A magical night in Hakodate! Hakodate Illuminations & Winter Events Hokkaido Lab ~A Hokkaido Travel Guide to Enjoy Gourmet Food, Nature, and Culture~

A magical night in Hakodate! Hakodate illuminations & winter events

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: Last updated: September 11, 2018

Table of contents

1. What are Hakodate's winter light-ups and illuminations?

2. Hakodate Illumination

3. Hakodate Christmas Fantasy

4. The Five-Pointed Star Dream Illumination

5. Clothing advice

Summary

Hakodate Illuminated Tree-lined Street In Hokkaido, preparations for winter begin around October, marking the start of a longer preparation period for winter than for summer.
The same is true for Hakodate, located in southern Hokkaido.

Some people might think, "It's too cold to travel to Hakodate in winter, so I'll wait until it gets warmer," but that would be a real shame! In fact, there's a major event held in winter that you should definitely experience.

So, this time, I'd like to introduce you to Hakodate's three major illuminations, which are held in winter: "Hakodate Illumination," "Christmas Fantasy," and "Goryosei no Yume (Dream of the Five-Pointed Star)."

I'd like to share details about what Hakodate's nighttime illuminations are like, as well as how to enjoy the events and what to wear, so please use this as a reference!

<Contents>
1. What are Hakodate's winter light-ups and illuminations?
2. Hakodate Illumination
3. Hakodate Christmas Fantasy
4. The Dream of the Five-Pointed Star
5. Clothing advice
Summary

1. What are Hakodate's winter light-ups and illuminations?

Hakodate Illumination Tree Hakodate's winter illuminations are a major winter event where the entire city of Hakodate is bathed in lights for a certain period. It is a time when the beautiful city of Hakodate shines even brighter, and it attracts many tourists every year.

Hakodate Illumination Other events such as the "Hakodate Christmas Fantasy" and the "Goryosei no Yume (Dream of the Five-Pointed Star) Illumination" will also be held, allowing you to fully enjoy the winter nights in Hakodate.

Furthermore, from December 1st to December 25th, all three of the above light-up events will coincide, allowing you to step into a fantasy world of gentle light that illuminates the entire town!

2. Hakodate Illumination

Hakodate Illumination Photo courtesy of Hakodate City's official tourism information website, "Hakobura".

Hakodate Illumination is an event where Hakodate's Nijukkenzaka, Hachimanzaka, Motomachi Park, Kaiko-dori, and Hakodate Station Square are decorated with lights, allowing visitors to enjoy the illuminations as the sun sets.

In the historic Motomachi district, buildings and other structures are illuminated with approximately 12 lights, and when snow begins to fall, the scenery becomes even more beautiful, captivating visitors.

Hakodate Illuminated Tree-lined Street Hakodate is a city with many hills. Among them, Hachiman-zaka, the most popular, can be enjoyed both day and night, but it's especially beautiful at this time of year!

The approximately 270-meter-long slope is characterized by its straight stretch towards Hakodate Bay, and the trees lining both sides of the road are decorated with lights, allowing you to enjoy illuminations that seem to blend into the night view.

And near the top of the hill, the Motomachi area, where historical buildings from the first port city remain, such as the Catholic Motomachi Church and the former British Consulate, is also illuminated, so it's worth stopping by there as well.

Hakodate Illumination Nijukkenzaka, which runs parallel to Hachimanzaka, is said to be most beautiful during the illumination season. The pure white snow reflects the lights, creating a magical glow that adorns the night.

While this can be enjoyed day or night, the fact that there are special scenes that can only be seen for a mere three months out of the year makes it especially worthwhile to visit during that period.

As you all know, Nijukkenzaka gets its name from the fact that its width is exactly 20 ken (approximately 36 meters) from left to right. The road is very wide, making it easy to walk on. Whether it's your first time or not, you'll enjoy it a lot, so please take a leisurely stroll!

Hakodate Illumination As you can see, Hakodate winters tend to have a "cold" image, but I hope you can see that it's a wonderful city that shines beautifully precisely because it embraces the unique charm of winter.

These illuminations, featuring locations that are popular tourist spots year-round, transform into romantic roads just for the winter season! Why not take a leisurely stroll through the illuminated streets with your loved one, family, or friends?

Light-up illuminations
Location: Hakodate city (Nijukkenzaka, Hachimanzaka, Motomachi Park, Kaikodori, Hakodate Station Square)
Event period: Typically from December 1st to February 28th.
Lighting hours: From sunset until 22:00 PM
http://www.hakodate-illumination.com/

3. Hakodate Christmas Fantasy

Hakodate Illumination Hakodate Christmas Fantasy has been gaining attention in recent years as a winter illumination and Christmas event that further enhances the retro and fantastical atmosphere of Hakodate.

As part of the event, there will be a variety of activities, including a film festival, special events, and Christmas candle decorations.

As the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses are lit up, the sight of the lights swaying on the sea is truly beautiful and breathtaking. The main street runs along the waterfront, so you can enjoy the scenery at your leisure!

Hakodate Illumination Along the coast, there is also a large, impressive tree, which was a gift from Halifax, Canada, Hakodate's sister city. This tree is known as the "Tree of Happiness."

Halifax is a world-renowned producer of fir trees, which are transported by ship every year over a distance of 18,000 km. These fir trees, having traveled across the vast ocean for many days, have become a symbol of the event and are now an indispensable and important part of it.

Hakodate Illumination And on the main street, a soup bar booth will appear to warm you up on a cold night.

