Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [454]
There are hourly kaisoku (rapid) trains on the JR Hakodate line between Sapporo and Otaru (¥620, 40 minutes). Finally, Super Kamui tokkyū trains run twice an hour between Sapporo and Asahikawa (¥4480, 1½ hours).
Getting Around
TO/FROM THE AIRPORTS
New Chitose Airport is accessible from Sapporo by kaisoku (rapid) train (¥1340, 35 minutes) or bus (¥1000, 1¼ hours). There are convenient bus services connecting the airport to various Hokkaidō destinations including Shikotsu-ko, Tōya-ko Onsen, Noboribetsu Onsen and Niseko.
For Okadama airport, buses leave every 20 minutes or so from in front of the ANA ticket offices, opposite JR Sapporo station (¥400, 30 minutes).
BUS & TRAM
JR Sapporo station is the main terminus for local buses. From late April to early November, tourist buses loop through major sights and attractions between 9am and 5.30pm; a one-day pass costs ¥750, single trips are ¥200 (basic fee).
There is a single tram line that heads west from Ōdōri, turns south, then loops back to Susukino. The fare is a flat ¥170.
SUBWAY
Sapporo’s three subways are efficient. Fares start at ¥200 and one-day passes cost ¥800 (per day ¥500 weekend only). There are also ¥1000 day passes that include the tram and buses as well. Or get a pay-in-advance With You card (various denominations available), which can be used on subways, buses, trams, Jōtetsu and Chūō buses; unlike the one-day passes, the With You card does not expire at midnight.
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DŌ-NAN
Southern Hokkaidō is often bypassed entirely by Sapporo-bound travellers, who use the capital’s transport network as a springboard for more remote destinations. This is unfortunate, as Hakodate, a prominent Meiji-era port, is by far the most atmospheric city in Hokkaidō. Dō-nan is also home to a couple of small but historically significant towns, which bear striking architectural reminders of the Edo period.
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HAKODATE
0138 / pop 288,000
Built on a narrow strip of land between Hakodate Harbour to the west and Tsugaru Channel to the east, hourglass-shaped Hakodate is the southern gateway to the island of Hokkaidō. Under the Kanagawa Treaty of 1854, the city was one of the first ports to open up to international trade, and as such hosted a small foreign community. Much of that influence can still be seen in the Motomachi district, a steep hillside that is sprinkled with wooden buildings and brick churches. You can also get a sense of history by riding nostalgic trams through the orderly streets, or by watching the squid boats, with their traditional lantern lights, bob gently in the bay.
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QUIRKY HOKKAIDō EVENTS
Yuki Matsuri (Snow Festival) in Sapporo – spectacular ice sculptures grace the streets Click here
Marimo Matsuri in Akan Kohan – return fuzzballs of algae to Akan-ko Click here
Orochon-no-hi (Fire Festival) in Abashiri – fire dancers gyrate in flames Click here
Japan Cup National Dogsled Races in Wakkanai – watch as dogs dash and fur flies Click here
Kyōkoku Hi Matsuri (Fire Festival) at Sōunkyō Onsen – flaming arrows are shot into a gorge Click here
Come Back Salmon Night in Abashiri – grill seafood while watching salmon return to spawn Click here
Heso Matsuri (Navel Festival) in Furano – celebrate innies and outies in style Click here
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Orientation & Information
Spread out along the water’s edge, the city is best accessed by its trams; most of the sights can be walked to from stops along the way. Buses, trams and trains leave the station regularly. Head west, towards Mt Hakodate and the Motomachi district, to find most historical sites; Goryō-kaku, Japan’s first Western-style fort, is to the east.
Hakodate Tourist Information Centre (Map; 23-5440; www.city.hakodate.hokkaido.jp/kikaku/english; 9am-7pm Apr-Oct, 9am-5pm Nov-Mar) Inside JR Hakodate station;