16 Facts About Hakodate

Hakodate is a city and port located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan.

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.

Hakodate was founded in 1454, when Kono Kaganokami Masamichi constructed a large manor house in the Ainu fishing village of Usukeshi .

Hakodate flourished during the Hoei period, and many new temples were founded in 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.

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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 played a central role in the Boshin War between the Tokugawa shogunate and the Meiji Emperor which followed Perry's opening of Japan.

The Naval Battle of Hakodate was fought from 4 to 10 May 1869, between the remnants of the Tokugawa shogunate navy and the newly formed Imperial Japanese Navy.

On 14 June 1868, Hakodate was designated as an urban prefecture, one of the first two, the other being Kyoto.

Areas around Hakodate-yama were fortified and access restricted to the public.

Mount Hakodate was originally an island that was formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago.

Hakodate has a cityscape that covers the center of the Kameda peninsula.

Hakodate's population peaked in 1980 at 320,154, but has been gradually in decline due to aging since then.

Hakodate shio ramen is a famous speciality of the city.

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 which causes a cadaveric spasm when poured over the squid.

Hakodate Fish Market is a 10-minute walk from the JR Hakodate Station.