Hakodate, Hokkaido
Encyclopedia
is a city
and port located in Oshima Subprefecture
, Hokkaido
, Japan
. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture.
Hakodate was Japan's first city whose port was opened to foreign trade in 1854 as a result of Convention of Kanagawa
, and used to be the most important port in northern Japan. Also, the city had been the biggest city in Hokkaido before the Great Hakodate Fire of 1934.
As of July 31, 2011, the city has an estimated population
of 279,851 with 143,221 household
s and a population density
of 412.83 persons per km². The total area is 677.77 km². The city is now the third biggest in Hokkaido after Sapporo and Asahikawa
.
fishing village of Usukeshi (the word for bay in Ainu).
After his death, Masamichi's son, Kono Suemichi, and family were driven out of Hakodate into nearby Kameda
during Ainu rebellion in 1512 and little history was recorded for the area during the next 100 years. There was constant low level conflict in the Oshima peninsula at the time with the Ainu as armed merchants like the Kono family established bases to control trade in the region. This conflict culminated in an uprising from 1669 to 1672, led by Ainu warrior Shakushain
after which the Ainu in the region were suppressed.
Hakodate flourished during the Hoei period
(1704–11) and many new temples were founded in the area. The town's fortunes received a further boost in 1741 when the Matsumae clan, which had been granted nearby areas on the Oshima Peninsula
as a march fief
, moved its Kameda magistracy to Masamichi's house in Hakodate.
In 1779, the Tokugawa shogunate
took direct control over Hakodate, which triggered rapid development in the area. Merchant Takadaya Kahei
, who is honoured as the founder of Hakodate port, set up trading operations, which included the opening the northern Etorofu
sea route to the Kuril
island fisheries. He is credited with turning Hakodate from a trading outpost into a thriving city. A Hakodate magistracy was established in 1802.
, as negotiated by Commodore Matthew Perry
.
Hakodate port partially opened to foreign ships for provisioning in the following year and then completely to foreign trade on 2 June 1859 as one of five Japanese open ports designated in the 1858 Treaty of Amity and Commerce signed with the U.S.
A mariner in Perry's fleet died during a visit to the area and became the first U.S. citizen to be buried in Japan when he was interred in Hakodate's cemetery for foreigners
.
British merchant, naturalist and spy, Thomas Blakiston
, took up residence in Hakodate in the summer of 1861 to establish a saw milling business and in doing so acquainted the city with western culture. He stayed in Hakodate until 1884, during which time he documented the local natural environment, equipped the local meteorological station and ran guns to the Boshin War
rebels.
As one of few points of Japanese contact with the outside world, Hakodate was soon host to several overseas consulates. The Russian consulate included a chapel from where Nicholas of Japan is credited with introducing Eastern Orthodox Christianity to Japan in 1861 (now the Japanese Orthodox Church
). The Orthodox church is neighbored by several other historical missionary churches, including Anglican
and Catholic
.
.
Hakodate also played a central role in the Boshin War
between the Tokugawa shogunate
and the Meiji Emperor which followed Perry's opening of Japan. Shogunate rebel Enomoto Takeaki
fled to Hakodate with the remnants of his navy and his handful of French advisers in winter 1866, including Jules Brunet
. They formally established the Republic of Ezo
on December 25. The republic tried unsuccessfully to gather international recognition to foreign legations in Hakodate, including the Americans, French, and Russians.
The rebels occupied Hakodate's famous European-style Goryōkaku
fort and used it as the centre of their defences in southern Hokkaidō. Government forces defeated the secessionists in the Battle of Hakodate
in 1869 and the city and fort were surrendered to emperor. Military leader, Hijikata Toshizō
, was one of those slain in the fighting.
In 1878, Isabella Bird
reported of the city in her travelogue:
status on August 1, 1922. The city escaped most of the ravages of World War II. Areas around Hakodate-yama were fortified and access restricted to the public. Many prisoners of war were interned in Hakodate and historians record a total of 10 camps. The city was subjected to two Allied bombing raids on 14 and 15 July 1945. Around 400 homes were destroyed on the western side of Hakodate-yama and an Aomori-Hakodate ferry was attacked with 400 passengers killed.
