Morning Markets and Night Views in Hakodate

A day in Hakodate begins at the morning market. Opening at 5 a.m., the market is already brimming with lively calls from vendors. Fresh squid sashimi on the spot and a seafood rice bowl for breakfast — that's the local tradition. Beyond the market, the red-brick warehouse district comes into view.

From the bay area, head uphill toward Motomachi. The view looking down from the top of Hachiman-zaka slope is one of Hakodate's most iconic vistas. Partway up the slope stands the white Hakodate Orthodox Church, its bells ringing from time to time. The blue-gray and yellow facade of the Old Public Hall of Hakodate Ward conveys the grandeur of Meiji-era Western architecture.

After dark, take the ropeway up Mt. Hakodate. From the summit, the city lights spread out in a fan shape across the narrow strip of land flanked by the sea on both sides — Hakodate Port on the left, the Tsugaru Strait on the right. It's the contrast between the density of light and the surrounding darkness that makes this night view so extraordinary.