Hakodate
Million Dollar Night Scene
Hakodate is the largest city in the southern part of Hokkaido, across the Tsugaru Strait from Aomori Prefecture. The opening of the port of Hakodate happened in 1853 after the “Perry Expedition”, due to the influence of foreign cultures, there are many western-style historical buildings in Hakodate, especially in the Motomachi (元町) area.
From the Opening to the Meiji Restoration
In 1853, U.S. warships sailed into Edo Bay and forced Japan to sign the Convention of Kanagawa, which opened Hakodate as the first trading port in Japan with American. In the middle of the 19th century, missionaries came to Hakodate from all over the world, and several churches of different styles were built in the Motomachi area at the foot of Hakodate, such as the Hakodate Orthodox Church, which is the first Orthodox Church in Japan, and the Motomachi Catholic Church, which houses the altar given by Pope Benedict XV.
Motomachi Roman Catholic Church
Altar Presented by Pope Benedict
Hakodate Motomachi Roman Catholic Church was started in 1859 and was destroyed by fire several times in its history, and was last rebuilt in 1923. The church has a 33-meter-high bell tower and is a typical Gothic-style building. The central altar and the Passion of Jesus statue inside the church were given by Pope Benedict XV.
Hakodate Orthodox Church
First Orthodox Church in Japan
Hakodate Orthodox Church was started in 1860 and is the birthplace of the Japanese Orthodox Church. The white-walled church was built in the Russian Byzantine style, with six bronze tower bells of a mellow tone, and paintings of the Iconostasis made by Russian painters.
Hakodate Episcopal Church
One of the 3 Churches in Motomachi
Hakodate St. John's Church, also known as Hakodate Episcopal Church, is under the administration of the Anglican Church of Japan. The church was founded in 1878 and was rebuilt in 1979, combining modern and medieval European church styles, with the brown cross-shaped roof as its symbol.
The Boshin War began in 1868, between the Tokugawa Shogunate army and the new government army, which consisted of the Satsuma (薩摩藩) and Choshu (長州藩) Domains. This war was fought from Kyoto to Hokkaido and totally changed the recent history of Japan. The final campaign of the Boshin War was the Battle of Hakodate, fought around the Hakodate Goryokaku (五稜郭).
Old Fort Goryokaku And Goryokaku Tower
The End of Edo Shogunate
Goryokaku was built in the mid-19th century as a pentagram-shaped defense facility of the Edo Shogunate after the opening of the Hakodate port. There are 1,600 cherry trees in Goryokaku Park, and the 107-meter-high Goryokaku Tower on the south side of the park offers a panoramic view of Goryokaku.
The Battle of Hakodate ended with the victory of the Imperial government forces. In the following decades, Emperor Meiji of Japan actively advocated reform, learning from the Western countries. The Meiji Restoration enabled Japan to become an Asian power and set the stage for military expansion.
A Concerto of Mountain and Sea
Hakodate is located in the southwestern part of Hokkaido and is surrounded by the sea on three sides with a long coastline. The port area of Hakodate has beautiful sceneries and has left many historical marks over the century and a half since its opening. The Seikan liaison ships (青函連絡船), which runs between Hakodate and Aomori, has been running on the Tsugaru Strait for 80 years and has become an important sea lifeline between Hokkaido and Honshu Island.
Port Of Hakodate And The Red Brick Warehouse
Witnessing the Changes
The port of Hakodate was once an important port in southern Hokkaido, and the seven Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses lined up along the shore are witnesses of Hakodate's history. The commercial area converted from the old warehouses is full of restaurants, shops and bars, and is a visiters' paradise.
Museum Ship Mashumaru Of Hakodate
Carriers on the Tsugaru Strait
The Mashu Maru was a sea ferry between Hakodate, Hokkaido and Aomori, Honshu Island, and has been permanently docked next to the Hakodate bridge since 1991. It is open to visitors as the Seikan Renrakusen Memorial Museum. The cabins of the ship, including the pilot house and communication room, have been maintained in their original state.
Mount Hakodate, which stands in the Hakodate Bay, is 334 meters above sea level and was once a restricted military zone before World War II, where people were forbidden to approach. Nowadays, it takes only three minutes by cable car to reach the observation deck at the top of the mountain, where you can see the city and port of Hakodate. Mount Hakodate has been selected as one of the top three night scenes in the world, and a 3-star attraction rated by Michelin.
Mount Hakodate
One of World's Greatest Night Scenes
Mount Hakodate, located in the western part of Hakodate City, is 334 meters above sea level, and from the observation deck at the top of the mountain, you can see both the city and bay of Hakodate. Being one of the World's Top Three Night Scenes, along with Naples and Hong Kong, Mount Hakodate has also been rated as a three-star attraction by Michelin Green Guide Japan.
