Hakodate, Hokkaido · Things to do
Things to Do in Hakodate: 12 Places with Hours, Prices and Access
12 things to do · checked October 20, 2026
12 things to do in Hakodate, from the station and bay to Goryokaku and out to the hot springs
Hours, prices and access checked against each place's own page on October 20, 2026. They change; check before you go.
1Mt. Hakodate Ropeway函館山ロープウェイ
Ropeway and summit observatory · Mt. Hakodate
A ropeway of about 3 minutes from Sanroku Station to the summit observatory, the city's night-view spot; the city's tourism site says the view was rated three stars in the Michelin Green Guide. On 20 October the operator gives the start of the night view as around 17:17, and the first one to two hours after sunset are the most crowded.
Closed all day 20 October–8 November 2026 for inspection.
- Access
- Streetcar from JR Hakodate Station to Jujigai, then about 10 minutes on foot (steep) to the ropeway base station. The ropeway's own page gives about 25 minutes by streetcar and about 10 minutes by car or taxi.
- Hours
- First ropeway 10:00. 1 October–19 April: last up 20:30, last down 21:00. 20 April–30 September: last up 21:30, last down 22:00. Hours can change with weather.
- Closed on
- Closed all day 20 October–8 November 2026 for statutory inspection. In that period the summit can be reached by the Mt. Hakodate Climbing Bus (Route 1, 17 April–8 November 2026, about 30 minutes from JR Hakodate Station Bus Terminal No. 4, ¥700 one way).
- Price
- Round trip: adults ¥1,800, children ¥900. One way: adults ¥1,200, children ¥600.
2Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse金森赤レンガ倉庫
Historic warehouses, shops and beer hall · Bay Area
Brick warehouses built in 1909 on the Bay Area waterfront, renovated and now made up of four facilities with shops and the Hakodate Beer Hall. The Hakodate Christmas Fantasy tree stands on the water in front of them in December.
- Access
- Streetcar from JR Hakodate Station to Jujigai (about 5 minutes) and about 5 minutes on foot, according to Hakodate city; the warehouse's own page gives about 15 minutes on foot or about 5 minutes by car from the station.
- Hours
- Shops 9:30–19:00. Hakodate Beer Hall: weekdays 11:30–21:30, weekends and holidays 11:00–21:30 (last order 21:00).
- Closed on
- Open every day; individual facilities close temporarily for maintenance
- Price
- Free to walk around
3Motomachi slopes and churches元町
Hillside historic district · Motomachi
A district at the foot of Mt. Hakodate, in front of the Bay Area, with hilly streets and cobblestone roads. Hakodate was the first city in Hokkaido to open a port and Motomachi had many foreign residents, which the city's tourism site gives as the reason for its mix of Japanese and Western influences. The Motomachi Roman Catholic Church (founded 1859, current building 1923) is free to enter, 10:00–16:00 except Sunday mornings and worship time.
- Access
- Streetcar from JR Hakodate Station to Jujigai, about 5 minutes; the Orthodox and Catholic churches are in Motomachi, and the city's pages for both give Jujigai as the stop.
- Closed on
- Catholic church: closed 30 December–5 January and whenever the church is in use
- Price
- Streets free; Catholic church free
4Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward旧函館区公会堂
Historic building · Motomachi
A historic building in Motomachi designated as an important cultural property, with a grand main hall and special guest rooms where members of the Imperial family stayed.
- Access
- About 7 minutes on foot from Suehirocho tram stop (about 8 minutes by tram from JR Hakodate Station); about 3 minutes from the Kokaido-mae bus stop; about 10 minutes by car from the station.
- Hours
- 1 April–31 October: Tue–Fri 9:00–18:00, Sat–Mon 9:00–19:00. 1 November–31 March: 9:00–17:00. Entry until 30 minutes before closing.
- Closed on
- 31 December 2026–3 January 2027; maintenance closures 17 November 2026 and 26 January 2027
- Price
- Adults ¥300; students and children ¥150; preschool free
5Hakodate Orthodox Church函館ハリストス正教会
Orthodox church · Motomachi
The Orthodox church founded in 1858 by the Russian Consulate; the present building was completed in 1916 and is designated an important cultural property. Visitors pay a donation to enter.
