One Day Guide in Hakodate (Hokkaido), Japan (Cruise Edition)

Photos are all property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

Geography: located in the center of Kameda Peninsula on the island of Hokkaido
Population: Approx. 240,000
Currency: Japanese Yen (Yen); Currency Converter
Cruise Port: Google Map Location
Tender Port: No
Best Time to Visit: Early Summer

As a result of typhoon Shanshan, our cruise itinerary was altered, leading us to change our destination from Kagoshima and Mt. Fuji to Hakodate, Hokkaido. The ship arrived at the port on August 29, 2024. Since our previous stop was at Jeju Island, Korea, we had to go through customs upon arrival in Hakodate, as it marked our first entry point into Japan. If your travel plan is similar, you may undergo a similar process. The customs inspection was efficiently conducted, and we were done around 1PM. The deadline for boarding was set for 6:30 PM, allowing us time to only explore the areas near the port.

Our first stop was the morning market, where we found numerous seafood restaurants in the vicinity. By the time we arrived, it was nearing its closure (around 2 PM). Fortunately, we were able to enter a food court and savor some exceptionally fresh salmon sashimi. The majority of visitors seemed to relish the enormous grilled crab legs. Additionally, you may want to sample their local delicacy, the Hokkaido melon.

After that, we strolled towards the red brick warehouse, following a straightforward path along the harborside. There are seven warehouses housing approximately 50 restaurants and shops. You can explore all of them with ease. Don't miss the opportunity to sample the renowned cheesecakes at Petite Merveille and at Pastry Snaffle's. We also indulged in a delicious Re di Roma Gelato made from original Hokkaido milk.

Thereafter, we started to walkup Motomachi hill. It was quite challenging to climb up but we did see a bunch of senior cruisers making it up there with no issue. Coming down was a lot easier. We recommend avoiding school hours due to the large number of students on the stairs. At the hilltop stands a renowned church, although we did not visit on this occasion.

Our last stop was at the Lucky Pierrot Burger Chain. We had to find out what all the fuss was all about. We decided to go with the #1 combo, and I have to say, it was actually quite good. The chicken was moist, and the cheese gravy fries were delicious as well. In the vicinity, there are two of these stores; make sure to visit the larger one opposite the red warehouses for more seating capacity (even if there's a queue, it will progress swiftly). The alternative venue is significantly smaller.

Public transportation in this port is more challenging compared to the others we visited. Due to our limited time at the port, we decided against taking the bus, as the waiting time for each one is typically over 30 minutes. If we had more time, we would certainly have ventured into other areas. Check out the recommendations of places we missed below and share your experiences if you had the opportunity to visit them during your trip!

Here are some tour options if you don't want to explore on your own: