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Hakodate

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View of Hakodate from Mountain

Hakodate (函館市; -shi) is a city and port located in Oshima, Hokkaido, Japan.

As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 283,215 and the density of 816.42 persons per km&sup2. The total area is 346.90 km².

Christian Church in Hakodate

The city was founded on August 1, 1922 and the port was opened to American trade under the conditions of the Treaty of Kanagawa, negotiated by Commodore Matthew Perry, March 31, 1853. A mariner of his fleet died during cruising and his body was buried in Hakodate cemetery for foreigners. He was the first U.S. citizen buried in Japan.

Soon several countries settled their consulates in Hakodate. One of them, Russian Consulate had a chapel, from where Eastern Orthodoxy arrived in Japan. The Orthodox church is neighbored by several other churches, including Anglican and Catholic.

The city is overlooked by Hakodateyama (Mount Hakodate), a lumpy, totally-forested mountain. The summit of the mountain is easily reached by either hiking trail, cable car, or car. The nighttime view from the summit is reknowned all over Japan as one of the loveliest sights in the country. A not-so-well known local nickname of the bumpy mountain is Gagyuzan ("Mount Cow's-back"), which alludes to the way the mountain's shape resembles that of a resting cow.

Hakodate is home to the famous Goryokaku fort, which was built in the shape of a five-pointed star. Once the base for shogunate loyalists during the last part of the Meiji Restoration, it is now used as a public park. The park is a popular spot in Hokkaido for hanami (cherry blossom viewing).

The small but bustling city is also famous as the site of Hijikata Toshizo's last stand.

The city is also known for Hakodate Shio Ramen, where instead of having a pork cutlet placed inside the soup, sliced squid is used. On a similar note, Hakodate's city fish is the squid. Every year (around July) the city gets together for the Hakodate Port Festival. Hordes of citizens gather in the streets to dance a wiggly dance known as the Ika-odori (Squid Dance), the name of which describes the dance appropriately. The phosphorous glow of the lights of squid-cathing boats can be seen in the waters surrounding the city.

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