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61-576: Hakodate was Japan's first city whose port was opened to foreign trade in 1854, as a result of Convention of Kanagawa , and used to be the most important port in northern Japan. Also, the city had been the biggest city in Hokkaido before Great Fire of Hakodate in 1934. Hakodate (like other parts of around Hokkaido), was originally populated by the Ainu . The name "Hakodate" may have originated from an Ainu word, "hak-casi" ("shallow fort"). Another possibility

122-542: A conflagration. The houses are nothing but tinder… Stones, however, are its prominent feature. Looking down upon it from above you see miles of grey boulders, and realise that every roof in the windy capital is "hodden doun" by a weight of paving stones. Hakodate was awarded city status on August 1, 1922. On March 21, 1934, a serious fire had destroyed around two-thirds of all the buildings in Hakodate. This event also led to many residents leaving and subsequently depopulating

183-451: A letter urging Japan to end the isolation policy on its own before change would be forced from the outside. In 1846, an official American expedition led by Commodore James Biddle arrived in Japan asking for ports to be opened for trade but was sent away. In 1853, United States Navy Commodore Matthew C. Perry was sent with a fleet of warships by U.S. President Millard Fillmore to force

244-498: A sand bar formed between Mount Hakodate and the peninsula. This landform, which is an example of a tombolo , finished forming in circa 1000 BCE. The tombolo connects the former Hakodate island with the main island Hokkaido to the north. The main central area of Hakodate city is located on the sandbar. Hakodate is located at the center of Kameda Peninsula. The city is overlooked by Mount Hakodate . The summit can be reached by hiking trail, cable car , or by car. Visitors can also reach

305-519: Is 17 km (11 mi) away from Hakodate Station. There are plans to extend the Hokkaido Shinkansen north to Sapporo Station by 2030. In Hakodate, there are mass media and information and telecommunications providers such as newspaper companies, TV broadcasters, community broadcasters, and cable TV operators. National Public Private National Convention of Kanagawa The Convention of Kanagawa , also known as

366-698: Is credited with introducing Eastern Orthodox Christianity to Japan in 1861 (now the Japanese Orthodox Church ). The Orthodox church is neighbored by several other historical missionary churches, including Anglican and Catholic . Hakodate also played a central role in the Boshin War between the Tokugawa shogunate and the Meiji Emperor which followed Perry's opening of Japan. Shogunate rebel Enomoto Takeaki fled to Hakodate with

427-526: Is not uncommon to see snowfall in the latter parts of the fall season. See or edit raw graph data . Prior to its dissolution, Air Hokkaido was headquartered in Hakodate. In January 2006, the regional airline Airtransse was headquartered in Hakodate. In Funami-cho there is the Koryu-ji temple. It's the oldest Buddhist temple (affiliated with the Soto school) in the region which was built in 1633. It

488-561: Is open daily and boasts hundreds of fish and sea food stands in addition to restaurants. Popular fares include sea urchin and calamari, the famous Japanese snow crab from the famous Hokkaido waters. Hakodate Transportation Bureau operates tram ( Light rail ) lines. The Hokkaido Shinkansen opened in March 2016. It currently runs to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto Station through the Seikan Tunnel from Shin-Aomori Station . The new terminal

549-564: Is that it means "box" or "building" in Japanese which refers to the castle built by the Kono (Kano) clan in the fifteenth century. Hakodate was founded in 1454, when Kono Kaganokami Masamichi constructed a large manor house in the fishing village of Usukeshi, the word for bay in Ainu. After his death, Masamichi's son, Kono Suemichi, and family were driven out of Hakodate into nearby Kameda during

610-475: Is the squid. Hakodate is famous for the restaurant Ikkatei Tabiji, which serves a dish called "dancing squid": - a recently deceased squid is served with soy sauce, the sodium of the soy sauce causes a cadaveric spasm when it is poured over the squid. Every year (August) the city gets together for the Hakodate Port Festival. Many citizens gather in the streets to dance a wiggly dance known as