In 1976, a defecting Soviet
pilot named Viktor Belenko
flew his plane into the civilian airport in Hakodate.
Hakodate's size nearly doubled on December 1, 2004 when the town of Minamikayabe, from Kayabe District
, the towns of Esan and Toi, and the village of Todohokke, all from Kameda District
, were merged into it.
The city is overlooked by Mount Hakodate
, a lumpy, forested mountain whose summit can be reached by hiking trail, cable car
, or car. The night view from the summit is renowned in Japan as one of the best in the country, and one of the top three in the world along with Hong Kong
and Naples
. An obscure local nickname of the bumpy mountain is Gagyūzan (Mount Cow's Back), alluding to the way the mountain resembles a resting cow.
The former Goryōkaku fort is now used in as a public park and is popular in Hokkaido for hanami
(cherry blossom viewing). Since April 2006, the park has also featured the tall, white Goryōkaku Tower. Resembling an air traffic control tower, the structure offers a panoramic view of the park, including mainland Japan across the Tsugaru Strait on clear days.
, Hakodate climate straddles between an oceanic climate
, a humid subtropical climate
and a humid continental climate
. As a result the winters though cold, are not nearly as cold as a typical Hokkaido winter and summers are warm, but not hot. Hakodate features four distinct seasons. As stated before, Hokkaido winters are cold, with average temperatures in the coldest month at around -2.5 degrees Celsius. The city sees a substantial amount of snowfall during the course of the year, averaging roughly 380 cm (about 150 inches) of snow annually. Spring typically begins with some snowfall, but sees a gradual warming trend as the season progress. Summers are generally warm but not hot, with average high temperatures in the warmest month (August) hovering around 26 degrees Celsius. Fall initially is warm but becomes increasingly colder as the season progress. It is not uncommon to see snowfall in the latter parts of the fall season.
was headquartered in Hakodate. In January 2006 the regional airline Airtransse
was headquartered in Hakodate.
and Sushi
, especially for tuna
, squid
, salmon cavier, sea urchin
and crab
. Hakodate Shio Ramen
is also famous speciality of the city. The food uses sliced squid in place of chāshū (Char siu
, 叉焼 or 焼豚: traditionally barbecued pork but usually a thinly sliced braised pork when used as a ramen topping). On a similar note, Hakodate's city fish is the squid
. Every year (August) the city gets together for the Hakodate Port Festival. Hordes of citizens gather in the streets to dance a wiggly dance known as the Ika-odori (Squid Dance), the name of which describes the dance appropriately. The glowing lights of squid-catching boats can be seen in the waters surrounding the city. The bell of Haristos Orthodox Church is one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan
.
Hakodate Transportation Bureau
operates tram
(Light rail
) lines.
Hokkaidō Shinkansen
is now under construction. In 2015, the Shinkansen is due to be extended to Shin-Hakodate Station through Seikan Tunnel
from Shin-Aomori Station
. The new terminal is 17km away from Hakodate Station.
, Russia Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
, Russia City of Lake Macquarie, New South Wales
, Australia Tianjin
, China Makassar
, Indonesia
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...
and port located in Oshima Subprefecture
Oshima Subprefecture
is a subprefecture of Hokkaidō, Japan. As of 2004 it had a population of 456,621 and an area of 3,715.38 km².Hakodate Airport is located in the City of Hakodate.- Geography :-Towns and villages by district:* Futami District** Yakumo* Kameda District...
, Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture.
Hakodate was Japan's first city whose port was opened to foreign trade in 1854 as a result of Convention of Kanagawa
Convention of Kanagawa
On March 31, 1854, the or was concluded between Commodore Matthew C. Perry of the U.S. Navy and the Tokugawa shogunate.-Treaty of Peace and Amity :...
, and used to be the most important port in northern Japan. Also, the city had been the biggest city in Hokkaido before the Great Hakodate Fire of 1934.
