As Hokkaido's snowy and harsh winter comes to an end, and the cherry blossom season passes in Honshu, the cherry blossom front makes landfall in Hokkaido, marking the arrival of the cherry blossom season that Hokkaido residents have been eagerly awaiting!

In the southern part of Hokkaido, where cherry blossoms bloom relatively early, they typically begin to bloom around the end of April and reach full bloom during Golden Week.

So, this time, we'll introduce four recommended spots in Hakodate where you can enjoy cherry blossoms. Let's enjoy cherry blossom viewing along with Hakodate's tourist attractions during Golden Week!

<Table of Contents>
1. Goryokaku Park
2. Hakodate Park
3. Sakuragaoka Street
4. Ishizaki Jinushikai Shrine
Final thoughts

Goryokaku Park, once the political center of Ezo (present-day Hokkaido), is a popular tourist attraction and a place of relaxation for citizens in Hakodate, and it is also known as a famous spot for cherry blossoms.

The park is home to approximately 1600 cherry trees, including Somei Yoshino varieties, and when they bloom, the star-shaped Goryokaku Park is dyed pink. You can get a clear view of it by climbing Goryokaku Tower, which is next to the park.

Incidentally, the sample cherry tree that the Hakodate Local Meteorological Observatory uses as the basis for declaring the cherry blossoms in bloom is located inside Goryokaku Park.

At Goryokaku Park, around 450 lanterns are hung during cherry blossom season, allowing visitors to enjoy the cherry blossoms at night.

The use of fire is permitted in the park only during the period when the cherry blossoms are illuminated. This is because in Hokkaido, it is customary to have Genghis Khan (grilled lamb) or barbecue during cherry blossom viewing.

If you visit Goryokaku Park or Hakodate Park (mentioned later) during the cherry blossom season, you can see Hokkaido-style cherry blossom viewing up close, so those are also a must-see!

Goryokaku Park offers not only cherry blossoms but also beautiful plum blossoms. An old photograph of the Hakodate Magistrate's Office showed plum trees, so they were planted alongside the reconstruction of the office to recreate the scenery of that time. If you visit Goryokaku Park, don't forget to stop by the Magistrate's Office!

<Goryokaku Park>

• Address: 44 Goryokaku-cho, Hakodate City
• Telephone number: 0138-21-3431 (Hakodate City Hall, Civil Engineering Department, Facilities Management Division)
• Cherry blossom illumination period: April 24th (Sun) - May 10th (Tue)
• Cherry blossom illumination hours: Weekdays 19:00-21:00, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays 19:00-22:00
• URL:http://www.hakodate-jts-kosya.jp/park/p_goryokaku.html

Image provided by: ichi

Hakodate Park, located at the foot of Mount Hakodate, is a park with a long history, having opened in 1879.

It has long been a beloved spot for locals as a cherry blossom viewing location, where approximately 400 cherry trees can be enjoyed in the spring.

Although it's a park that's visited more often by locals than tourists, the spacious grounds contain many attractions, including the municipal museum, buildings designated as tangible cultural properties of Hokkaido, and numerous monuments!

During the cherry blossom season, nearby grounds are opened up as temporary parking lots, which is great because it makes it easy to visit by car.

Image provided by: ichi

During the cherry blossom season, the area is decorated with lights, and approximately 400 lanterns illuminate the cherry trees. With over 30 stalls lining the streets during the illumination period, you can enjoy a festive atmosphere while viewing the blossoms!

Of course, just like Goryokaku Park, the use of fire is permitted in Hakodate Park only during the cherry blossom season, so it's a great place to enjoy Genghis Khan (grilled lamb) or barbecue with family and friends!

Image provided by: ichi

Hakodate Park also features a fountain where children can enjoy playing in the water, the first animal breeding facility in Hokkaido where you can see animals such as ponies, deer, and goats, and "Kodomo no Kuni" (Children's Land) with retro playground equipment including Japan's oldest Ferris wheel.

It's a popular playground for children among locals, so it's a park you should definitely visit if you're sightseeing with children.

When you visit Mount Hakodate, why not stop by Hakodate Park and enjoy some cherry blossom viewing?

<Hakodate Park>

• Address: 17 Aoyagi-cho, Hakodate City
• Telephone number: 0138-21-3431 (Hakodate City Hall, Civil Engineering Department, Facilities Management Division)
• Cherry blossom illumination period: April 24th (Sun) - May 10th (Tue)
• Cherry blossom illumination hours: Weekdays 19:00-21:00, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays 19:00-22:00
• URL:http://www.hakodate-jts-kosya.jp/park/p_hakodate.html

In a quiet residential area of ​​Hakodate City, there is a row of cherry trees stretching for approximately 800 meters.

This street, affectionately known as Sakuragaoka-dori, is lined with approximately 100 cherry trees on both sides. When the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, a pink tunnel appears in the middle of the residential area!
Image provided by: ichi

This row of cherry trees was planted in the early Showa period by local residents, and there was a time when the trees withered and the row of trees was in danger of disappearing. However, it is said that local residents took the initiative to purchase cherry trees and work to revive the row of cherry trees, resulting in its current appearance, which is even more beautiful than before.

This street is normally used as a local thoroughfare, but during cherry blossom season, many people visit to catch a glimpse of the beautiful tunnel of cherry blossoms.

Since this is a famous cherry blossom viewing spot located in a residential area, when you visit, please be sure to follow proper etiquette and enjoy the cherry blossoms without disturbing the local residents who maintain the row of trees.

<Sakuragaoka Street (City Road Kashiwagi No. 16)>

• Address: 27 Matsuin-cho, Hakodate City
• Telephone number: 0138-21-3327 (Hakodate City Hall, Tourism Department, Tourism Planning Division)

Hakodate has a hidden gem for cherry blossoms, located about 30 minutes by car from Hakodate Airport. It's the Ishizaki Jinushikai Shrine, situated on a mountaintop.

While most of the spots we've introduced so far are planted with Somei Yoshino cherry trees, the cherry blossoms you can enjoy at Ishizaki Jinushikai Shrine are a variety called Kanzan, which is a double-flowered cherry tree characterized by its darker petal color and later blooming time compared to Somei Yoshino.

This popular cherry blossom viewing spot is known for its late-blooming cherry blossoms, allowing visitors to enjoy the blossoms from mid-May to late May, even after the peak blooming season for Somei Yoshino cherry trees has passed.

From the temple grounds, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Mount Hakodate and the Tsugaru Strait, so if you're visiting Hakodate at this time of year, why not stop by and enjoy the spectacular scenery along with the late-blooming cherry blossoms?

These cherry trees were donated in 1968, the year the shrine was renovated, by Matsumae Town, the town where Matsumae Park (which is also one of Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Viewing Spots) is located.

The tunnel of cherry blossoms created by the approximately 170 double-flowered cherry trees planted along the approach to the shrine and within the shrine grounds has a different kind of beauty compared to Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms.

<Ishizaki Jinushikai Shrine>

• Address: 248 Shiraishi-cho, Hakodate City
• Telephone number: 0138-58-4250
• URL:http://www.hokkaidojinjacho.jp/data/02/02074.html

How was it?

Although cherry blossoms bloom later in Hokkaido compared to other regions, you can enjoy cherry blossom viewing in Hakodate for a long period, from the end of April to the end of May!

If you're planning a trip to Hokkaido during Golden Week, why not visit the spots we've introduced and enjoy cherry blossom viewing along with Hakodate's famous sights?

Even though it's spring, Hakodate during Golden Week is still often quite cold, even during the day, so be sure to dress warmly and enjoy the cherry blossoms in Hakodate!

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