- Access
- Streetcar from JR Hakodate Station to Jujigai, about 5 minutes (Hakodate city). No parking.
- Hours
- Mon–Fri 10:00–17:00 (to 16:00 in March, November and December); Sat 10:00–16:00; Sun 13:00–16:00
- Closed on
- The interior is not open to visitors outside prayer times from 25 December to the end of February; visits can be cancelled without notice for church services and funerals
- Price
- Donation: adults ¥200, junior high ¥100, elementary and under free
6Hakodate Morning Market函館朝市
Fresh food market · Hakodate Station
About 250 shops beside JR Hakodate Station, about 150 of them members of the market cooperative federation. The city's tourism site lists a live squid fishing pond in Ekini Market and Donburi Yokocho, an alley of about 20 shops with seafood rice bowls, ramen and souvenirs.
- Access
- About 1 minute on foot from JR Hakodate Station; about 2 minutes from Hakodate-ekimae tram stop.
- Hours
- January–April 6:00 to just after 14:00; May–December 5:00 to just after 14:00 (varies by shop)
- Closed on
- Open all year, though each shop sets its own days
7Goryokaku Park五稜郭公園
Star-shaped fort and park · Goryokaku
Hokkaido's only Special Historic Site: a star-shaped fortress modelled on 16th-century European citadels, about 125,500 square metres, ringed by a moat up to 30 m wide and 5 m deep. It was the setting of the 1868 Battle of Hakodate, and 1,600 cherry trees grow around it.
- Access
- About 15 minutes on foot from Goryokaku-koen-mae tram stop. No parking at the park (use a paid lot).
- Hours
- Park admission 5:00–19:00 (April–October); 5:00–18:00 (November–March)
- Price
- Free (the Hakodate Magistrate's Office inside charges admission)
8Goryokaku Tower五稜郭タワー
Observation tower · Goryokaku
The observation tower beside Goryokaku Park; the whole star-shaped fort can be seen from the second-floor deck, according to the city's tourism site. The tower says its observation deck fees will be revised from 1 April 2027.
- Access
- Hakodate City Tram to Goryokaku-koen-mae, then about 10 minutes on foot; or Hakodate Bus to Goryokaku, then about 10 minutes on foot. The tower has no parking for private cars.
- Hours
- 9:00–18:00 (observation tickets until 17:50), open every day
- Price
- Adults ¥1,200; junior high and high school ¥900; elementary school ¥600; under elementary age free (fees to be revised from 1 April 2027)
9Hakodate Magistrate's Office箱館奉行所
Restored historic government office · Goryokaku
A restored part of the magistrate's office that served as a window to foreign countries in the mid-19th century, opened to the public in 2010 inside Goryokaku, showing the workmanship of traditional Japanese architecture.
- Access
- From JR Hakodate Station, Hakodate City Tram to Goryokaku-koen-mae and then about 18 minutes on foot. Bus stops are 8–10 minutes away on foot; the Goryokaku Tower–Trappistine shuttle bus runs on weekends and holidays only in some seasons.
- Hours
- April–October 9:00–18:00 (last entry 17:45); November–March 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:45)
- Closed on
- 31 December–3 January; temporary closures announced on the website
- Price
- Adults ¥500; students and children ¥250; preschool free
10Yunokawa Onsen湯の川温泉
Hot spring town · Yunokawa (east Hakodate)
A hot spring area 5 minutes by car from Hakodate Airport, with many hotels and inns; some of its bath facilities take non-overnight guests. A free foot bath, Yumeguributai, sits by the Yunokawa-onsen tram stop.
- Access
- Streetcar from JR Hakodate Station to Yunokawa-onsen stop, about 30 minutes; the foot bath is 1 minute on foot from the stop.
