Hakodate City in Hokkaido has consistently ranked highly in surveys of desirable places to live.

This city, home to approximately 26 people, hosts a wide variety of events throughout the four seasons. Have you heard of these events, but never actually participated and are unsure what they entail?

Events in Hakodate are popular not only with locals but also with tourists, and many people visit the city specifically to participate in these events.

This time, we'll introduce the main annual events for each season, including not only the atmosphere of events that can be enjoyed by both locals and tourists, but also recommended viewing spots!

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<Table of Contents>
1. [Spring] Topped the ranking of famous cherry blossom viewing spots! "Goryokaku Park's cherry blossoms"
2. [Spring] The magnificent weeping cherry blossoms are truly breathtaking! "Hokuto City's Cherry Blossom Corridor"
3. [Summer] To truly become a Hakodate local, you must master the squid dance! "Hakodate Port Festival"
4. [Summer] A worldwide festival in Hakodate! "Hakodate International Folk Arts Festival"
5. [Autumn] Let's eat our way through all the food in Japan! "Hakodate Gourmet Circus"
6. [Autumn] The nighttime illuminations are like natural art! "Hakodate MOMI-G (Maple Leaf) Festa"
7. [Winter] The atmosphere of the Kanemori Warehouse and the giant Christmas tree makes you feel like you've come to a foreign country! "Hakodate Christmas Fantasy"
8. [Winter] A classic summer fireworks event brightens up winter in Hakodate! "Hakodate Winter Fireworks over the Sea"
Final thoughts

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When spring arrives at Goryokaku, approximately 1,600 cherry trees, including Somei Yoshino varieties, bloom all at once. This spectacular cherry blossom viewing spot proudly ranked number one in the "Ranking of Cherry Blossom Spots You Want to Visit in Hokkaido"!

Barbecues are permitted within the park, and every year it becomes a lively place with citizens enjoying Genghis Khan (grilled lamb) under the beautiful cherry blossoms.

Goryokaku, the site of the Battle of Hakodate, has a charming star shape when viewed from above.

The Hakodate Goryokaku Festival is also held in May, so you should definitely check that out as well.

<Goryokaku Park>

• Address: 44 Goryokaku-cho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido 040-0001
• Typical flowering period: Late April to early May every year
• Admission fee: Free (Some buildings require a fee for entry)
• Opening hours: The park is open 24 hours a day.
• For inquiries, please contact: Hakodate City Hall, Board of Education, Lifelong Learning Department, Cultural Properties Division
• Direct phone number: 0138-21-3456
• URL:http://www.city.hakodate.hokkaido.jp/docs/2014011601161/
• Transportation: Take the Hakodate Bus "Goryokaku Tower Shuttle Bus" from Hakodate Station, get off at the "Goryokaku Tower" bus stop, and walk for about 3 minutes.

Photographer and image provided by: Satoru Chiba

Hokuto City is located next to Hakodate City. It is famous for having Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station, which opened in March 2016 as Hokkaido's first Shinkansen (bullet train) stop.

In Hokuto City, less than an hour from Hakodate Station, there is a temple called Hokiji, and on its grounds stands a large weeping cherry tree estimated to be 300 years old.

While daytime cherry blossom viewing, with its clear blue sky and soft pink blossoms, is certainly refreshing, the nighttime illuminations create a completely different, atmospheric scene, making this a cherry blossom spot you'll want to see at both times of day if possible.

<Cherry Blossom Corridor>

• Address: 1-14-1 Mukono, Hokuto City, 041-1231
• Typical flowering period: Around mid-May every year
• Fee: Free
• Lighting hours: 18:30 - 21:00
• For inquiries, please contact: Hokuto City Economic Department Tourism Division
• Direct phone number: 0138-73-3111
• URL:http://hokutoinfo.com/spot/287/
• Transportation: Approximately 40 minutes by car from JR Hakodate Station.

The Hakodate Port Festival, which is said to have started in 1935 with around 1,000 participants, has now become Hakodate's largest festival, with approximately 20,000 citizens participating every year.

Among them, the "Squid Dance" performed at Wasshoi Hakodate has been loved by the citizens since it was created in 55 as a dance with a squid theme, and has now become a famous dance of Hakodate.

