Hakodate Sightseeing Tour with Local Guide by Car

7 hours Free cancellation Private tour

Hakodate Sightseeing Tour with Local Guide by Car, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Hakodate, located in southern Hokkaido, was one of the first Japanese ports to open to foreign trade, giving the city its unique international character. From red-brick warehouses to charming European-style buildings, Hakodate offers a distinctive blend of cultures that can be difficult to fully appreciate without local insight.

On this 8-hour private tour with a professional guide and air-conditioned car, explore the city in comfort while gaining a deeper understanding of its history and highlights. Your guide will provide engaging commentary and tailor the itinerary to your interests, ensuring a personalized and enriching experience.

Potential stops include the scenic Onuma Quasi-National Park, the historic Motomachi district, and other key attractions around the city. Enjoy a seamless, flexible, and comfortable way to discover Hakodate at your own pace.

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At a glance

Duration: 7 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–8
Guide: Japanese, English
Operated by: The Washoku Club Culture and Food Tours

Ages: Infants (0–5 years) · Children (6–12 years) · Adults (13–90 years)

What is included

Included

Included: AC Private Car
Included: Licensed Local English-speaking Guide
Included: Pick up and Drop off
Included: Customizable Tour of your choice of 3-4 sites from 'What to expect' list

Not included

Not included: Meals
Not included: Tipping
Not included: Entrance Fees

Itinerary

Mount Hakodate

30 min

Mount Hakodate (函館山, Hakodateyama) is a 334 meter high, wooded mountain at the southern end of the peninsula on which much of central Hakodate is located. On clear days and nights, in particular, the views from the mountain are spectacular and included among Japan's three best night views alongside the views from Nagasaki's Mount Inasa and Kobe's Mount Rokko. Facilities at the summit, which is accessible by ropeway, bus or car, include observation platforms (free of charge), souvenir shops, a cafe and a cafeteria style restaurant.
Onuma Quasi-National Park

one hour

Designated as a "quasi national park" and located only twenty kilometers north of Hakodate, Onuma Park (大沼公園, Ōnuma Kōen) is known for its picturesque, island dotted lakes and majestic volcano, Mount Komagatake. Onuma Park can be easily visited in either a day trip from Hakodate or on a stop over on a journey between Hakodate and Sapporo, since most limited express trains between the two cities stop at Onuma Koen Station, the central railway station.
Goryokaku Park

30 min

Goryokaku Park is a historic star-shaped fort in Hakodate, now a popular public park. Originally built in the late Edo Period as a Western-style fortress, it later became the site of the last battle between the Tokugawa shogunate and the Meiji government. Today, the park is famous for its cherry blossoms, with over 1,000 trees blooming in early May. Visitors can also enjoy panoramic views from the nearby Goryokaku Tower. *Entry to Goryokaku Park is free, but there is an admission fee for Goryokaku Tower.
Hakodate Morning Market

30 min

The Hakodate Morning Market (函館朝市, Hakodate Asaichi) is held daily from 5am (from 6am during winter) to noon, just a few steps away from JR Hakodate Station. The market area spans about four city blocks. Products on sale include various types of fresh seafood such as crabs (kani), salmon eggs (ikura) and sea urchin (uni), as well as fresh produce such as melons. Many restaurants can be found in the market area, offering fresh seafood breakfasts, such as uni-ikura domburi.
Motomachi

30 min Admission not included

The harbor of Hakodate was one of the first to be opened to foreign trade in 1854 after Japan's era of isolation had come to an end. As a result, many traders from Russia, China and Western countries moved to Hakodate. Motomachi, at the foot of Mount Hakodate, became a district favored among the new foreign residents. Many foreign looking buildings remain in the area today. Among the most famous are the Russian Orthodox Church, the Old British Consulate, the Chinese Memorial Hall, the prefectural government's former branch office building and the old Hakodate Public Hall (closed from November 2018 till April 2021). Admission 300 yen
Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse

30 min

Hakodate Port was among the first Japanese ports to be opened to international trade towards the end of the Edo Period (1600-1867). Several red brick warehouses from past trading days survive along the waterfront in the bay area of Hakodate, and have recently been redeveloped into an atmospheric shopping, dining and entertainment complex. Besides a typical range of trendy souvenir, fashion, interior and sweets shops, the complex also features a restaurant, a beer hall, a chapel for weddings and sightseeing cruises of the bay.
Bay Hakodate

one hour

The Bay Area facing Hakodate Port offers an expansive vista of the harbor. This area features a row of old red-brick buildings that have been converted into a unique shopping mall, enticing visitors to stop in and enjoy some shopping or a tea break.
Hakodate Museum of Northern Peoples

30 min

The Hakodate Museum of the Northern Peoples is located inside a building that would once have served as the Japan Bank and was built in 1926. The museum is an ode to the Ainu culture and offers you a fascinating look at this indigenous culture which is not well known outside of Japan. You can also learn about other indigenous groups in Japan such as the Sakhalin who are from an island which is to the north of Hokkaido that is now a part of Russia.

Meeting point and pickup

The operator picks every participant up from their accommodation or the points below.

Pickup points

Hakodate Kokusai Hotel

Your guide will be waiting for you in the hotel lobby, holding a flag with our company’s name and logo, so you can easily recognize them.

Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

Good to know

Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Seatbelts must be worn at all times while the vehicle is in motion.
This tour involves walking at some of the sightseeing locations. Guests should be comfortable walking short to moderate distances and standing for periods of time.
Some stops, including viewpoints, markets, and historic areas, may involve stairs, uneven surfaces, slopes, or extended periods of walking.
Guests with limited mobility, older travelers, or anyone who may have difficulty walking are advised to inform us in advance so the itinerary can be adjusted where possible.
Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
restrooms are available at the starting point or during the tour, and indicate when restroom breaks are scheduled.