TRAVEL TOGETHER
Make this trip work for your group
Harbour scenery is followed by a hot-spring stay near the airport.
- Adjust the route
- Shorten Motomachi slopes and confirm the night-view return and ryokan transfers.
- Check your room
- The listed hotels are comparison options, not a guarantee of family suitability. Check occupancy for your actual group, children’s ages, bed layout, steps and lift access directly with the property.
An editorial match to this route, not an accessibility or age-suitability certification. Existing budgets use the group size stated in the article; recalculate for your party.
PORT TO ONSEN
A night in the port,
A night at a seaside hot spring.
On the first day, leave your luggage at Hakodate Station, pass through the bay and hills of Motomachi and end with a night view of Mt. Hakodate. On the second day, after looking down at the star shape of Goryokaku, take a tram to Yunokawa Onsen. The final accommodation is located near the airport, so it’s a 3-day, 2-night stay with sightseeing ahead and rest behind.
Hachimanzaka goes straight down to the port. As you climb from the bay to the group of churches on the hill, the scenery continues naturally.
MAKE IT YOUR TRIP
Keep the moments you came for
Make time for this
Pair the harbor and night view with Goryokaku and a Yunokawa stay the next day. Choose the botanical garden by season and flight time rather than expecting bathing monkeys year-round.
Arrange the trip around it
Allow for the descent queue before booking dinner after the night view. The city hotel and Yunokawa ryokan are separate stays: confirm bags, breakfast and airport transport for each.
Planning notes reviewed on 10 September 2026. Check the dated transport and property sources below for your travel dates.
2 NIGHTS · 3 DAYS
Schedule to follow
Walk in one direction across the harbor slopes and million lights
The view down Hachimanzaka towards Hakodate's harbour.
- 01Departure from Hakodate Airport around 10:30 · Airport shuttle bus → JR Hakodate Station · Approximately 20 minutes · Adult ¥700
- 0211:00 Leave your luggage at the hotel in front of Hakodate Station → Take the streetcar to Jujigai · One way ¥250
- 0311:40 Lucky Pierrot Bay Area Main Branch · Chinese Chicken Burger Early Lunch
- 0412:30 Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse and Port Walk
- 05Optional · 13:40 Hachimanzaka → Hakodate Orthodox Church → Motomachi Park · Move slowly uphill — Shorten the hillside walk and rest before the evening view.
- 0615:30 Hotel check-in and rest · Depart back to Jujigai 90 minutes before sunset
- 0717:20 Jujigai Stop → Ropeway Sanroku Station Approximately 10-15 minutes walk · Steep uphill
- 08Around 18:00 Mt. Hakodate ropeway round trip ¥1,800 · View from blue hour to night view
- 09Work back from your dinner reservation, including the descent queue and travel. A 19:40 descent is only an example; shorten the view if queues grow.
- 1020:10 Uni Murakami Hakodate Station Front Store · Dinner reservation, last order at 21:00 If dinner is the priority, keep the view short; if the ropeway is suspended, rest at the hotel and go directly to the restaurant.
After seeing the star-shaped castle, go to the seaside hot springs.
Star-shaped Goryokaku, combining a tower view with a park walk.
- 0106:30 Breakfast at hotel or walk to Hakodate morning market 08:30 Check out and store luggage at hotel
- 0208:45 In front of Hakodate Station → Goryokaku Koen-mae · Approximately 17 minutes by streetcar · Adult ¥270
- 03Approximately 10–13 minutes walk from the stop to Goryokaku Tower
- 0409:20–10:10 Goryokaku Tower Observation Deck · 09:00–18:00 · Adult ¥1,200
- 0510:10–11:00 Walk inside Goryokaku Park moat · Free admission
- 0611:05 Ajisai Main Store · Shio Ramen Lunch · Closed on the fourth Wednesday of every month
- 0712:10 Return to Hakodate Station by tram → Collect luggage from hotel
- 0813:10 In front of Hakodate Station → Yunokawa Onsen stop · Approximately 30 minutes by streetcar · Adult ¥290
- 0914:00 Leave luggage at the ryokan → Free foot bath in Yunokawa hot springs and walk to Yukura Shrine
- 1015:00 Check-in at the ryokan · Relax in the room and large public bath
- 1117:30 or 19:30 Dinner at ryokan · Designated time for each accommodation is confirmed at check-in
A short Yunokawa morning before the airport
Monkeys at Hakodate Tropical Botanical Garden. Hot-spring bathing is seasonal.