In the squid dance, in addition to groups that have registered in advance, there is also a "free participation section" where anyone can join on the spot, so even if you are just traveling, if you want to fully enjoy the Hakodate Port Festival, please feel free to participate!

Actually, the "Hakodate Port Dance" predates the squid dance and has been passed down since the very first Hakodate Port Festival.

In the Wasshoi Hakodate Contest, an event where participating dance groups are judged, the dances are divided into categories such as the Hakodate Port Dance and the Squid Dance.

We would love for tourists to see this dance, which has been passed down for over 80 years, up close.

<Hakodate Port Festival>

• Address: [Jujigai/Matsukaze Course Starting Point] 8 Suehiro-cho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido 040-0053, [Horikawa/Goryokaku Course Starting Point] 18 Nakajima-cho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido 040-0014
• Dates: August 1st to 5th every year
• Fee: Free
• For inquiries: Hakodate Port Festival Executive Committee
• Direct phone number: 0138-27-3535
• URL:http://www.hakodate-minatomatsuri.org/
• Transportation: [Jujigai/Matsukaze Course Starting Point] Approximately 17 minutes on foot from JR Hakodate Station to the Jujigai tram stop. [Horikawa/Goryokaku Course Starting Point] Approximately 8 minutes by car from JR Hakodate Station to the Horikawacho tram stop.

Photographer and image provided by: Emi Sasamori

In August, a massive set begins to be erected in Motomachi Park at the foot of Mount Hakodate. This is in preparation for the Hakodate International Folk Arts Festival.

The first festival was held in 2008, making it one of the newer festivals in Hakodate.

Photographer and image provided by: Emi Sasamori

The stage in each area features a schedule of global performances, including traditional dances, songs, and musical performances from around the world.

Moreover, since the performers come from overseas, the quality is so high that it's like you're watching a live performance in their home country.

Photographer and image provided by: Emi Sasamori

The participants include not only performers from overseas, but also Japanese performers.

Bands active in Tokyo and street performers from all over Japan have come together, making it possible to enjoy performances that have rarely been seen in Hakodate before at the Hakodate International Folk Arts Festival.

Photographer and image provided by: Emi Sasamori

This festival also includes "MoguFes," where food vendors and workshops will be set up.

There are dishes from all over the world, such as Brazilian churrasco, Korean tteokbokki, and Turkish ice cream, as well as stalls from famous restaurants in Hakodate, so there are so many dishes to choose from that you'll be spoiled for choice.

Furthermore, there are shops offering services that you can not only enjoy looking at but also experience, such as henna tattoos, cornrows, massages, and fortune telling, making it a festival where you can stay for hours or even days without getting bored.

<Hakodate International Folk Arts Festival>

• Address: 12-18 Motomachi, Hakodate City, Hokkaido 040-0054, Japan (Inside Motomachi Park)
• Date of event: Around the beginning of August every year
• Admission fees: [Adult 1-day pass] Weekdays 1,000 yen, Weekends and holidays 2,000 yen, [Citizen Sponsor Pass (all-day entry)] 3,000 yen, [Junior high school students and younger] Free
• For inquiries: World's Meet Japan, a general incorporated association.
• Direct phone number: 0138-52-3815
• URL:http://wmdf.org/
• Transportation: Take the tram from the "Hakodate Station" tram stop (approximately 7 minutes), get off at the "Suehirocho" tram stop, and then walk for approximately 5 minutes.

Hakodate Gourmet Circus, a gourmet event in Hakodate, attracted around 180,000 people in 2015 and another 90,000 in 2016, bringing the total to a record-breaking 270,000 over two days. Started in 2012, it has significantly increased its attendance for two consecutive years.

The event is comprised of four areas: "The Plaza of Port Cities and Sister Cities," "The Plaza of Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya Connected by Wings," "The Plaza of the Six Tohoku Prefectures, Saitama, and Northern Kanto," and "The Plaza of Hakodate and Southern Hokkaido." You can enjoy dishes that you would normally only be able to taste if you were in those regions, right here in Hakodate.

