Hakodate Shore Excursion: Custom Car Tour, Licensed Guide

This is the ideal tour for travelers wanting to discover Hakodate's highlights efficiently in a private vehicle accompanied by a government-licensed and experienced English-speaking guide! Hakodate has a long history of international trade and as such hosted a small foreign community. That influence is evident in the European buildings, churches, and red-brick warehouses that you can see from the nostalgic streetcar that makes its rounds of the city. Note 1: National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter certification is issued by the Japanese government requires a good knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture and history. Note 2: You cannot visit all the sites on the intinerary. You must choose up to 4 and inform your guide.

1. 1

   Mount Hakodate

   1 hour

   Mount Hakodate (函館山, Hakodateyama) is a 334 meter high, wooded mountain at the southern end of the peninsula on which much of central Hakodate is located. On clear days and nights, in particular, the views from the mountain are spectacular and included among Japan's three best night views alongside the views from Nagasaki's Mount Inasa and Kobe's Mount Rokko. Facilities at the summit, which is accessible by ropeway, bus or car, include observation platforms (free of charge), souvenir shops, a cafe and a cafeteria style restaurant.

2. 2

   Onuma Quasi-National Park

   1 hour

   Designated as a "quasi national park" and located only twenty kilometers north of Hakodate, Onuma Park (大沼公園, Ōnuma Kōen) is known for its picturesque, island dotted lakes and majestic volcano, Mount Komagatake. Onuma Park can be easily visited in either a day trip from Hakodate or on a stop over on a journey between Hakodate and Sapporo, since most limited express trains between the two cities stop at Onuma Koen Station, the central railway station.

3. 3

   Goryokaku Park

   1 hour

   Goryokaku Park is a historic star-shaped fort in Hakodate, now a popular public park. Originally built in the late Edo Period as a Western-style fortress, it later became the site of the last battle between the Tokugawa shogunate and the Meiji government. Today, the park is famous for its cherry blossoms, with over 1,000 trees blooming in early May. Visitors can also enjoy panoramic views from the nearby Goryokaku Tower. *Entry to Goryokaku Park is free, but there is an admission fee for Goryokaku Tower.

4. 4

   Hakodate Morning Market

   30 min

   The Hakodate Morning Market (函館朝市, Hakodate Asaichi) is held daily from 5am (from 6am during winter) to noon, just a few steps away from JR Hakodate Station. The market area spans about four city blocks. Products on sale include various types of fresh seafood such as crabs (kani), salmon eggs (ikura) and sea urchin (uni), as well as fresh produce such as melons. Many restaurants can be found in the market area, offering fresh seafood breakfasts, such as uni-ikura domburi.

5. 5

   Motomachi

   30 min

   The harbor of Hakodate was one of the first to be opened to foreign trade in 1854 after Japan's era of isolation had come to an end. As a result, many traders from Russia, China and Western countries moved to Hakodate. Motomachi, at the foot of Mount Hakodate, became a district favored among the new foreign residents. Many foreign looking buildings remain in the area today. Among the most famous are the Russian Orthodox Church, the Old British Consulate, the Chinese Memorial Hall, the prefectural government's former branch office building and the old Hakodate Public Hall (closed from November 2018 till April 2021). Admission 300 yen

6. 6

   Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse

   30 min

   Hakodate Port was among the first Japanese ports to be opened to international trade towards the end of the Edo Period (1600-1867). Several red brick warehouses from past trading days survive along the waterfront in the bay area of Hakodate, and have recently been redeveloped into an atmospheric shopping, dining and entertainment complex. Besides a typical range of trendy souvenir, fashion, interior and sweets shops, the complex also features a restaurant, a beer hall, a chapel for weddings and sightseeing cruises of the bay.

7. 7

   Bay Hakodate

   30 min

   The Bay Area facing Hakodate Port offers an expansive vista of the harbor. This area features a row of old red-brick buildings that have been converted into a unique shopping mall, enticing visitors to stop in and enjoy some shopping or a tea break.

8. 8

   Hakodate Museum of Northern Peoples

   1 hour

   The Hakodate Museum of the Northern Peoples is located inside a building that would once have served as the Japan Bank and was built in 1926. The museum is an ode to the Ainu culture and offers you a fascinating look at this indigenous culture which is not well known outside of Japan. You can also learn about other indigenous groups in Japan such as the Sakhalin who are from an island which is to the north of Hokkaido that is now a part of Russia. Admission fees: Adult 300 JPY, Children 150 JPY

• Specialized infant seats are available
• Service animals allowed
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
• Wheelchair accessible
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.