As of July 31, 2011, the city has an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 279,851 with 143,221 household
Household
The household is "the basic residential unit in which economic production, consumption, inheritance, child rearing, and shelter are organized and carried out"; [the household] "may or may not be synonymous with family"....
s and a population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 412.83 persons per km². The total area is 677.77 km². The city is now the third biggest in Hokkaido after Sapporo and Asahikawa
Asahikawa, Hokkaido
is a city in Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital of the subprefecture and the second-largest city in Hokkaido, after Sapporo. It has been a Core city since April 1, 2000...
.
Pre-Meiji restoration
Hakodate was founded in 1454, when Kono Kaganokami Masamichi constructed a large manor house in the AinuAinu people
The , also called Aynu, Aino , and in historical texts Ezo , are indigenous people or groups in Japan and Russia. Historically they spoke the Ainu language and related varieties and lived in Hokkaidō, the Kuril Islands, and much of Sakhalin...
fishing village of Usukeshi (the word for bay in Ainu).
After his death, Masamichi's son, Kono Suemichi, and family were driven out of Hakodate into nearby Kameda
Kameda District, Hokkaido
is a district located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2004, the district has an estimated population of 39,166 and a density of 111.43 persons per km²...
during Ainu rebellion in 1512 and little history was recorded for the area during the next 100 years. There was constant low level conflict in the Oshima peninsula at the time with the Ainu as armed merchants like the Kono family established bases to control trade in the region. This conflict culminated in an uprising from 1669 to 1672, led by Ainu warrior Shakushain
Shakushain's Revolt
was an Ainu rebellion against Japanese authority on Hokkaidō between 1669 to 1672. It was led by Ainu chieftain Shakushain against the Matsumae clan, who represented Japanese trading and governmental interests in the area of Hokkaidō then controlled by the Japanese .The war initially began as a...
after which the Ainu in the region were suppressed.
Hakodate flourished during the Hoei period
Hoei
was a after Genroku and before Shōtoku. This period spanned the years from March 1704 through April 1711. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:...
(1704–11) and many new temples were founded in the area. The town's fortunes received a further boost in 1741 when the Matsumae clan, which had been granted nearby areas on the Oshima Peninsula
Oshima Peninsula
The Oshima Peninsula is the southernmost part of Hokkaidō, the northernmost of the Japanese islands. Where the peninsula starts is open to interpretation. A more generous interpretation is to draw a line southeast from Ishikari Bay across the Ishikari Plain to Yufutsu...
as a march fief
Marches
A march or mark refers to a border region similar to a frontier, such as the Welsh Marches, the borderland between England and Wales. During the Frankish Carolingian Dynasty, the word spread throughout Europe....
, moved its Kameda magistracy to Masamichi's house in Hakodate.
In 1779, the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
took direct control over Hakodate, which triggered rapid development in the area. Merchant Takadaya Kahei
Takadaya Kahei
Born in 1769 on Awaji Island, was a Japanese merchant credited with transforming the trading outpost of Hakodate in Japan's northern island of Hokkaidō into a thriving city...
, who is honoured as the founder of Hakodate port, set up trading operations, which included the opening the northern Etorofu
Etorofu
Etorofu was an escort ship of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II....
sea route to the Kuril
Kuril Islands
The Kuril Islands , in Russia's Sakhalin Oblast region, form a volcanic archipelago that stretches approximately northeast from Hokkaidō, Japan, to Kamchatka, Russia, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the North Pacific Ocean. There are 56 islands and many more minor rocks. It consists of Greater...
island fisheries. He is credited with turning Hakodate from a trading outpost into a thriving city. A Hakodate magistracy was established in 1802.
Meiji restoration
The port of Hakodate was surveyed by a fleet of five U.S. ships in 1854 under the conditions of the Convention of KanagawaConvention of Kanagawa
On March 31, 1854, the or was concluded between Commodore Matthew C. Perry of the U.S. Navy and the Tokugawa shogunate.-Treaty of Peace and Amity :...
, as negotiated by Commodore Matthew Perry
Matthew Perry (naval officer)
Matthew Calbraith Perry was the Commodore of the U.S. Navy and served commanding a number of US naval ships. He served several wars, most notably in the Mexican-American War and the War of 1812. He played a leading role in the opening of Japan to the West with the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854...
.