<Hakodate Gourmet Circus>

• Address: Hakodate Green Plaza, 9 Matsukaze-cho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido 040-0035
• Dates: Held annually over two days, on a Saturday and Sunday in September.
• Admission: Free
• For inquiries, please contact: Hakodate Gourmet Circus Executive Committee (within the Tourism Promotion Division, Hakodate City Tourism Department)
• Direct phone number: 0138-21-3499 (9:00 AM to 17:30 PM, excluding weekends and public holidays)
• URL:http://www.hakodate-gc.com/index.html
• Transportation: Approximately 8 minutes on foot from JR Hakodate Station.

The "Hakodate MOMI-G Festa" is an autumn foliage event held every year in the fall at Kōsetsuen, a nationally designated cultural property garden located in Miharashi Park.

During the day, you can enjoy the scenery illuminated by sunlight, and at night, the autumn leaves look like works of art when lit up. In addition, the nearby "Green Center" hosts a variety of events every year, including exhibits, mini-concerts, and workshops, so be sure to check that out as well.

<Hakodate MOMI-G (Maple Leaf) Festa>

• Address: 56 Mihara-cho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido 040-0035
• Date: Every year from mid-October to early November
• Lighting hours: 16:00 - 21:00
• Admission: Free
• Inquiries: Hakodate City Housing and Urban Facilities Public Corporation
• Direct phone numbers: [Flowers and Greenery Division] 0138-40-3605, [Miharashi Park Green Center] 0138-57-6210
• URL:http://www.hakobura.jp/db/db-guide/2009/09/momi-g.html
• Transportation: Take the Hakodate Bus from JR Hakodate Station for approximately 8 minutes, get off at the "Kousetsuen" bus stop, and walk for approximately 1 minute.

Photographer and image provided by: Satoru Chiba

Every year around the end of November, a large fir tree is transported from Halifax, Canada, a sister city of Hakodate, over a distance of approximately 18,000 kilometers to the front of the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses.

From December 1st to 25th, a tree lighting ceremony will be held every day at 6:00 PM, accompanied by a spectacular fireworks display.

Photographer and image provided by: Emi Sasamori

One of the Kanamori Red Brick Warehouses, BAY Hakodate, has sculptures of Santas climbing up its exterior wall. These kinds of subtle decorations really enhance the Christmas atmosphere.

<Hakodate Christmas Fantasy>

• Address: 14-12 Suehiro-cho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido 040-0053
• Dates: Every year from December 1st to December 25th
• ライトアップ時間：16：30～17：45、18：00～翌0：00の毎日2回点灯（※金曜日、土曜日、12月22～25日は翌2：00まで）
• Admission: Free
• For inquiries, please contact: Hakodate Christmas Fantasy Executive Committee (Hakodate International Tourism and Convention Association)
• Direct phone number: 0138-27-3535 (Weekdays 8:45 AM - 17:30 PM)
• URL:http://www.hakodatexmas.com/
• Transportation: Approximately 10 minutes on foot from JR Hakodate Station.

Photographer and image provided by: Satoru Chiba

The Hakodate Winter Fireworks show us that fireworks can be enjoyed not only in summer, but also in winter.

My recommended viewing spot is the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses. The fireworks floating on the sea of ​​Hakodate are absolutely beautiful.

Photographer and image provided by: Emi Sasamori

I have one more recommendation for a viewing spot: Hachiman-zaka slope, which is decorated with winter illuminations.

Winter fireworks can be seen through the glittering rows of trees. This location, which can only be described as romantic, is sure to move everyone who sees it.

<Hakodate Winter Fireworks over the Sea>

• Date: Approximately 3 days in early February each year
• Launch time: Approximately 20 minutes from 20:00
• Launch site: Off the coast of Toyokawa Wharf, Hakodate Port
• Number of fireworks: Approximately 2,000 each day the event is held.
• Admission fee: Free
• For inquiries, please contact: Hakodate Winter Festival Executive Committee (Hakodate International Tourism and Convention Association)
• Direct phone number: 0138-27-3535 (Weekdays 8:45 AM - 17:30 PM)
• URL:http://www.hakodate-illumination.com/fuyuhanabi/
• Transportation: [Access to Kanemori Warehouse] Approximately 10 minutes on foot from JR Hakodate Station.

Hakodate's events offer a truly enjoyable experience, allowing you to see, eat, and participate in activities that are perfectly suited to the season.

If you read this article and find even one event that interests you, please do visit Hakodate! You're sure to be captivated.

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