Winter Trip in the Hakodate Area

Basic Information about Hakodate

Hakodate is a port city located in southern Hokkaido. The capital of Hokkaido is Sapporo, the second most populated city is Asahikawa, and the third one is Hakodate. Even though Hakodate is the third biggest city, it is a very famous travel destination for domestic and foreign tourists.

There are approximately 8 direct flights a day from Tokyo to Hakodate, which takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes each way. There are also direct flights from Osaka and Nagoya. International flights are also available, with direct flights to and from Asian countries depending on the season. Hakodate is convenient and it is easy to get to most of the sightseeing places. That it only takes about 15 minutes by car from Hakodate Airport to the downtown area is one of the reasons you can visit this city easily. With less travel time, you can enjoy your trip to the fullest!

As for other modes of transportation, Hakodate is the only Hokkaido city that can be reached by shinkansen in 2023. It takes about 4 hours from Tokyo to Hakodate by shinkansen. There is an undersea tunnel between Honshu, the main island of Japan, and Hokkaido. Such tunnels are rare in the world, and coming to Hakodate through it will be an unforgettable part of your trip. If you are considering an itinerary that visits several cities in Hokkaido, you may also want to take a round-trip tour between Sapporo and Hakodate, taking in the sights between the two cities.

Simple Description of Hakodate

Hakodate has many tourist spots, such as the night view from Mt. Hakodate and the historic cityscape that blends Western and Japanese styles. It has a star-shaped fortress where you can learn about samurai history, as well as many delicious foods, such as fresh seafood, farm and dairy products, and sweets.

Japan was a closed country during the Edo period for about 200 years as national isolation limited trade with other countries, but when that policy ended in the mid-19th century, Hakodate opened its port as a trading city. With the opening of the port, Western culture quickly flowed into Hakodate from the late 19th to the early 20th century, and the city is dotted with many unique historical buildings that blend Japanese and Western styles. Hakodate also developed its own unique gourmet cuisine, which is a Japanese adaptation of food culture from around the world.

Attractions of Hakodate: It is an international tourist city with beautiful night views, exotic atmosphere, history, culture, and art, fresh fishery and agricultural products, hot springs in the city, and many events.

Tourism is the act of visiting another region or country and experiencing its natural scenery, food, culture, history, and historic sites. While this is the primary purpose of sightseeing, the most enjoyable aspect of travel is the change it brings to your inner self and your behavior, as you learn new things, relax, and generate ideas and inspiration through these experiences. Hakodate is one of the best places for your next travel destination. You will enjoy Hakodate with its history, delicious food, attractions conveniently located close to the city, and its natural surroundings.

What Is Hakodate Like in Winter?

Hakodate is a city that can be enjoyed in any season. In spring, there are cherry blossom spots like Goryokaku, where 1,600 cherry trees can be seen. In summer, there are city walks and nature activities while feeling the pleasant sea breeze. In autumn, there are the autumn leaves in the Motomachi area and Kosetsuen. This column will detail how to enjoy Hakodate in winter.

Usually, the first snow begins in Hakodate in early November, and from about mid-December to mid-March, there are many days when the snow on the streets of the city hardens and does not melt. Average winter temperatures in Hakodate are minus degrees, so be sure to check the weather forecast and temperatures when packing for your trip. Although Hakodate is said to receive less snow than Sapporo and Asahikawa, which are located to the north of the city, there are many days when you cannot move your car without shoveling snow. Since the road surfaces are often icy and slippery, it is dangerous to walk on them in regular shoes. Wear snow shoes with soles made of non-slip material, or wear non-slip shoes that can be temporarily attached to regular shoes. When visiting Hakodate or other parts of Hokkaido in winter, shoe selection is very important. Even locals often slip and fall, resulting in broken bones and other injuries, so be careful. In winter, temperatures are often below freezing even during the daytime, but because buildings are built to cold-weather specifications, it is often quite warm inside, and the temperature difference between the outside air and the room temperature can be 20 degrees or more. It is best to wear clothing that is easy to quickly put on and take off in accordance with the temperature. In particular, warm clothes and warm gloves are essential for nightscape viewing at Mt. Hakodate in winter.

Include Hakodate in Your Itinerary!

