hakodate
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Motomachi, Hakodate: The Old Merchant District
Hakodate, in the southern part of Hokkaido, was originally intended to be the capital of Japan’s northernmost island. When the country opened up after the Meiji Restoration, merchants and important people from primarily China, Russia, the US and the UK (among others) flocked here to take advantage of the riches to be found here. As…
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Goryokaku: Hakodate’s European Star Fortress
Located in the heart of Hakodate is a distinctly European star fortress called Goryokaku, meaning “five-port fort”. But why would there be one here? Why not a Japanese castle? History Despite most star forts being built between the 14th and 18th centuries due to cannonballs and gunpowder, the fort in Hakodate was built between 1859…
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Route Inn Hakodate Goryokaku: High-quality concrete
About Route Inn Hakodate Goryokaku Route Inn is a chain of hotels across Japan. They are usually located near transport hubs or sightseeing places, such as Hakodate Goryokaku (a star-shaped fortress). Route Inns are 3-star hotels with onsen (Japanese hot springs), a restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner, and other amenities typically found at 3-star…
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Cape Tachimachi: Looking at Honshu from Hokkaido
Located in the southernmost point of Hakodate, Cape Tachimachi is an excellent place to look over the bay to Honshu, Japan’s main (and largest) island. The name “Cape Tachimachi” has an interesting origin. The original name in Ainu means “the place where you stand and wait to hunt fish”. The Japanese have shorted meaning this…