671-475: The 1858 Treaty of Amity and Commerce signed with the U.S. The Hakodate foreign settlement is one of the legacies of foreign influence in Hakodate. A mariner in Perry's fleet died during a visit to the area and became the first U.S. citizen to be buried in Japan when he was interred in Hakodate's cemetery for foreigners . British merchant, naturalist and spy, Thomas Blakiston , took up residence in Hakodate in

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732-519: The Chinese and was conducted exclusively at Nagasaki under a strict government monopoly. This "Pax Tokugawa" period is largely associated with domestic peace, social stability, commercial development, and expanded literacy. This policy had two main objectives: By the early 19th century, this policy of isolation was increasingly under challenge. In 1844, King William II of the Netherlands sent

793-576: The Hoei period (1704–11), and many new temples were founded in the area. The town's fortunes received a further boost in 1741 when the Matsumae clan , which had been granted nearby areas on the Oshima Peninsula as a march fief , moved its Kameda magistracy to Masamichi's house in Hakodate. In 1779, the Tokugawa shogunate took direct control over Hakodate, which triggered rapid development in

854-646: The Ika-odori (Squid Dance), the name of which describes the dance appropriately. The glowing lights of squid-catching boats can be seen in the waters surrounding the city. The bell of Haristos Orthodox Church is one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan . The Hakodate Fish Market (otherwise known as the Asaichi or the Morning Market) is approximately 10-minute walk from the JR Hakodate Station. It

915-747: The Kanagawa Treaty ( 神奈川条約 , Kanagawa Jōyaku ) or the Japan–US Treaty of Peace and Amity ( 日米和親条約 , Nichibei Washin Jōyaku ), was a treaty signed between the United States and the Tokugawa Shogunate on March 31, 1854. Signed under threat of force , it effectively meant the end of Japan's 220-year-old policy of national seclusion ( sakoku ) by opening the ports of Shimoda and Hakodate to American vessels. It also ensured

976-556: The Köppen climate classification , Hakodate's climate is Hot Summer humid continental ( Dfa ) of hot summers and winters with regular intense blizzards . With an alternate definition, using the −3 °C (27 °F) isotherm, Hakodate falls in the Humid Subtropical Climate ( Cfa ) commonly found on the east coast of the continents. The warmest month has an average temperature of 22.1 °C (71.8 °F). And so

1037-745: The Naval Battle of Hakodate in May 1869. Following the Battle of Hakodate on 27 June 1869, the Republic of Ezo collapsed, and Hokkaidō came under the rule of the central government headed by the Meiji Emperor . After his surrender, Enomoto was arrested, accused of high treason and imprisoned. However, the leaders of the new Meiji government (largely at the insistence of Kuroda Kiyotaka ) realized that Enomoto's various talents and accumulated knowledge could be of use, pardoned him in 1872. Enomoto became one of

1098-460: The Shinkansen rail line greatly reduced the travel time from Honshu to Hakodate. In April 2023, Jun Ōizumi became the mayor of Hakodate. Ōizumi, the older brother of actor Yo Oizumi , defeated 3-term incumbent Toshiki Kudō, receiving more than 80% of the vote. Mount Hakodate was originally an island that was formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. During the course of history

1159-531: The Tokugawa shogunate navy and the newly formed Imperial Japanese Navy . It was a decisive victory for the Imperial Japanese Navy. On 14 June 1868, Hakodate was designated as an urban prefecture (府 fu), one of the first two, the other being Kyoto . On February 8, 1882, it was enlarged into Hakodate-ken, and then became part of Hokkaido on January 26, 1886. The rebels occupied Hakodate's famous European-style Goryōkaku fort and used it as

1220-526: The daimyō for their opinions. This was the first time that the Tokugawa shogunate had allowed its decision-making to be a matter of public debate and had the unforeseen consequence of portraying the shogunate as weak and indecisive. The results of the poll also failed to provide Abe with an answer; of the 61 known responses, 19 were in favour of accepting the American demands and 19 were equally opposed. Of