You need to be prepared for winter in order to stay warm, but Hakodate is a very enjoyable place to visit in winter. There are many winter activities in and around Hakodate, such as snowshoe hiking, ice fishing, walking on a frozen lake, skiing and snowboarding at ski resorts, etc. On your itinerary, why not add winter activities and visit nearby natural areas while enjoying the food, hot springs, and city walking in Hakodate!

If you are a seafood lover, Hakodate in winter is full of delicious food! There are many fishermen in Hakodate and nearby towns, and there are also fish auctions and morning markets. There is a wide variety of fish, which are especially delicious in winter. For seafood and fun activity lovers, including winter activities and fresh food culture in your itinerary will make your trip perfect!

Winter Events in Hakodate

Here is some basic information about winter events in Hakodate. Although the events are generally held during the same period every year, it is recommended to recheck the latest information for that year.

The Red Brick Warehouses in the Bay Area are a 15-minute walk from Hakodate Station and this district is the center of the tourist area. The Christmas tree display along the seafront is very beautiful. You can find a very unique and cute Santa Claus climbing up the Red Brick Warehouses. There are many restaurants and cafes nearby, so it is a good place to go before or after dinner.

Hakodate Illuminations

Rough annual schedule: December 1st to late February

With the exotic streets illuminated colorfully with about 50,000 lights, you can take full pleasure in a dreamy night view only seen in winter in Hakodate. The trees planted on such sloping streets as Hachimanzaka Slope and Nijukkenzaka Slope are outlined with lights. They appear to glitter more brightly on a day when fresh snow has piled up on the ground. The trees are lit from 5 pm to 10 pm. Be sure to wear warm clothes to stroll along the streets when going to see the lit-up churches, Old Public Hall and Bay Area. There are also several illumination spots throughout the period at other locations in Hakodate, including the plaza in front of Hakodate Station and Green Plaza.

Hoshi no Yume Illuminations, Goryokaku

Rough annual schedule: December 1st to late February

Goryokaku is the star-shaped fortress in Hakodate. Goryokaku is a unique historic site in Japan and an important place to learn about the history of Hakodate and its samurai. It is famous for its cherry blossoms in the spring, but during the winter it hosts an event called Hoshi no Yume Illuminations. In Japanese, “hoshi” means “star” and “yume” means “dream.” It is a great name for an event that lights up a historical site in the shape of a star. This event is held every year from December to February.

Hoshi no Yume Illuminations is an event where the moat around Goryokaku is illuminated with nearly 2,000 lights to create a star-shaped illumination. Goryokaku is lit up daily from December to February. To see this illumination, you must go to the top of Goryokaku Tower. The star-shaped historical site seen from above is very beautiful. The view from the observation deck will look slightly blue during sunset and black after the sun goes down. Goryokaku looks different with or without snow, depending on weather conditions such as snow accumulation. Visitors can enjoy the unique winter scenery of Goryokaku in a world of white and the illuminated lights reflected in the moat. Of course it is beautiful during the lit-up hours, but the star shape covered with snow during the day is also beautiful.

Illuminations in the Yunokawa Area in Hakodate

Rough annual schedule: December 1st to late February

Yunokawa is the name of a hot spring resort in Hakodate. It is one of the three major hot springs in Hokkaido. The history of Yunokawa Onsen dates back to the Muromachi period (1333-1573), making it one of the oldest hot spring resorts in Hokkaido. Enjoying hot spring baths and meals at a traditional onsen inn (ryokan) is one of the purposes of the itinerary, but there are also illumination events held here during the winter months.

Every year from December to February, the main street in the Yunokawa area and the footbath outside, which is free of charge, are illuminated. The illuminations are in a traditional Japanese design. Why not include the hot spring area illuminations in your Hakodate itinerary?

Winter Activities in Hakodate and the Surrounding Area

Most winter events and Christmas illuminations are held in downtown Hakodate. It is the largest city in southern Hokkaido, so it makes a perfect itinerary to enjoy city sightseeing, food, and hot springs while staying in Hakodate, and add a one-day tour to experience nature and do winter activities that are only 30 to 60 minutes by car from Hakodate.

There is a big ski resort in the area, and the lake in Onuma National Park also offers walking tours on the frozen lake and ice fishing. Snowshoeing tours, ice skating, snow mountain climbing, and many other activities are available in Hakodate and the surrounding area! We recommend including some of these activities in your winter itinerary!