A mariner in Perry's fleet died during a visit to the area and became the first U.S. citizen to be buried in Japan when he was interred in Hakodate's cemetery for foreigners
Foreign cemeteries in Japan
The foreign cemeteries in Japan are chiefly located in Tokyo and at the former treaty ports of Nagasaki, Kobe, Yokohama, and Hakodate. They contain the mortal remains of long-term Japan residents, and are separate from any of the military cemeteries.-Tokyo:The Tokyo foreign cemetery is a section...
.
British merchant, naturalist and spy, Thomas Blakiston
Thomas Blakiston
Thomas Wright Blakiston was an English explorer and naturalist.Born in Lymington, Hampshire, England, Blakiston was the son of Major John Blakiston, second son of Sir Matthew Blakiston, 2nd Baronet...
, took up residence in Hakodate in the summer of 1861 to establish a saw milling business and in doing so acquainted the city with western culture. He stayed in Hakodate until 1884, during which time he documented the local natural environment, equipped the local meteorological station and ran guns to the Boshin War
Boshin War
The was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
rebels.
As one of few points of Japanese contact with the outside world, Hakodate was soon host to several overseas consulates. The Russian consulate included a chapel from where Nicholas of Japan is credited with introducing Eastern Orthodox Christianity to Japan in 1861 (now the Japanese Orthodox Church
Japanese Orthodox Church
The Japanese Orthodox Church or The Orthodox Church in Japan is an autonomous church of Eastern Orthodoxy under the omophorion of the Russian Orthodox Church.-History:...
). The Orthodox church is neighbored by several other historical missionary churches, including Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
and Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
.
Hakodate also played a central role in the Boshin War
Boshin War
The was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
between the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
and the Meiji Emperor which followed Perry's opening of Japan. Shogunate rebel Enomoto Takeaki
Enomoto Takeaki
Viscount was a samurai and admiral of the Tokugawa navy of Bakumatsu period Japan, who remained faithful to the Tokugawa shogunate who fought against the new Meiji government until the end of the Boshin War...
fled to Hakodate with the remnants of his navy and his handful of French advisers in winter 1866, including Jules Brunet
Jules Brunet
Jules Brunet was a French officer who played an active role in Mexico and Japan, and later became a General and Chief of Staff of the French Minister of War in 1898...
. They formally established the Republic of Ezo
Republic of Ezo
The ' was a short-lived state established by former Tokugawa retainers in what is now known as Hokkaidō, the large but sparsely populated northernmost island in modern Japan.-Background:...
on December 25. The republic tried unsuccessfully to gather international recognition to foreign legations in Hakodate, including the Americans, French, and Russians.
The rebels occupied Hakodate's famous European-style Goryōkaku
Goryokaku
is a star fort in the city of Hakodate in southern Hokkaidō, Japan. It was the main fortress of the short-lived Republic of Ezo.- History :Built by the Tokugawa shogunate in 1857-1866, it was located in the center of the port of Hakodate, on the island of Hokkaidō...
fort and used it as the centre of their defences in southern Hokkaidō. Government forces defeated the secessionists in the Battle of Hakodate
Battle of Hakodate
The was fought in Japan from October 20, 1868 to May 17, 1869, between the remnants of the Tokugawa shogunate army, consolidated into the armed forces of the rebel Ezo Republic, and the armies of the newly formed Imperial government...
in 1869 and the city and fort were surrendered to emperor. Military leader, Hijikata Toshizō
Hijikata Toshizo
was the vice-commander of Shinsengumi, a great swordsman and a talented Japanese military leader who resisted the Meiji Restoration.-Background:...
, was one of those slain in the fighting.
In 1878, Isabella Bird
Isabella Bird
Isabella Lucy Bird was a nineteenth-century English explorer, writer, and a natural historian.-Early life:Bird was born in Boroughbridge in 1831 and grew up in Tattenhall, Cheshire...
reported of the city in her travelogue:
The streets are very wide and clean, but the houses are mean and low. The city looks as if it had just recovered from a conflagration. The houses are nothing but tinder… Stones, however, are its prominent feature. Looking down upon it from above you see miles of grey boulders, and realise that every roof in the windy capital is “hodden doun” by a weight of paving stones.
