But today I've got an update about a trip I took in late March!
I finally made my way up to Hokkaido Prefecture, to a city called Hakodate. This means I've been to 3 of the 4 largest, main islands of Japan and have reached both the northern and southern areas, which only leaves Shikoku as my last remaining main island.
Hakodate (函館市)
Hakodate is a port city on the southern edge of the Hokkaido prefecture that was founded in 1454. Because it is a port city, it is famous for fresh seafood and has a morning market where fishermen can sell their daily catches. It is one of the prefecture's main cities and is the capital city of the islands sub-prefecture called Oshima. It is the 3rd biggest city after Sapporo and Asahikawa.
In 1779, the Tokugawa Shogunate took direct control over this city, which allowed it to flourish and develop rapidly. This included setting up trade operations and opening the norther Etorofu sea route.
Hakodate was actually the first city whose port was opened to foreign trade in 1854 and was once the most important port in Northern Japan. At that time, a fleet of U.S. ships surveyed the city and in 1858 the Treaty of Amity and Commerce was signed, which allowed for the Hakodate Foreign Settlement to come into existence. Later, a mariner in the fleet died and became the first U.S. citizen to be buried in Japan. The Hakodate cemetery for foreigners was created at that time.
This settlement is also why Hakodate has many western style buildings, such as old brick warehouses and Christian Orthodox churches.
Goryoukaku (五稜郭）
The word 'Goryoukaku' (五稜郭) literally means 'five-point fort' and it is the well-known western influenced star-shaped fort as well as the main fortress of the short-lived Republic of Ezo. It was designed in 1855 by Takeda Ayasaburo and Frenchman, Jules Brunet. It was completed in 1866, just two short years before the collapse of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The five-point star shape allowed for a greater number of gun emplacements on its walls.
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Not only can you observe the beautiful star shape of the fort from the tower, but you can also walk around the park grounds and visit the magistrate's office. It is a restored Edo-era building with historical exhibits and traditional architecture.
To the left you can see a picture I took from the observation tower. It's difficult to get a picture of the entire things due to how huge it is! But it was so cool to see from so high up.
To the right is an image I found online just to show you the sheer size and shape of the fort. As I said, this is not my picture, but it does a good job showing how impressive it is.
Also, because the Goryoukaku played a big role in the Shinsengumi (新選組), or the New Selected Brigade (a special police force created to protect the Shogunate and his representatives), they sell a lot of Shinsengumi themed items. This includes playing cards, key chains, t-shirts, and even soft serve! The soft serve is a really beautiful bright blue color and tastes like Ramune (ラムネ), which is kind of a lemon-lime/creme soda flavored soda that was created in 1884. It was delicious and refreshing, since the day I visited was thankfully beautiful and quite warm!
Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse District （金森赤レンガ倉庫）
This is an area of Hakodate near the more westernized portion of the city. It is a commercial complex made up of four facilities, which were built originally in 1887 and renovated in 1909 after the Hakodate fire partially destroyed the original buildings.
These four warehouses are full of 50 shops and while I didn't spend a lot of time here, I thought the warehouses were really cool.
Night View (夜景)
At sunset, the changing colors of the sky create a beautiful backdrop to the city. The colors meld from blue to red/orange/pink, to the deep dark blue-black of the night sky.
You can see from my picture here just how beautiful the setting sun is. Hakodate is a peninsula, with the mountain sitting near the very furthest tip of it. The ocean almost cradles the city and reflects the light as it sets.
As it gets darker, the streets of Hakodate begin to light up, peaking around 6:30 or 7pm. You can see Goryoukaku Tower from the mountain as well and that, along with city lights, shine brightly.
The lights can be compared to stars shining in the night sky or a glittering jewelry box, it's truly amazing!
After enjoying the view, you can go to the gift shop inside the observation point and buy many different types of souvenirs. Food, keychains, and even goods for Hakodate's copyrighted version of Hatsune Miku called Snow Miku who, while cute, is no match for my hometown of Hirosaki's version, Sakura Miku. 👀
Conclusion
So it took me about 2 and a half years to finally get to Hakodate/Hokkaido even though it's actually quite close (45 minutes by bullet train, 4 hours by ferry) and I'm very happy I went. Hakodate was beautiful and, with its convenient location, I can see myself visiting again someday.
Overall, it was awesome to relearn some Japanese history and reacquaint myself with it, specifically the Shinsengumi which I've been interested in for a long time. The night view was beautiful, and I would love to visit again to see some more of the things I wasn't able to see.