- 0107:30 Check the closing time for breakfast at the ryokan and the last hot spring and meal.
- 0209:15 After check-out, store your luggage at the front desk.
- 0309:30 Coffee Room Kikuchi · Mocha Soft Cream · About 5 minutes walk from Yunokawa Onsen stop
- 0410:05 Transfer to Hakodate City Tropical Botanical Garden · 10–20 minutes walk or short taxi depending on the ryokan location
- 0510:20–11:20 Tropical Botanical Garden · Adult ¥300 · Monkey Hot Springs usually only open from December to early May
- 0611:30 Retrieve luggage from ryokan → Airport shuttle bus or taxi
- 07Yunokawa Onsen → Hakodate Airport Shuttle bus about 8 minutes · Adult ¥300
- 08Arrival at the airport around 12:00, a planning target for a domestic flight at 14:00 or later; check airline deadlines and leave earlier if required
- 09For earlier flights, skip the coffee and botanical gardens and head straight to the airport after check-out.
EAT ALONG THE ROUTE
Starting with the chicken burger,
Even shio ramen and mocha.
Business hours and prices are confirmed as of September 2026. Uni Murakami is closed on Tuesdays, and Ajisai is closed on the fourth Wednesday of the month. As it changes depending on fishing, public holidays, and seasons, please check the linked official page again just before making a reservation.
DAY 1 · Lunch
Lucky Pierrot Bay Area Main Branch
- Getting there
- Opposite Kanemori Red Brick Warehouse · Approximately 5 minutes walk from Jujigai stop
- menu
- Chinese chicken burger with three pieces of sweet and salty fried chicken, French fries with meat sauce and white sauce
- budget
- Burger meal approx. ¥462 · Popular set approx. ¥968 · ¥500–1,200 per person
- Opening hours
- 10:00–22:00 · Closed on December 31 · Business hours vary by branch
If you enter just before the bay walk, there’s no movement. If the wait for a seat in the store is long, take out the food and eat it on the benches around the warehouse. Bring wet wipes as the sauce tends to spill.
Check the latest information ↗
DAY 1 · Dinner
Uni Murakami Hakodate Station Front Store
- Getting there
- Approximately 5 minutes on foot from JR Hakodate Station · Return to the hotel after coming down from Mt. Hakodate
- menu
- Raw uni rice bowl without alum, uni gratin and seasonal seafood
- budget
- Raw beef uni rice bowl small 40g approx. ¥5,720 · regular 80g approx. ¥9,185 · ¥5,000–10,000+ per person
- Opening hours
- 11:30–14:30, last order 14:00 · 17:30–21:30, last order 21:00 · Closed on Tuesdays
Be sure to make a reservation in advance if you want to visit after the night view at 20:00. If the price of uni is too high, you can split a small bowl of rice and grilled food or gratin between two people. Depending on the fishing situation, it may be sold out.
Check the latest information ↗
DAY 2 · Lunch
Hakodate Menchubo Ajisai Main Store
- Getting there
- Opposite of Goryokaku Tower · Immediately after visiting the observatory and park
- menu
- Hakodate shio ramen with thin noodles in clear chicken and pork broth
- budget
- Ajisai Shio Ramen ¥1,080 · Approx. ¥1,000–2,000 per person
- Opening hours
- 11:00–20:25 · Closed on the 4th Wednesday of every month, and may be closed on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday in winter
The safest time is right after opening at 11 o'clock. If you’re not seated by 11:40, you can change to Lucky Pierrot at the Goryokaku branch or Ajisai at the station branch without any problems in going to the hot springs afterwards.
