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| Cover photo: Goryókaku fort in the centre of Hakodate on Hokkaidó |
I visited Japan for the second time in May 2019. Back in November 2016, we had traveled from Tokyo southward to Kyushu and back, so this time the itinerary focused on the remaining two of Japan’s four main islands—Hokkaido and Shikoku.
We originally considered going all the way north to Sapporo, but the Shinkansen only goes as far as Hakodate (875 km from Tokyo, about 4 hours by train). From there, it would take another 3.5 hours (300 km) by express train to reach Sapporo. After a 13-hour flight, nearly 8 hours on a train felt a bit too ambitious. So we decided to save Sapporo for another time—perhaps when the planned Shinkansen extension is completed in 2030.
🚄 The plan began with an ambitious journey from Tokyo to Hakodate, hoping to catch the tail end of cherry blossom season. According to the 2019 bloom calendar, we were just in time. We departed Vienna on Wednesday, May 8 at 12:35 PM and landed in Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on Thursday, May 9 at 6:35 AM local time (a 7-hour time difference). The flight took just under 11 hours. We booked a direct flight from Vienna to Tokyo with no layovers, which cost €660.
💸 As for the rest of the expenses:
- A 2-week JR Rail Pass (valid on almost all trains across Japan): €380
- Japanese SIM card: €33
- Accommodation via Booking.com: approx. €530
- Food, entrance fees, souvenirs, and other expenses: just over €500
So if you're planning a similar 17-day trip across Japan, you should budget around €2,000–€2,500 in total.
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| Tohoku shinkansen operating in North-East of Japan |
Landing at Haneda Airport was a real advantage, as it’s located just 17 km from central Tokyo. In contrast, Narita Airport, where we landed back in November 2016, is about 70 km outside the city center. While the journey from Narita to Tokyo Station takes at least an hour, getting there from Haneda takes only half that time.
After landing at Haneda, we initially planned to activate our JR Pass right away (since you only receive a voucher that must be exchanged for the actual pass at a designated office). But the line was so long that we decided to wait and do it at Tokyo Station instead.
We were a bit worried about the infamous rush hour, when everyone crams into the metro on their way to work, but it turned out to be not so bad—no one had to push us into the train car, thankfully.
While waiting to exchange our JR Pass, I spent a few moments observing the morning crowd—people swarming to work like ants, all neatly dressed. Most men wore shirts, jackets, and ties; women in business suits. It was easy to spot the few tourists among them at that hour.
On the platform, I managed to grab a bento (a boxed meal for the journey), and after 2.5 years, I was finally boarding the Shinkansen again.
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| Off to Hokkaidó: Onigiri bento and green tea are a must |
Japanese North
The main Japanese island of Honshu is connected to Hokkaido by the Seikan Tunnel, which stretches 54 kilometers—23 of which run 240 meters beneath the sea. The Seikan Tunnel is the second longest and deepest tunnel in the world.
We arrived in Hakodate, the third-largest city on Hokkaido, just around noon on Thursday, greeted by sunny weather. With average temperatures in May ranging from 12 to 16°C, you could definitely feel that we had arrived in the north.
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| Hakodate Station |
At the final Shinkansen stop, which is located a bit outside the city, we transferred to a local train and reached the center of Hakodate in about 30 minutes. Our hotel—fittingly named Smile Hotel Hakodate, complete with a smiley face in its logo—was conveniently located just across the street from the station.
It was a bit of a budget hotel, but the location and price sealed the deal—just €36 per night. Since our stay on Hokkaido was limited to just one night, we set out to see Hakodate’s two main attractions: the panoramic view from Mount Hakodate and the historic Goryōkaku Fort.
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| In front of Hakodate Station |
Mount Hakodate, standing 334 meters tall on the southwestern edge of the city, offers one of the most iconic views in Japan. We took the ropeway to the summit, a popular route for both locals and tourists.
This spot owes much of its fame to the Michelin Travel Guide, which ranked the night view from Mount Hakodate among the top three in the world—alongside Hong Kong and Naples (personally, I’d add Dubrovnik to that list too). |
| One of the most beautiful night views in the world |
The next day, we visited Goryōkaku Fort, a star-shaped fortress inspired by similar European designs—particularly those in France. Built in the 19th century to defend against a possible Russian invasion, Goryōkaku also played a role in the conflict between the shogunate and imperial forces (more on that here).
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| View from the observation deck: Mount Hakodate and the harbor |
Cherry Blossoms
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| Observation deck in Goryókaku |
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| Former Magistrate's Office in the heart of Goryókaku |
The park had a peaceful atmosphere, with small groups of tourists and locals enjoying the cherry blossoms. A few kids even greeted us with a cheerful “hello,” which reminded me of a similar moment during our previous trip to Dazaifu in Kyushu.
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| Group photo in Goryókaku park |
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| Hokkaidó edition of Coca-Coly bottle (a can in shape of a glass bottle) and local Kit-Kats with adzuki and strawberry flavor |
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