Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [458]
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MATSUMAE
01394 / pop 10,000
Prior to the start of the Meiji era, this town was the stronghold of the Matsumae clan, and the centre of Japanese political power in Hokkaidō. As a result, Matsumae is home to the only castle on the island, Matsumae-jō (;42-2216; admission ¥270; 9am-5pm mid-Apr–Dec). The present structure is from the 19th century, and currently houses feudal relics and a small collection of Ainu items.
Uphill is a 17th-century temple district and the burial ground of the Matsumae clan. Further along is Matsumaehan Yashiki (; admission ¥350; 9am-4.30pm mid-Apr–Dec), an interesting replica of an Edo-period village, built using authentic materials and construction techniques.
Frequent tokkyū on the JR Esashi line run between Hakodate and Kikionai (¥1620, 35 minutes). Regular buses run between the JR Kikonai station and Matsumae (¥1220, 1½ hours). The sights listed here are accessible from the Matsumae-jō stop; buses terminate at Matsumae bus terminal, from where you can grab a bus to Esashi between April and November (¥2720; two hours; four daily).
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ESASHI
0139 / pop 10,000
If Matsumae was Hokkaidō’s Edo-period political centre, then Esashi was its economic centre. Prior to the depletion of fishing stocks in the early 20th century, a number of nishingoten (herring barons’ homes) dominated the shoreline, though several remain and are quite well preserved. Yokoyama House (;52-0018; admission ¥300; 9am-5pm) and Nakamura House (;52-1617; admission ¥300; 9am-5pm) are good places to start. Both are open year-round, but closed on Monday during winter. Call ahead for an appointment at Yokoyama House from November to April.
Listen to performances of Esashi Oiwake, a nationally known music style, at Esashi Oiwake Museum (;52-0920; admission ¥500; closed Mon in winter). Shows are held at 11am, 1pm and 2.30pm. It’s high-pitched, nasal singing that will either fascinate you or make you want to cover your ears.
Esashi holds an annual festival, the Ubagami Matsuri (; 9 to 11 August), when streets fill with antique floats in honour of Ubagami Daijingu, the oldest shrine in Hokkaidō, which was built to invoke a successful herring catch more than 350 years ago.
Frequent tokkyū on the JR Esashi line run between Hakodate and Kikonai (¥1620, 35 minutes). Kikonai is also connected to Esahi by the JR Esahi line – a few daily kaisoku ply this route (¥900, 1¼ hours).
Buses run year-round between Hakodate and Esashi (¥1830, 2¼ hours, frequent), and infrequently from April to November between Esashi and Matsumae (¥2720, two hours, four daily).
From Esashi station, it’s a 20-minute walk downhill to the tourist sites.
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Seikan Tunnel
A modern marvel of Japanese engineering, this railway tunnel travels beneath the Tsugaru Strait, connecting the islands of Honshū and Hokkaidō. With a total length of 53.85km, including a 240m-deep and 23.3km-long undersea portion, the Seikan Tunnel is the deepest and longest undersea tunnel in the world. Prior to 2006, you could actually get off the train, and take a seriously claustrophobic tour of the tunnel’s inner workings. However, since the Hokkaidō shinkansen is currently under construction, and scheduled for completion in 2015, tours are unlikely to recommence any time soon. Because of all the construction, this site is closed off to private tours. But, once everything concludes and the bullet train starts running, it is likely that they will allow people to disembark the train and tour the station as in the past.
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DŌ-Ō
Central Hokkaidō is where Hokkaidō garners its much deserved reputation for stunning national parks, world-class ski slopes and rustic onsen towns. Although the scenic port town of Otaru is the region’s largest population centre, the focus is firmly on Niseko, where legendary powder attracts skiers and snowboarders from across the globe. And, while the French might have invented après-ski, it is the Japanese who have elevated