Top page  >>About Hakodate  Events >>Back >>Outline | >>Access | >>Climate | >>Events Hakodate and the surrounding area play host to a broad array of different festivals, including the Hakodate Port Festival. The following represents a sampling of the must-see festivals in and around Hakodate. Event Name Place Period Contact Comment Matsumae Cherry Blossom Festival Matsumae-cho Matsumae Park End of April to end of May Matsumae Tourism Association TEL 0139-42-2726 Showcases wonderful month-long spring blooms in shades of white, pink, red, and yellow from the end of April. Hakodate Cherry Blossom Festival Hakodate Park Goryokaku Park End of April to middle of May Hakodate City Hall TEL 0138-21-3111 Hakodate Park at the foot of Mount Hakodate and Goryokaku Park are both lit up nightly at the height of the cherry blossom season providing for a dazzling nightscape. Hakodate Goryokaku Festival Goryokaku Park Other 3rd Saturday and Sunday of May Hakodate Goryokaku Festival Executive Committee TEL 0138-51-4785 The festival reenacts Hakodate during the end of the Edo Period (1603-1868) and beginning of the Meiji Period (1868-1912), an era of great historical upheaval. Dodan Azalea Festival Hakodate City Todohokke District Cape Esan Park End of May Hakodate City Government Todohokke Branch Office TEL 0138-86-2111 Stage events and booths selling local seafood set to the backdrop of the park's beautiful azalea trees. Minami Kayabe Kelpboat Festival Usuziri fishing port Middle of June Minami Kayabe Branch Office Industry Section TEL 0138-25-5118 Festival giving thanks to and celebrating the bounty of the sea and local fishing port. The main event is the always-gallant boat rowing competition. Mt. Iou Festival Kaminokuni-cho Iozan other 3rd Saturday and Sunday of June Kaminokuni Tourist Association TEL 0319-55-2121 Festival that features a variety of events including horseriding competition, singing performances, and walk rally. Fire Festival of Ezo Kaminokuni-cho Iozan July 26 to August 15 Fire Festival of Ezo Executive Committee TEL 0139-55-2121 Large festival that reenacts the mystical Legend of Ryuto, told for generations in Kaminokuni Town, of how an ocean and mountain deity meet. Hakodate Harbor Festival All of Hakodate August 1 to August 5 Hakodate Harbor Festival Executive Committee TEL 0138-27-3535 Lively yells of [Wasshoi (Hurray), Hakodate] by city residents participating in Hakodate's own Ika-odori (squid dance) enliven the festive atmosphere, while the 10,000-shell fireworks display dazzles the night sky over Hakodate. Esashi Ubagami Daijingu Shrine Togyo Festival All of Esashi Town Start of August Esashi Tourism Association TEL 0139-52-4815 Extravagant nighttime festival with 13 huge floats backed by the sound of taiko drums and the melody of flutes similar to that used during the famous Gion Festival in Kyoto. Hokkaido's oldest festival. Hakodate Outdoor Theatre [Shine on Tomorrow, Star-shaped Fort] Goryokaku Park Weekends in July and August(10 shows) Society for the Civic Production Hakodate Outdoor Theatre TEL 0138-56-8601 Civic play based on the dramatic events that unfolded at Goryokaku Fort. Production, casting, and other staffing undertaken by an all-volunteer team of city residents. Summer Carnival in Shiriuchi Shiriuchi Riverside Event Area August 15 Shiriuchicho government office TEL 01392-5-6161 Held annually on August 15, the event includes singing performances of Shiriuchi Town native Saburo Kitajima's song collection, a karaoke competition and a parade of floats. Toi Furusato Festival Hakodate City Toi District Kamaya Fishing Port Middle of August Hakodate Toi Branch Office TEL 0138-82-2111 Festival that includes Bon Odori dancing, raffle for a variety of Toi specialty products, as well as a giant tuna cleaning and filleting by the Toi Fishing Cooperative. Hakodate Yunokawa Hot Spring Isaribi Festival Yunokawa Hot Spring District 3rd Saturday and Sunday of August Hakodate Yunokawa hot spring hotel cooperative TEL 0138-57-8988 Event marking the finale of summertime in Hakodate. The highlight of the festival is a fireworks display backed by the lights of the entire squid fleet in Tsugaru Straits. Kaminokuni Hachimangu Shrine Festival Kaminokuni-cho September 14 or 15 Kaminokuni Tourist Association TEL 0139-55-2121 Festival celebrating the traditions from the middle of the Edo Period (1603-1868) that begins with the march of the Okachi, or foot soldiers. Hakodate Christmas fantasy On the water in front of the Kanemori Red Brick Warehouses December 1 to December 25 Hakodate Christmas fantasy Executive Committee TEL 0138-26-8563 A huge illuminated Christmas tree, a gift from Canada, decorates the Hakodate Bay area and its aura of romanticism from the surrounding red brick warehouses. Nightly fireworks displays and light art create a magical night for what is Hakodate's largest event. Hakodate Winter festival Motomachi Park Goryokaku Park Start of December to end of February Hakodate Winter festival Executive Committee TEL 0138-27-3535 The Motomachi District, with its exotic aura, is brought to life through 50,000 lights decorating its streets. While in Goryokaku Park, a variety of games are played, offering an energetic reprieve to the residents of Hakodate from the cold winter night. Onuma and Hakodate The festival of snow and ice Nanae-cho Onuma Quasi National Park End of january Onuma Tourism Association TEL 0138-67-3020 Snow and ice festival marking the area's largest wintertime event. Held at the Onuma Quasi National Park recreation area, the festival features 60 large and small ice and snow sculptures, jumbo-sized slide made from the natural ice of Onuma Lake, ice carving and other fun wintertime games. Cold season purification ceremony festival Kikonai Town Mae-hama Beach January 15 Kikonai Town Tourism Association TEL 01392-2-2046 A traditional festival where youth selected from the town carry the Goshintai (object of worship from the local shrine) and dive into the frigid Tsugaru Straits to pray for a strong grain harvest and bountiful fishing season. Known as Japan's northernmost mizugori or cold-water ablution. Mt. Esan Gokko Festival Hakodate City Esan District Rest Stop Middle of February Hakodate City Government Esan Branch Office TEL 0138-85-2331 Festival offering tastings of the wintertime delight the smooth lumpsucker, including in soup and freshly dried. Various games are also part of the event. >>Back