20th century to present day
Hakodate was awarded cityCity
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
status on August 1, 1922. The city escaped most of the ravages of World War II. Areas around Hakodate-yama were fortified and access restricted to the public. Many prisoners of war were interned in Hakodate and historians record a total of 10 camps. The city was subjected to two Allied bombing raids on 14 and 15 July 1945. Around 400 homes were destroyed on the western side of Hakodate-yama and an Aomori-Hakodate ferry was attacked with 400 passengers killed.
In 1976, a defecting Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
pilot named Viktor Belenko
Viktor Belenko
Viktor Ivanovich Belenko is Soviet defector and aerospace engineer and lecturer. Belenko was sentenced to death in the Soviet Union for state treason. He was born in Nalchik, Russian SFSR in a Ukrainian family...
flew his plane into the civilian airport in Hakodate.
Hakodate's size nearly doubled on December 1, 2004 when the town of Minamikayabe, from Kayabe District
Kayabe District, Hokkaido
is a district located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2004, the district has an estimated population of 24,463 and a density of 51.09 persons per km². The total area is 478.82 km².-Mergers:...
, the towns of Esan and Toi, and the village of Todohokke, all from Kameda District
Kameda District, Hokkaido
is a district located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2004, the district has an estimated population of 39,166 and a density of 111.43 persons per km²...
, were merged into it.
1934 Great Hakodate Fire
On March 21, 1934 a fire was started in a house located within the Sumiyoshi area. Over two days, burning debris fanned by strong winds, set fire to the surrounding areas including a local court, department store, school and hospital. According to official documents, 2,166 people lost their lives, with 9,485 injured, 145,500 people made homeless, and 11,055 buildings lost.Geography
Hakodate is located in the centre of Kameda peninsula.The city is overlooked by Mount Hakodate
Mount Hakodate
is a mountain in Hakodate, Hokkaidō, Japan....
, a lumpy, forested mountain whose summit can be reached by hiking trail, cable car
Mt. Hakodate Ropeway
The is the name of an aerial lift, as well as its operator. The line climbs Mount Hakodate in Hakodate, Japan. As of 2004, this is the most heavily used aerial lift line in Japan, transporting 1,559,000 riders yearly...
, or car. The night view from the summit is renowned in Japan as one of the best in the country, and one of the top three in the world along with Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. An obscure local nickname of the bumpy mountain is Gagyūzan (Mount Cow's Back), alluding to the way the mountain resembles a resting cow.
The former Goryōkaku fort is now used in as a public park and is popular in Hokkaido for hanami
Hanami
is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers, "flower" in this case almost always meaning cherry blossoms or ume blossoms. From the end of March to early May, sakura bloom all over Japan, and around the first of February on the island of Okinawa...
(cherry blossom viewing). Since April 2006, the park has also featured the tall, white Goryōkaku Tower. Resembling an air traffic control tower, the structure offers a panoramic view of the park, including mainland Japan across the Tsugaru Strait on clear days.
Nearby cities and towns
- HokutoHokuto, Hokkaidois a city in the center of the Oshima Subprefecture in Japan's northern island of Hokkaidō.It was formed on February 1, 2006 from merging the town of Kamiiso, from Kamiiso District, and the town of Ōno, from Kameda District....
to the west - NanaeNanae, Hokkaidois a town located in Kameda District, Oshima, Hokkaidō, Japan.In 2009, the town had an estimated population of 28930 and a density of 133.6 persons per km². The total area is 216.61 km².-Geography:...
to the north - ShikabeShikabe, Hokkaidois a town located in Kayabe District, Oshima, Hokkaidō, Japan.The town has a total area of .-Demographics:On March 1, 2009, the town had an estimated population of 4,674 and a density of 42.3 persons per km²....
to the north east
Mountains
- Mount EMount Eis an active stratovolcano of the Kameda peninsula. It is located in Hakodate, Hokkaidō, Japan. Mount E is part of Esan Prefectural Natural Park.-Geology:Mount E consists of non-alkali, mafic, volcanic rock. The andesitic volcano is topped with a lava dome....
