Hakodate Restaurant Guide
Hakodate is the third largest city in Hokkaido located along the southernmost shores of the island. Its ports were among the first in Japan to be open to Western trade, so the buildings show a mixture of both European and Japanese styles. You may want to admire the historical architecture or take a 30-minute train ride to visit the beautiful Onuma Quasi-National Park. Because Hokkaido is renowned for having some of the best seafood in Japan thanks to the cool weather and cold ocean waters, Hakodate restaurants are incredibly popular for their uni (sea urchin), crab and squid.
Start out your day at the Morning Market near Hakodate Station, which spans five blocks of streets lined with vendors selling their catch from earlier that morning, souvenir shops, and restaurants and food stands serving fresh sushi and raw seafood donburi (rice bowls) like ikuradon (salmon roe over rice) and unidon (sea urchin on rice). Hakodate ramen is another must-try. Unlike the miso ramen in Sapporo, its broth is clearer, less fatty, and slightly salty from the kelp and seafood that are added to the traditional pork or chicken-based broth; taking the original recipe and adding a splash of ocean flavor. Finish off your meals with a sweet and creamy piece of Snaffles Hakodate cheesecake, or take some home to your friends. Check out the restaurants below to see where you can try these amazing dishes—and more—and find your next favorite Hakodate restaurant!