【英文版】
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Located in the southwest of Hokkaido and facing the Tsugaru Strait, Hakodate developed as a port town for trade with foreign countries at the end of the 19th century, and is a gateway connecting Hokkaido with Honshu by the Seikan Tunnel.
At the waterfront overlooking the Hakodate-ko Port, there is a shopping mall inside remodeled red brick warehouses, the Old Kanamori Haberdashery Museum, and the Hakodate Beer Hall.
In 1854, Hakodate became Japan’s first port to open to foreign trade as the country’s era of isolationism came to an end. The resulting influx of traders and merchants from different countries imprinted the city with a mélange of cultural styles that now distinguish Hakodate’s unique cultural sophistication.
The construction of the Goryokaku Fort dates back to 1853, when a U.S. fleet arrived at a Japanese port. This historically significant event is referred to as “the arrival of the black ships.” Succumbing to the U.S.’s demands that Japan open its doors to the rest of the world, the Tokugawa shogunate concluded the Treaty of Peace and Amity between the United States and Japan in1854. Then Hakodate Port was opened for international trade.
The Goryokaku Fort was opened to the public as a park in 1914, serving as a place of relaxation for the residents of Hakodate. In 1952, it was designated as a special historic site by the national government, and has since become a storyteller of the history of the Bakumatsu-Ishin Period, that is , the period at the twilight of the Tokugawa shogunate and meiji Restoration. At Goryokaku Tower, I saw park and downtown vistas from its 351-feet-high tower.
Hakodate is famous for the four distinct colors of the four beautiful seasons. Though the cherry blossom in the spring is probably the most iconic, for many the fall is just as gorgeous. As temperatures dip after the scorching summer, the colors of the leaves change into vibrant shades of orange, red, yellow, and brown. It is a magnificent sight which has inspired artists and poets for centuries.
Hakodate Station is the main railway station in Hakodate. It is the terminal station on the Hakodate Main Line operated by JR Hakkaido. Hakodate Station first opened in 1902. The Tourist Information Center inside the JR Hakodate Station was very helpful.
It was a wonderful opportunity that I got to visit the spacious campus of the Lai Joshi Women’s Academy in Hakodate. It was established in 1874. This is a private girls’ school that consists of senior and junior high school. I really appreciated the hospitality from the teachers and students.
Thanks to the good weather, my stay in Hakodate, Japan, was filled with brilliant sunlight. I was able to experience sumptuous colors of this friendly city.
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