Check the latest information ↗
DAY 3 · Snack
Coffee Room Kikuchi
- Getting there
- Approximately 5 minutes walk from Yunokawa Onsen stop · Directions to Tropical Botanical Garden
- menu
- Mocha soft cream with slightly ice crystals, coffee and toast
- budget
- Soft ice cream approx. ¥350–500 · Café use approx. ¥500–1,200 per person
- Opening hours
- Café 09:30–18:00 · Packaged soft cream until 19:00 from April to October, until 18:30 from November to March · Closed from December 30 to January 1
Just one soft serve ice cream after breakfast at the ryokan is enough. Please prepare cash as there are times when cards or electronic money are not accepted and only QR payments are accepted.
Check the latest information ↗THE STAR FORT
See the stars from above
The shape is complete.
Goryokaku Park is free, but if you just walk inside the moat, it's hard to make out the star shape. First, go up to the tower observation deck to see the entire structure, then come down inside the park. Since it’s before a group visit at 9:00, it’s relatively quiet, and you can also fit it right in when Ajisai opens at 11:00.
Goryokaku Station is far from the park. Instead of JR Goryokaku Station, get off at the streetcar “Goryokaku Koenmae” and walk for about 10–13 minutes.
WINTER SIGNATURE
Going into a hot spring
It's not just people.
At the Hakodate City Tropical Botanical Garden, monkeys can usually be seen entering the hot springs from December to early May. Operating hours are 09:30–18:00 from April to October, 09:30–16:30 from November to March, and ¥300 for adults. Hot springs may run out depending on the maternity season or facility conditions, so check whether they are open on the same day for winter trips.
WHERE TO STAY
Yunokawa Ryokan two,
Two hotels in front of the station
Which stay suits your trip?
For DAY 1, the simple JR Inn with trains, buses and a 12th floor large bath is better, but Tokyu Stay is better for a washing machine in the room and breakfast at the morning market. DAY 2 is Boro Noguchi if you value spacious rooms and individual kaiseki meals, and Shiosaitei if you want value for money with an ocean view and two meals included. Choose one downtown and one in Yunokawa.
Bourou Noguchi Hakodate
Approximately 4 minutes on foot from Yunokawa Onsen stop, approximately 10 minutes by car to the airport
- price
- 2 people per room approx. ¥65,000–130,000+ / 1 night, breakfast and dinner included
- breakfast
- 07:30–09:00 Last admission · Choice of Japanese or Western style
- Dinner
- Donan seasonal ingredients creative kaiseki · Basic 17:30, 19:30, 2 sessions, ends 21:00
- parking
- Check conditions for free parking on site and airport transfer for official reservation privileges
- Advantages
- The rooms are spacious, ranging from 60㎡ Wa Modern to 120㎡ Maisonette Suite, and the satisfaction of anniversary guests is high with hot spring views and private dining spaces.
- Cons
- Yunokawa also has the highest price range and has a large difference in room class. Dinner selections are limited if you arrive late
Heiseikan Shiosaitei
Approximately 10-12 minutes walk from Yunokawa Onsen stop · Beach near Tropical Botanical Garden
- price
- 2 people per room approx. ¥30,000–75,000+ / 1 night, breakfast and dinner included
- breakfast
- 07:00–09:00 Japanese/Western buffet before and after · Check on-site times
- Dinner
- Buffet with grilled seafood and Hokkaido menu - Check availability for 2 meals plan
- parking
- Free parking on site
- Advantages
- Its strengths include rooms right in front of the Tsugaru Strait and a large bath facing the sea, and it’s easier to get a lower price than Boro Noguchi, which includes two meals.
- Cons
- There’s a large difference in satisfaction depending on the room or sea view, and the buffet and large public baths can be crowded during group use times.
