Places to go Hakodate, Matsumae, Okushiri (Hakodate Airport)
A historic port town, with an exotic, otherworldly flavor
Hakodate is one of Hokkaido's leading tourist destinations. There are many popular sights here, among them the night view from Mt. Hakodate, which garnered a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide Japan, Goryokaku Tower, which overlooks the Hakodate townscape and star-shaped Goryokaku fort, the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse in the bay area, where you can enjoy shopping and local cuisine, and the Motomachi area, dotted with churches and Western-style buildings with a retro aesthetic. The city is also home to Hakodate Airport, and serves as a key tourism hub for southern Hokkaido. Among the popular destinations you will find here are Onuma, the site of a quasi-national park and numerous seasonal activities in the outdoors; Matsumae-cho, the location of Matsumae Castle, the only Japanese-style fortress in Hokkaido; and Okushiri Island, with beautiful waters that are clear up to 25m below the surface.