1281-611: The " unequal treaty system" which characterized Asian and western relations during this period. The Kanagawa treaty was also followed by similar agreements with the United Kingdom ( Anglo-Japanese Friendship Treaty , October 1854), Russia ( Treaty of Shimoda , February 7, 1855), and France ( Treaty of Amity and Commerce between France and Japan , October 9, 1858). Internally, the treaty had far-reaching consequences. Decisions to suspend previous restrictions on military activities led to re-armament by many domains and further weakened

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1342-721: The 1850s, and after Japan's forced "opening" by Commodore Matthew Perry in 1854, he studied at the Tokugawa shogunate's Naval Training Center in Nagasaki and at the Tsukiji Warship Training Center in Edo. At the age of 26, Enomoto was sent to the Netherlands to study western techniques in naval warfare and to procure western technologies. He stayed in Europe from 1862 to 1867, and became fluent in both

1403-505: The Ainu rebellion in 1512 and little history was recorded for the area during the next 100 years. There was constant low-level conflict in the Oshima peninsula at the time with the Ainu, as armed merchants like the Kono family, established bases to control trade in the region. This conflict culminated in an uprising from 1669 to 1672, led by Ainu warrior Shakushain after which the Ainu in the region were suppressed. Hakodate flourished during

1464-589: The Dutch and English languages. Enomoto returned to Japan on board the Kaiyō Maru , a steam warship purchased from the Netherlands by the Shogunal government. During his stay in Europe, Enomoto had realized that the telegraph would be an important means of communication in the future, and started planning a system to connect Edo and Yokohama . Upon his return, Enomoto was promoted to Kaigun Fukusōsai ( 海軍副総裁 ) ,

1525-641: The Japanese perspective, increasing contacts with foreign warships and the increasing disparity between western military technology and the Japanese feudal armies fostered growing concern. The Japanese had been keeping abreast of world events via information gathered from Dutch traders in Dejima and had been forewarned by the Dutch of Perry's voyage. There was a considerable internal debate in Japan on how best to meet this potential threat to Japan's economic and political sovereignty in light of events occurring in China with

1586-495: The Opium Wars. Perry arrived with four warships at Uraga , at the mouth of Edo Bay on July 8, 1853. He blatantly refused Japanese demands that he proceed to Nagasaki, which was the designated port for foreign contact. After threatening to continue directly on to Edo , the nation's capital, and to burn it to the ground if necessary, he was allowed to land at nearby Kurihama on July 14 and to deliver his letter. Such refusal

1647-646: The Tokugawa navy of Bakumatsu period Japan, who remained faithful to the Tokugawa shogunate and fought against the new Meiji government until the end of the Boshin War . He later served in the Meiji government as one of the founders of the Imperial Japanese Navy . Enomoto was born as a member of a samurai family in the direct service of the Tokugawa clan in the Shitaya district of Edo (modern Taitō , Tokyo ). Enomoto started learning Dutch in

1708-476: The area. Merchant Takadaya Kahei , who is honoured as the founder of Hakodate port, set up trading operations, which included opening the northern Etorofu sea route to the Kuril island fisheries. He is credited with turning Hakodate from a trading outpost into a thriving city. A Hakodate magistracy was established in 1802. By 1807, the power of the Tokugawa government extended to the entire region. However, in 1821,

1769-522: The boundaries of the Japanese. He ordered the squadron to survey Edo bay, which led to a stand-off between Japanese officers with swords and Americans with guns. By firing the guns into the water, Perry demonstrated their military might, which greatly affected Japanese perceptions of Perry and the United States. Namely, a perception of fear and disrespect. Despite years of debate on the isolation policy, Perry's letter created great controversy within

1830-598: The central government relaxed their control of the area and restored the Matsumae clan to the full powers they had before. The port of Hakodate was surveyed by a fleet of five U.S. ships in 1854 under the conditions of the Convention of Kanagawa, as negotiated by Commodore Matthew Perry . Hakodate port partially opened to foreign ships for provisioning in the following year and then completely to foreign trade on 2 June 1859 as one of five Japanese open ports designated in

