi and Okushiri depend on buses, driving or ferries.

Good to know: the Mt. Hakodate ropeway is crowded during the night-view hours, and the summit is windy and cold in winter; public transport to Matsumae and Esashi is infrequent, so driving is recommended.

Destinations

Itineraries