(618 m) Hokkaidoō's southern-most active volcano - Mount HakodateMount Hakodateis a mountain in Hakodate, Hokkaidō, Japan....
(334 m)
Climate
According to the Koppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
, Hakodate climate straddles between an oceanic climate
Oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
, a humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
and a humid continental climate
Humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold winters....
. As a result the winters though cold, are not nearly as cold as a typical Hokkaido winter and summers are warm, but not hot. Hakodate features four distinct seasons. As stated before, Hokkaido winters are cold, with average temperatures in the coldest month at around -2.5 degrees Celsius. The city sees a substantial amount of snowfall during the course of the year, averaging roughly 380 cm (about 150 inches) of snow annually. Spring typically begins with some snowfall, but sees a gradual warming trend as the season progress. Summers are generally warm but not hot, with average high temperatures in the warmest month (August) hovering around 26 degrees Celsius. Fall initially is warm but becomes increasingly colder as the season progress. It is not uncommon to see snowfall in the latter parts of the fall season.
Economy
Prior to its dissolution, Air HokkaidoAir Hokkaido
was an airline based in Hakodate, Hokkaidō, Japan. It operated domestic feeder flights in Hokkaidō from its main base at Hakodate Airport. The airline was dissolved by parent company All Nippon Airways in July 2006.-History:...
was headquartered in Hakodate. In January 2006 the regional airline Airtransse
Airtransse
is an airline headquartered in the Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. It operates scheduled passenger services. Its main base is Hakodate Airport in Hakodate, with a hub at New Chitose Airport; both are in Hokkaido.- History :...
was headquartered in Hakodate.
Culture
The city is well known for SeafoodSeafood
Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...
and Sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
, especially for tuna
Tuna
Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...
, squid
Squid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
, salmon cavier, sea urchin
Sea urchin
Sea urchins or urchins are small, spiny, globular animals which, with their close kin, such as sand dollars, constitute the class Echinoidea of the echinoderm phylum. They inhabit all oceans. Their shell, or "test", is round and spiny, typically from across. Common colors include black and dull...
and crab
Crab
True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
. Hakodate Shio Ramen
Ramen
is a Japanese noodle dish. It consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat- or fish-based broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso, and uses toppings such as , , kamaboko, green onions, and occasionally corn...
is also famous speciality of the city. The food uses sliced squid in place of chāshū (Char siu
Char siu
Char siu , otherwise known as barbecued meat in China or Chinese-flavored barbecued meat outside China, is a popular way to flavor and prepare pork in Cantonese cuisine. It is classified as a type of siu mei, Cantonese roasted meat...
, 叉焼 or 焼豚: traditionally barbecued pork but usually a thinly sliced braised pork when used as a ramen topping). On a similar note, Hakodate's city fish is the squid
Squid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
. Every year (August) the city gets together for the Hakodate Port Festival. Hordes of citizens gather in the streets to dance a wiggly dance known as the Ika-odori (Squid Dance), the name of which describes the dance appropriately. The glowing lights of squid-catching boats can be seen in the waters surrounding the city. The bell of Haristos Orthodox Church is one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan
100 Soundscapes of Japan
In 1996, as part of its efforts to combat noise pollution and to protect and promote the environment, the Ministry of the Environment designated the . 738 submissions were received from all over the country and the 100 'best' were selected after examination by the Japan Soundscape Study Group...
.
Transportation
Hakodate Transportation Bureau
The is a public transportation authority of Hakodate, Japan. The bureau only operates tram lines. It once operated bus lines as well, but went out from the division later in 2003....
operates tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
(Light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
) lines.