1891-447: The centre of their defences in southern Hokkaido. Government forces defeated the secessionists in the Battle of Hakodate in 1869 and the city and fort were surrendered to emperor. Military leader, Hijikata Toshizō , was one of those slain in the fighting. In 1878, Isabella Bird reported of the city in her travelogue: The streets are very wide and clean, but the houses are mean and low. The city looks as if it had just recovered from

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1952-470: The city is the limit of hot summer climates for a city on the immediate coast in Japan ( Cfa / Dfa ), although appearing in other interior regions of the province. Hakodate has snowy winters and warm, humid summers. Winters are cold for the latitude (the same as Northern California ) but milder than much of Hokkaido. Hakodate features four distinct seasons. The city sees a substantial amount of snowfall during

2013-406: The city. The city escaped most of the ravages of World War II. Areas around Hakodate-yama were fortified and access restricted to the public. Many prisoners of war were interned in Hakodate and historians record a total of 10 camps. The city was subjected to two Allied bombing raids on 14 and 15 July 1945. Around 400 homes were destroyed on the western side of Hakodate-yama and an Aomori-Hakodate ferry

2074-410: The course of the year, averaging roughly 380 cm (150 in) of snow annually. Spring typically begins with some snowfall, but sees a gradual warming trend as the season progress. Summers are generally warm but not hot, with average high temperatures in the warmest month (August) hovering around 26 °C (79 °F). Fall initially is warm but becomes increasingly colder as the season progress. It

2135-437: The few former Tokugawa loyalists who made the transition to the new ruling elite, as politics at the time was dominated by men from Chōshū and Satsuma , who had a strong bias against outsiders in general, and former Tokugawa retainers in particular. However, Enomoto was an exception, and rose quickly within the new ruling clique , to a higher status than any other member of the former Tokugawa administrations. In 1874, Enomoto

2196-465: The government. In 1880, Enomoto became Navy Minister ( 海軍卿 ) . In 1885, his diplomatic skills were again called upon to assist Itō Hirobumi in concluding the Convention of Tientsin with Qing China . Afterwards, Enomoto held a series of high posts in the Japanese government. He was Japan's first Minister of Communications (1885–1888) after the introduction of the cabinet system in 1885. He

2257-596: The highest levels of the Tokugawa shogunate. The shōgun himself, Tokugawa Ieyoshi , died days after Perry's departure and was succeeded by his sickly young son, Tokugawa Iesada , leaving effective administration in the hands of the Council of Elders ( rōjū ) led by Abe Masahiro . Abe felt that it was impossible for Japan to resist the American demands by military force and yet was reluctant to take any action on his own authority for such an unprecedented situation. Attempting to legitimize any decision taken, Abe polled all of

2318-434: The opening of Japanese ports to American trade, through the use of gunboat diplomacy if necessary. President Fillmore's letter shows the U.S. sought trade with Japan to open export markets for American goods like gold from California, enable U.S. ships to refuel in Japanese ports, and secure protections and humane treatment for any American sailors shipwrecked on Japan's shores. The growing commerce between America and China,

2379-418: The peak of Mount Hakodate by taking tour bus and/or direct bus. that departs from JR Hakodate Station. An obscure local nickname of the bumpy mountain is Gagyūzan (Mount Cow's Back), alluding to the way the mountain resembles a resting cow. The former Goryōkaku fort is now used in as a public park and is popular in Hokkaido for hanami (cherry blossom viewing). Since April 2006, the park has also featured

2440-696: The position of the shogun. Debate over foreign policy and popular outrage over perceived appeasement to the foreign powers was a catalyst for the sonnō jōi movement and a shift in political power from Edo back to the Imperial Court in Kyoto . The opposition of Emperor Kōmei to the treaties further lent support to the tōbaku (overthrow the shogunate) movement, and eventually to the Meiji Restoration , which affected all realms of Japanese life. Following this period came an increase in foreign trade,