- Hours
- Foot bath 9:00–21:00 daily
- Closed on
- Foot bath closed on scheduled maintenance days
- Price
- Foot bath free; bath fees are set by each facility and were not checked here
11Trappistine Conventトラピスチヌ修道院
Catholic convent and garden · Kamiyunokawa (east Hakodate)
A Catholic convent whose church was built in 1927 in a mix of Gothic and Romanesque styles. The front garden is open to visitors, with a museum and a shop on site. Hakodate city and the Hokkaido Tourism Organization give different opening hours, so none are printed here.
- Access
- Bus from JR Hakodate Station to Trapistine-mae: about 35 minutes by shuttle bus (Hakodate city) or about 40 minutes by bus (Hokkaido Tourism Organization). The Goryokaku Tower–Trappistine shuttle bus runs on weekends and holidays only in some seasons.
- Closed on
- New Year holiday (Hakodate city lists 29 December–2 January); temporary closures
- Price
- Free
12Hakodate Christmas Fantasyはこだてクリスマスファンタジー
Winter illumination event (December) · Bay Area
A giant Christmas tree lit on the water in front of the Red Brick Warehouse group. The 2026 event runs 1–25 December, with a fireworks display at the 6 p.m. lighting that the organisers decide on the day according to wind and conditions.
1–25 December 2026 only.
- Access
- About 10 minutes on foot from JR Hakodate Station (Hokkaido Tourism Organization). No event parking.
- Hours
- Tree lit 16:30–17:45 and 18:00–22:00 (1 December from 18:00). Weather can change the times or cancel.
- Closed on
- Runs 1–25 December 2026 only
- Price
- Free
Good to know
Most of Hakodate's sights sit on one streetcar line. The station, the Morning Market (about 1 minute on foot) and the Bay Area with Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse and Motomachi (Jujigai stop, about 5 minutes by streetcar) are the first group; Goryokaku (Goryokaku-koen-mae stop) and Yunokawa Onsen (Yunokawa-onsen stop, about 30 minutes) are the second and third. Mt. Hakodate rises behind Motomachi.
Check this first: the Mt. Hakodate Ropeway is closed all day from 20 October to 8 November 2026 for statutory inspection. After it reopens, the last ropeway up leaves at 20:30 from 1 October to 19 April and at 21:30 from 20 April to 30 September. The Climbing Bus (Route 1) runs to 8 November 2026 and does not run in winter.
Dates to plan around: from 1 November the Old Public Hall, the Magistrate's Office and Goryokaku Park shift to winter hours; the Orthodox church's interior is shut outside prayer times from 25 December to the end of February; the Christmas Fantasy runs 1–25 December 2026; and Goryokaku Tower revises its observation fees from 1 April 2027.
Station, bay, Goryokaku or out of town
How to get there from JR Hakodate Station, what it costs to go in, and the hours that limit the day. Adult prices; children's prices are on each card above.
| Where | From JR Hakodate Station | Entry (adult) | Hours to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morning Market | About 1 minute on foot; 2 minutes from Hakodate-ekimae tram stop | No entry fee listed | 5:00 to just after 14:00 (May–December), 6:00 (January–April); varies by shop |
| Bay Area and Motomachi: Kanemori, Old Public Hall, Orthodox church, Catholic church | Streetcar to Jujigai, about 5 minutes; Old Public Hall about 7 minutes on foot from Suehirocho stop | Kanemori free · Old Public Hall ¥300 · Orthodox church ¥200 donation · Catholic church free | Kanemori shops to 19:00 · Old Public Hall to 18:00 or 19:00 (April–October), 17:00 (November–March) · churches 16:00–17:00 |
| Mt. Hakodate Ropeway | Streetcar to Jujigai, then about 10 minutes on foot, steep; or Climbing Bus Route 1, about 30 minutes (to 8 November 2026) | ¥1,800 round trip | Last up 20:30 (1 October–19 April); closed 20 October–8 November 2026 |
| Goryokaku: park, tower, Magistrate's Office | Streetcar to Goryokaku-koen-mae, then about 10 minutes (tower) to 18 minutes (Magistrate's Office) on foot | Park free · Tower ¥1,200 · Magistrate's Office ¥500 | Tower 9:00–18:00 (tickets to 17:50) · Magistrate's Office to 18:00 (April–October), 17:00 (November–March) |
| Yunokawa Onsen | Streetcar to Yunokawa-onsen, about 30 minutes | Foot bath free; bath fees not checked here | Foot bath 9:00–21:00 |
| Trappistine Convent | Bus, about 35–40 minutes; the Goryokaku Tower shuttle runs weekends and holidays only in some seasons | Free | Closed over New Year; opening hours differ between official sources |
| Hakodate Christmas Fantasy | About 10 minutes on foot | Free | 1–25 December 2026; tree lit 16:30–17:45 and 18:00–22:00 |
By kind of trip
A first day around the station and bay
The Morning Market is about 1 minute from the station. Jujigai stop, 5 minutes by streetcar, serves the Kanemori warehouses and Motomachi, where the Old Public Hall takes its last visitors at 18:00 or 19:00 from April to October.