Hakodate Nanae Snow Park

Rough annual schedule: the middle of December to late March

Hakodate Nanae Snow Park is the biggest snow park in southern Hokkaido. It is about an hour’s drive from Hakodate. It offers one of the longest gondola rides in Japan! The distance to the top by gondola is 3,319 meters long. The gondola passes through a forest of mostly broadleaf trees and arrives at an elevation of 960 meters in about 15 minutes. When you get on the gondola, it goes at 4 meters per second, and when you look down, you can see footprints of rabbits, foxes, deer, and other wild animals.

The 4-kilometer long Gelände is the highlight of this snow park. It is great to ski or snowboard while enjoying the magnificent view from the top of the mountain. There are 8 courses for skiing and snowboarding, including a powder snow zone and a well-maintained zone.

The contrast between the rows of white birch trees, the white of the snow and the blue sky is absolutely beautiful! Mt. Hokkaido Komagatake, covered with snow, is in front of you when you are enjoying skiing or snowboarding, and at the foot of the mountain are the spectacular views of Lake Onuma, making it a wonderful experience to ski or snowboard while looking at them. If the weather is clear, you can see Mt. Yotei, Mt. Showa Shinzan, and downtown Muroran City beyond the ocean.

At PEAK CAFE at the top of the mountain, you can enjoy a meal or a coffee/tea with the view of Mt. Hokkaido Komagatake. PEAK CAFE is registered as a “sacred place for lovers” and is attracting attention as a new sightseeing spot in southern Hokkaido.

There’s no need to worry if you don’t have equipment! This ski resort offers a rental service for skis, snowboards and snow wear. Ski or snowboard lessons are also available if you want to try these activities out. The snow park here is mainly for local visitors; it is very spacious and not so crowded. Beginners can try it out without any worries, and intermediate and advanced skiers or snowboarders can also enjoy it just like the locals.

Snowshoe Tour at Hakodate Nanae Snow Park

Most people imagine snow parks are for skiing and snowboarding, but there is an activity that anyone who can walk can enjoy in the Hokkaido winter world, even if they do not ski or snowboard, or have no experience of these activities! That is snowshoe tours!!

Snowshoeing is a winter sport for walking on snow. The snowshoe is a tool for walking comfortably on snow. It is attached to snow boots to increase the area in contact with the snow, thereby increasing buoyancy and making it harder to sink into the snow. Normal shoes or mountaineering boots will not work well when walking on soft snow because your feet will sink in. Snowshoes give you buoyancy and allow you to walk on the snow. Snowshoeing is a popular winter sport that allows people who cannot ski or snowboard to easily enjoy the great outdoors in winter. Snowshoeing is a must-do activity on your Hakodate itinerary to enjoy the white snowy world!

At Hakodate Nanae Snow Park, an experienced guide will show you an amazing snow world. He is also a ski instructor. He used to work for the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, so he has very good safety management and survival skills, and is very knowledgeable about the snowy mountains. You can learn survival skills in nature and get information about nature that you can only see in winter. And he is very cheerful and energetic. A guided snowshoe tour will be an unforgettable part of your itinerary!

You will take a gondola ride, which is one of the longest in Japan, then you will walk with snowshoes from the gondola station to the top of the mountain. Since you will be a little away from the Gelände, your view will be of the perfect snowy mountains! Walking on snow where no one has set foot is very soft and comfortable. Winter is cold, but the air is very clear, so it feels very good. The mountain path has some ups and downs, but the guide will adapt the walk to the guests’ fitness level, so anyone who can walk can enjoy it in some form. Along the way, you will find animal tracks, rare plants and trees, holes made by trees breathing, and many other new discoveries of winter nature! While walking, you can also have fun lying in the snow and looking up at the sky, or making snowballs to play with. During the tour stops, you can recharge your energy with warm drinks and special desserts. The walk takes approximately two hours, but you will feel the time fly by as you take pictures and become enchanted by the snowy world.

This guided tour includes lunch at PEAK CAFE at the top of the snow park. After a lot of walking, you can enjoy a delicious lunch made with local ingredients in a warm place with the best views. It is an absolute pleasure to include this tour in your itinerary!