2501-505: The presence of American whalers in waters offshore Japan, and the increasing monopolization of potential coaling stations by the British and French in Asia were all contributing factors. The Americans were also driven by concepts of manifest destiny and the desire to impose the perceived benefits of western civilization and Christianity on what they perceived as backward Asian nations. From

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2562-470: The remainder, 14 gave vague responses expressing concern of possible war, 7 suggested making temporary concessions and 2 advised that they would simply go along with whatever was decided. Perry returned again on February 11, 1854, with an even larger force of eight warships and made it clear that he would not be leaving until a treaty was signed. Perry continued his manipulation of the setting, such as keeping himself aloof from lower-ranking officials, implying

2623-517: The remnants of his navy and his handful of French advisers in winter 1868, including Jules Brunet . They formally established the Republic of Ezo on December 25. The republic tried unsuccessfully to gather international recognition to foreign legations in Hakodate, including the Americans, French, and Russians. The Naval Battle of Hakodate was fought from 4 to 10 May 1869, between the remnants of

2684-401: The rise of Japanese military might, and the later rise of Japanese economic and technological advancement. Westernization at the time was a defense mechanism, but Japan has since found a balance between Western modernity and Japanese tradition. Enomoto Takeaki Viscount Enomoto Takeaki ( 榎本 武揚 , 5 October 1836 – 26 October 1908) was a Japanese samurai and admiral of

2745-522: The safety of American castaways and established the position of an American consul in Japan. The treaty precipitated the signing of similar treaties establishing diplomatic relations with other Western powers. Since the beginning of the 17th century, the Tokugawa Shogunate pursued a policy of isolating the country from outside influences. Foreign trade was maintained only with the Dutch and

2806-671: The second highest rank in the Tokugawa Navy, at the age of 31. He also received the court title of Izumi-no-kami ( 和泉守 ) . During the Meiji Restoration , after the surrender of Edo in 1868 during the Boshin War to forces loyal to the Satchō Alliance , Enomoto refused to deliver up his warships, and escaped to Hakodate in Hokkaido with the remainder of the Tokugawa Navy and a handful of French military advisers and their leader Jules Brunet . His fleet of eight steam warships

2867-499: The shogun, or indeed any of his rōjū , and that it had at least temporarily averted the possibility of immediate military confrontation. Externally, the treaty led to the United States-Japan Treaty of Amity and Commerce , the "Harris Treaty" of 1858, which allowed the establishment of foreign concessions, extraterritoriality for foreigners, and minimal import taxes for foreign goods. The Japanese chafed under

2928-418: The short term, the U.S. was content with the agreement since Perry had achieved his primary objective of breaking Japan's sakoku policy and setting the grounds for protection of American citizens and an eventual commercial agreement. On the other hand, the Japanese were forced into this trade, and many saw it as a sign of weakness. The Tokugawa shogunate could point out that the treaty was not actually signed by

2989-427: The summer of 1861 to establish a saw milling business. He stayed in Hakodate until 1884, during which time he documented the local natural environment, equipped the local meteorological station and ran guns to the Boshin War rebels. As one of few points of Japanese contact with the outside world, Hakodate was soon host to several overseas consulates. The Russian consulate included a chapel from where Nicholas of Japan

3050-754: The tall, white Goryōkaku Tower. Resembling an air traffic control tower, the structure offers a panoramic view of the park, including mainland Japan across the Tsugaru Strait on clear days. Hakodate has a cityscape that covers the center of the Kameda peninsula. A narrow land area separates Hakodate Bay to the west from Tsugaru Strait in the south-east side. It is best viewed from the top of Mount Hakodate . The population of Hakodate increased by 402% from 28,825 to 144,749 between 1873 till 1920. Hakodate's population peaked in 1980 at 320,154, but has been gradually in decline due to aging since then. According to

3111-458: The time, shōgun Tokugawa Iesada was the de facto ruler of Japan; for the Emperor of Japan to interact in any way with foreigners was out of the question. Perry concluded the treaty with representatives of the shogun, led by plenipotentiary Hayashi Akira ( 林韑 ) and the text was endorsed subsequently, albeit reluctantly, by Emperor Kōmei . The treaty was ratified on February 21, 1855. In