Hakodate Morning Market · Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse · Motomachi slopes and churches · Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward
After dark
The ropeway's last trip up is 20:30 from 1 October, but it is closed until 8 November 2026. The Kanemori beer hall stays open to 21:30, and the Christmas Fantasy tree is lit until 22:00 from 1 to 25 December.
Mt. Hakodate Ropeway · Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse · Hakodate Christmas Fantasy
History and the Battle of Hakodate
Goryokaku Park is free and was the setting of the 1868 Battle of Hakodate. The tower shows the whole star from its second-floor deck; the Magistrate's Office is the restored part of the 19th-century office.
Goryokaku Park · Goryokaku Tower · Hakodate Magistrate's Office
Churches and quiet buildings
The Orthodox church dates from 1916 and takes a donation; the Catholic church in Motomachi is free; the Trappistine church was built in 1927. Winter closes the Orthodox interior from 25 December to the end of February.
Hakodate Orthodox Church · Motomachi slopes and churches · Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward · Trappistine Convent
Hot springs and out of the centre
Yunokawa Onsen is about 30 minutes by streetcar and 5 minutes by car from the airport. The Trappistine Convent is a bus ride of about 35–40 minutes.
Questions
Is the Mt. Hakodate ropeway running in autumn 2026?
Not from 20 October to 8 November 2026: the operator has it closed all day for statutory inspection. Over that period the summit can be reached by the Climbing Bus (Route 1, 17 April–8 November 2026, about 30 minutes from JR Hakodate Station Bus Terminal No. 4, ¥700 one way). After it reopens the first ropeway is at 10:00 and the last one up is at 20:30 (1 October–19 April).
When is the Hakodate Christmas Fantasy in 2026, and does it cost anything?
It runs 1–25 December 2026 on the water in front of the Red Brick Warehouse group. Entry is free. The tree is lit 16:30–17:45 and 18:00–22:00 (from 18:00 on 1 December), with a fireworks display at the 6 p.m. lighting that the organisers decide on site according to wind and conditions.
How much do the Goryokaku sights cost?
Goryokaku Park is free (5:00–19:00 April–October, 5:00–18:00 November–March). Goryokaku Tower costs adults ¥1,200, junior high and high school ¥900, elementary school ¥600, and is open 9:00–18:00 every day; the tower says fees will be revised from 1 April 2027. The Hakodate Magistrate's Office costs adults ¥500 and students and children ¥250.
How do I get between the sights without a car?
By streetcar: Jujigai stop (about 5 minutes from JR Hakodate Station) for Kanemori, Motomachi and the way up to the ropeway; Goryokaku-koen-mae for Goryokaku; Yunokawa-onsen (about 30 minutes) for the hot springs. The Morning Market is about 1 minute on foot from the station.
Can I go inside the Hakodate Orthodox Church in winter?
From 25 December to the end of February the church interior is closed to visitors outside prayer times. At other times it is open Mon–Fri 10:00–17:00 (to 16:00 in March, November and December), Sat 10:00–16:00 and Sun 13:00–16:00, for a donation of ¥200 for adults. Visits can be cancelled without notice for services and funerals.