JR Inn Hakodate
Directly connected to the north exit of JR Hakodate Station · Airport bus and streetcar take priority
- price
- 2 people per room approx. ¥11,000–28,000 / 1 night
- breakfast
- 06:30–10:00, last admission 09:30 · Adult ¥2,600
- Dinner
- No hotel dinner · Morning market · Hakodate Station restaurant available
- parking
- Hakodate Station Park & Train parking lot, about ¥600 per night
- Advantages
- The most reliable choice, with little exposure to rain or snow, connected to the station, and equipped with a 12th-floor large bath/lounge and train views.
- Cons
- The basic twin is 20㎡, so it’s too narrow to spread out large luggage, and you have to take the streetcar to Bay and Motomachi.
Tokyu Stay Hakodate Asaichi Akari-no-yu
Approximately 4 minutes walk from Hakodate Station · Right next to Hakodate Morning Market
- price
- 2 people per room approx. ¥12,000–32,000 / 1 night
- breakfast
- ¥2,400 Breakfast ticket available at 19 morning market affiliates, choose from over 65 menus · Starting at 06:00, closing varies by store
- Dinner
- No hotel dinner · Use Uni Murakami and Daimon Yokocho in front of the station
- parking
- 38 vehicles on site · 15:00 – 11:00 the next day, ¥1,000 per night
- Advantages
- There’s a washer and dryer in the room, an open-air bath on the 18th floor, and an optional morning market breakfast, making it ideal for long-term trips and seafood breakfasts.
- Cons
- You have to go to a partner store instead of the buffet in the hotel, and you can wait at popular morning market stores even early in the morning.
Rate criteria · Approximate range of 2 people per room per night searchable in September 2026. It varies greatly depending on cherry blossoms, year-end and New Year holidays, weekends, sea view, and whether the room has a hot spring. Check the reservation screen again for breakfast and dinner inclusions, bathing tax, lodging tax, and check-in deadline.
BUDGET GUIDE
Estimated cost per person
This is the cost per person for a two-person trip and excludes flights and shopping. Breakfast and dinner at Yunokawa Ryokan are included in the accommodation fee. Boro Noguchi Room class and uni rice bowl selection make the biggest difference to your overall budget.
GOOD
Advantages of this schedule
- Bay, Motomachi, night view and Goryokaku are separated by direction
- Take a tram from downtown to Yunokawa
- The final accommodation is close to the airport, so there’s less travel burden on the day of return.
CHECK
Things to know
- The view and operation of Mt. Hakodate may vary due to clouds and strong winds.
- Steep slope to Motomachi and Ropeway Sanroku Station
- Monkey Hot Springs is winter-centric and not a year-round sight.
OFFICIAL SOURCES
Check again before departure.
Hakodate Airport/City/Yunokawa Bus Times and Fares ↗Hakodate City · Streetcar Fares by Distance ↗Hakodate Official Sightseeing / Streetcar 1-Day Pass ¥800 ↗Mt. Hakodate Ropeway · Same-day operation and operating hours ↗Mt. Hakodate Ropeway · Round trip fare ¥1,800 ↗Goryokaku Tower · Operating hours · Admission fee ↗Hakodate Official Tour · Tropical Botanical Garden · Foot Bath ↗Bourou Noguchi Hakodate · Room and dining information ↗Heiseikan Shiosaitei · Room and hot spring information ↗JR Inn Hakodate · Room and breakfast information ↗PHOTO CREDITS · Night view of Mt. Hakodate: Skyticket Travel Guide · Hachimanzaka: Bike Life Lab · Goryokaku: Tabimania Japan · Tropical Botanical Garden Monkey: GoodDay Hokkaido · Food and room photos are images of the official or travel/reservation introduction page of each store/accommodation and have been resized for editing.
English edition of our Korean guide. Times and prices retain the source review date; they are not live booking quotes. Check eligibility for visitor fares and plan international flights separately.