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3172-512: The use of force, surveying the harbor, and refusing to meet in the designated negotiation sites. Negotiations began on March 8 and proceeded for around one month. Each party shared a performance when Perry arrived. The Americans had a technology demonstration, and the Japanese had a sumo wrestling show. While the new technology awed the Japanese people, Perry was unimpressed by the sumo wrestlers and perceived such performance as foolish and degrading: “This disgusting exhibition did not terminate until

3233-537: The whole twenty-five had, successively, in pairs, displayed their immense powers and savage qualities." The Japanese side gave in to almost all of Perry's demands, with the exception of a commercial agreement modelled after previous American treaties with China, which Perry agreed to defer to a later time. The main controversy centered on the selection of the ports to open, with Perry adamantly rejecting Nagasaki. The treaty, written in English, Dutch, Chinese and Japanese,

3294-481: The will of the cabinet of Matsukata Masayoshi —a "section for emigration " in the Foreign Ministry, with the task of encouraging emigration and finding new potential territories for Japanese settlement overseas. Two years later, after leaving the government, Enomoto also helped to establish a private organization, the "Colonial Association", to promote external trade and emigration. Enomoto died in 1908 at

3355-603: Was also Minister of Agriculture and Commerce from 1894 to 1897, Minister of Education from 1889 to 1890 and Foreign Minister from 1891 to 1892. In 1887, Enomoto was ennobled to the rank of viscount under the kazoku peerage system, and was selected as a member of the Privy Council . Enomoto was especially active in promoting Japanese emigration through settler colonies in the Pacific Ocean and South and Central America . In 1891, he established—against

3416-468: Was attacked with 400 passengers killed. In 1976, a defecting Soviet pilot named Viktor Belenko flew his plane into the civilian airport in Hakodate. Hakodate's size nearly doubled on December 1, 2004, when the town of Minamikayabe (from Kayabe District ), and the towns of Esan and Toi, and the village of Todohokke (all from Kameda District ), were merged into it. The Hokkaido Shinkansen line opened on 26 March 2016. The undersea Seikan Tunnel with

3477-426: Was badly damaged during the Boshin War and moved to its current location in 1879. The existing main building was built in 1900. The city is well known for seafood and sushi . Hakodate shio (salt) ramen is also a famous specialty of the city. Shio ramen has a pale, clear, broth made with plenty of salt and any combination of chicken, pork bone, vegetables, fish, and seaweed . On a similar note, Hakodate's city fish

3538-510: Was given the rank of vice-admiral in the fledgling Imperial Japanese Navy . The following year, he was sent to Russia as a special envoy to negotiate the Treaty of St. Petersburg . The successful conclusion of the treaty was very well received in Japan and further raised Enomoto's prestige within the ruling circles, and the fact that Enomoto had been chosen for such an important mission was seen as evidence of reconciliation between former foes in

3599-582: Was intentional, as Perry wrote in his journal: “To show these princes how little I regarded their order for me to depart, on getting on board I immediately ordered the whole squadron underway, not to leave the bay… but to go higher up… would produce a decided influence upon the pride and conceit of the government, and cause a more favorable consideration of the President’s letter." Perry's power front did not stop with refusing to land in Uraga, but he continued to push

3660-405: Was signed on March 31, 1854, at what is now Kaikō Hiroba (Port Opening Square) Yokohama , a site adjacent to the current Yokohama Archives of History . The celebratory events for the signing ceremony included a Kabuki play from the Japanese side and, from the American side, U.S. military band music and blackface minstrelsy . The "Japan-US Treaty of Peace and Amity" has twelve articles: At

3721-455: Was the strongest in Japan at the time. Enomoto hoped to create an independent country under the rule of the Tokugawa family in Hokkaidō , but the Meiji government refused to accept partition of Japan. On 27 January 1869, the Tokugawa loyalists declared the foundation of the Republic of Ezo and elected Enomoto as president. The Meiji government forces engaged and defeated Enomoto's forces in

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