A vibrant blend of the exotic cultures that once thrived in this port city and Hakodate's unique culture is on display, with original soups from various shops lining the shelves. On a cold night when your breath turns white, a steaming hot bowl of soup is just perfect! Take your time and enjoy the experience while warming both your body and soul.

Soup bar booth
Location: Hakodate Christmas Fantasy Main Street Special Venue
Event period: December 1st (Fri) - December 25th (Mon), 2017
Hours: 16: 30 ~ 20: 00
Price: ¥600 per cup (tax included)
*The soup bar is ticket-based and tickets are sold inside the venue.

Hakodate Illumination Tree Photo courtesy of Hakodate City's official tourism information website, "Hakobura".

Also, one thing you should definitely try to see at this event is the "lighting of the illuminations."

Actually, the Christmas tree lighting ceremony and fireworks display take place every day from 6:00 PM. While most similar events only have a lighting ceremony once, in Hakodate, the ceremony is held every day, so you can see it anytime during the event period!

Approximately 5 lights are wrapped around an 18-meter-tall fir tree, and the moment they all light up at once is truly breathtaking. The winter fireworks that light up at the same time are also incredibly beautiful! Be sure to enjoy this unique spectacle that only Hakodate, with its exotic atmosphere, can offer.

Hakodate Christmas Fantasy
Location: 14-12 Suehiro-cho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido (along the coast)
Event period: December 1st (Fri) - December 25th (Mon), 2017
Light-up times: 16:30-17:45, 18:00-24:00
(※Fridays, Saturdays, and December 22nd-25th are open until 26:00)
http://www.hakodatexmas.com/

I wrote an article about what happened in 2016!
Click here for more details!
A giant tree floating on the sea! Hakodate Christmas Fantasy 2016

4. The Five-Pointed Star Dream Illumination

Hakodate Illumination Photo courtesy of Hakodate City's official tourism information website, "Hakobura".

In winter, Hakodate is covered in a shower of pure white, feather-like snow. Here at Goryokaku, an illumination display that beautifully takes advantage of the unique characteristics of the accumulating snow is held every year.

The Goryokaku Star Dream illumination features approximately 2,000 lights adorning the moat surrounding Goryokaku Park, which is about 1.8 km long, creating a fantastical world that looks as if stars are floating in the air.

The event, themed around "a giant star that has landed on Earth," features carefully chosen light bulbs that change color from white to red and other hues depending on the time of day. Which colored star will you encounter?

This initiative, which began before illuminations became popular nationwide, has been ongoing since 1989 and continues to this day.

Hakodate Illumination Photo courtesy of Hakodate City's official tourism information website, "Hakobura".
You can enjoy the illuminations by walking around the star-shaped area within Goryokaku, or by climbing Goryokaku Tower and looking down from above. Both ways are breathtakingly beautiful.

The moment the stars appear above the ground is also incredibly beautiful, so try going before sunset to enjoy the moment they light up!

During the Goryokaku Star Dream Illumination period, Goryokaku Tower's operating hours will be extended. Also, from 17:00 PM onwards, you can enjoy the observation deck at a special nighttime rate, making it a great deal! Take your time and enjoy the beautiful winter scenery!

Five-Pointed Star Dream Illumination
Location: Goryokaku Park, 44 Goryokaku-cho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido
Event period: December 1, 2017 (Fri) - February 28, 2018 (Wed)
Light-up hours: 17:00 to 20:00
(Note: Goryokaku Tower is open until 7:00 PM, but from February 10th, the lights will be turned on at 5:30 PM due to sunset.)
http://www.goryokaku-tower.co.jp/

5. Clothing advice

During the illumination season, from November to February, Hokkaido is very cold.

The graph above is based on data from the Japan Meteorological Agency and compares the temperatures in Hakodate and Tokyo from November 2014 to February 2015. In November, the average daily high temperature in Tokyo was 17 degrees Celsius, while in Hakodate it was 11 degrees Celsius. In December, Tokyo's average daily high temperature was 12 degrees Celsius, while Hakodate's was 2.5 degrees Celsius, both lower than Tokyo's average daily low temperatures.
Given the daytime temperature, it's quite possible that it will drop below freezing at night.

The Bay Area, like many other places, can get quite windy, so I strongly recommend wearing warm, windproof clothing rather than something like a trench coat.

To avoid the disappointment of having to go home because it's too cold despite the beautiful illuminations, I recommend going fully bundled up.

Hakodate Illumination
<What does "complete protection" mean?>
× Trench coat ○ Down coat and other winter coats
×Cotton scarf ○Cashmere or similar scarf
×Woolen gloves ○Waterproof gloves (such as ski gloves) If you don't have any, use waterproof spray.
*Things that are very useful to have: hand warmers, earmuffs

Hakodate Illumination And in winter, Hakodate, with its many hills, is extremely slippery.

Rain boots can be surprisingly slippery, so wear boots with a jagged sole that will grip the snow firmly when you step on them. On snowy days, sneakers can also get soaked and make your feet numb, so avoid wearing them.

Summary

Hakodate Illumination
Hakodate is a unique city where foreign cultures have taken root, preserving historical buildings and traces of the past while continuing to evolve for the next generation. It can be enjoyed in all four seasons, but the fantastical scenery of winter is especially beautiful.

Everywhere in the city is lit up and adorned with illuminations, making the entire city shine brightly.

Why not take a look at the Hakodate Illuminations and Christmas Fantasy, events that can only be enjoyed during this period, and see them for yourself? Enjoy the nightlife of Hakodate to the fullest!

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