Hokkaidō Shinkansen
Hokkaido Shinkansen
The is a high-speed rail line currently under construction between Aomori and Hokkaido through the Seikan Tunnel. Construction started in May 2005, and the initial Shin-Aomori to Shin-Hakodate section is projected to open in 2015. There are long-term plans to extend the line to Sapporo...
is now under construction. In 2015, the Shinkansen is due to be extended to Shin-Hakodate Station through Seikan Tunnel
Seikan Tunnel
The Seikan Tunnel is a railway tunnel in Japan, with a long portion under the seabed. Track level is about below seabed and below sea level. It travels beneath the Tsugaru Strait—connecting Aomori Prefecture on the Japanese island of Honshu and the island of Hokkaido—as part of the Kaikyo Line...
from Shin-Aomori Station
Shin-Aomori Station
is a railway station on the East Japan Railway Company northern Ōu Main Line located in the city of Aomori, Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It is 480.6 rail kilometers from the southern terminus of the Ōu Main Line at Fukushima Station...
. The new terminal is 17km away from Hakodate Station.
- Hakodate StationHakodate Stationis a railway station in Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan, operated by the Hokkaido Railway Company . It is the terminus of the Hakodate Main Line and the Tsugaru-Kaikyō Line; Hakodate Municipal Transit streetcars stop at the adjacent Hakodate Eki-mae Station....
, operated by JR HokkaidoHokkaido Railway CompanyThe is one of the constituent companies of Japan Railways Group , and thus often known as . It operates intercity rail services in Hokkaido, Japan. The company introduced Kitaca, a smart card ticketing system, from autumn 2008.... - Hakodate AirportHakodate Airport, is an airport located east of Hakodate Station in Hakodate, a city in Hokkaidō, Japan. It is operated by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. It serves as the hub for airtransse.- History :...
- Port of Hakodate
Public
- Future University HakodateFuture University Hakodateis a public university in Hakodate, Hokkaidō, Japan.-External links:*...
- Hokkaido UniversityHokkaido UniversityHokkaido University is one of the most prestigious universities in Japan. It can be seen in the several rankings such as shown below.-General Rankings:...
, Hakodate Campus - Hokkaido University of EducationHokkaido University of EducationHokkaido University of Education has 5 campuses located around Hokkaidō, Japan. It is a national, public university, administered by the government of Japan. The main campus is located on the outskirts of Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaidō...
, Hakodate Campus
Sister cities
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada VladivostokVladivostok
The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
, Russia Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
-Demographics:Most residents are ethnic Russians, but there also exists a sizable population of Koreans. Of the 43,000 Sakhalin Koreans, half are estimated to live in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, comprising roughly 12% of the city's population...
, Russia City of Lake Macquarie, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
, China Makassar
Makassar
Makassar, is the provincial capital of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, and the largest city on Sulawesi Island. From 1971 to 1999, the city was named Ujung Pandang, after a precolonial fort in the city, and the two names are often used interchangeably...
, Indonesia
Famous people
- GlayGlayGlay is a rock/pop band from Hakodate, Hokkaidō, Japan formed by guitarist Takuro and vocalist Teru in high school in 1988. Glay primarily composes songs in the rock and pop genres, but they have also composed songs using elements of different styles such as reggae and gospel...
, rock/pop band - Juran HisaoJuran Hisaowas the pen-name of a Japanese author of popular fiction in Shōwa period Japan. His real name was .-Early life:Jūran was a native of Hakodate on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaidō...
, mystery writer - Kōhan KawauchiKôhan Kawauchi, , created various tokusatsu series, including the first, Moonlight Mask, in 1958. He was originally from Hakodate, Hokkaido. His series Rainbowman is considered to be an inspiration for Go Nagai's Cutie Honey....
, screenwriter - Hidemi Kon, literary critic
- Naoko MatsuiNaoko Matsuiis a Japanese voice actress from Hakodate. Matsui was a member of Production Baobab for 20 years before becoming a freelancer. She is also a voice acting instructor....
, voice actress - Kogo NodaKogo Nodawas a Japanese screenwriter most famous for collaborating with Yasujirō Ozu on many of the director's films.Born in Hakodate, Noda was the son of the head of the local tax bureau and younger brother to Kyūho, a Nihonga painter. He moved to Nagoya after completing elementary school and later went to...
, screenwriter - Yuki (singer), musician
External links
- Hakodate at Wikitravel
- Official website
- Hokkaido Shimbun Press - The City of Hakodate
- Unbeaten Tracks in Japan, Isabella L. Bird, 1878 travelogue of Victorian-era woman traveller, Hakodate letters
- hakobura