Hakodate’s population of around 250,000 gives it a friendly, small-town feel. It is a major destination for Japanese travellers, who come to see the famous view from the top of Hakodate Mountain, and to try some of the best seafood in the country. Over 4.5 million tourists visit the city each year.

In five of the last eight annual surveys (2014, 2015 , 2016, 2018, and 2019) by the “Brand Research Institute” in Tokyo, Hakodate placed at number 1 in the list of most attractive places in Japan (here is the link to Hakodate #1 on the 2019 page [Japanese]). The most recent (2021) survey has Hakodate as number 2, behind Sapporo.

WMDF’s site in Motomachi places you in the middle of the architectural history from the time when Hakodate was one of the first ports in Japan to open its doors to foreign trade, some 150 years ago. Motomachi really flourished, acquiring a Western-influenced streetscape that remains to this day. The picturesque movie-set slopes offer views of the port and of stylish western buildings such as foreign churches and old consulates.

Tripadvisor also voted Hakodate a 2012 winner in the top ten places to visit in Japan. If you are thinking of visiting Hakodate for our event, we recommend the great site Hakodate Official Travel Guide that has heaps of information in English and ten  other languages.