Onuma Quasi National Park

Onuma Quasi National Park is located 40 minutes by car from Hakodate. This park covers a total area of 9,083 hectares. With three lakes, scattered islands of various sizes, and the uniquely shaped Mt. Hokkaido Komagatake where visitors can fully enjoy the great outdoors, it is a place rich in nature that can be enjoyed in all seasons: cycling, sightseeing boats, canoeing, and horseback riding in summer, and ice fishing, skiing, and snowshoeing in winter.

Ice fishing at Onuma Quasi National Park

Rough annual schedule: the middle of January to the middle of March

One of the wintertime pleasures at Onuma Quasi National Park is ice fishing. The water of the lake in Onuma freezes in winter. If the ice is 25 to 30 cm thick, you can safely walk on the frozen lake and enjoy fishing on it. Have you ever walked on a frozen lake? It may be hard to believe but it is very stable.

You can fish for smelt in holes drilled in the icy lake. This is a classic Hokkaido winter activity that you should try at least once, and there is even a service where you can eat smelt you caught yourself on the spot.

What kind of fish is smelt? The smelt is a fish classified in the Osmeriformes family and is a member of the same family as the shishamo and chica. It is similar in form to the shishamo. The smelt is originally a marine fish. Those that went up rivers bred in lakes and fishermen began to catch them. From there, attempts were made to breed them, and the eggs collected from them were distributed to lakes throughout the country, which led to the spread of smelt fishing. The lifespan of a smelt is from one to three years, and individuals born less than one year previously are called yearlings. Their size depends on the amount of food available in their habitat and the density of the smelt population, but the ones usually caught are 7 to 8 cm in length. At the age of three, they grow to over 10 cm and are known as “big smelt.” If you are lucky enough to catch a big smelt, you will be in luck! Smelt are small fish, so you can eat all of their body, from head to tail. After fishing for smelt, it is very tasty to fry and eat the freshly caught fish on the spot.

How can we catch smelt when there is ice on the lake? This is because zooplankton, the food of smelt, are phototactic, meaning that they are attracted to light. Therefore, when you make a hole in an ice-covered lake, zooplankton attracts smelt, making it easier to catch them.

Ice fishing is a special winter experience in Hokkaido, and really ought to be on your winter Hokkaido itinerary! If you are worried about the cold when fishing outside, they provide a private tent on the icy lake so you can enjoy ice fishing without the cold. Even if you have no fishing experience, local guides will be happy to assist you!

More Winter Activities at Onuma Quasi National Park

There are also many other unique winter activities. Here are some recommendations for your winter Hakodate itinerary!

Snowshoe tour on the frozen lake

Snowshoeing is also available at Onuma Quasi National Park. The experience of walking on a frozen lake is very unique. A snowshoeing tour on a frozen lake with beautiful views of Mt. Hokkaido Komagatake should definitely be on your winter Hakodate itinerary! Snowshoes make it easy to walk on the snow and frozen lake. Sometimes, you can find a fox’s footprints on the frozen lake.

Onuma National Quasi Park is huge, so the guide will take you not only on the frozen lake, but also to nearby small mountains and around small lakes, after checking the snow conditions and weather conditions of the day. They will also show you the various birds and wild animal life that inhabits the area depending on the time of year, so you may be able to see wild animals that are not seen in your country.

Swan watching

Rough annual schedule: the end of December to early March

Every winter, many whooper swans gather at the swan observation deck Sebatto, the point where Lake Onuma and Lake Konuma are connected. It is about 1 km from JR Onuma Park Station, a 15-minute walk. Whooper swans begin to appear on Lake Onuma from late October, they do not gather at this spot until late December, when the lake freezes over. Most of Lake Onuma and Lake Konuma freezes in winter, but the water peeps out at this spot on their surface, so whooper swans rest their wings here. Bird-watching is possible in every season at the nature-rich Onuma Quasi National Park, but in winter, say hello to these whooper swans.

Snowmobile or sled on a frozen lake

Rough annual schedule: It will start when there is enough snowfall.

These are fun activities on the frozen lake! You can enjoy driving a snowmobile. Don’t worry, it’s very safe and you can have fun driving on the frozen lake. If you are worried about driving it yourself, try an ice sled tour. Professional guides will take you out on the frozen lake on a sled towed by a snowmobile. It is a very fun tour where you can take photos of the winter world and measure the thickness of the ice!